Tag: folk horror

Spoiler-Free Review of “Matriarch” on Hulu: A Bizarre and Wild Watch…

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

“Things could be better…”

Matriarch premiered on Hulu on October 21st 2022. The British folk horror film stars Jemima Rooper, Katie Dickie, Sarah Paul, and Simon Meacock. It runs for an hour and twenty-five minutes.

An overworked alcoholic and drug addict decides to reconnect with her mother after nearly losing her life, unraveling something dark and sinister in her old village.

Here is the trailer:

Matriarch is a low budget slow burn horror film featuring two believable performances and one of the craziest reveals and endings I have seen in a while. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Matriarch 2022 Spoiler Free 1

Images courtesy of Hulu

Well done performances.

I’m not sure that this film would have packed the same punch without the electric performances from both of its leads. Rooper had to portray a lot and I think she put forth a valiant effort. Dickie was eerie and magnetic as always. 

Crazy and creepy ending I didn’t see coming…

The beginning of the film drew me in and there was a creepy and unsettling vibe that was really disturbing. I didn’t know what to expect by the time we got to the reveals and they really threw me for a loop. The ending was completely bonkers, but it went all in and I appreciate that. If you like folk horror films, you’ll enjoy this one. I’m honestly still not sure if I liked it or not, but it was definitely something different!

The Cons:

Matriarch 2022 Spoiler Free 2

Images courtesy of Hulu

Slow moving at times…

The middle of the film dragged a lot. The film wasn’t long at all, but I felt like I had been watching it for a while until we got to the crazy stuff and then the film recaptured my full attention.

So am I in or out?

Matriarch 2022 Spoiler Free 3

Images courtesy of Hulu

I’m in about 75 percent…

Unsettling, disturbing, and bizarre!

This film had its flaws, but I think it managed to embrace the folk horror genre effectively, bringing us something truly disturbing and different.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Matriarch 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 “Men” (2022) in Theaters: What did I just watch?

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

“What do you want from me?”

Men (2022) premiered in theaters on May 20th 2022. The folk horror film stars Jessie Buckley, Rory Kinnear, Paapa Essiedu, and Gayle Rankin. It runs for an hour and forty minutes.

After dealing with a tragedy, Harper decides to vacation at a home in the countryside, but feels like she is being stalked by someone in the woods.

Here is the trailer:

Men is trippy and unsettling involving some extreme body horror, but is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of A24

Creepy and unsettling…

There are some genuinely creepy and disturbing moments throughout this film. The choice of setting was a good one and I was already terrified of the woods prior to watching this. There was an eerie quality lingering in the background even when things were developing in the beginning of the film from the music to the moments of complete silence.

Convincing performances…

This film involved a small cast, but the performances were really well done. I wanted to know more about our main character but I still believed the trauma and pain she was going through and I thought that she was a strong lead for the most part. The “men” of the film really nailed the creepy vibe…almost to another level…

The Cons:

Images courtesy of A24

Over complicates things…

Like to the extreme! I understood a lot of the religious imagery, but by the time I got to the end of this movie, I had no idea what I had just watched. I had to look up several interpretations just to understand it and while a lot of it kind of made sense, I just thought it was too out there. Sometimes less is more and I much preferred the first half of the film.

There is also some disturbing body horror involved in this one. I don’t recommend having a meal while watching it…

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of A24

I’m 50/50 on this one…

The film has some disturbing moments and some chilling performances, but I was so confused by the ending and I felt like I had to work too hard just to understand what was going on, which made it a lot less entertaining for me. I’m sure some people will love how weird and bizarre it is, but it was not really for me.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Men (2022) 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 “Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin” on Paramount+: Found Footage Folk Horror

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

“She’s still here…”

Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin premiered on October 29th 2021 and is currently available to stream on Paramount+. The found footage horror film stars Emily Bader, Roland Buck III and Dan Lippert. It runs for approximately an hour and thirty-eight minutes.

Abandoned as a baby, a young woman named Margot discovers that she has relatives living in an Amish community, prompting her to create a documentary film to learn more about her secretive family.

Here is the trailer:

Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin attempts to continue the popular franchise with a new story, but does it do enough to earn a watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Paramount+

Leads up to real moments of intensity…

The last part of the film is actually really intense and I couldn’t stop watching. I witnessed a lot of terrifying moments and I thought that this was probably the most frightening entry in the franchise. There was this slow burn build up that really paid off in the end and my heart is still pounding.

Solid performances.

Usually I’m not really blown away by the actors in these movies but I actually thought the cast did a decent job with this one. The characters could have used some more development other than Margot, but I thought they were believable, which helped me invest in them and care about their well-being.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Paramount+

Takes a while to get going…

I was intrigued at first, but then things started to really drag for the majority of the movie. The ending saved it in a lot of ways, but I think this film could have cut out a lot to keep up the pacing.

Silly jump scares.

The first half of the movie also threw in silly jump scares in addition to the dizzy found footage camera approach, which didn’t do the film any favors. I actually really liked the folk horror vibe and I didn’t even mind that the film had nothing to do with the other entries because I thought it was a decent enough story on its own. Perhaps it didn’t really need the Paranormal Activity name…

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Paramount+

I’m in about 75 percent…

This film was a lot better than I thought it was going to be and I think it managed to branch out into its own story so that it didn’t seem stale or overdone. The pacing needed some work and a lot of the gimmicks were unnecessary, but that ending was edge-of-your-seat intense!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin 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 “Elves” on Netflix: Holiday Horror Fun

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

“Stay on the coastal road…”

Elves (originally titled Nisser) premiered on Netflix on November 28th 2021 with six episodes available to stream now. The Danish horror series stars Sonja Steen, Milo Campanale, Vivelill Søgaard Holm, Lila Nobel, Peder Pedersen and Ann Eleonora Jørgensen. Each episode runs for 23-26 minutes.

A family travels to a remote island for a Christmas vacation, soon discovering that the island is inhabited by dangerous elves.

Here is the trailer:

Elves immediately gives off a Gremlins sort of vibe embedded in folk horror. The short episodes make it extremely easy to binge-watch, but is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Short episodes.

I finished this series really quickly and the pacing was done really well in each of the six episodes. Even though they are on the short side, we get to cover enough to keep us coming back for more and I thought that this worked in the show’s favor.

Images courtesy of Netflix

Solid folk horror entry.

I dug the vibe of this series. There were a lot of horrifying things we witnessed, but it was also balanced out with an adorable scene stealer named Kee-Ko. Seriously, I’m obsessed! The setting really highlighted the eerie feel and there was also plenty of gore and chilling moments sprinkled into the mix.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Dumb decisions made…

The adults in this series really made a lot of the dumb decisions or were just completely clueless for too long. 

I also just wanted more as soon as I got to the end. The short episodes worked, but I really hope that this show gets picked up for season two because now I’m hooked!

More please!

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in!

This was a quick and fun festive horror series. I was hooked from the very start and I hope that more horror fans discover this gem because it really delivers and then some!

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

Spoiler-Free Review of “Wrong Turn” 2021: Chilling Redemption for the Franchise

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

“Strangers don’t get to leave…”

Wrong Turn 2021 was originally released back in January 2021. The film is currently available to stream on Showtime. The reboot is the seventh entry to the franchise.

Wrong Turn (2021) stars Charlotte Vega, Adain Bradley, Matthew Modine, Emma Dupont and Bill Sage. The film runs for approximately an hour and fifty minutes.

A group of friends set off to hike the Appalachian Trail in unfamiliar territory as they quickly learn the dangers of straying off the path.

Here is the trailer:

Wrong Turn 2021 could have easily gotten lost in the shuffle of the six prior movies, but it does attempt to present us with something new and different. Does the reboot deserve a watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Showtime

Characters worth your time.

While some of the characters left a lot to be desired, others really stood out and proved their worth as we approached the second half of the film. As the audience, you genuinely feel sympathy for the characters and root for certain ones against all odds.

It’s difficult to achieve this in these types of movies so I was impressed with the believable performances and layered characters. This was a nice touch and helped elevate the film above the other entries…although the original film will always be iconic for me.

Images courtesy of Showtime

Unsettling and disturbing reveals…

I thought I knew what I was going to get with this film and it really did surprise me in a good way. The film took several unexpected turns and attempted to channel some folk horror as well, which I thought was a bold choice.

While the original film really captured the thrilling run for your life premise, the other films fell flat and just tried to repeat what we had already seen before. This film is completely aware of that and knows the audience is as well, so I thought it was a smart choice for it to go off in a different direction for the reboot, creating a new kind of fear along the way.

Brutal kills.

Like, really brutal! I had to turn away a few times because the kills were extremely violent in this film. If you are here for lots of gore, you will not be disappointed. The horror we witness is terrifying on a whole new level.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Showtime

Attempts to do a lot…

This film jams a lot into two hours. While some of it translated really well and completely shocked me, other moments didn’t really add up for me. The writers were stretching a lot and creating a dialogue, which is a good thing, but sometimes less is more and this film was slightly short of pure perfection for me because it attempted to do a little too much.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Showtime

I’m in!

While the original film of the franchise is still my favorite, the reboot really made a valiant effort to provide us with a terrifying entry that truly shocked me and kept me on the edge of my seat. I was completely invested from start to finish and I think this film successfully created something unique for the audience. It felt like more of a standalone film and I didn’t see many connections with the other movies, but I still enjoyed it just the same.

I honestly loved this movie and I highly recommend for horror fans to give it a chance.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Wrong Turn (2021) in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

PLAY BY THE RULES…STAY ALIVE…

A harmless night of fun turns deadly for six college friends but the game has only just begun. Take a mystery thrill ride right from your own living room. Dash and Seek is out now!

Play if you dare…

Dash and Seek 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!