Spoiler-Free Review of “Challengers” in Theaters: Saucy and Stylish!

**This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!**

“It’s about winning…”

Challengers released in theaters on April 26th 2024. The romantic sports drama film stars Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O’Connor. It runs for approximately two hours and ten minutes.

Tashi, a former tennis player, tries to help her husband break his losing streak by signing him up for a challenger event, but when his opponent ends of being his former best friend and Tashi’s ex-boyfriend, tensions run high.

Here is the trailer:

Challengers is an intimate and intense watch that explores the drive to win and its impact on relationships. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

All hail, Zendaya!

She was PERFECTION in this role. I loved how well she portrayed so many different layers. Her character had her own issues to work out, but she stayed strong with an empowering confidence that was so fantastic to watch on screen. I’ve always like Zendaya, but she showed off so much range in this film. Talk about committing to a character…

Wow…she honestly took my breath away!

A gripping competition boosted by authentic character relationships.

I wouldn’t say that I’m the biggest tennis fan and I was a little hesitant to watch this movie at first because of that. Well, you don’t have to be a sports fan at all to feel the intensity in this one. Every moment was filled to the brim with it.

I loved the character relationships here and it was interesting seeing how they started and progressed over the years, making the challenger event that much more satisfying. Even though I’ve seen my fair share of love triangles before, these relationships felt very organic. They were rooted in something very relatable, which was refreshing to see.

The soundtrack complimented the vibe of this film so well.

I really dug the music used and thought it worked seamlessly with the way this film was shot. As much as this film embraced its intimate side, there was something very stylish and visually stunning about each scene, which made me savor each moment that much more.

The Cons:

The time jumps were distracting at times.

This wasn’t a major con because I actually thought both timelines were so interesting. My only issue was that I’d get really invested in one timeline and then have to re-focus when we jumped to the other. The movie was on the longer side, but I don’t think they dragged things out too much.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!!!

Challengers is a satisfying film that successfully blends several genres together, elevated by an electric performance by Zendaya.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Challengers in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

PLAY BY THE RULES…STAY ALIVE…

A harmless night of fun turns deadly for six college friends but the game has only just begun. Take a mystery thrill ride right from your own living room. Dash and Seek is out now! I hope you enjoy!

READ IF YOU DARE…

Dash and Seek is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Boy Kills World” in Theaters: Bill Skarsgård Shines in this Bloody, Brutal & Bonkers Action-Thriller!

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“Show me the way…”

Boy Kills World is an action-thriller film that premiered on April 26th 2024. The film stars Bill Skarsgård, Jessica Rothe, Famke Janssen, Andrew Koji, and H. Jon Benjamin. It runs for approximately an hour and fifty minutes.

After losing the ability to speak and hear, “Boy” has been trained for many years to assassinate the woman responsible for killing his entire family.

Here is the trailer:

Boy Kills World delivers with fantastic fight scenes and a few welcomed twists to shake things up. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Gory and well-choreographed fight scenes.

If you like the movie, The Raid, then Boy Kills World is right up your alley. The fight scenes were truly exceptional and there were plenty of gruesome and bloody moments. I came for the action and this film delivered in that department and then some. Loved it!

Bill Skarsgård is fantastic!!!

For not saying anything at all during the movie, he dominated the screen! He was very captivating and I was pulled into the emotional aspects as well, which says a lot about his talent.

The rest of the cast was a lot of fun as well. I love Jessica Rothe (Happy Death Day) and thought she stepped into this role flawlessly. Let’s cast her in more films please!

It was also really cool having H. Jon Benjamin as the voice inside Boy’s head. It kind of felt like Archer was making a special guest appearance, which lightened things up and made this a fun watch with insane action.

Andrew Koji was a scene stealer too!

The Cons:

Took me a little bit to adjust to the style.

This wasn’t a major con, but the first half of the film had a slower start for me and I just felt like I had to get used to the voice-over and trippy scenes. The second half of the film was a lot stronger. I’m not sure that this film is for everyone, but it did have a unique appeal to it, which I really appreciated.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!!

Boy Kills World is a unique and trippy watch with bloody fantastic fight scenes!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts on Boy Kills World in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

It was only supposed to be temporary…but when Olivia Crewe accepts a new position that seems too good to be true, she soon discovers that twelve other girls previously had the same job as her. Only none of them lasted for more than thirty days. No notice. Nothing…right before they mysteriously disappeared without a trace.

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Bloodline Killer” on Demand: Shawnee Smith Stars in this Cheesy Horror-Thriller Flick

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“If I could trade places with him, I would…”

Bloodline Killer is a horror-thriller film that released on April 26th 2024 on demand. It stars Shawnee Smith, Tyrese Gibson, Taryn Manning, Daniel Cosgrove, and Bruce Dern. It runs for approximately an hour and forty-five minutes.

After her husband is brutally murdered on Halloween night by a serial killer named Skulleton, Moira attempts to rebuild her life, but when she is convinced that the killer has returned a year later, she will do everything in her power to protect her family.

Here is the trailer:

Bloodline Killer has a decent enough cast and a solid premise, but it gets lost in a plot that never really goes anywhere. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Decent opening and familiar faces…

I really wanted to like this movie. I was immediately drawn in because it took place on Halloween and of course I’m going to tune in for Shawnee Smith. I thought the opening had some serious potential. I was expecting a cheesy, campy slasher flick and it gave off these vibes early on, which was promising. Unfortunately the pros stop there…

The Cons:

Cringe-worthy dialogue and acting that leaves a lot to be desired…

The dialogue was AWFUL. There were a few actors I have seen in multiple films and shows and yet no one really shined. I can’t really blame them though because this film didn’t give them a lot to work with, but this was so disappointing.

The pacing was dreadful. Everything dragged so much and I felt like I was watching this for hours. It was really tough for me to get through this but I powered through it as much as I could.

The killer was a complete letdown.

The fight scenes and kills were ridiculous. I don’t need extreme gore, but they could have tried to make them at least a little bit scary and inventive. I also still don’t even understand the point of this movie or why the killer was after them in the first place. We’re given an explanation early on, but it just felt like a cheap rip-off of Michael Myers to me.

I was hoping for an explosive ending to redeem this film, but it didn’t come close to achieving that.

So am I in or out?

Unfortunately I’m out on this one…

Bloodline Killer had all the ingredients to be a fun campy slasher film, but it never found its way, making this a boring, uninspiring, and frustrating watch.

Shawnee Smith deserves better and so does the audience.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts on Bloodline Killer in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

THIS COMPETITION IS KILLER…

When former friends, Shay and Adriana team up to participate in a Halloween scavenger hunt with a cash prize, they temporarily put their differences aside to outsmart their opponents. However, they soon start to realize that a dangerous threat is playing their own version of the game, stalking them during each hunt.

Winning is now a necessity as their lives are at stake. As old wounds and memories re-surface, Shay and Adriana attempt to unmask the threat before the night is over, but soon learn that Scream Hunt is not done with them just yet…

Scream Hunt is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Abigail” in Theaters: A Bloody Amazing Time!

**This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!**

“I hate ballet…”

Abigail released in theaters on April 19th 2024. The vampire horror film stars Melissa Barrera, Dan Stevens, Kathryn Newton, Alisha Weir, Kevin Durand, Angus Cloud, and Giancarlo Esposito. The film runs for approximately an hour and fifty minutes.

A group of would-be criminals kidnap a twelve-year-old daughter of a powerful crime boss and hold her in an isolated mansion, but when they discover that she is a vampire, they quickly realize that they are the ones in real danger.

Here is the trailer:

Abigail has everything I want in a horror movie and more with a genius concept that executes itself flawlessly on screen. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

“Dream f*ckin team!”

Seriously, this was one of the best ensembles I have seen in a film in a very long time! I was so excited to see this one because of the cast: Melissa Barrera (Scream 5 and 6), Kathryn Newton (Freaky, Lisa Frankenstein), Dan Stevens (The Guest), Kevin Durand (LOST and The Strain), and Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad). I mean…can you get much better than that?

That’s already perfection to me and they DELIVERED and ate up every ounce of screen time with charisma. I loved all of the characters and thought that Alisha Weir was exceptional, but Dan Stevens edged out everyone for me. He was so fantastic in this. Loved every second of these performances!

So much fun!

Whoever came up with the premise of a ballerina vampire is a GENIUS! It was twisted and bonkers and it just worked so well! I knew I was going to love this film and it lived up to the hype.

It featured the perfect blend of humor and horror, which is what I love to see. It was so playful and I loved the gore. Abigail is brought to us from the same people who made Ready or Not and it very much channeled that vibe, but it never felt unoriginal or stale. It had its own voice and I’d honestly rank it right up there with that one and that’s one of my favorite horror films.

The Cons:

Yeah…I don’t have any.

I really don’t. This movie will definitely become a regular watch for me. It was fantastic and I don’t have anything negative to say about it.

So am I in or out?

I’m in 1000 percent!!!!

Abigail is bloody perfection!

The vampire genre is back and better than ever!

My favorite film of the year so far!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Abigail in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “The Stranger” (2024) on Hulu: A Thriller Worth Your Time!

**This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!**

“I just want to go home…”

The Stranger originally released on Quibi as a series back in 2020, but it has now been re-cut as a feature length film, premiering on Hulu on April 15th 2024. The thriller film stars Maika Monroe, Dane DeHaan, and Avan Jogia. It runs for an hour and thirty-seven minutes.

Clare must fight to survive when she picks up a ride-share passenger from hell, who continues to stalk her through the night.

Here is the trailer:

The Stranger (2024) is fast-paced, unpredictable, and beyond intense. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Cuts right to the chase!

This film did not waste time with unnecessary fluff. It pulled the audience right in and never slowed down, making this a fast-paced and satisfying watch. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time and thought this was a clever and relevant premise that still felt unique and fresh even though it originally released four years ago. I didn’t see it then and I am so happy I got to experience it now. What a rush!

Maika Monroe and Pebbles make a great team!

I’m a huge fan of Maika Monroe and thought she was beyond fantastic in this one. Even though I wanted a touch more information about her character, she was so believable and gripping in this, elevating this film that much more.

This was a small cast and everyone played their part well, but I have to say that I was absolutely loving the Yorkie named Pebbles, who was my favorite character by far!

I loved the tie-ins to The Wizard of Oz and I really appreciated that this film tried to do things a little bit differently, keeping the audience on the hook until the very end.

Keeps you guessing.

I was thoroughly impressed with the twists and turns in this entry. I would have been fine with a simple survival thriller, but the film didn’t stop there and it didn’t get too over-complicated either.

The Cons:

Far-fetched at times…

This wasn’t a major con for me and I basically just went with every plot twist and insane thing going on without question, but there were a few moments that seemed really unrealistic. That being said, there was enough substance here rooted in relevant fears to help me skip past this. This didn’t hinder my watch at all.

So am I in or out?

I’m in 100 percent!!!

The Stranger features a bad-ass performance by Maika Monroe (and her little dog too) in this edge-of-your-seat thrill ride that delivers in all the right ways.

This is my kind of thriller and I absolutely loved it!

If you enjoy films like Alone (2020), No Exit, and Unseen, you’ll have a blast with this one. Trust me.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The Stranger (2024) in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe. Thanks for your support!

Spoiler-Free Review of “Sting” in Theaters: Needed More Camp…

**This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!**

“There’s something in my walls…”

Sting released in theaters on April 12th 2024. The Australian horror film stars Alyla Browne, Ryan Corr, and Jermaine Fowler. It runs for approximately an hour and thirty minutes.

Charlotte is fascinated by her new pet spider, but when it starts to grow rapidly and show off some strange abilities, her neighbors and family are put in serious danger.

Here is the trailer:

Sting attempts to terrify us with a creepy premise that will make your skin crawl, but is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Creepy and gory…

If you’re a fan of spider flicks, there will be enough gross moments for you to appreciate during this one. This film didn’t hold back on the gore and there were plenty of stomach-turning moments that had me looking away.

Nothing really followed logical sense in this movie, but if you check all reason at the door, there are a few fun moments to appreciate as a horror fan.

Scene-stealers worth your time.

I’ll be honest, I might have walked out of this one without Frank the Exterminator, who stole the show for me, along with one other adorable scene stealer with four legs. I really liked the camp of this movie. There just needed to be a lot more of it, but I had fun with some of this crazy nonsense and I’d recommend sticking around for the bonus scene during the credits. Trust me!

The Cons:

Takes itself too seriously with a premise I’ve seen a million times before…

I like Ryan Corr (Wolf Creek 2) and even the actress who played Charlotte did a decent enough job, but I’ve seen too many horror films focusing on the troubled family drama to offset the horror going on in the background. We can do better here…

This film needed to just embrace its bonkers concept and go with it rather than trying to do too much with the family drama aspects. It seemed like it was trying to attempt this with some parts, but it never quite reached that level for me and it felt weighed down and boring at times because of this.

Also, as a general rule, if you’re not a fan of spiders and are a lover of animals, I’d recommend steering clear of this one…

So am I in or out?

I’m 50/50 on this one…

Sting had some moments that definitely made my skin crawl and I loved Frank the Exterminator, but I just wanted this film to fully embrace the insanity and silliness to really sell me on this one.

If you’re not a fan of spiders, you’re not missing much here and if you are, enjoy!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Sting in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe. Thanks for your support!

Spoiler-Free Review of “The First Omen” in Theaters: As Perfect as a Prequel Can Get!

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“I just want it all to be over…”

The First Omen released in theaters on April 5th 2024. The religious horror prequel film stars Nell Tiger Free, Bill Nighy, Andrea Arcangeli, and Ralph Ineson. The film runs for approximately two hours.

Margaret begins to question her faith when she travels to Rome to dedicate her life to the church as she uncovers a conspiracy involved in bringing forth the birth of evil incarnate.

Here is the trailer:

The First Omen doesn’t hold back, presenting us with a terrifying and disturbing prequel. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Goes hard in the best way possible!

I mean…wow! This film wasn’t afraid to push itself over the edge with insane body horror and utterly terrifying moments that will be imprinted in my brain for the rest of time. I’m not usually the biggest fan of the religious horror genre, but it’s certainly presenting us with some recent strong entries like Immaculate and now The First Omen.

I’m definitely a fan now and was beyond disturbed by so many moments throughout this film. Cringe-worthy to the max!

Nell Tiger Free is bloody extraordinary!

She poured so much into this role and had me on the edge of my seat. Talk about committing to a role…

She was so convincing and fantastic in this film, elevating it that much more with her brilliant performance.

A Prequel that makes sense.

I’ve seen my fair share of horror prequels, but this one might take the cake. It carved in enough of its own identity while still reminding us of its ultimate purpose, which I appreciated. This was everything a prequel should be!

The Cons:

Not for the squeamish…

This really isn’t a con, but more of a warning for those of you with weak stomachs who don’t really mesh well with extreme body horror. There’s plenty of that so just be mindful of that if that’s not really your jam.

And if it is, well, you’re in for a real treat!

So am I in or out?

I’m in 100 percent!!!

The First Omen is a horror masterpiece!

Religious horror reigns supreme in this twisted and insane entry that will stick with you long after it’s over.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The First Omen in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Baghead” on Shudder: Watered Down Version of “Talk to Me”

**This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!**

“You can’t escape this place…”

Baghead released on Shudder on April 5th 2024. It had an initial release back in December 2023. The supernatural horror film stars Freya Allan, Ruby Barker, Jeremy Irvine, Peter Mullan, and Saffron Burrows. It runs for approximately an hour and thirty-five minutes.

Iris inherits a run-down pub from her deceased father and quickly discovers that there is a supernatural being in the basement that can allow others to speak with the dead.

Here is the trailer:

Baghead has an eerie premise and a worthy cast, but does it do enough to earn a watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

A chilling premise.

Similar to Talk to Me, this film explored the dangers of reaching out to the dead and the consequences that can occur as a result. I was really intrigued by this entry and I appreciated that it tried to give the audience enough history behind the supernatural being. The effort was definitely there and there were some freaky moments sprinkled in.

Welcome to horror, Freya Allan!

I’m already a fan of hers from The Witcher and I actually really liked her in this film. I hope to see her in more horror entries soon because I think she can really excel in this genre. Her performance pulled me in enough even though I needed a bit more layers to her character.

The rest of the cast was decent enough as well.

The Cons:

Needed more of an edge.

This movie wasn’t bad, but I think it could have been so much better. It had all the ingredients to become a truly creepy entry in the supernatural horror genre and it fell short because of dull pacing, lack of proper character development, and a wishy-washy ending.

A lot of the jump scares felt silly and misplaced. I also wanted a lot more development for the character of Iris and more of an understanding of her relationship with her best friend. She seemed helpful enough, but I wasn’t super invested because I didn’t understand what the two of them had been through together as friends.

I really wanted a lot more from the ending and while there were a few twists and surprises thrown our way, they just felt mediocre and forced.

So am I in or out?

I’m 50/50 on this one…

There were some glimmers of creepy goodness within this film, but it took too long to get anywhere and a lot felt underdeveloped, which was disappointing.

Freya Allan did a good enough job; however, and deserves more horror films to star in.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Baghead in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

PLAY BY THE RULES…STAY ALIVE…

A harmless night of fun turns deadly for six college friends but the game has only just begun. Take a mystery thrill ride right from your own living room. Dash and Seek is out now!

Play if you dare…

Dash and Seek is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe. Thanks for your support!

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