Tag: Black Phone 2

Ranking my Top 12 Films of 2025: Which Movies Made The Cut?

It’s that time of year again! As we get closer and closer to approaching 2026, I thought it would be the perfect time to count down my Top 12 Films of 2025.

There are still a lot of movies that I have not seen yet, but I wanted to highlight some of my favorites of the year so far!

My Top 12 Films of 2025 are:

12

The Housemaid

Image courtesy of Lionsgate

Wow, this movie was a trip in the best possible way! I loved the twist. If you love guilty pleasure thrillers, there are plenty of juicy and shocking moments in this one to indulge in. Plus, Amanda Seyfried and Sydney Sweeney are dynamic on screen together.

11

Materialists

Image courtesy of A24

Written and directed by Celine Song (who wrote and directed one of my favorite films, Past Lives), this movie was so beautifully done. It was intelligent without being overbearing and it really captured what’s important when it comes to relationships and the standards we are often held to.

This was such a thought-provoking watch and I loved every second of it.

10

Final Destination: Bloodlines

Image courtesy of New Line Cinema

It’s no secret that I am a huge fan of the Final Destination franchise and I have been waiting years for this film to be released. Well…it was worth the wait. This movie was gory, shocking, and an absolute blast, featuring one of the best openings I have ever seen in a Final Destination movie.

9

Companion

Image courtesy of New Line Cinema

This movie was so entertaining! It had the right blend of humor and violence, making this a blood-soaked horror comedy worth your time. Sophie Thatcher was absolutely terrific in this!

8

Heart Eyes

Image courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing

A slasher that delivers and then some! I’m a huge fan of 90’s slashers and this film really tapped into that in a lot of ways. It wasn’t afraid to be campy and silly while delivering on some extreme gore and the chemistry between our two main leads was off the charts!

7

The Long Walk

Image courtesy of Lionsgate

Based on the novel by Stephen King, this film was a gut-wrenching and emotional movie that really moved me and destroyed me at the same time. This is one of those movies that completely sucks you into its world and when you are finished watching, you’re forever changed.

6

Bone Lake

Image courtesy of Bleecker Street

I can’t stop talking about how much I loved this movie! It had such an insane final act that really popped. It’s a bit of a slow burn, but the payoff is worth it. Trust me!

5

Influencers

Image courtesy of Shudder

A sequel that somehow manages to top the original film (which I’m a huge fan of). This movie was batshit crazy in the best way possible. It really found its voice in this one, delivering in so many ways. Our two female leads were OUTSTANDING and weren’t afraid to go all out here, making this such a an entertaining popcorn watch. I really hope they make a third film!

4

Dangerous Animals

Image courtesy of Shudder

I saw this movie a few weeks before it released at a movie mystery night and I was beyond excited. I love shark movies and this quickly became my favorite one after Jaws. Sharks plus a deranged serial killer is quite the combo and Jai Courtney gave his best performance to date in my opinion. He was bloody brilliant!

3

Weapons

Image courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

This was such an insane ride and I loved every second of it. It’s best to go into this movie completely blind. I thought it was so fantastic and the second half was jaw-dropping and shocking. I can’t say enough good things about this movie.

2

Sinners

Image courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

When I think about cinema and what films should really achieve, I think of this movie. It had EVERYTHING in it. The music was amazing, the time period just worked seamlessly, the performances were out of this world, and the thrills kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. An absolute masterpiece!

Honorable Mentions:

Together

The Conjuring: Last Rites

Freakier Friday

Bring Her Back

Black Phone 2

Night Always Comes

The Monkey

Drum roll please…

1

DROP

Image courtesy of Universal

I love simple, fast-paced thrillers like this. I had a feeling I would love this movie when I first saw the trailer and it exceeded my expectations.

Meghann Fahy is one to watch. She was such a bad-ass lead. This movie kept me guessing until the last moments and I loved the humor sprinkled in. This film was definitely my kind of movie and I absolutely fell in love with it.

I hope to see more films from 2025 soon, but I hope you enjoyed the list!

Did you have a favorite film of 2025? If so, drop it in the comments!

I wish you all a happy and healthy new year and can’t wait to review more new films in 2026! Happy viewing!

Spoiler-Free Review of “Black Phone 2” in Theaters: A Chilling Sequel

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

“Where are you calling from?”

Black Phone 2 released in theaters on October 17th 2025. The supernatural horror sequel stars Ethan Hawke, Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, Jeremy Davies, and Demián Bichir. It runs for approximately an hour and fifty-five minutes.

Set after the events of the first film, Finn and Gwen head to Alpine Lake Camp, a Christian youth group, to investigate the recurring dreams Gwen has had. When they arrive, they soon realize that a familiar dark presence is there, luring them both back into danger.

Here is the trailer:

Black Phone 2 brings a terrifying villain back to life while bringing us to a chilling new setting. Is it worth a watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Universal Pictures

Changes things up…

When I first heard that they were making a sequel, I was a little confused. Things were wrapped up at the end of the first movie and the threat was eliminated.

But I went into this movie with an open mind and I did appreciate that it brought back our familiar characters to root for while throwing a new terrifying threat at them in a different setting. It still managed to connect everything to past events with seamless effort.

In a lot of ways, this film reminded me more of A Nightmare on Elm Street, which had its pros and cons. I actually really liked these aspects of the film and thought it was a bold and interesting idea to switch main character focus. I think this paid off in the end. Even though this was a sequel, everything felt fresh and new.

Images courtesy of Universal Pictures

Ethan Hawke is as terrifying as ever!

Ethan Hawke in the Grabber mask ice skating is probably the creepiest thing I have seen in a while. I thought that he was so scary in the first film in such a real way so this was a change-up for sure, but he still managed to be just as creepy, making my skin crawl on more than one occasion.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Universal Pictures

Unanswered questions and some fuzzy details…

I did have a lot of questions by the time I got to the end of this movie. They overstuffed this film a little too much, but I think it still worked out in the end. Some connections felt slightly forced to me and some of the newer characters were annoying.

My biggest con with this movie was that it didn’t hold a candle to the first one. That being said, I still thought it was very entertaining. It just didn’t have that initial shock and pop factor anymore.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Universal Pictures

I’m in!

Black Phone 2 leans more into the supernatural side this time around, drawing from A Nightmare on Elm Street, making this a unique and entertaining sequel overall.

I wouldn’t say that this movie came close to the original, but I still enjoyed my watch and think that Madeleine McGraw is one to watch!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Black Phone 2 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!

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