Spoiler-Free Review of “Stupid Games” on Mometu: Girl Power to the Max!

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

“Play stupid games…win stupid prizes…”

Stupid Games originally released on March 22nd 2024 and is now currently available to stream for free on Mometu. The supernatural horror film stars Cass Huckabay, Alyssa Tortomasi, Saad Rolando, Gage Robinson, and Ashwini Ganpule. It runs for an hour and twenty-six minutes.

The girls invite over three men for a dinner party, but things spiral out of control when they begin to play a game with deadly consequences.

Here is the trailer:

Stupid Games is a clever B-movie that maintains a decent level of intensity until the very end. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

The girls rule!!!

OK, I absolutely loved these three. Cass Huckabay is absolutely delightful in this and I really liked the other female characters as well. In a lot of ways, this film reminded me of We Summon the Darkness. It successfully channeled that vibe in a killer way while still maintaining its own identity. Normally, I can’t stand set-up and fluff, but I actually really enjoyed the banter between these characters and thought the female characters were a lot of fun.

More please!

Twisted ending.

There was a lot of build-up in this one and I was actually on the edge of my seat. The last twenty minutes were fantastic and I really enjoyed the ending. This film didn’t hold back. It unleashed some insane moments that were well worth the wait. I loved how campy this was.

The Cons:

Takes a little while to get going.

This wasn’t a major con, but the second half of the movie was a lot stronger and really turned things up a notch. The first half was entertaining enough, but things really start to get going when we get to the actual game.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!!!

Stupid Games is wicked fun!

I love when lower budget horror films excel like this. I highly recommend this one if you enjoy horror B-movies. It’s worth indulging in.

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

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! I hope you enjoy!

READ IF YOU DARE…

Dash and Seek is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Madame Web” in Theaters: Dakota Johnson Gives it Her All

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

“I can see the future…kind of…”

Madame Web premiered on February 14th 2024 in theaters. The superhero action film stars Dakota Johnson, Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced, Celeste O’Connor, Tahar Rahim, Adam Scott, and Emma Roberts. It runs for approximately an hour and fifty-six minutes.

After facing a near death experience, Cassandra Webb begins to show signs of clairvoyance as she realizes that it is her destiny to protect three young women from a villain connected to her past.

Here is the trailer:

Madame Web brings us another superhero film set in the Spider-Man universe, but does it do enough to earn a watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing

Dakota Johnson puts forth a valiant effort.

Honestly, I really wish she had gotten a better film. She was the BEST part of this movie. I’ve always liked her as an actress and thought she was truly exceptional here. Even though she had to work with dull dialogue and predictable plot-lines, she really was a likable character and I think that if the focus had been more on her and her actual origin story, I may have liked this one a lot more.

The rest of the cast was full of recognizable faces to be excited about as well. I really liked Cassie’s relationship with the three girls, but I’m not sure it was fleshed out as well as it could have been. There was some serious potential here though.

The nods at the time period worked.

This film was primarily set in 2003 and the music was great and on point. I think that this film really tried to channel this time period in an authentic way. In fact, I almost fell out of my chair at one cameo scene shown later in the film. I’m still excited about it! This helped lighten things up a little bit. There were a few scenes that were actually done really well and had me excited. I just wish there were a lot more of them…

The Cons:

Messy and lacking in action…

This is billed as a superhero action film, right? Well, it needed A LOT more in that department, which was really frustrating. I thought the overall plot felt really messy…almost as if it were thrown together last minute. There were also certain moments that should have been fleshed out more so that the audience would actually invest in caring about these characters.

The dialogue was absolutely dreadful at times and the choppy editing gave me a headache. Sometimes less is more. I would have much preferred some simple fight scenes as opposed to that chaotic light show that was on display.

So am I in or out?

I’m 50/50 on this one…

I don’t think this film was as bad as everyone is saying. It wasn’t good, but I’ve seen a lot worse and there were some redeeming moments here. That being said, I’m super frustrated because this movie could have been so much better and Dakota Johnson deserved that. Either way, that cameo was still the best part of the movie for me…

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Madame Web 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 “Heart of Stone” on Netflix: Gal Gadot Stars in an Action-Thriller By The Numbers

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

“Everything’s under control…”

Heart of Stone premiered on August 11th 2023 on Netflix. The action-thriller film stars Gal Gadot, Jamie Dornan, Jing Lusi, Alia Bhatt, and Glenn Close. It runs for approximately two hours and five minutes.

An intelligence agent named Rachel Stone stands up against a powerful organization as she faces countless threats and betrayals along the way.

Here is the trailer:

Heart of Stone follows your standard formula of a female lead action thriller with some entertaining moments sprinkled in. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Flashy fight scenes and action.

If you’re here for action, there’s plenty to appreciate in this one. I wouldn’t say that any particular fight scene really stood out, but Gal Gadot showed off how bad-ass she can be with each scene. The action certainly helped the overall pacing of the movie.

Gal Gadot puts forth a valiant effort.

She’s the main reason why I tuned into this one and I thought she did a good job with what she was given. This film features a lot of girl power to the max and I thought she delivered in that department. I just wish she was given a little bit more to work with because she’s so talented.

The Cons:

Borrows too much from other action-thrillers…

I didn’t mind this, but this film really didn’t have its own identity, which was frustrating. I’ve seen too many Netflix action-thrillers that have lured us into this trap. A strong cast, flashy action, and a mediocre plot that becomes forgettable as soon as you turn the movie off.

This film was decent enough, but I thought it had the potential to be so much more. The twists were really predictable and as much as I love a film featuring female empowerment, I don’t need to be hit over the head with this…

So am I in or out?

I’m in about 75 percent…

Even though I knew what to expect with this movie, there were some moments worth watching and I really enjoyed the performances by Gal Gadot and Alia Bhatt, who both elevated this one as much as they could.

If you’re looking for a quick action-thriller, this one will check off enough boxes for you, but don’t expect anything truly extraordinary.

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

PLAY BY THE RULES…STAY ALIVE…

READ IF YOU DARE…

Dash and Seek is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Sheroes” on Demand: Mindless Fun in the Sun

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

“We need to handle this…”

Sheroes released on Demand on July 7th 2023. The action-comedy film stars Sasha Luss, Wallis Day, Skai Jackson, and Isabelle Fuhrman. It runs for approximately an hour and thirty minutes.

Four friends take a trip to Thailand, but when one of their bags gets mixed up, they find themselves in a world of trouble.

Here is the trailer:

Sheroes is a mix of Spring Breakers and Charlie’s Angels with girl power to the extreme, but does it do enough to be worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Pretty to look at…

From the cast, to the setting, to the aesthetically pleasing cinematography…everything is just bright and lovely to watch. I loved some of the fashion choices and that car was to die for…

The girls give it their all…

While some of the acting was severely lacking, I thought that our main stars put forth a valiant effort here and did the best with what they were given. They embraced the brainless, silly fun and just went with it.

If you don’t try to make sense of any of this, it is actually kind of entertaining once you get past the opening. Some of the action and fight sequences were enjoyable and I started to like the characters more as the movie continued.

The Cons:

Rocky start…

This movie was really tough to watch for the first thirty minutes. It was basically just a mash-up of tropes, clichés, and utter nonsense. Luckily things improved when we got to the action parts, but the set-up was so ridiculous and unbelievable.

I’m not sure if this film was trying to be a parody, but a lot of the humor didn’t land for me and whenever the girls started to quote or reference good action movies, it just made this film seem shallow in comparison.

I’m all for girl power and I’ll even go with the ridiculous notion that one knows how to handle a kidnapping situation when their dad makes action films, but a lot of this was pretty painful to sit through.

Just try not to think about it and it does get kind of entertaining as it continues, however…

So am I in or out?

I’m in about 75 percent…

This film was far from perfect and really ridiculous at times, but it did have some fun moments. As long as you don’t try to follow any kind of logic, you’ll have a decent time watching it.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Sheroes 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 “Gunpowder Milkshake” on Netflix: Girl Power to the Extreme

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

“When they need someone to clean up their mess, they send me…”

Gunpowder Milkshake is an action thriller film that premiered on July 14th 2021. It is currently available to stream on Netflix. The film stars Karen Gillan, Lena Headey, Carla Gugino, Michelle Yeoh, and Angela Bassett. It runs for an hour and fifty-four minutes.

The film follows two assassins who happen to be mother and daughter. After being separated many years ago, the two reunite to help protect an eight year old girl from a dangerous group of men.

Here is the trailer:

Gunpowder Milkshake looks like a dream at first glance. The cast is out of this world and it immediately gives us a noir-Tarantino-John Wick-esque vibe which seems like it should be a lot of fun. However, imitation is not always a sign of flattery. Does its attempt to channel this film style get in the way of pure greatness? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

All star cast.

If I wanted a group of female assassins to protect me, I would be more than thrilled if these ladies showed up. The cast was honestly the best part of the movie. These ladies kicked some ass and showed a lot of style and flair along the way. I wanted to explore some of the supporting characters more, but I loved each and every one of them and I thought that even the actress who played the young girl was truly talented.

Dream team right here!

Plenty of action to go around.

If you are looking for mindless violence and plenty of fight scenes, you are in the right place. The film delivers in this category. While some of the fight scenes early on were a little bit too rehearsed and choreographed for my liking, the later scenes made up for this.

The Cons:

Took a while to get going…

When I’m in the mood for a lot of action and violence, I don’t want the pace of the movie to feel slow. For me, this film took a while to get going. Sure, there was plenty of action in the first half of the movie, but the overall plot and pacing just felt slow and unsure of itself.

Once we got to the second half of the movie, I was all in, but I don’t want to have to wait an hour to get there…

Lost some originality points.

I’m all for a movie channeling the vibe of another work, but this film felt like a tired imitation of John Wick and Kill Bill at some points. The slow motion scenes with loud music behind them were almost excruciating to watch. They just didn’t really work here in my opinion.

Once we got to the second half of the film, I noticed that they stopped doing them so much, which really made a difference.

Having a cast of female leads should be empowering and inspiring. There were moments of this throughout the film, but I also thought they deserved a lot more and I also wanted some more humor worked into the film so it didn’t take itself too seriously. Nobody starring Bob Odenkirk was pure perfection for me and I think this film should have taken a page out of its book to understand that you don’t need to mash up popular film styles and gimmicks to make a film entertaining.

So am I in or out?

I’m in about 75 percent…

The film was entertaining and I really adored the cast. It took a while to get going, but once it did, I was invested. I think if the film had made a few tweaks and abandoned its gimmicks and slow motion scenes, it would have been a lot better, but if you are looking for a fun action thriller, you’ll get that here.

I recommend watching Nobody first; however, if you haven’t already, which was absolutely incredible!

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

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 “We Summon the Darkness” on Netflix: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

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

“There is a lot of evil out there…and you seem like nice girls.”

We Summon the Darkness follows three female friends on a road trip during the 80’s, as they head out to a heavy metal rock fest. The film was released on Netflix on August 8th 2020 and is 90 minutes in length. It stars Alexandra Daddario, Maddie Hasson, Amy Forsyth, and Johnny Knoxville.

The girls meet some male strangers during the metal rock fest and invite them back to their vacation home, but things take an unexpected twist when sadistic intentions are revealed.

Here is the trailer:

We Summon the Darkness takes a shot at nailing the 80’s slasher/thriller vibe and has an attractive and talented cast, but does the film do enough to truly stand out when so many other films and shows are channeling some 80’s nostalgia? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

We Summon the Darkness Netflix 1 — Images courtesy of Netflix

Nailed the 80’s vibe!

I love the 80’s and I know that we have been getting quite a bit of programming featuring some nostalgia, but I thought it was done so well in this film. The clothes rocked, the music was on point, and I felt myself being seamlessly transported back to another time.

We Summon The Darkness Netflix 2 — Images courtesy of Netflix

Girl power and then some!

The opening of the film immediately gave me some Death Proof vibes and I loved that. We immediately believe that these three girls are friends and are out for some harmless fun. We soon learn that these three ladies are capable of a lot more, but I thought that they all had great chemistry together and I wanted to go along for the ride.

Twists I never saw coming.

You may think that you have seen this type of movie before, but there are actually some really great twists in this one. I was thrown for a loop a few times and I think that the film did a good job of shattering some tropes while keeping us entertained.

The Cons:

We Summon The Darkness Netflix 3 — Images courtesy of Netflix

Supporting characters needed to step up.

I loved the girls, but the guys really didn’t hold my attention. Maybe that was the point, but I thought that we could have elevated these performances more and I kept forgetting about their existence to be honest.

A little something missing.

I can’t quite put my finger on it, but this film just needed a little bit more. It was entertaining and a lot of fun, but there was a slight edge I needed and didn’t get. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed this film, but I thought it needed a slight push over to the dark side even more to make it something truly incredible.

So am I in or out?

We Summon The Darkness Netflix 4 — Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in about 75 percent on this one.

The movie was a lot of fun and I enjoyed the watch, but I feel like the film was inches away from being something truly brilliant. That being said, this movie fit right in to my weekend lineup and I recommend that you give it a watch for sure.

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

If you enjoyed this film, you may like my book, Dash and Seek! I would love it if you would check it out in the link below. Thank you!

PLAY BY THE RULES…STAY ALIVE…

READ IF YOU DARE…

Dash and Seek is available here!

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Do you love horror series? Of course you do! Please also check out 12 Nights of Horror Series Coming Soon. It’s your home for everything you need to know about new and returning horror television series including new trailers, premiere dates, reviews, recaps, and renewals!

My performance of the week ending 7/13/19 on TV goes to…

“I make my own rules!” You ladies absolutely do and that’s why I can’t just narrow it down to one standalone performance this week. Let’s give it up for the amazing ladies of Stranger Things season 3 on Netflix. In my favorite season yet, the girls pretty much stole the show. They had me laughing, crying, and rooting for them against all odds. These powerful and impressive female characters refused to sit on the sidelines, as they kicked ass and had fun doing it. Let’s meet these wonderful characters and discuss why they are so fantastic! **Please note major spoilers have been left out for your convenience so feel free to read on!

Stranger things shopping — Image courtesy of Netflix

Girls just want to have fun and I would absolutely love to go on a shopping spree with Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) and Max (Sadie Sink). I already liked these two characters and Millie Bobby Brown has impressed me since the beginning of the series, but the adorable friendship between these two made me smile so much! Maybe the shopping spree montage was a little cheesy and over-the-top, but that’s why it worked for me. Eleven is growing up and learning what it’s like to be a teenage girl and luckily she has Max to help her out along the way!

There is no question about it, our girl Robin (Maya Hawke) rules! I absolutely loved the introduction of her character. Steve could definitely learn a thing or two from her. OK, he probably needs to be completely schooled by her, and he is…on more than one occasion. Robin is smart, cool, funny, and someone I could really relate to.

We all scream for ice cream and I want more screen time for another new addition, Erica (Priah Ferguson). She may be Lucas’s little sister, but she is a scene-stealer for sure! She was a little annoying with wanting to try every flavor of ice cream, but once she became part of the team, she was fantastic and had me laughing out loud constantly!

Joyce stranger things — Image courtesy of Netflix

Joyce (Winona Ryder) continues to remind us why we love her so much. She’s loyal, intelligent, and she refuses to let anyone stand in her way…even the military! Better watch out or she will give them a stern talking to, as if it is part of a parent-teacher conference! But seriously, Joyce is such an amazing character and her quirks just work. She’s fearless, caring, and hilarious in a subtle way.

nancy wheeler 2 — Image courtesy of Netflix

I gotta give it up for my girl Nancy Wheeler (Natalia Dyer), who refuses to let being called Nancy Drew turn into an insult. In season 3, Nancy has to deal with some beyond difficult and frustrating male co-workers, who had me pulling my own hair out in disgust, but she continues to follow her instincts, refusing to take no for an answer. I have a feeling she will make a fantastic reporter one day, but I love that Nancy is living in a man’s world and shatters it completely. She even shows off some impressive shooting skills, reminding us that she’s a complete bad-ass too. Team Nancy Wheeler for life!

What’s next for the Stranger Things ladies? We’ll have to wait and see, but I would love to see more screen time for all of these characters in season 4. While I love all of the characters on the show, there has to be something said here for the girl power in season 3. I hope that trend continues because these women are strong, powerful, intelligent, and beyond capable. They are the super heroes of the show for me!

Stay tuned for a recognized performance on TV each week!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

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Have a performance on TV that you think is simply outstanding? Feel free to contact me with your nomination for the week by Friday at midnight!

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!

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