Spoiler-Free Review of “Mother, May I?” on Demand: Kyle Gallner and Holland Roden Deliver in this Eerie Slow Burn Drama-Thriller

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

“Have you repressed your pain?”

Mother, May I? released on demand on July 21st 2023. The drama-thriller film stars Kyle Gallner, Holland Roden, and Chris Mulkey. It runs for approximately an hour and forty minutes.

When his fiancée begins to act like his recently deceased mother, Emmett must cope with his past trauma in order to free them both from this possession.

Here is the trailer:

Mother, May I? is not your average possession film, but it channels plenty of creepy and disturbing vibes while tackling the complicated struggles involved in a relationship. Does it do enough to earn a watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Dark Sky Films

A Creepy and Trippy premise that draws you in…

From the choice of music, to the setting, to the drastic transformation of Holland Roden’s character…the creepiness level was through the roof on this one. This film didn’t hit you over the head with typical possession tropes. It managed to create an overall feeling of uneasiness, making this a disturbing watch deep rooted in trauma.

Images courtesy of Dark Sky Films

Rousing and tense performances.

I expect nothing less from Kyle Gallner, who was incredible in this film. There will be no spoilers in this review, but that last shot of him was so emotionally stirring. It took my breath away!

Holland Roden was really incredible in this as well. She went all in with some crazy and erratic scenes. She committed to her character and then some!

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Dark Sky Films

Sluggish pacing at times.

This wasn’t a major con, but there were some moments in-between that felt like they were dragging slightly. I expect this with slow burn films so I can’t fault it too much. This film is labeled as a thriller, but I think it transcended past that genre and was really more of an emotional drama.

The ending is also left open in a way, which worked enough for me, but I had a few unanswered questions that were never addressed.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Dark Sky Films

I’m in!

A freaky concept with some chilling moments and two note-worthy performances!

This film fell under the radar, but I’m so glad I discovered it because it really was a unique possession film that branched off into realistic aspects of grief, trauma, and identity and I recommend that you give it a watch!

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

A VACATION TO DIE FOR…

Blood Rose Island Ad

When sisters, Nina and Gemma are vacationing in Hawaii with their friends, they get invited to an exclusive party on a private island that seems too good to be true. There’s only one rulethey can’t miss their ferry at midnight or they’ll have to wait until morning to leave the island. Only they didn’t realize that breaking this rule meant they would be hunted down on the island one by one.

Who will make it off the island alive?

I hope you enjoy my new island thriller!

Blood Rose Island is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Escape Room: Tournament of Champions” in Theaters: Welcome Back to the Game

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

“Whatever you do, don’t let them win…”

Escape Room: Tournament of Champions is the sequel to 2019’s Escape Room. The film premiered in theaters on July 16th 2021. It stars Taylor Russell, Logan Miller, Holland Roden, and Indya Moore, and runs for approximately an hour and thirty minutes.

After winning and surviving the escape room the first time around, Zoey and Ben are determined to take down the mastermind behind the game, bringing them to a set of coordinates in New York City. However, they quickly discover that they are back in the dangerous game along with a previous group of winners.

Here is the trailer:

Escape Room: Tournament of Champions is filled with new games and challenges to keep us on our toes, but does the second film have enough of an edge to measure up to the original film? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Sony Pictures

Exciting new setting.

Getting around New York City is basically like one big puzzle so I thought it was brilliant to have it as the new setting for the Escape Room sequel. I thought the games were really intense and I loved that we just jumped right into things. We got a little bit of set-up and some flashbacks to remind us about where we left off at the end of the first film, but once the games started back up again, it was a fast-paced roller-coaster ride of adrenaline.

Impressive twists and reveals.

I am a big fan of the first film even though I thought it went a little bit off course with the ending. However, it did set things up for a second film so I guess there’s that. I was a little bit worried that the second film would feel slightly routine since we already knew what was going on, but we were thrown several curve balls along the way and there was one major reveal that had me almost screaming in my seat.

Well played!

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Sony Pictures

Annoying use of flashbacks.

I understood the point of the recap/flashback in the beginning of the film. It reminded us about what happened and it also helped fill in the blanks for a new audience. However, the film continued to use the flashbacks later on to remind us how certain characters felt about one another. I thought this was slightly insulting to the audience (we can figure this out on our own) and unnecessary, but it didn’t take up too much time so I’m over it.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Sony Pictures

I’m in!

This film was intense from start to finish. It was really entertaining and a lot of fun. I thought it was just as strong as the first film and I think fans will be happy with it. I still can’t get over that major reveal!!!!!!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Escape Room: Tournament of Champions 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 comes out October 7th 2021! I hope you enjoy!

Scream Hunt is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “No Escape” on Hulu: Best Twist I Have Seen in a While

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

“Follow me…”

No Escape premiered on Hulu in January 2021, but the film was previously released back in September. The original title of the film was Follow Me for reference. The film stars Keegan Allen, Holland Roden, Denzel Whitaker, and George Janko. It is approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes long.

A popular vlogger wins a trip to Russia with his friends and is invited to an exclusive escape room. He plans on streaming his experience to his viewers, promising them the adventure of a lifetime, but things start to go wrong when it turns out that the threat may be real.

Here is the trailer:

No Escape looks like it is worthy of a quick watch for those of us looking for an edge of your seat thriller, but does it do enough to set itself apart from movies like Escape Room? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

No Escape hulu 1

Images courtesy of Hulu

Delivers on the gore.

Think Hostel and Escape Room combined and you have No Escape in terms of the amount of violent gore you see. While this movie is a thriller in a lot of ways, I would warn sensitive viewers about these scenes because some of them were very hard to watch.

However, I thought this helped elevate the movie. It didn’t hold anything back in terms of that. If you want to see gore, you’re in the right place.

No Escape Hulu 2

Images courtesy of Hulu

Fast paced.

While there is some set-up in the beginning of the film, it didn’t take away anything from the pacing. This movie moved really quickly and kept me guessing. This is exactly what I wanted to see in a film like this.

Fantastic twist.

There will be no spoilers here, but wow what a twist. My jaw literally dropped when I saw the final reveal and I am still in shock. I even kept watching after the credits rolled because I was floored by this twist. Well done!

The Cons:

No Escape Hulu 3

Images courtesy of Hulu

Uninspiring characters.

I really wasn’t overly invested in any of the characters except for maybe Cole. Can we also just take a quick break to mention that Keegan Allen plays a character named Cole Turner…as in Cole Turner in Charmed!!!!

Anyway, getting back on track…Cole is not a bad character, but the majority of the friends felt very filler and I wanted to be slightly more invested in their well-being.

So am I in or out?

No Escape Hulu 4

Images courtesy of Hulu

I’m in 100 percent!

I really thought I was going to get a watered down version of Escape Room when I started this movie and I was pleasantly surprised to watch such an entertaining horror thriller. The twist was fantastic and I highly recommend this movie if you are looking for a quick thriller that packs a bloody punch!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on No Escape 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…

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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!