Tag: Freddie Prinze Jr.

Spoiler-Free Review of “I Know What You Did Last Summer” (2025) in Theaters: Heavy on the Nostalgia but light on Slasher Fun

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

What are you waiting for?!
I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025) released in theaters on July 18th 2025. The fourth installment of one of my favorite franchises of all time takes place after the events of I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, bringing us back to Southport where a new crime has been committed by a group of teens who are soon targeted by a masked killer in a fisherman’s slicker.

The slasher horror film stars Chase Sui Wonders, Madelyn Cline, Sarah Pidgeon, Tyriq Withers, Freddie Prinze Jr. and Jennifer Love Hewitt.

After trying to keep a crime a secret, a group of friends receive an anonymous note as a killer begins targeting those closest to them, forcing them to seek help from Ray and Julie, who went through something similar in Southport back in 1997. The film runs for approximately an hour and fifty minutes.
Here is the trailer:


I Know What You Did Last Summer brings us plenty of welcomed cameos and nostalgia for fans of the original film, but does it do enough to be worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing

Lots of familiar faces and nostalgia for fans of the original.

Honestly, we got nostalgia overload here and I was all for it! Those cameos were to die for and I loved all of the Easter eggs and nods at the original. This movie clearly understood where it came from and was very much for the fans in a lot of ways.

This elevated the movie for me A LOT…

Make sure you stick around for the end credit scene as well.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing

Insufferable characters.

Where do I start…these characters were AWFUL and the acting was atrocious. I really tried here, but I couldn’t connect with any of these characters and I didn’t care when anyone lived or died.

There were people laughing in the theater so maybe other viewers will connect with them more, but I was honestly struggling here and IKWYDLS is one of my favorite movies of all time so I did put in the effort, but wow they were bad.

The reason why I love the original film so much is because I really rooted for the characters. There wasn’t enough development here for anyone (including Ray and Julie) so this was tough.

The random fluff was excruciating to sit through as well…

Images courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing

Terrible twist and not enough suspense…

There was some more gore, which I guess was cool, but I thought there was an overwhelming lack of suspense here, which the original film mastered. We needed more chase scenes and while I appreciated some of the familiar backdrops for these kills, they just didn’t dig deep enough for me.

This felt like a very timid slasher, which was disappointing.

Thanksgiving did a much better job with this.

I HATED the twist so much and thought it was a complete disservice to fans. I’m sure some people will love it and find it shocking and bold, but I found it very frustrating and thought the writers were grasping at straws here…

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing

I’m in about 75 percent…

I Know What You Did Last Summer delivers on nostalgia but fails to hook us with anything new, relying too heavily on a messy and disappointing plot.

Look, I’m a fan of the franchise and always will be and those cameos were FANTASTIC, but I wanted so much more from this movie.

I really got what it was trying to do, but I don’t think the execution was there and honestly Scream did a much better job with its newer films…

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025) 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!
**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 “The Girl in the Pool” on Demand: Freddie Prinze Jr. Loses His Mind in this Vapid Thriller

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

“Am I a good person?”

The Girl in the Pool premiered on July 26th 2024 on Demand. The dramatic thriller stars Freddie Prinze Jr., Monica Potter, and Kevin Pollak. It runs for an hour and thirty minutes.

On his birthday, Tom’s life begins to unravel when he tries to piece together what happened to his mistress with his closest friends and family nearby.

Here is the trailer:

The Girl in the Pool has a heavy Lifetime feel with a few familiar faces, but does this film do enough to earn a watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Quiver Distribution

Freddie Prinze Jr. and Monica Potter back together on screen!

It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of Freddie Prinze Jr. and his wonderful wife, Sarah Michelle Gellar. He’s the main reason why I tuned into this one and the only reason why I kept watching. I was also pleased to see Monica Potter in this. These two starred together in a lesser known 2001 rom-com called Head Over Heels and I was happy to seem them reunited on screen.

Unfortunately the pros stop there…

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Quiver Distribution

Over-complicated and dull.

I really really wanted to like this movie for Freddie, but wow this was not great. There was more intensity when he performed his Hacky Sack bit in She’s All That. Part of the problem was that this film tried to over-complicate an overdone, but interesting enough premise. Sure, I’ve seen this kind of movie before, but the repetitive flashbacks and random scenes of Freddie yelling at himself in the mirror were distracting. If this film had followed its formula by the numbers, it would have been predictable, but probably more guilty pleasure worthy.

Instead, we got a super boring thriller thrown at us with very little to say. The dialogue was awful and these characters made so many dumb decisions over and over again. It was honestly painful to keep watching…

The twist wasn’t compelling enough.

I had my fingers crossed that maybe this movie could redeem itself in the end and it did throw a twist our way, but it was too late at this point. You could have given me literally any explanation and it wouldn’t have saved this movie, which was beyond disappointing.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Quiver Distribution

Unfortunately I’m out on this one…

Freddie, I’m still a huge fan and I’d love to see you in more films, but this one was really painful to sit through. I was hoping for a soapy thriller to indulge in with a glass of wine, but this just didn’t fit the bill.

The Girl in the Pool fails to deliver as a satisfying thriller, relying too heavily on puzzling behavior and tiresome flashbacks, making this a frustrating watch overall.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The Girl in the Pool 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!

**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 “Christmas with You” on Netflix: Welcome back to Rom-Coms, Freddie Prinze Jr.

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

“I don’t really think that a Christmas song is my style…”

Christmas with You premiered on November 17th 2022 on Netflix. The rom-com holiday film stars Aimee Garcia, Freddie Prinze Jr., Zenzi Williams, and Deja Monique Cruz. It runs for approximately 90 minutes.

A pop star named Angelina needs to come up with a Christmas hit so she isn’t dropped by her label, inspiring her to grant a fan’s wish in a small town.

Here is the trailer:

Christmas with You is very much a mashup of Marry Me and Falling for Christmas, but its likable stars help make it into an enjoyable holiday delight. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Dream team!

We just were blessed with Lindsay Lohan’s return in Falling for Christmas and now Freddie Prinze Jr. is making his return as well, giving me so much nostalgia for his 90’s/2000’s rom-coms.

I am a huge fan of Lucifer’s Aimee Garcia as well and couldn’t be happier with this team-up. Even though this film is very predictable and follows the holiday rom-com formula to a T, the stars allow you to forget about that for a while because it’s just so enjoyable watching them both on screen.

Images courtesy of Netflix

Cute and light.

Netflix keeps the holiday fun coming after last week’s premiere of Falling for Christmas. There is a good balance of humor and heart in this one. Even though I preferred one film to the other, this is a film that you can just simply enjoy. It’s a quick watch and perfect for the holiday season.

Let’s be honest, these films don’t need to be perfect. They just need to spark the holiday spirit with some charm and I think this film accomplished that for the most part.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Lacking in chemistry…

As much as I loved Aimee Garcia and Freddie Prinze Jr. separately in this movie, I didn’t fully buy the chemistry between them. Sure, there were some sweet moments and I got all the cues the film was throwing at us, but they were a little forced. I think Freddie Prinze Jr. was more believable as the loving father rather than the “romantic interest.”

This film checked off all the right boxes, but that lack of chemistry prevented it from reaching its full potential. It’s still a sweet watch, however (especially if you enjoy holiday rom-coms).

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in about 75 percent…

A quick holiday watch with plenty to enjoy, but I just needed a little bit more chemistry between our amiable stars to be all in.

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

**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!

Ranking the “I Know What You Did Last Summer” movies from Best to Worst

“What you waiting for, huh? What are you waiting for?!”

I Know What You Did Last Summer 4

Images courtesy of Showtime

A question that all fans of IKWYDLS know all too well. The popular film franchise is based on the book by Lois Duncan, which I actually read before I saw the first film. If you haven’t read it yet, I definitely recommend it. Things happen differently in the book, which may allow some of your favorite characters to get some deserved redemption.

When I think about 90’s slasher movies, I automatically jump to films like Scream, IKWYDLS and Urban Legend. They are fun, entertaining, and they keep you on the edge of your seat. Humor and teen drama weaves its way in while we witness some pretty intense scares as well.

I was super excited that Showtime added the IKWYDLS films to its lineup, which gave me a chance to catch up on all three films. Yes, there are three films…we’ll get to that later. The deadly fisherman with a hook for a hand becomes all too real after four friends make a fatal mistake that will haunt them forever…or at least for the next few summers.

Please note some spoilers are ahead.

Without any further delay, let’s find out exactly how I ranked the I Know What You Did Last Summer films and why.

1

I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)

I Know What You Did Last Summer 1

Images courtesy of Showtime

The original film is the best one by a landslide. Released in 1997, it stars Jennifer Love Hewitt, Freddie Prinze Jr., Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Ryan Phillippe.

There is something really unsettling about this film in all the right ways. The villain is truly terrifying, the music is creepy, and some of the scares still haunt me till now. Seriously, I check my closet every single night before I got to sleep because of what happened to poor Helen (SMG).

I Know What You Did Last Summer 2

Images courtesy of Showtime

The characters are far from perfect. They make a terrible mistake that comes back to haunt them. The killer doesn’t just want to eliminate them…he wants to mess with them and make them question everything and everyone around them.

Standout Death: 

Spoiler alert. Do not read if you have not seen this movie!

I Know What You Did Last Summer 5

Images courtesy of Showtime

Helen Shivers played by Sarah Michelle Gellar had the potential to be a fantastic Final Girl, but Julie James took that crown. However, her chase scene leading to her tragic death may be one of my favorite scenes in any slasher movie. I was rooting for her the entire time and the film really shook things up by killing her off. I’m still mad about it…

2

I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998)

I Still Know What You Did Last Summer 1

Images courtesy of Showtime

The sequel is really not that bad. Released in 1998, it stars Jennifer Love Hewitt, Freddie Prinze Jr., Brandy, and Mekhi Phifer. Julie James is back and wins a trip to the Bahamas with her roommate, Karla. Julie and Ray are on the rocks, but luckily our favorite fisherman shows up in a few clutch moments.

While some of this movie is slightly outrageous, we do get some fun characters, including one played by Jack Black. We witness a fun karaoke performance, a tanning bed nightmare, and a lot of rain to really add to the ambiance.

I Still Know What You Did Last Summer 3

Images courtesy of Showtime

Plus, there is a pretty big twist at the end which did help things.

Standout Death: 

I Still Know What You Did Last Summer 5

Images courtesy of Showtime

Not a death scene, but the tanning bed scene does come to mind. Julie decides to try and relax, but the killer locks the tanning bed, which is beyond terrifying.

3

I’ll Always Know What You Did Last Summer (2006)

I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer

Images courtesy of Showtime

So, I had no idea for the longest time that this film even existed and after watching it, I know why. The film was released in 2006 and it stars Brooke Nevin, David Paetkau, and Torrey DeVito. None of the original cast appear in this film although we do get a brief mention about what happened to them when the new characters are researching our infamous fisherman killer, Ben Willis.

The beginning of this film is actually kind of interesting. The group of friends decide to play a prank on everyone that actually ends up deadly and they try to cover it up.

That’s pretty much the only interesting part of the movie. The acting is horrible, the kills are gory, but eh, and the twist at the end is so ridiculous that you may think you actually fell asleep during the movie. I won’t reveal the twist here, but wow…and not in a good way.

Standout Death: 

The tractor scene comes to mind, but honestly nothing really sticks out on this one.

I almost wish this movie had come out with a different name. It really doesn’t do the franchise any favors.

While there have been talks about an IKWYDLS television series, I haven’t seen too much on this. I would honestly love to see IKWYDLS take a page out of Scream’s book and give us a film with the original characters while introducing us to a new set of potential victims. Maybe Ben’s son had a son…or daughter? Just a thought…

Which I Know What You Did Last Summer films did YOU enjoy most?

I hope you enjoyed the list and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on the IKWYDLS films in the comments section below. Thank you so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

If you enjoy the IKWYDLS movies, you may enjoy Dash and Seek! I would love it if you would check it out in the link below. Thank you so much!

PLAY BY THE RULES…STAY ALIVE…

Main promo smaller

READ 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!