Tag: Jawbreaker

Spoiler-Free Review of “Forbidden Fruits” in Theaters: A Juicy, Witchy Treat!

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

“Being a witch is being a sister…”

Forbidden Fruits premiered in select theaters on March 27th 2026. The horror fantasy comedy film stars Lili Reinhart, Lola Tung, Victoria Pedretti, Alexandra Shipp, and Gabrielle Union. It runs for approximately an hour and forty-three minutes.

At the Free Eden mall shop, Apple runs a coven with the other female employees, but when a new hire threatens her control over the sisterhood, tensions begin to flare.

Here is the trailer:

Forbidden Fruits has a cheeky premise with sprinkles of gory charm mixed in for good measure, making this a bewitching watch from start to finish. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Shudder

Stacked cast!

When I initially saw the cast for this film, I knew it would be something special. I was right. This cast delivered in all the right ways. Lili Reinhart was out of this world! Dark Betty was at her peak! Seriously, please start putting her in more movies. She is an underrated force that deserves to flourish in film.

Victoria Pedretti was a lot of fun as well. I’ve never seen her in a role like this before so it was great seeing her range. Her quirky charm really worked well here, clashing with Regina George-esque, Apple.

Oh and make sure you stick around for the end credit scene to see an icon show up!

Images courtesy of Shudder

Understood the assignment.

This film didn’t take itself too seriously. It embraced some camp and just went all out with its silly, but very entertaining plot. I loved the vibe of this film. As a fan of movies like The Craft, Jawbreaker, and Mean Girls, this film embraced that vibe with style, but also found its own voice.

The fashion was on point (especially Lili Reinhart’s wardrobe) and everything felt so nostalgic and cozy with its mall setting. It’s like this movie was made for me and I enjoyed every moment of it.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Shudder

Needed to dip a little bit more into the witchy side.

Don’t get me wrong…I absolutely adored this movie. However, I think it could have benefited from just a touch more ritual and magic, but that’s only because I was thoroughly enjoying being immersed into this world and I wanted more. When I got to the end of the movie, I was already ready for a sequel.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Shudder

I’m in 100 percent!

Forbidden Fruits is the perfect addition to the girly horror genre. Think Mean Girls meets The Craft with a delicious attitude of its own.

This film may not be for everyone, but I had the best time watching it and it is already one of my favorite films of the year.

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

Spoiler-Free Review of “Grafted” on Shudder: Shocking and Stomach-Turning!

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

“With a new face become the real you…”

Grafted premiered on Shudder on January 24th 2025. The body horror film (directed by Sasha Rainbow) stars Joyena Sun, Jess Hong, Jared Turner, and Eden Hart. It runs for approximately an hour and thirty-five minutes.

After losing her father, a socially awkward girl named Wei goes to live with her aunt and cousin while studying on scholarship in New Zealand. After accepting a research assistant role in a lab, she begins to further her father’s research to find a way to make others beautiful, but it backfires on her with deadly consequences.

Here is the trailer:

Grafted is a gruesome mix of The Substance and It’s What’s Inside, grabbing hold of its audience with its shocking content and never letting go. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Shudder

A disturbing premise with twisted Mean Girls flair.

I was completely drawn in by this one. I loved the Mean Girls angle. This film had so many clever nods at Heathers and Jawbreaker while carving out its own dark identity.

Similar to The Substance, this film had a lot to say about the way society views beauty in others, making this a compelling watch with an important message behind it.

P.S. Bikkie the dog is a scene stealer!

Images courtesy of Shudder

Gross body horror (if that’s your thing).

It was a little too much for me personally, but if you enjoy films with extreme body horror, you’ll get plenty of that in this one. I wouldn’t recommend watching this while eating and I had second thoughts about my face mask after watching this…

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Shudder

A film I’ve seen before.

Don’t get me wrong…I really enjoyed this one, but in a lot of ways it felt like a watered down version of movies I’ve seen before. However, it follows that formula well enough in a unique way so this wasn’t a major con for me.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Shudder

I’m in!!!

GRAFTED is a disturbing and jaw-dropping watch that has A LOT to say.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Grafted 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 “Dare Me” on USA Network: Dark Sensational Potential with Spirit Fingers

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

“Cheerleading equals death,” according to Torrance’s hilarious younger brother in Bring It On and he may have been spot on when it comes to USA Network’s new teen drama.  Teenage girls can be dangerous, especially when the captain’s spot on her beloved squad is threatened, as secrets slither into the open, luring us into a promising slow burn thriller.

After watching the Pilot episode, the show already reminds me of Bring It On combined with some dark cult comedy greats like Heathers and Jawbreaker, which could be the formula for a fantastic new show.

Dare Me is based on the novel of the same name by Megan Abbott, following the plot of a cheerleader who seeks revenge on the squad that betrayed her.  The show premiered on the USA Network on December 29th 2019 and will feature 10 weekly episodes.  It stars Willa Fitzgerald (Scream), Marlo Kelly, Herizen Guardiola, Erika Prevost, and Taveeta Szymanowicz.

The show seems like it may have been better suited for a slot on Freeform and a mid-season premiere can be problematic, but the show could be a diamond in the rough.

Does Dare Me do enough to capture our full attention in its Pilot episode?  Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Dare Me USA Network 1
Images courtesy of USA Network

Strong and interesting characters.

I am already a fan of Willa Fitzgerald and she is definitely making waves as the new coach of this cheerleading squad.  Marlo Kelly is also proving to be quite the scene stealer as the mean girl captain with a bitter sweet tooth for revenge.  More please!

Cheerleading can be brutal.

I absolutely love the concept of this show and we are immersed into a competitive world where these girls will do anything to be the one on top of the pyramid.  The dark and sadistic hints are enough to hold my attention, as we begin to explore the secrets leading up to some kind of unspeakable crime.

I have a lot of questions already, but that just means this show is doing a good job of keeping me invested so far.

The Cons:

Dare Me USA Network 2
Images courtesy of USA Network

Super long montages and lots of fluff.

The show is already coming across as a slow burn thriller, which means we will need to invest some time into it before we get any major reveals.  There is a lot of set-up in the pilot episode to really introduce everything, but I could have done without the numerous montages.  Seriously, it seemed like they were endless.

So am I in or out?

Dare Me USA Network 3
Images courtesy of USA Network

I’m in for now, but I’m not completely convinced as of yet.  The show has a lot of promise and potential to become something truly dark and magnificent, but I just need things to speed up slightly so that I don’t lose interest too quickly.

When a show airs weekly episodes, they need to do enough to keep viewers coming back and I think they have, but we need to keep up the pace and introduce more dark secrets involving this major crime to prevent us from losing interest.

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

[twitter-follow screen_name=’TV_Fanatic_Girl’]

**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!

The Dreaming of Wonderland Book Series is available here!

Free Instant Preview of The Search for Alice 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!