Spoiler-Free Review of “Killer Whale” on Demand: Virginia Gardner Puts Forth a Valiant Effort in this FALL Downgrade

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

“She thinks she’s still trapped in captivity…”

Killer Whale released on Demand on January 16th 2026. The survival thriller film stars Virginia Gardner and Mel Jarnson. It runs for approximately an hour and thirty minutes.

Friends, Maddie and Trish go on a trip to Thailand a year after Maddie went through a tragic event, but after jet-skiing out to a remote location, they find themselves hunted by a killer whale that was released from her tank after killing someone. They are now stranded with no way to call for help and must figure out a way to survive.

Here is the trailer:

Killer Whale takes the standard shark thriller formula and tries it out with a different ocean creature, but does it do enough to be worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Lionsgate

Virginia Gardner did what she could…

She’s just so pretty and getting really good at finding herself trapped in dangerous places with no way to call for help. I thought she was terrific in the film, FALL. In a lot of ways, this film kind of ripped that one off, but that was a MUCH better movie.

That being said, I stayed tuned in to see what would happen to her character and I thought she did a solid job with what she was given.

Unfortunately she wasn’t really given much…

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Lionsgate

Terrible CGI and so cheesy!

Ugh…I really wanted to like this one. The CGI was so bad, I started laughing at certain points. Everything just felt so silly and not in a good way. There weren’t any genuine moments of suspense here. I’ve seen numerous shark films and while a lot of them followed a similar formula, I still found myself on the edge of my seat during key moments.

That didn’t happen here…

We got these overdone slow motion scenes and exhausting flashbacks that really didn’t do anything to advance the plot. I was so disappointed.

Images courtesy of Lionsgate

Nothing new here…

In addition, this film did not stray from its formula at all. Dangerous Animals (my new favorite shark movie after Jaws) really tried to do something new with the shark genre and it worked in such a compelling and outrageous way. This film didn’t even put forth the slightest bit of effort. The plot felt so lazy and phoned in.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Lionsgate

Unfortunately I’m out on this one…

Killer Whale doesn’t offer the audience anything new here with its vapid and lackluster story.

Virginia Gardner deserves better…

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

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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 “Dangerous Animals” in Theaters: A Bloody Good Time!

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

“Welcome aboard…”

Dangerous Animals will release in theaters in the US on June 6th 2025 and on June 12th in Australia. The survival horror film stars Hassie Harrison, Jai Courtney, Josh Heuston, and Ella Newton. It runs for approximately an hour and thirty-three minutes.

A shark obsessed serial killer holds a woman named Zephyr against her will. She must figure out a way to escape before he feeds her to his beloved sharks.

Here is the trailer:

Dangerous Animals gives us the perfect heart-pounding combination: a psycho serial killer and sharks. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Shudder

Jai Courtney is BRILLIANT in this!

I was excited when I saw he was cast as the villain in this from the trailer and he did not disappoint! Wow! Think Wolf Creek’s Mick Taylor. He honestly could have been his son.

He was twisted, diabolical, and out of his mind, but he was also really entertaining to watch and elevated this film in so many ways for me.

He will definitely be a villain I remember! I loved every second of his performance!

Images courtesy of Shudder

A strong, resourceful female lead to root for.

I love a strong female lead…especially in films like this. Zephyr was such a cool character and it was very easy to cheer for her against all odds. She didn’t accept her circumstances. She was a “fighter” and I thought she was absolutely terrific!

Intense from start to finish!

This movie had a killer opening and it really kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I have seen countless shark movies over the years and this one was one of the best I have seen in a very long time. The serial killer angle certainly helped things, but there was also some great shark action!

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Shudder

I don’t have many…

This film was pretty close to perfect. While it may not be for everyone, it checked off every box for me. I love simple thrillers like this. My only con would be that maybe there was a touch too much fluff after the opening scene, but I really had to think of a con here.

I loved every second of this movie!

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Shudder

I’m in 100 percent!!!

Dangerous Animals is the shark movie I’ve been waiting for!

Think Wolf Creek, but with sharks. Jai Courtney as Tucker just became one of my favorite horror villains of all time!

I loved this movie so much and I can’t wait to watch it again and again!

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

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