Spoiler-Free Review of “Novocaine” in Theaters: Jack Quaid Gives us Quirky Charm in this Enjoyable Action Flick

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

“I can’t feel pain…”

Novocaine is an action-comedy film that released on March 14th 2025 in theaters. The film stars Jack Quaid, Amber Midthunder, Jacob Batalon, Ray Nicholson, and Betty Gabriel. It runs for an hour and fifty minutes.

When the girl of his dreams is kidnapped after a bank robbery, a man who cannot feel pain becomes an unlikely hero to try and save her life.

Here is the trailer:

Novocaine features some hilarious and heartwarming moments along with some terrific fight scenes. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Light and fun!

It’s good to see a movie like this every once and a while. This film didn’t take itself too seriously at all. I thought it was super fun with a lot of humor that actually landed. The chemistry between our two main leads was sweet enough and the dynamic with the villains was fantastic (mostly courtesy of the brilliant Ray Nicholson killing it again).

Jack Quaid’s awkward, but endearing charm worked well here, making him an unlikely hero to root for against all odds.

Images courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Creative and entertaining fight scenes.

In a lot of ways, this film reminded me of a watered down version of Crank starring Jason Statham. I liked that film better, but Novocaine had the same type of outrageous fight scenes that were very entertaining.

The fight scenes were silly, but they were also great to watch on screen. It was awesome hearing the rest of the theater audience react during certain gruesome parts.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Paramount Pictures

A touch too long.

I personally think this movie should have been just under 90 minutes. The beginning was a little sluggish. It also felt very by the numbers. We learned about why we should care about these two characters while getting a touch of chemistry between them. I think the chemistry could have been fleshed out a little bit more, but I didn’t need this movie to be any longer than it was.

Once we got to the robbery and action, things picked up a lot, but it was a slower start for me.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Paramount Pictures

I’m in!!!

Novocaine is a fun and breezy comedy-action flick packed with inventive fight scenes.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts on Novocaine 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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Spoiler-Free Review of “Bullet Train” in Theaters: An Absolute Blast!

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

“My bad luck is biblical…”

Bullet Train released in theaters on August 5th 2022. The action-comedy film stars Brad Pitt, Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Hiroyuki Sanada, Zazie Beetz, Andrew Koji, and Sandra Bullock. It runs for two hours and five minutes.

An unlucky assassin takes on his latest mission on a bullet train, where he is tasked with finding a valuable briefcase, but he quickly learns that this task will be far from easy as he crosses paths with a number of potential threats along the way.

Here is the trailer:

Bullet Train is thoroughly entertaining with its welcomed humor and fun fight scenes. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Bullet Train Spoiler Free 1

Images courtesy of Sony Pictures Entertainment

Really fun characters!

The cast was absolutely incredible in this film and I loved every single character. Some cast members had smaller roles than others and we also got some amazing cameos, but I really loved the entire ensemble. I could watch this movie over and over again because of the character dynamics.

Loved every second of it!

Bullet Train Spoiler Free 2

Images courtesy of Sony Pictures Entertainment

Pure entertainment from start to finish!

This is one of those films where you can really just sit back, relax, and turn off your mind for a while. There was such a fantastic balance of comedy and action in this one and it really gave me a Guy Ritchie vibe, which was a good thing. I loved the setting of the train, which really complimented the fast pace. The fight scenes were a lot of fun and I’m always thrilled to see Hiroyuki Sanada showing off his skills in any film. He always dominates the screen!

The Cons:

Bullet Train Spoiler Free 3

Images courtesy of Sony Pictures Entertainment

The plot doesn’t travel too far…

I didn’t personally feel the need to dig deeper with this particular plot. I accepted the film for what it was and enjoyed every second of it, but if you’re looking for something with a little more substance and meaning, it’s lacking in that department. Again, I think this just comes down to preference. 

So am I in or out?

Bullet Train Spoiler Free 4

Images courtesy of Sony Pictures Entertainment

I’m in 100 percent!!!

A fun ride from start to finish with a talented cast! One of the most entertaining films I have seen in a long time!

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

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Locke & Key” on Netflix: Unlocking the Door to your Next Binge-Watch

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

A dark, magical adventure filled with heart, leading us past our imagination with some worthy evil threats thrown into the mix.

Locke & Key premiered on Netflix on February 7th 2020 with 10 new episodes (40-45 minutes in length). It stars Connor Jessup, Emilia Jones, Jackson Robert Scott, Darby Stanchfield, and Laysla De Oliveira.

The show is based on the graphic novel series written by Joe Hill and illustrated by Gabriel Rodríguez. After the tragic death of their father, three siblings move into his old mansion with their mother, unlocking past secrets and discovering some magical keys that light the way to their new potential destiny. However, there is an evil lingering inside the well of Keyhouse that threatens them all.

This is not the first time we have seen a plot like this and there are a lot of similarities to The Chronicles of Narnia, The Haunting of Hill House, and Stranger Things. That being said, I absolutely love all three of those, so I welcomed this familiar plot with open arms.

However, does Locke & Key unlock its way to its own identity? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Locke and Key Netflix 5
Images courtesy of Netflix

The Locke siblings are the heart of the show.

I loved the family aspect of The Haunting of Hill House and we get a young adult friendly version of that in Locke & Key. The relationship between the siblings is heartwarming and believable. All three of these characters are absolutely fantastic and you almost feel like you are a part of their family. The performances are well done and the family drama isn’t overly exaggerated.

Locke and Key Netflix 8
Images courtesy of Netflix

The mystery is intriguing and entertaining.

From the very first episode, we get a sneak peek of what’s to come for the Locke family, as they explore Keyhouse with brand new eyes. The house is breathtaking, but the Locke siblings quickly discover that there are more secrets hidden within the walls of their father’s old home.

Locke and Key Netflix 6
Images courtesy of Netflix

Evil looks good on our Villainess.

The villain in this series is beyond entertaining. She’s absolutely fantastic and will lure you over to the dark side for sure. She is cunning, powerful, and mysterious, as the Locke siblings are forced to really think outside the box to stop her, but do not underestimate her for one second. I love a good Villainess and Dodge  or “Well Lady” certainly exceeded my expectations.

The Cons:

Locke and Key Netflix 7
Images courtesy of Netflix

The rest of the characters fade into the background.

Unlike Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, which has an endless amount of extraordinary characters, the rest of the group in Locke & Key are just kind of okay and very forgettable. Even Mrs. Locke seemed all over the place and I almost felt like they didn’t really know what to do with her character.

I did enjoy Scot the most out of the friend characters, who had the most adorable nickname for our girl Kinsey, Rocky Road, but the supporting characters seemed underdeveloped and uninspiring. That being said, the Locke siblings and Dodge certainly made up for that and stole the show.

Some plot holes and unanswered questions.

I wouldn’t say that this was a major con, but I found myself asking more questions about the keys and where they came from. A lot of things are explained in the end and we are left with a major cliffhanger, so I’m hoping for some more background information if we get a second season.

So am I in or out?

Locke and Key Netflix 1
Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in! This series was so much fun and I watched it all in one day. It has a lot of heart and so many twists and turns that will keep you thoroughly invested throughout the show.

While it may not be the next Stranger Things, it doesn’t have to be. Locke & Key creates its own separate identity and has the potential to become my new favorite show with possible future seasons. Now about my key…

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

**Do you love television shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Once Upon a Time, Lost, Charmed, The Vampire Diaries, and Supernatural?  Do you enjoy dark fantasy, fairy-tale retellings, paranormal romance, horror, and mystery?  Then you may like my book series, Dreaming of Wonderland…available on Amazon!  Thank you for taking the time to check it out and I appreciate any feedback as well.  I really hope you enjoy!

The Dreaming of Wonderland Book Series is available here!

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