Spoiler-Free Review of “SEND HELP” in Theaters: Rachel McAdams is Bloody FANTASTIC!

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

“Don’t ever mistake my kindness for weakness…”

SEND HELP premieres in theaters on January 30th 2026. The survival horror-thriller film (directed by Sam Raimi) stars Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien. It runs for approximately an hour and fifty-three minutes.

Linda survives a plane crash with her crude boss, but they are now stranded on a deserted island with no way to call for help. They attempt to work past their differences to survive while waiting for rescue, but the reality of their situation begins to take a toll on them.

Here is the trailer:

SEND HELP is a fresh, smart, and entertaining film featuring two incredible performances. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

An INCREDIBLE dynamic between characters.

OK…Regina George is back and she SLAYED in this! Wow, Rachel McAdams is one of my favorite actresses of all time and this is why! This is probably my favorite performance by her yet. She really immersed herself into this role. Dylan O’Brien did a solid job also. I thought the banter between them was HILARIOUS. I had no idea this movie would be so funny, but a lot of that had to do with how well they played these characters.

Getting stranded on a deserted island with a boss you despise sounds like a complete nightmare and Rachel McAdams really sold me on this. She is now officially a horror queen! I was blown away by her performance.

More please!

A Perfect horror comedy!

I never looked at the time even once during this film. The pacing worked really well and every moment was intriguing and intense. The comedy really landed for me and I loved how deranged and twisted this was as well. You could definitely tell that Sam Raimi was the director. In a lot of ways, this movie felt like a crazy mash-up of LOST, The Evil Dead, and Triangle of Sadness. That may seem like an odd combination, but it was bloody brilliant and I loved every second of it!

I think I will be returning to the theater to watch this one multiple times. It just felt like CINEMA to me in the best way possible.

The Cons:

I don’t have any…

When I first saw the trailer for this movie, I knew that I would LOVE it and I was right. It exceeded my expectations and then some. I don’t have a single con. This was a perfect movie for me.

So am I in or out?

I’m in 100 percent!!!

SEND HELP is a deranged and twisted masterpiece, reminding me why I fell in love with movies in the first place.

Rachel McAdams is a horror queen and absolutely spectacular in this!

It’s safe to say that I absolutely LOVED every aspect of this movie. I can already tell that this will probably be one of my favorites of the year and January isn’t even over yet.

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

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Death of a Unicorn” in Theaters: An Absolute Blast!

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

“I think we know exactly what it is…”

Death of a Unicorn released in theaters on March 28th 2025. The horror comedy film stars Paul Rudd, Jenna Ortega, Téa Leoni, Sunita Mani, and Will Poulter. It runs for approximately an hour and forty-eight minutes.

After a father and his daughter accidentally strike a unicorn with their car, his boss attempts to exploit the magical creature’s curing abilities, leading to deadly consequences.

Here is the trailer:

Death of a Unicorn successfully blends horror and comedy in this outrageous flick filled with magically entertaining moments. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Good balance of laughs, heartfelt moments, and gore.

I get so excited when a horror comedy can accomplish this. It’s no easy task, but as long as you go into this movie expecting it to be outrageous and bonkers, you’ll have the best time.

The Leopold family reminded me quite a bit of the family in Ready or Not and we had that same kind of humor throughout the film. I think it worked very well and Will Poulter was a scene stealer.

I loved the violence and gore in the second half of the film. It really complimented the darker humor well and the sweeter moments actually warmed my heart, making the bond between Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega’s characters an effective one. Plus, I love unicorns so there’s that!

Loved the inclusion of actual unicorn lore!

The Unicorn Tapestries display at the Cloisters museum is one of my favorites and I absolutely loved that this film included and drew from it. This film recognized that it had a silly concept, but it also did its homework, providing us with lots of interesting myths and stories to enhance the overall plot.

The Cons:

A touch too long…

I think this film could have been a little bit shorter. The second half was a lot stronger for me than the first. The pacing was solid enough so I don’t think this was a major con, but I personally like my horror comedies at about 90 minutes to eliminate any unnecessary fluff.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!!!

Death of a Unicorn is trippy, completely bonkers, and A LOT of fun!

I fell in love with this movie. If you’re looking for mindless entertainment, you’re in the right place.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Death of a Unicorn 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 “The Parenting” on Max: Horror Version of Meet the Parents Fails to Find the Fun.

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

“Are you sure there’s nothing I need to know about your parents…”

The Parenting premiered on Max on March 13th 2025. The comedy horror film stars Brandon Flynn, Nik Dodani, Lisa Kudrow, Edie Falco, Parker Posey, Brian Cox, and Dean Norris. It runs for approximately an hour and thirty-four minutes.

Boyfriends Josh and Rohan set up a weekend getaway so that their parents can meet one another, but they soon realize that the place they are renting may be haunted by a dangerous spirit.

Here is the trailer:

The Parenting has a fun premise and cast, but does it do enough to earn a a watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Terrific ensemble.

Honestly, this cast was practically perfection. The dynamic between the families was fun at times and Lisa Kudrow stole the show as always. I wanted a little bit more screen time for some of the other characters, but I thought that everyone put forth their best effort here.

The premise for this one was actually really fun…Meet the Parents, but make it horror. Sounds entertaining, right? It should have been, but unfortunately the idea worked a lot better than the execution…

The Cons:

Cheesy scares…

I get that it’s not easy delivering a fantastic horror comedy. Films like Shaun of the Dead, Happy Death Day, and Tucker and Dale vs. Evil managed to do so, but I usually appreciate the effort for most horror comedies as long as they can deliver on at least one side of the genre.

Unfortunately, The Parenting was neither funny nor scary. The scares were so ridiculous. I would have been fine with this if it could have delivered from a comedy angle (similar to Scary Movie), but I didn’t really find this film that funny. There were a few moments that got me to chuckle, but most of it felt drawn out, over-exaggerated, and silly.

The final act went way off course and dragged this film down even more, wasting the talent of these great actors.

So am I in or out?

I’m out on this one…

The Parenting should have been tons of fun with such a spectacular cast, but it failed to deliver as a horror comedy, leaving me wanting so much more.

This wasn’t the worst film I’ve seen by any means, but there really wasn’t anything that enjoyable about it. I was thoroughly disappointed because I love horror comedies.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The Parenting 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 “The Monkey” in Theaters: A Campy Good Time!

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

“Turn the key and see what happens…”

The Monkey released in theaters on February 21st 2025. The American horror comedy film (based on the short story by Stephen King) stars Theo James, Tatiana Maslany, Colin O’Brien, Elijah Wood, Rohan Campbell, and Adam Scott. It runs for approximately an hour and thirty-five minutes.

When twin brothers discover a strange wind-up toy, they soon realize that it may be causing horrific deaths around them. Twenty-five years later, a new killing spree begins, forcing them to confront the toy once again.

Here is the trailer:

The Monkey doesn’t hold anything back, presenting us with violent and shocking kills while still having some fun. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Cringe-worthy kills.

If you enjoy films like Final Destination, then this is the film for you. The kills are outrageous, extreme, and stomach-turning. You won’t be disappointed and I was pleased that the trailer didn’t ruin them all.

I also really liked the dry humor included in this. I was worried that this movie might take itself too seriously, but it went with the bonkers concept and just had fun, making this a blast to experience in theaters.

Theo James stole the show!

My new favorite genre is Theo James covered in blood! He was absolutely fantastic in this! Normally I hate voice-over narrations, but I enjoyed listening to him. The past and the present timelines were equally interesting and a lot of that has to do with the cast.

Tatiana Maslany was great as well and it was fun seeing a lot of familiar faces pop up in this one.

The Cons:

Sluggish pacing in the second half.

I think I preferred the first half of this film to the second. Don’t get me wrong…I liked the second half too and that’s where Theo James shined, but there were some pacing issues. The movie was only an hour and thirty-five minutes, but it felt like it was dragging a little bit until we got to the final act. I think we could have wrapped things up a little bit quicker.

That’s really my only con. I thought everything else came together seamlessly.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!!!!

The Monkey is a bonkers and bloody watch!

Theo James is a lot of fun in this one. I highly recommend it!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The Monkey 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 “Get Away” on Shudder: A Bloody & Bizarre Horror Comedy

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

“You’ll be stranded…”

Get Away released on Shudder on January 10th 2025. The horror comedy film stars Nick Frost, Aisling Bea, Maisie Ayres, and Sebastian Croft. It runs for approximately an hour and twenty-five minutes.

A remote vacation in Sweden takes a twisted turn when a family discovers that there may be a serial killer on the island threatening them all.

Here is the trailer:

Get Away starts out like your standard vacation gone wrong film, but it takes a risky and unexpected turn with its bloody final act. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Creepy and unsettling vibe.

I love vacation gone wrong films and this one definitely had an extra creepy tone. I’m not sure who would want to go on a vacation in a place like this, but there were plenty of unsettling moments sprinkled throughout the film, making me question booking an Airbnb ever again.

Insane final act!

I mean…really insane! It was batshit crazy in the best way possible. I kind of saw the twist coming, but it was still a lot of fun, making this a much more entertaining watch overall. If you’re thinking of tuning out, I highly recommend sticking around until the end.

The Cons:

Sluggish pacing at times.

The overall runtime was on the shorter side, but the middle of the film felt a little slower for me personally. I felt like we were waiting around for something extreme to happen. Don’t worry…we get there, but you have to sit through some slow fluff before that.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!

Get Away is a bonkers watch with a bloody fun twist.

Nick Frost is a lot of fun in this unexpected horror comedy gem.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Get Away 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 “Scream Therapy” on Demand: A Decent Horror Comedy

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

“We are kidnapping you for the weekend…”

Scream Therapy released on demand on June 18th 2024. The horror comedy film stars Harley Bronwyn, Claire Dellamar, Mandie Cheung, Brian Flaccus, and Skyler Bible. It runs for approximately an hour and twenty minutes.

Five friends head out on a weekend trip to the desert when they cross paths with a group of men who plan to sacrifice them before the sun comes up.

Here is the trailer:

Scream Therapy is an entertaining horror comedy that actually delivers with some of its banter and movie references, leaning more on the comedy side of the genre. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Treehouse Productions

Believable friendships.

I actually really appreciated that this film took the time to flesh this out. We didn’t get too much background on any of the characters, but you could tell that they were all close friends from their interactions. It helped me root for them that much more.

A lot of the jokes actually landed for me.

Not all of them, but I was surprised by how much I actually laughed during this one. I loved the banter and the movie references as well. It didn’t feel forced, which was really refreshing.

The Cons:

Needed to lean more into the horror side of things.

I loved the cheesy comedy and the premise of this film, but I wish it dipped a little bit more into the horror side of things. Some over-the-top gore would have been a nice touch. This film clearly had a lower budget, but this would have really sold me on it.

So am I in or out?

I’m in about 75 percent…

Scream Therapy is mindless fun!

This film was far from perfect, but it was A LOT better than I thought it would be.

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Gil

THIS COMPETITION IS KILLER…

My young adult horror thriller is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Scream Hunt is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Lisa Frankenstein” in Theaters: Charmingly Twisted

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

“You need socialization…”

Lisa Frankenstein released in theaters on February 9th 2024. The horror comedy film stars Kathryn Newton, Cole Sprouse, Liza Soberano, and Carla Gugino. It runs for approximately an hour and forty minutes.

Set in 1989, a misunderstood teen accidentally awakens a Victorian corpse, as the two set out to find love and happiness in unconventional ways.

Here is the trailer:

Lisa Frankenstein is everything I hoped it would be, featuring a romance that is anything but ordinary. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Cole Sprouse and Kathryn Newton are electric together.

Honestly, they were so much fun to watch in this one. In a lot of ways, this movie had a Warm Bodies meets Jennifer’s Body kind of vibe and I loved it. For not saying much, Cole Sprouse really stole the show and I think that Kathryn Newton is quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with in the horror genre.

I couldn’t help but smile when the two of them were on screen together, which made this such a delightful and effortless watch for me.

Loved the 80’s vibe!

The music and fashion were fantastic in this one and I loved the use of bright colors throughout it. Everything just popped and it worked. This film never took itself too seriously and the time frame complimented the outrageous points of the plot really well.

The Cons:

Needed a touch more blood and gore in certain parts.

This may come down to preference, but I wanted a little more here since this movie wasn’t afraid to dabble into horror territory. Don’t get me wrong, we had some, but it felt very watered down. I don’t think it hindered the quality of this film in any way, but it would have been an added bonus.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!!!

Lisa Frankenstein is a love letter to those of us who never quite fit in and were the better for it.

Quirky, offbeat, and wickedly delightful!

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

A VACATION TO DIE FOR…

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 rule…they 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 “Shining Vale” Season 2 on Starz: Courteney Cox is in Control!

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

“I am no longer a danger to society…”

Shining Vale season two premiered on Starz on October 13th 2023 with the first episode. There will be eight episodes in total that will air weekly. The horror comedy series stars Courteney Cox, Greg Kinnear, Mira Sorvino, Gus Birney and Judith Light. Each episode runs for approximately 30-34 minutes.

After being checked into a mental hospital by her family, Pat attempts to change her outlook on life and banish her demons for good…but are they really gone?

Here is the trailer:

Shining Vale season one flew under the radar, but it was quirky, creepy, and absolutely delightful. Is season two worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Courteney Cox is back and better than ever!

She was absolutely brilliant in season one and had me laughing out loud quite a few times. Pat may have toned down her cursing with her new “rehabilitation,” but Courteney is still commanding the screen in the best way possible.

It took me a little while to warm up to the rest of the cast in season one, but already I am liking the new character dynamics and the ending of episode one left us with a lot of ghostly potential already. More please!

The fun is only just beginning…

I was slightly worried about the direction for season two, but I think the season two premiere did enough to present us with some familiar plots while leaving the door open for more. I’m hopeful that we can explore more behind the actual hauntings this season and maybe even meet a few new creepy characters to keep us invested. Either way, I’m intrigued and I’m happy that the shorter episodes are here to stay because they work very nicely with the overall pacing of this show.

The Cons:

I needed a refresher course…

I definitely recommend watching the recap in the beginning. I probably should have binge-watched the first season again because I felt a little lost at first. Now that we’ve gotten through the initial set-up for season two, I’m hoping that we kick things into high gear because season one took a little while to hit its peak. I’m confident we’ll get there though.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!

The Phelps family is back…quirks and all!

Shining Vale was one of my favorite horror comedy series of last year and I’m excited to see where season two goes.

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

THIS COMPETITION IS KILLER…

My young adult horror thriller is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Scream Hunt is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Totally Killer” on Prime Video: A Feel Good Slasher Flick

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

“It’s not 1987 anymore…”

Totally Killer released on Prime Video on October 6th 2023. The horror comedy film stars Kiernan Shipka, Olivia Holt, Troy Leigh-Anne Johnson, Liana Liberato, Lochlyn Munro, and Julie Bowen. It runs for approximately an hour and forty-five minutes.

The “Sweet Sixteen Killer” returns 35 years after murdering three teens around Halloween. When Jamie faces off against the killer, she winds up accidentally time traveling back to 1987, teaming up with her teenage mother to take the killer down.

Here is the trailer:

Totally Killer successfully channels vibes from Happy Death Day and The Final Girls while finding its own identity along the way, presenting us with fantastic music, welcomed references, and some bloody fun. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Kiernan Shipka and Olivia Holt are incredible!

Wow…what a team up! I honestly LOVED the entire cast and thought that even the supporting characters were a lot of fun. There were plenty of familiar faces in this one, but Kiernan Shipka and Olivia Holt stole the show.

They were both so fantastic and I hope to see them both in some more horror films soon because they kick ass and then some!

A self-aware slasher.

It’s no secret that my favorite genre is the slasher one and I love when films like this recognize what they are and just embrace their identity fully. The movie references were so much fun and they didn’t overdo them, which I was initially slightly worried about.

The music was an absolute blast and there was a good balance of dry humor and slasher fun, which worked seamlessly.

Plus, that opening scene was INCREDIBLE!!!

Please make more films like this!

The Cons:

Loses a touch of steam in the middle.

The pacing was mostly on point, but I thought that the opening and ending were the strongest parts. We fell off a little bit somewhere in the middle, but I wouldn’t say this was a major con.

I also wanted a little bit more in the slasher department. We got some decent kills, but this film definitely leaned more toward the comedy side of horror comedy.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!!!

Totally Killer is a bloody good time!

Effortless fun and a cast to die for.

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

THIS COMPETITION IS KILLER…

My young adult horror thriller is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Scream Hunt is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Slotherhouse” on Demand: Batshit Crazy and So Much Fun!

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

“I wanted to introduce it as the new house mascot…”

Slotherhouse released in limited theaters on August 30th 2023 and is now available to watch on demand as of September 19th 2023. The horror comedy film stars Lisa Ambalavanar, Sydney Craven, Tiff Stevenson, and Bianca Beckles-Rose. It runs for approximately an hour and thirty-three minutes.

Emily decides to adopt a sloth to help her become president of her sorority, but when her sorority sisters go missing, she suspects that her cute new friend may be behind some brutal murders.

Here is the trailer:

Slotherhouse is an entertaining horror comedy that is outrageously funny as long as you go into it expecting it to be completely bonkers. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Horror comedy gold!

OK, I was a little skeptical at first. A slasher film featuring a sloth?! It sounds ridiculous and it is, but wow was it a lot of fun. This movie was so self-aware and extremely funny. It recognized what it was and took the audience on a super fun roller-coaster ride, while still managing to somehow provide us with an important life lesson at the end. Call me impressed!

A villain to root for!

Alpha may be my new favorite horror villain. Cute and cuddly, but so unpredictable and sassy! I had such a blast watching Alpha. The more ridiculous and absurd…the better! These girls had no idea who they were dealing with!

The Cons:

Needed more time devoted to the killings…

Don’t get me wrong…we had some amazing and hilarious kill scenes, but I wanted some more gore and I was also disappointed that we rushed a few of them through a montage. We spent a lot of time on silly dialogue between the sorority sisters, but we needed a little bit more screen time for Alpha’s impressive killing spree. The last thirty minutes kicked things into high gear though!

So am I in or out?

I’m in!!!

Slotherhouse is outrageously silly in all the right ways!

As long as you just go with it, you’ll have a blast watching this one.

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Gil

THIS COMPETITION IS KILLER…

My young adult horror thriller is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Scream Hunt is available here!

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