Tag: Alone (2020)

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:

Images courtesy of Hulu

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!

Images courtesy of Hulu

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:

Images courtesy of Hulu

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?

Images courtesy of Hulu

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…

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 “Night of the Hunted” on Shudder: Adrenaline-Fuelled Thriller Delivers

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

“I’ve never done anything to you…”

Night of the Hunted released on Shudder on October 20th 2023. The survival-thriller film stars Camille Rowe, J. John Bieler, and Jeremy Scippio. It runs for approximately an hour and thirty-five minutes.

When Alice stops at a remote gas station late at night, she’s targeted by an unknown sniper. Her only hope is to flag someone down to help her or try and survive on her own by using her surroundings to her advantage.

Here is the trailer:

Night of the Hunted is my kind of thriller with an exceptional female lead and a simple, but intense formula that will hold your attention until the very end. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Shudder

Starts off with a bang…literally!

With minimal set-up, we are launched into an edge-of-your-seat thrill ride that doesn’t hold back. It’s a simple, but effective approach, reminding me immediately of films like P2 (from the same director), Alone (2020), and Hunt Her, Kill Her. These are my favorite kinds of survival thrillers. I loved how bloody and brutal this one was. It had my heart racing and I thought that ending was so well done!

Images courtesy of Shudder

A strong and resourceful female lead.

Camille Rowe was bloody fantastic as Alice. I thought she was clever and bad-ass. I liked that her character was flawed in a lot of ways. It gave the film more substance and it also made her more relatable. She wasn’t perfect by any means, but you still wanted to root for her against all odds.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Shudder

Loses a touch of steam in the middle.

This wasn’t a major con because I thought the dialogue needed to happen in order for the film to progress, but it didn’t compare to the beginning and end of this film, which were so beyond intense. I actually really liked the dynamic going on and thought the conversations helped enhance the movie in a lot of ways, but I have a feeling that there will be some mixed thoughts on this.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Shudder

I’m in!!!

Night of the Hunted is a ruthless and intense survival thriller featuring a bad-ass female lead who commands the screen.

I thoroughly enjoyed this film! 

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Night of the Hunted 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 “Distress Signals” on Demand: Slow Burn Survival Thriller

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

“Can somebody come get me?”

Distress Signals released on Digital and Demand on May 12th 2023. The survival thriller film stars Christine Nyland and Terence Krey. They also wrote and directed the movie. It runs for an hour and twenty minutes.

After taking a nasty fall that separates her from her friends, Caroline must figure out a way to survive and escape the woods.

Here is the trailer:

Distress Signals follows a simple formula that is actually really compelling with an eerie final act 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 Unquiet Films

Christine Nyland is captivating on screen.

I was extremely impressed to find out that she was also part of the writing and directing team for this film. It’s difficult to carry films that predominantly center around one character with minimal dialogue and yet she did a good job and held my interest.

I was literally cheering for her during certain moments and even though I wanted to know a little bit more about her character, she commanded the screen in an effective way.

I also enjoyed the subtle soundtrack and I thought this film was shot really well.

A final act I did not see coming!

For the most part, this film follows your standard formula for a survival thriller. In a lot of ways, it was a decent enough mix of Alone (2020) and the series, Keep Breathing (starring Melissa Barrera). Caroline has to handle overcoming an injury, finding her way out of the woods, dealing with potential predators, and finding food and water, which I’ve seen a lot in similar movies.

But things don’t stop there and they take a major shift in the last thirty minutes or so, where we get some shocking moments I did not see coming. I really enjoyed the last act and I wanted more of it! 

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Unquiet Films

Slower pacing…

If you’re looking for a jam-packed thriller filled with lots of action, you won’t get that here. This is a different kind of a thriller. I still enjoyed it, but I wanted more grit and edge at times. I also wish that the last act had been fleshed out a little bit more because it was the best part of the movie.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Unquiet Films

I’m in about 75 percent…

Distress Signals may seem like your average thriller at first glance, but its slow burn approach does pay off in the end. If you enjoy survival/wilderness thrillers, there is enough here for you to appreciate.

I wanted a touch more to make it stand out from similar films, but I enjoyed my watch overall.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Distress Signals 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 “Unseen” on Demand: Satisfying Thriller Worth Your Time

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

“It’s a miracle I got you…”

Unseen released on Demand on March 7th 2023. The horror-thriller film stars Midori Francis, Jolene Purdy, Michael Patrick Lane, and Missi Pyle. It runs for approximately an hour and sixteen minutes.

A gas station clerk named Sam receives a random phone call from a nearly blind stranger named Emily who has been abducted by her ex-boyfriend. Acting as a guide for Emily through her phone, Sam quickly becomes her only hope at survival.

Here is the trailer:

Unseen is a fantastic mix of See for Me and Alone with a fast-paced, intense premise and two likable leads. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Paramount Movies

No waiting!

Talk about starting off with a bang…

This film has minimal set-up and throws the audience into things with barely any warning. The pacing was on point and at barely an hour and twenty minutes long, I never looked at the time even once.

This film was filled with edge-of-your-seat moments and some touching ones as well without ever overdoing it. It all just worked in a simple and effective way, which is exactly the kind of thriller I love to see.

Images courtesy of Paramount Movies

Two strong female leads to root for.

I absolutely loved both of these leading ladies. They were both incredible and I actually really dug the fact that they seemed so normal. It just made their bond and quest for survival that much more intriguing.

Even though we had minimal set-up in the beginning of the film, we still got enough layers between these two as they continued to talk, which helped me care about them even more.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Paramount Movies

Far-fetched at times…

Sure, some of the characters were a little outrageous and there were some moments that had me scratching my head, but just go with it and you’ll enjoy the ride. It all added to the intensity so I’m not complaining too much here.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Paramount Movies

I’m in 100 percent!!!

Keep making horror-thrillers like this and I’ll keep watching them and so will a lot of other viewers!

Fast-paced, fierce, and absolutely FANTASTIC from start to finish!

I absolutely loved this film and highly recommend it.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Unseen (2023) 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!