Tag: A24

Spoiler-Free Review of “Backrooms” in Theaters: A Mind-Bending Trip!

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

“You’re still stuck right where you started…alone…”

Backrooms premiered in theaters on May 29th 2026. The psychological horror science fiction film (based on the popular web series) stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve, Finn Bennett, Lukita Maxwell, and Mark Duplass. It runs for approximately an hour and fifty minutes.

After an unhappy furniture salesman finds a secret door within the walls of the store, he discovers a space beyond reality. His curiosity leads him down a dangerous path, as he soon discovers he is not alone.

Here is the trailer:

Backrooms reels us into an Alice in Wonderland-esque world, unraveling a chilling mystery before our eyes. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of A24

An eerie concept!

I really enjoyed this world and thought it was so intriguing and complex. I wanted to go and discover all the endless rooms with the main character. Each one had me scratching my head, but I felt fully immersed in this puzzle, making this an interactive watch.

Images courtesy of A24

Enough freaky moments.

Even though this was a bit of a slow burn, there were enough freaky moments in this one. Sure, a lot of it didn’t make sense, but that was also sort of the point. They effectively used the found footage camera approach where it mattered, mirroring the overall tone of the film. While I wouldn’t necessarily say this film scared me, it did present us with some insane moments worth exploring.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of A24

The first half was stronger than the second half…

This might simply come down to preference, but I really enjoyed the first half of this film. I liked the idea of the unknown and once everything started to be revealed, it lost that chilling magic for me. I thought some things felt a little silly and outrageous, but I’m also not a huge science fiction fan so that could be why.

I also don’t enjoy shaky camera effects (even though I think they used them well) because it makes me dizzy so be prepared for that if that’s not your thing…

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of A24

I’m in!

(3.5/5 stars)

Backrooms is eerie, bonkers, and packed with freaky footage.

This film did a solid job with the content, inviting us into an intriguing new world.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Backrooms 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 “Opus” in Theaters: An Eerie and Engrossing Watch

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

“This whole thing’s a trip…”

Opus released in theaters on March 14th 2025. The psychological thriller film stars Ayo Edebiri, John Malkovich, Juliette Lewis, Murray Bartlett, Amber Midthunder, and Stephanie Suganami. It runs for approximately an hour and forty-four minutes.

A young writer gets the invitation of a lifetime to visit a legendary pop star’s compound to hear his new album after disappearing 30 years ago. However, when she arrives, she soon suspects that she may be entangled in a cult with ulterior motives.

Here is the trailer:


Opus draws from films like Blink Twice and The Menu with a talented cast and an unnerving story at its core. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of A24

A creepy and captivating watch.

I’m a fan of weird cult flicks that push the envelope and this one was an unexpected surprise. I hadn’t heard much buzz around this film and I went into it without expecting much, but it quickly drew me in. It was weird, intriguing, and shocking.

If you’re a fan of films like Get Out, Midsommar, and The Menu, you’ll really enjoy this one.

Images courtesy of A24

Great cast!

John Malkovich really played this role well and it was great seeing so many familiar faces in this one. I thought that Ayo Edebiri was a strong and capable lead. I was rooting for her the entire time. She was relatable and she really lit up the screen with her convincing performance. I hope to see her in more horror-thrillers soon. She did a great job!

The Cons:

Images courtesy of A24

Some unanswered questions.

I usually have a lot by the time I get to the end of films like this, but I was still trying to piece together certain elements of the puzzle at the very end. I thought the ending was solid, but I was a little fuzzy on certain details.

This film clearly drew a lot from some of its predecessors. I still think it had enough of its own story, but it made the reveal a little lukewarm since I kind of knew what to expect. I still enjoyed it though.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of A24

I’m in!!!

Opus is a dark and twisted watch with plenty of shocking moments built in.

This film exceeded my expectations!

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

A VACATION TO DIE FOR…

Blood Rose Island Ad

When sisters, Nina and Gemma are vacationing in Hawaii with their friends, they get invited to an exclusive party on a private island that seems too good to be true. There’s only one rule…they can’t miss their ferry at midnight or they’ll have to wait until morning to leave the island. Only they didn’t realize that breaking this rule meant they would be hunted down on the island one by one.

Who will make it off the island alive?

I hope you enjoy my island thriller!

Blood Rose Island 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 “Talk to Me” in Theaters: A Freaky and Absorbing Watch!

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

“Light the candle to open the door…blow it out to close it…”

Talk to Me released in theaters on July 28th 2023. The supernatural horror film stars Sophie Wilde, Otis Dhanji, Miranda Otto, and Alexandra Jensen. It runs for approximately an hour and thirty-five minutes.

A group of friends discover the thrill of conjuring spirits using an embalmed hand, but they unleash something dangerous in the process.

Here is the trailer:

Talk to Me hooks you from the very start, reminding us that it’s a never a good idea to invite in the dead. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of A24

A disturbing concept executed in a satisfying way.

I’ve seen my fair share of supernatural horror films, but many of them fail to deliver on the sinister premise, relying more on jump scare tactics. Talk to Me stepped away from that and delivered by manifesting real fears. I wouldn’t say that anything was that scary, but the idea behind it was terrifying and I thought that it showcased this in an imaginative way on screen, never letting the audience off the hook.

Sticks the landing!

Everything was building up to the climax of this movie and I was worried that it would take too big of a risk or finish in a safe way, but I was pleasantly surprised by the end result and I thought it brought everything full circle.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of A24

Not a huge fan of our main character…

I understand and accept that we don’t always have to fall in love with our main character. Being flawed and misunderstood makes it more of a real portrayal and the exploration of grief was well done. The actress did a great job, but I just didn’t like Mia’s character.

She made really dumb decisions and continued to do so over and over again…

They added in some layers for her and ties to a family, but she was frustrating to watch and I was a little less invested in her fate because of this. I didn’t really care for the supporting characters either. No one stood out for me.

This may come down to preference, however.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of A24

I’m in!

A satisfying watch that will chill you to the bone.

Talk to Me lives up to the hype and brings the supernatural genre back to life.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Talk to Me 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 “Bodies Bodies Bodies” in Theaters: My New Favorite Whodunnit Movie!

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

“It’s OK to be nervous…that’s part of the fun.”

Bodies Bodies Bodies released in theaters on August 5th 2022. The horror comedy film stars Amandla Stenberg, Maria Bakalova, Pete Davidson, Rachel Sennott, Chase Sui Wonders, and Lee Pace. It runs for approximately an hour and thirty-five minutes.

A party game leads to murder when a group of wealthy friends stay at an extravagant mansion while waiting out a hurricane.

Here is the trailer:

Bodies Bodies Bodies is a brilliant horror comedy that is so much fun to watch with plenty of shocking reveals that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of A24

A murder mystery with plenty of hilarious moments.

Pass that zucchini bread! This film had a great balance of silly scares and humor, which made it a welcomed addition into the horror comedy genre. I’m normally not the biggest Pete Davidson fan, but I actually thought he nailed the vibe of his character. This film was really smart in the way it unfolded and I was entertained the entire time.

Images courtesy of A24

Fun characters!

I really liked the majority of the characters (in a love to hate them kind of way) and Alice was my favorite by far! Give this girl the crown! I would have liked a little bit more development for Bee, but the film did a great job of making every single one into a potential suspect, which made this film far from predictable.

Nails the ending!

There will be no spoilers in this review, but I LOVED the ending! I didn’t see it coming and by the time it was happening on screen, I was so beyond impressed. It really delivered and then some!

The Cons:

Images courtesy of A24

Takes a little while to get going…

I wouldn’t say that this was a major con, but the pacing was a little sluggish in the beginning. Once we started playing the game, this improved drastically but you do have to sit through a lot of exhausting dialogue in the beginning, but that’s what makes the film genius by the time you get to the end so stick through it!

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of A24

I’m in!!!

A brilliant and entertaining whodunnit mystery with an ending I didn’t see coming!

I was so hyped to watch this film and I think it delivered and then some!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Bodies Bodies Bodies 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 “Men” (2022) in Theaters: What did I just watch?

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

“What do you want from me?”

Men (2022) premiered in theaters on May 20th 2022. The folk horror film stars Jessie Buckley, Rory Kinnear, Paapa Essiedu, and Gayle Rankin. It runs for an hour and forty minutes.

After dealing with a tragedy, Harper decides to vacation at a home in the countryside, but feels like she is being stalked by someone in the woods.

Here is the trailer:

Men is trippy and unsettling involving some extreme body horror, but is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of A24

Creepy and unsettling…

There are some genuinely creepy and disturbing moments throughout this film. The choice of setting was a good one and I was already terrified of the woods prior to watching this. There was an eerie quality lingering in the background even when things were developing in the beginning of the film from the music to the moments of complete silence.

Convincing performances…

This film involved a small cast, but the performances were really well done. I wanted to know more about our main character but I still believed the trauma and pain she was going through and I thought that she was a strong lead for the most part. The “men” of the film really nailed the creepy vibe…almost to another level…

The Cons:

Images courtesy of A24

Over complicates things…

Like to the extreme! I understood a lot of the religious imagery, but by the time I got to the end of this movie, I had no idea what I had just watched. I had to look up several interpretations just to understand it and while a lot of it kind of made sense, I just thought it was too out there. Sometimes less is more and I much preferred the first half of the film.

There is also some disturbing body horror involved in this one. I don’t recommend having a meal while watching it…

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of A24

I’m 50/50 on this one…

The film has some disturbing moments and some chilling performances, but I was so confused by the ending and I felt like I had to work too hard just to understand what was going on, which made it a lot less entertaining for me. I’m sure some people will love how weird and bizarre it is, but it was not really for me.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Men (2022) 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!