Month: July 2024

Spoiler-Free Review of “The Last Breath” on Demand: Decent Shark Flick

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

“We have to stick together…”

The Last Breath released on Demand on July 27th 2024. The survival horror thriller film stars Kim Spearman, Jack Parr, Alexander Arnold, and Julian Sands. It runs for approximately an hour and thirty-five minutes.

A group of old friends reunite and agree to go on a diving trip to explore a long lost WWII battleship, but they soon discover that they’re not alone, now surrounded by a group of great white sharks as their oxygen runs dangerously low.

Here is the trailer:

The Last Breath is far from perfect with terrible CGI and questionable decisions made by the characters, but it still manages to hold on to an entertaining level of intensity underwater. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of RLJE Films

Shot well underwater!

I was actually quite impressed by how well this film was shot underwater. I’ve seen other movies try the same thing and a lot of scenes end up really blurry. This one captured everything well.

There was a solid level of intensity once we got to the ship and I think the film did a good job of maintaining that until the very end. I was on the edge of my seat during a lot of key moments, making this a fun watch for fans of shark films.

Decent characters.

Usually I’m always rooting for the sharks, but a couple of the characters stood out here, which helped me invest in them more. I cared about what happened to a few of them, which isn’t always easy to accomplish. The friendships weren’t fleshed out completely, but I didn’t really need them to be. We got enough layers and info to figure out who to root for.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of RLJE Films

Terrible CGI!

Wow, the CGI on these sharks was awful. They zipped around in the water like they were on crack, which was far from believable. Even though there were a lot of intense moments in this one, I couldn’t take the sharks seriously. I think we could have done a little bit better in this department.

I also thought that we wasted too much time on unnecessary fluff in the first thirty minutes of the movie. Things improved drastically once the characters got to the dive, but it was a struggle before that.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of RLJE Films

I’m in about 75 percent…

The Last Breath is a solid shark film with enough bite for fans of the genre, but don’t expect anything too extraordinary here.

As long as you manage your expectations and accept that you’ll be witnessing some terrible CGI, you’ll have fun with this one.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts on The Last Breath 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!

**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 Girl in the Pool” on Demand: Freddie Prinze Jr. Loses His Mind in this Vapid Thriller

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

“Am I a good person?”

The Girl in the Pool premiered on July 26th 2024 on Demand. The dramatic thriller stars Freddie Prinze Jr., Monica Potter, and Kevin Pollak. It runs for an hour and thirty minutes.

On his birthday, Tom’s life begins to unravel when he tries to piece together what happened to his mistress with his closest friends and family nearby.

Here is the trailer:

The Girl in the Pool has a heavy Lifetime feel with a few familiar faces, but does this film do enough to earn a watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Quiver Distribution

Freddie Prinze Jr. and Monica Potter back together on screen!

It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of Freddie Prinze Jr. and his wonderful wife, Sarah Michelle Gellar. He’s the main reason why I tuned into this one and the only reason why I kept watching. I was also pleased to see Monica Potter in this. These two starred together in a lesser known 2001 rom-com called Head Over Heels and I was happy to seem them reunited on screen.

Unfortunately the pros stop there…

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Quiver Distribution

Over-complicated and dull.

I really really wanted to like this movie for Freddie, but wow this was not great. There was more intensity when he performed his Hacky Sack bit in She’s All That. Part of the problem was that this film tried to over-complicate an overdone, but interesting enough premise. Sure, I’ve seen this kind of movie before, but the repetitive flashbacks and random scenes of Freddie yelling at himself in the mirror were distracting. If this film had followed its formula by the numbers, it would have been predictable, but probably more guilty pleasure worthy.

Instead, we got a super boring thriller thrown at us with very little to say. The dialogue was awful and these characters made so many dumb decisions over and over again. It was honestly painful to keep watching…

The twist wasn’t compelling enough.

I had my fingers crossed that maybe this movie could redeem itself in the end and it did throw a twist our way, but it was too late at this point. You could have given me literally any explanation and it wouldn’t have saved this movie, which was beyond disappointing.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Quiver Distribution

Unfortunately I’m out on this one…

Freddie, I’m still a huge fan and I’d love to see you in more films, but this one was really painful to sit through. I was hoping for a soapy thriller to indulge in with a glass of wine, but this just didn’t fit the bill.

The Girl in the Pool fails to deliver as a satisfying thriller, relying too heavily on puzzling behavior and tiresome flashbacks, making this a frustrating watch overall.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The Girl in the Pool 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…

My young adult horror thriller is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Scream Hunt 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 “Twisters” in Theaters: An Enjoyable Ride

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

“If you feel it, chase it!”

Twisters is an action disaster film that released on July 19th 2024. The standalone sequel to the 1996 film, Twister, stars Glen Powell, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Anthony Ramos, and Maura Tierney. It runs for approximately two hours.

After recovering from a devastating tornado experience, Kate returns to the job and crosses paths with a celebrity storm chaser named Tyler Owens, but when the team encounters a storm that could destroy everything and everyone in its path, they must work together to stay alive.

Here is the trailer:

Twisters features a fun cast with believable chemistry and some edge-of-your-seat moments that are beyond intense. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Talented cast with believable chemistry!

I really like Daisy Edgar-Jones as an actress. She has been absolutely fantastic in everything I’ve seen her in and Twisters is no exception. It was very easy to root for her character.

Glen Powell is the Hollywood It guy right now and he puts forth some dazzling charm and charisma to lighten this movie up, which is exactly what it needed.

I really connected to all of the characters and thought all of the relationships and friendships were very authentic, which helped me root for them all that much more when the tornadoes starting wreaking havoc. Character investment is key in these types of movies. Twisters executed this aspect extremely well.

As much as this film was an action-disaster movie, it also had a love story built around it and I think that approach actually paid off because of the genuine connection between these characters.

Warner Bros. Pictures

Intensity to the max!

If you came to see some intense action with some terrifying tornadoes, you’ll get plenty of that. These twisters were no joke. The opening scene hit hard and the film continued to provide us with tons of insane storm-filled moments after that. Well done!

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Some fluff in-between.

As much as I enjoyed this film, I think it was a little bit longer than it needed to be and it had some unnecessary fluff that I could have done without. I loved the chemistry between Kate and Tyler, but some of the other moments without the storms felt a little forced and slowed down the overall pacing as a result.

This wasn’t a major con, but I did notice myself fidgeting in my seat a few times, anxiously waiting for the storms to start up again.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

I’m in!!!

Twisters is a breezy rom-com disguised as a disaster film, but it somehow works brilliantly.

While I wouldn’t say that this film was as strong as the original one, it exceeded my expectations and delivered on its intention with entertaining moments.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts on Twisters 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!

Spoiler-Free Review of “The Inheritance” (2024) on Demand: Watered Down Version of “Ready or Not” Has Its Moments

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

“We’re all here…together…”

The Inheritance (2024) released in limited theaters and on demand on July 12th 2024. The horror suspense film stars Briana Middleton, Rachel Nichols (P2), David Walton, Peyton List (School Spirits), and Bob Gunton.

A billionaire invites his children to his home to celebrate his 75th birthday, but informs them all that he is about to die and that they must protect him until midnight if they want to keep their inheritance.

Here is the trailer:

The Inheritance channels films like Ready or Not and Abigail with its premise, but does it measure up to them? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Vertical Entertainment

Some creepy moments worth noting.

This film did a decent job with its setting. The house was really cool to look at it. I wish we had gotten a bit more time to explore it, but I dug it overall. There were some unsettling moments sprinkled into this one. I wouldn’t say that this film was that scary by any means, but it did create some suspenseful moments that had me intrigued.

Solid final thirty minutes.

This film didn’t really find its groove until the last thirty minutes. That’s when I was most invested and I appreciated the twists thrown our way. It finally captured the vibe it was going for and followed its own story separate from some of the films it was clearly inspired by. I just wish we got there sooner…

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Vertical Entertainment

Felt too familiar initially.

Ready or Not and Abigail are two of my favorite horror films so I was excited that this film had that kind of vibe. However, I think that it relied on this too much in the beginning of the movie and didn’t spend enough time fleshing out its own plot. We eventually got there, but for the majority of the movie, I felt like I was watching a lazy reenactment of some of my favorite films and it didn’t come close to them, which was disappointing.

I also feel like this film took itself too seriously. Part of the reason why I love Ready or Not and Abigail so much is because they add in some dark humor as well to lighten things up. This film could have benefited from that. So many moments felt forced and weighed down and I wasn’t super invested in all of the characters even though I like a lot of the actors in this one.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Vertical Entertainment

I’m in about 75 percent…

The Inheritance doesn’t measure up to similar films in this genre, but it’s a quick watch and entertaining enough with some redeeming qualities. 

I would manage your expectations on this one, but it was not bad by any means.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The Inheritance 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!

**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 “LONGLEGS” in Theaters: Utterly Terrifying!

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

“Are you ready to begin?”

LONGLEGS premiered in theaters on July 12th 2024. The horror crime thriller film stars Maika Monroe, Nicolas Cage, Alicia Witt, Kiernan Shipka, and Blair Underwood. It runs for approximately an hour and forty minutes.

Federal Agent Lee Harker is assigned to a case involving a serial killer, but when she discovers a personal connection to him, she realizes she must do everything in her power to stop him before he strikes again.

Here is the trailer:

Longlegs hooks its audience from the start, reeling us into an unnerving cinematic experience. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Neon

Haunting performances.

Nicolas Cage was almost unrecognizable in this role and he will be giving me some nightmares for sure. He was so twisted and terrifying. My skin is crawling just thinking about some of those moments.

Maika Monroe continues to be an unstoppable force in the horror genre. This may have been my favorite performance by her yet. She was fantastic in this role.

Alicia Witt was also incredible and I was shocked by the range of Kiernan Shipka (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina).

All around, these performances were top-notch. It’s clear that they committed to these roles 100 percent and it paid off. Wow.

Images courtesy of Neon

The tension built in this movie is on another level.

I haven’t been this invested in a crime thriller since The Silence of the Lambs. There was this lingering feeling of dread that continued to slither its way in. This film was beyond intense. It was shocking and consuming and I think it will create some interesting film discussions for sure.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Neon

Predictable reveals at times.

I don’t have too many cons for this movie. I’m not saying that I needed some major twists, because I was invested in the content, but I saw some of the reveals coming a mile away. This movie is also billed as a horror thriller, but I think it was more of a crime thriller. That doesn’t take away from the raw fear it created; however, regardless of the genre.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Neon

I’m in!!!

LONGLEGS is a chilling, uncomfortable, and disturbing watch that will linger with you well after the credits roll.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on LONGLEGS 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!

**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 “Hard Home” on Demand: Simone Kessell Gives It Her All in a Lifetime-Esque Revenge Thriller

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

“Welcome home…”

Hard Home released on June 25th 2024 on demand. The revenge thriller film stars Simone Kessell (Yellowjackets), Andrew Howard, Rosie Day, and Joseph Millson. It runs for approximately an hour and twenty-five minutes.

After the murder of her daughter, a mother lures the killer into her high-tech home so that she can trap him there and get revenge on him.

Here is the trailer:

Hard Home features a fierce performance by Simone Kessell, but does it do enough to earn a watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Republic Pictures

Don’t mess with Simone Kessell!

I love her on Yellowjackets and she is the main reason why I tuned into this one. She elevated this film as much as she could and gave us some seriously bad-ass moments. I think she’s a fantastic actress and I hope to see her cast in some better films soon because she deserves to be in the spotlight.

Unfortunately the pros stop here despite this having an amazing lead and a cool premise…

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Republic Pictures

Messy and repetitive flashbacks…

Wow, they were so bad and annoying! There was literally one phrase that kept being repeated over and over again. It drove me bonkers and not in a good way. I’m all for flashbacks fleshing out some development and missing pieces, but these were forced and overused.

A plot that never really goes anywhere.

This film was just under 90 minutes, but it really dragged. I was bored out of my mind whenever Simone wasn’t kicking ass. The concept was there, but there were so many missed opportunities in this film. It just never quite found its way, which was disappointing.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Republic Pictures

Unfortunately I’m out on this one…

Hard Home is a pointless, messy, and utterly boring revenge thriller with little to say.

Simone Kessell eats up every moment of screen time, but she deserves a MUCH better film.

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

Girl Number Thirteen Lurking Promo

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.

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 “MaXXXine” in Theaters: It’s Mia Goth’s World and We’re All Just Living In It!

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

“I always wanted to be famous…”

MaXXXine releases in theaters on July 5th 2024. The slasher horror film is the third installment of the X franchise and it stars Mia Goth, Kevin Bacon, Michelle Monaghan, Moses Sumney, Halsey, and Elizabeth Debicki. It runs for approximately an hour and forty-five minutes.

Six years after surviving a massacre in Texas, Maxine Minx gets her big break in 1980’s Hollywood. However, when a serial killer named the Night Stalker targets young women in the city, Maxine’s bloody past is brought back to the present.

Here is the trailer:

MaXXXine once again allows Mia Goth to shine in this bloody fantastic world, channeling classic horror films in a stylish and entertaining way. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of A24

Transports us to another place and time with style!

Everything screamed 80’s perfection from the bubble gum pop font in the opening credits to the music. The fashion was on another level and I want Maxine’s boots for obvious reasons…

I loved the crime noir feel. It was nice to see that Ti West took the time to truly depict how this world was in such an aesthetically pleasing way. It made my watch so much better and reminded me why I absolutely love the 80’s.

Much like X, this film also successfully paid homage to classic films in a fun way without overdoing it. It was fantastic to see as a horror fan.

Images courtesy of A24

Mia Goth does it again!

This should really come as no surprise since I think she is exceptional in everything she does. She was on another level in Pearl and she gave us an electric performance now in MaXXXine.

I loved that we got the chance to truly experience Maxine’s story this time around. There were hints of this in X, but we didn’t have time to explore it. This movie definitely answered all those questions I had in a satisfying way.

Mia Goth is a modern scream queen in the best way possible and she really poured everything she had into this role with twisted charisma. I loved her performance.

Some brutal kills!

There weren’t as many of them in this movie, but the ones we witnessed will be haunting me for some time to come. Especially that one scene…yikes!

The Cons:

Images courtesy of A24

Phones it in with the plot…

My only issue with this film was that it didn’t take the time to flesh out the plot. I was actually really interested in certain aspects of the mystery killer and I think we glossed over some opportunities here.

We also didn’t spend enough time with other characters, which was a miss in my opinion. We had such a spectacular cast here and I get that this is Maxine’s movie, but this needed some work so we would actually care about who lived or died…

This isn’t really a con, but this movie didn’t feel like the third installment of a franchise. It felt like more of a spin-off with Maxine’s character in another world. This isn’t a bad thing and I think it worked effortlessly for the most part, but I guess I was expecting some kind of bloody finale here and I’m not sure that it pulled that off.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of A24

I’m in!!!

MaXXXine carves its way into the spotlight with sex, style, and blood galore, featuring an unforgettable and electric performance by Mia Goth.

While probably my least favorite film of the franchise, MaXXXine still has plenty of fantastic moments to appreciate and is well worth the watch.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on MaXXXine 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…

My young adult horror thriller is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Scream Hunt 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!