Month: April 2025

Spoiler-Free Review of “Until Dawn” in Theaters: A Forgettable Horror Flick

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

“That’s where people get in trouble…”

Until Dawn released in theaters on April 25th 2025. Based on the video game of the same name, the survival horror film stars Ella Rubin, Ji-young Yoo, Belmont Cameli, Odessa A’zion, Michael Cimino, and Peter Stormare. It runs for approximately an hour and forty-three minutes.

One year after her sister’s disappearance, Clover and her friends head to the spot where she vanished looking for answers, leading them into a never-ending trap that causes them to relive the same day over and over again after facing horrific deaths.

Here is the trailer:

Until Dawn has an eerie enough premise and some decent kills, but does it do enough to stand out in the horror genre? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Playstation Productions

Solid premise.

I was hooked by the trailer and thought this one had a lot of potential. I’m familiar with the game, but I wouldn’t say that I am that knowledgeable on it so I went into this with no real expectations. I thought the setup was a decent one and our cast did a good enough job with what they were given.

Images courtesy of Playstation Productions

Peter Stormare!

He voiced Dr. Hill in the game and I thought it was genius that they cast him in the movie. I’m a huge fan of his since Prison Break and thought he was the BEST part of the movie.

He embraced his role (even though it wasn’t a large one) and just went with it, bringing us plenty of creepy vibes.

Ella Rubin gave us a decent performance as well as Clover, but she needed some more layers. The backstory was there, but it wasn’t fleshed out enough. I liked her though!

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Playstation Productions

Cheesy jump scares and too many forced tropes.

Ugh, I really wanted to like this movie. It wasn’t bad, but it really wasn’t good either. It was just kind of meh…?

I didn’t jump once despite all of the overused scares. I thought it was cool that they had some Easter eggs for fans of the game, but I think they could have used more of them.

The reliving the same day over and over plot has been done a million times before and I don’t think this film did anything that unique or new with it. Some of the effects were cool, but everything just felt really safe and by the numbers.

I wanted this movie to just break some barriers and go for something extreme, but we never reached that point.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Playstation Productions

Unfortunately I’m out on this one…

Until Dawn ultimately misses the mark, relying too heavily on cheesy jump scares and overdone plot gimmicks.

This was a boring and frustrating watch and I was really disappointed.

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

CHECKING OUT WAS NEVER AN OPTION…

A weekend getaway goes horribly wrong when Charlotte suspects that a guest at her bed-and-breakfast has gone missing. A heart-pounding thriller that will keep you guessing until the end. We Hope You Enjoy Your Stay is available below! I hope you enjoy!

We Hope You Enjoy Your Stay 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 “You” Season 5 on Netflix: Goodbye, Joe Goldberg

**This is a spoiler-free review of season 5 so feel free to read on!**

“You can be the new you…and the old you.”

You is back for the fifth and final season as we finally learn Joe’s ultimate fate. Season 5 premiered on April 24th 2025, featuring ten episodes available to stream now on Netflix (approximately 45-50 minutes in length). The show stars Penn Badgley, Charlotte Ritchie, Anna Camp, Griffin Matthews, and Madeline Brewer.

You season 5 continues the relationship of Joe and Kate as they try to become better versions of themselves, but temptation finds Joe once again as he contemplates losing himself in a dangerous affair that can destroy the new life he’s found for himself.

Here is the trailer:

You has been an exhilarating guilty pleasure watch for me with a peak at season 3. Can the final season give viewers a satisfying enough ending for our wannabe hero and villain, Joe Goldberg? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Joe finds himself entangled in a dangerous twist.

Penn Badgley picked up right where he left off. Joe Goldberg has been my favorite role for him yet. He always manages to blend dark charisma with twisted insanity and it works. Season 5 allowed him to get back to his roots, which I appreciated, but it also threw in some crazy twists that we needed.

The second half of the season was much stronger for me than the first half. While some of the twists were far-fetched and crazy, they worked for the most part and also gave fans the chance to get some rewarding cameos along the way to bring things full circle.

Images courtesy of Netflix

Anna Camp steals the show!

She really livened things up. Sure, her characters were bat-shit crazy, but they were a lot of fun too, allowing the show to find its silly, soapy vibe that I feared was lost somewhere at the end of season 3.

The rest of the cast did a decent enough job and it was great seeing The Flight Attendant’s Griffin Matthews in this season as well.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Messy and unsure of itself…

The first half of this season was painfully slow and really confusing. I thought it was messy and it felt very phoned in. I was not a fan of Kate in season 4 and while she was a little better this time around, she still was a snooze-fest for the most part for me.

Luckily things picked up in the second half, but the overall pacing needed work. We lost a lot of You’s guilty pleasure magic after the finale in season 3 and while there were some glimmers of potential here, it still didn’t have the electric ending I was looking for. Sure, it summed things up enough, but it won’t be a series finale that I think about in the future.

Either way, I will miss seeing Joe’s crazy adventures on screen and I am still a fan of the show overall.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in about 75 percent…

You season 5 managed to bring things full circle in the end with some stand-out moments and welcomed cameos and twists.

This season was far from perfect, but it still brought us a decent enough conclusion to the Joe Goldberg story.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on You season 5 in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

CHECKING OUT WAS NEVER AN OPTION…

A weekend getaway goes horribly wrong when Charlotte suspects that a guest at her bed-and-breakfast has gone missing. A heart-pounding thriller that will keep you guessing until the end. We Hope You Enjoy Your Stay is available below! I hope you enjoy!

We Hope You Enjoy Your Stay 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 “Sinners” in Theaters: Vampire Movies are Back and Better than Ever!

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

“You keep dancing with the devil…one day he’s gonna follow you home…”

Sinners released in theaters on April 18th 2025. The vampire horror action film stars Michael B. Jordan, Wunmi Mosaku, Hailee Steinfeld, Li Jun Li, Miles Caton, Omar Benson Miller, Jayme Lawson, Delroy Lindo, and Jack O’Connell. The film runs for approximately two hours and seventeen minutes.

Set in 1932, twin brothers, Smoke and Stack return home to Mississippi to open up a local juke joint, but they unintentionally draw attention from a great evil in the process.

Here is the trailer:

Sinners has everything I want in a horror movie and more with a layered story, blood-soaked gore, and fantastic music that will seamlessly transport you to another time and place. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

An exceptional cinematic experience!

While I enjoy a lot of movies, it’s becoming more and more rare to find gems that truly stand out, but Sinners just did that, holding its own against so many exceptional films from the past.

This movie had it all! It sunk its teeth into the audience and never let go. There was action, gore, layered characters, and fantastic music. It effortlessly blended several genres together, presenting us with a bloody masterpiece nearly close to perfection.

Wow!

Images courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Stacked cast!

Michael B. Jordan just gave two incredible performances. He was FANTASTIC in this! Everyone played their part extremely well and I fell in love with these characters. Similar to Abigail, it was easy to root for every single one of them. We got enough layers to care about them without going overboard and a few comic reliefs.

My personal favorite character was Annie. She was bad-ass and sensational!

We also got a note-worthy villain. Vampire movies are so back and I’m here for it!

The Cons:

Warner Bros. Pictures

A touch too long.

I really don’t have many cons for this because I thought it was such an entertaining film, but it was a little bit too long for me personally. This film is a bit of a slow burn so be prepared for that, but once our characters arrive at the juke joint, things kick into high gear and I forgot about how long I was sitting there.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

I’m in 100 percent!!!!

Sinners is pretty damn close to perfection, reminding me why I fell in love with movies in the first place.

The vampire genre is back and here to stay!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Sinners 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 “DROP” in Theaters: My Kind of Thriller!

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

“It’s just a date…”

DROP released in theaters on April 11th 2025. The horror-thriller film stars Meghann Fahy, Brandon Sklenar, Gabrielle Ryan, Ed Weeks, and Violett Beane. It runs for approximately an hour and thirty-five minutes.

A widowed mother named Violet agrees to a first date at an upscale restaurant with the charming Henry, but things take an unexpected turn when she begins to receive threatening drops on her phone from a stranger.

Here is the trailer:

DROP is completely captivating with an intense premise and two likable leads. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Universal

Keeps you guessing.

Honestly, I am usually pretty good at figuring out who is behind everything in films like these, but this one stumped me. I was floored by the reveal and I loved the mystery angle. It really kept the audience on the hook, demanding our complete attention.

The setting worked really well here, keeping the focus on everyone surrounding Violet and Henry. In a lot of ways, this film reminded me of Red Eye in the best way possible. That’s one of my favorite thrillers of all time so this one is definitely in good company!

Images courtesy of Universal

Characters to root for!

Meghann Fahy has been on my radar for a little while now. She was fantastic in this one and very believable. I was rooting for her the entire time. 

The supporting characters in this were a blast as well. The server is a SCENE STEALER! He had me laughing until my sides hurt. This was so appreciated because the film did cover some heavy material at times so it still kept things light and entertaining enough. 

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Universal

I don’t have any…

I LOVED every part of this movie. I really don’t have anything negative to say about it. While it may not be for everyone, it definitely checked off every single box for me. I adore clever and intense thrillers like this and I also really liked the character layers and elements. They didn’t feel forced or gimmicky. They just worked effortlessly, helping me connect to our main girl that much more.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Universal

I’m in 100 percent!!!

DROP is a heart-pounding and clever thriller from start to finish!

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 DROP 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 “Hell of a Summer” in Theaters: Silly Slasher Has Its Moments

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

“This summer’s gonna be huge for us…”

Hell of a Summer premiered in select theaters on April 4th 2025. The slasher horror comedy film stars Fred Hechinger, Abby Quinn, Finn Wolfhard, Billy Bryk, and Pardis Saremi. It runs for approximately an hour and twenty-eight minutes.

As a group of teens get ready to set up summer camp for the season, a masked killer begins picking them off one by one.

Here is the trailer:

Hell of a Summer attempts to bring us some slasher nostalgia with its fun premise, but does it do enough to be worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Neon

Entertaining concept.

I love slashers and when we add in an overused, but nostalgic setting like summer camp, this movie automatically starts out with three stars for me. I thought this film had a lot of potential to bring us some inventive kills while adding in some fun comedy.

Solid second half.

Even though this film was on the shorter side, it spent a lot of time in the first half focusing on excessive fluff. That being said, I think it did turn things around when we got to the heart of the plot, providing us with some entertaining moments involving the killer and our group in the second half. Not all of the humor landed for me, but I did laugh at some key parts.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Neon

Unlikable characters and not enough on screen kills…

I honestly couldn’t connect with anyone, making it extremely hard to root for them against the killer. This was extremely disappointing for me. I don’t know if it was a generation thing or what, but I literally could care less about who lived or died and the killer wasn’t that fun either…

My other big issue with this film was that the majority of the kills happened off screen. I know this is a horror comedy, but it’s dipping into the slasher end so I expected some gory kills. I think it would have helped this film in a lot of ways. The reveals were also just kind of meh…

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Neon

I’m in about 75 percent…

Hell of a Summer has some fun campy moments, but it doesn’t fully capitalize on its slasher premise.

I’m being a little generous here with my review, but I do appreciate filmmakers willing to give us some new slasher material. I just expected more…

If you’re looking for a modern slasher to enjoy, I’d recommend Thanksgiving or Heart Eyes instead…but there are a few fun moments in this one.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Hell of a Summer 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 “The Bondsman” on Prime: Kevin Bacon Shines!

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

“You’re supposed to be dead…”

The Bondsman premiered on Prime on April 3rd 2025 with all eight episodes of season one available now. The horror thriller comedy series stars Kevin Bacon, Beth Grant, Jennifer Nettles, Damon Herriman, Maxwell Jenkins, and Jolene Purdy. Each episode runs for approximately 30 minutes.

A murdered bounty hunter is resurrected by the devil to track down demons who have escaped from Hell, giving him the opportunity to make amends for his past mistakes with the help of his family.

Here is the trailer:

The Bondsman is a delightful mashup of Ash vs Evil Dead and Stan Against Evil while creating its own story along the way. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Prime Video

Kevin Bacon is bad-ass and A LOT of fun in this!

Kevin Bacon had one of his first starring roles in Friday the 13th and he proves to be an absolute legend in the horror genre all these years later. I thought he was so much fun as Hub. He had lots of sarcasm and charisma, making it very easy to root for him.

Beth Grant playing his mother, Kitty, was an absolute scene-stealer. She had me laughing out loud. These two made a fantastic team together. I liked the rest of the cast as well and enjoyed the character dynamics.

Images courtesy of Prime Video

Short episodes.

It was such a nice and refreshing change to have bite-sized episodes for this. It made it very easy to binge-watch, mirroring the light and fun approach to demon hunting going on. I was able to finish all eight episodes in one day.

The series had a similar plot to the 2013 film R.I.P.D., but I thought that this series was a lot better than that.

It really understood the assignment and just had fun with it, making this so breezy and enjoyable. I loved the vibe similar to shows like Ash vs Evil Dead and Stan Against Evil, working in dark comedy that actually landed. Hub could definitely work together with Ash and Stan and there were even some elements of Supernatural going on, which I LOVED.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Prime Video

I want more!

The end of season one had a major cliffhanger so I really hope that people watch this show because I need more as soon as possible! There’s a lot more left to explore so I hope this show gets the attention it deserves.

My only other con is that this show is nothing new. I’ve seen this plot in numerous series before, however; the execution of it made it stand out, making it a welcomed addition to the genre so I’m really not complaining here.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Prime Video

I’m in 100 percent!!!

The Bondsman is a HELL of a good time!

This show exceeded my expectations and then some. Even if this isn’t your typical genre, I’d still recommend checking it out because it has something in it for everyone.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The Bondsman 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 “PULSE” on Netflix: Soapy Version of The Pitt Has Its Moments

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

“Let’s get through this day…”

PULSE premiered on Netflix on April 3rd 2025 with all ten episodes available to stream now. The medical drama series stars Willa Fitzgerald, Colin Woodell, Jack Bannon, Jessie T. Usher, Jessica Rothe, Néstor Carbonell, and Justina Machado. Each episode runs for approximately 45-48 minutes.

In the middle of a dangerous hurricane in Florida, a hospital team works together to handle every emergency thrown their way, but tensions flare when a doctor is forced to work side by side with someone she just accused of sexual harassment.

Here is the trailer:

PULSE is a essentially a mix of The Pitt and Grey’s Anatomy, trying to find the balance between tense life-threatening moments and juicy drama. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Netflix

A cast to be excited about!

I was about to give this one a pass because medical dramas aren’t really my thing with a few exceptions, but the cast drew me in. The show is produced by LOST’s Carlton Cuse and we even have LOST alum Néstor Carbonell starring in the series.

That’s already enough for me, but then we have the talented Willa Fitzgerald, the underused Jessica Rothe (Happy Death Day), and the always fantastic Justina Machado.

Everyone plays their parts well, but some deserved a little more screen time to shine. Either way, this is a worthy and talented cast.

Images courtesy of Netflix

Some adrenaline-filled moments.

I thought that the first half of this series was a lot stronger than the second half. While not nearly as exciting and intense as The Pitt, there were some moments that held my attention and had me on the edge of my seat. Just manage your expectations accordingly…

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Rushed flashbacks and time jumps that felt forced.

Honestly, they took away from the core plot for me. I get that they were trying to make us care about the characters, but the layers revealed felt soapy and superficial, glossing over any real moments of understanding and growth.

Starts out as one show and then quickly  becomes another.

I was really confused by this. At first, this series tried to be like The Pitt with its approach and there were a lot of similarities, but then it named dropped Grey’s Anatomy and quickly became a cheaper version of that show, focusing more on the soapy side of things.

This show clearly tried to channel what makes both shows great for their target audiences by mashing these genres together, but it failed to capture a real sense of intensity and grit, making it seem like a desperate imitation at times, which was disappointing.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in about 75 percent…

PULSE is a medical drama by the numbers despite having a talented and recognizable cast.

This series is more of a popcorn watch, but it does have some glimmers of potential. If you’re looking for a consuming medical drama, I’d recommend watching The Pitt instead, however.

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