Spoiler-Free Review of “Hokum” in Theaters: A Trippy and Terrifying Gem!

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

“They were doomed…”

Hokum premiered in theaters on May 1st 2026. The folk horror mystery film stars Adam Scott, David Wilmot, Peter Coonan, and Florence Ordesh. It runs for approximately an hour and forty-eight minutes.

When a novelist retreats to a remote hotel in Ireland to scatter the ashes of his parents, he learns that a witch may be haunting a suite in the hotel he is staying at, which could be connected to the disappearance of a woman who helped him during his stay.

Here is the trailer:

Hokum lures us into a compelling slow burn mystery with some chilling moments built in. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Neon

So scary!

This movie scared me on more than one occasion. The jump scares never felt cheesy or filler. Each one complimented the eerie overall tone of the film so well. I had goosebumps on my skin the entire time and felt like I was losing my mind in the best way possible.

This movie reminded me a lot of Oddity (from the same writer and director) mixed with 1408. If you enjoy hotel horror flicks, there is a lot here for you to enjoy.

It may be a while before I go down into my basement and I highly recommend investing in some chalk!

Images courtesy of Neon

A solid mystery.

Even though this was a horror movie, I really enjoyed the elements of mystery within it. It really drew me in and I found myself wanting to know more with each clue presented, which ended up turning into quite the insane ride! Wow…

I also thought Adam Scott did a great job here with a note-worthy performance.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Neon

Be prepared for a slow burn.

I wouldn’t say that this was a major con and it didn’t take away from the overall impact of the film by any means. Just keep in mind that it will take a while for things to unfold.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Neon

I’m in!!!

Hokum is a thought-provoking horror film that unleashes some frightening moments upon its audience, reeling us into an unhinged nightmare worth exploring.

This film exceeded my expectations! I’m not sure that I’ll be sleeping for a while though…

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Hokum 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 Monkey” in Theaters: A Campy Good Time!

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

“Turn the key and see what happens…”

The Monkey released in theaters on February 21st 2025. The American horror comedy film (based on the short story by Stephen King) stars Theo James, Tatiana Maslany, Colin O’Brien, Elijah Wood, Rohan Campbell, and Adam Scott. It runs for approximately an hour and thirty-five minutes.

When twin brothers discover a strange wind-up toy, they soon realize that it may be causing horrific deaths around them. Twenty-five years later, a new killing spree begins, forcing them to confront the toy once again.

Here is the trailer:

The Monkey doesn’t hold anything back, presenting us with violent and shocking kills while still having some fun. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Neon

Cringe-worthy kills.

If you enjoy films like Final Destination, then this is the film for you. The kills are outrageous, extreme, and stomach-turning. You won’t be disappointed and I was pleased that the trailer didn’t ruin them all.

I also really liked the dry humor included in this. I was worried that this movie might take itself too seriously, but it went with the bonkers concept and just had fun, making this a blast to experience in theaters.

Images courtesy of Neon

Theo James stole the show!

My new favorite genre is Theo James covered in blood! He was absolutely fantastic in this! Normally I hate voice-over narrations, but I enjoyed listening to him. The past and the present timelines were equally interesting and a lot of that has to do with the cast.

Tatiana Maslany was great as well and it was fun seeing a lot of familiar faces pop up in this one.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Neon

Sluggish pacing in the second half.

I think I preferred the first half of this film to the second. Don’t get me wrong…I liked the second half too and that’s where Theo James shined, but there were some pacing issues. The movie was only an hour and thirty-five minutes, but it felt like it was dragging a little bit until we got to the final act. I think we could have wrapped things up a little bit quicker.

That’s really my only con. I thought everything else came together seamlessly.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Neon

I’m in!!!!

The Monkey is a bonkers and bloody watch!

Theo James is a lot of fun in this one. I highly recommend it!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The Monkey 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 “Madame Web” in Theaters: Dakota Johnson Gives it Her All

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

“I can see the future…kind of…”

Madame Web premiered on February 14th 2024 in theaters. The superhero action film stars Dakota Johnson, Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced, Celeste O’Connor, Tahar Rahim, Adam Scott, and Emma Roberts. It runs for approximately an hour and fifty-six minutes.

After facing a near death experience, Cassandra Webb begins to show signs of clairvoyance as she realizes that it is her destiny to protect three young women from a villain connected to her past.

Here is the trailer:

Madame Web brings us another superhero film set in the Spider-Man universe, but does it do enough to earn a watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing

Dakota Johnson puts forth a valiant effort.

Honestly, I really wish she had gotten a better film. She was the BEST part of this movie. I’ve always liked her as an actress and thought she was truly exceptional here. Even though she had to work with dull dialogue and predictable plot-lines, she really was a likable character and I think that if the focus had been more on her and her actual origin story, I may have liked this one a lot more.

The rest of the cast was full of recognizable faces to be excited about as well. I really liked Cassie’s relationship with the three girls, but I’m not sure it was fleshed out as well as it could have been. There was some serious potential here though.

Images courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing

The nods at the time period worked.

This film was primarily set in 2003 and the music was great and on point. I think that this film really tried to channel this time period in an authentic way. In fact, I almost fell out of my chair at one cameo scene shown later in the film. I’m still excited about it! This helped lighten things up a little bit. There were a few scenes that were actually done really well and had me excited. I just wish there were a lot more of them…

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing

Messy and lacking in action…

This is billed as a superhero action film, right? Well, it needed A LOT more in that department, which was really frustrating. I thought the overall plot felt really messy…almost as if it were thrown together last minute. There were also certain moments that should have been fleshed out more so that the audience would actually invest in caring about these characters.

The dialogue was absolutely dreadful at times and the choppy editing gave me a headache. Sometimes less is more. I would have much preferred some simple fight scenes as opposed to that chaotic light show that was on display.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing

I’m 50/50 on this one…

I don’t think this film was as bad as everyone is saying. It wasn’t good, but I’ve seen a lot worse and there were some redeeming moments here. That being said, I’m super frustrated because this movie could have been so much better and Dakota Johnson deserved that. Either way, that cameo was still the best part of the movie for me…

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