Spoiler-Free Review of “Scream VI” in Theaters: New Sequel Takes a Killer Bite Out of the Big Apple

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

What’s your favorite scary movie?

Scream VI released in theaters on March 10th 2023. The sixth installment of my favorite franchise of all time brings us close to my home as Ghostface terrorizes New York City. The slasher horror film stars Melissa Barrera, Courtney Cox, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Jenna Ortega, Samara Weaving and Hayden Panettiere.

The Carpenter sisters are trying to start over in New York City, but Ghostface begins targeting those closest to them in this new sequel to the requel.

Here is the trailer:

Scream VI brings us a solid entry to the franchise with inventive kills, fantastic twists, and a few chase scenes to die for. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Uses NYC in an effective way.

I was super excited that Scream was making its way to my state, but was slightly worried about how it would use this setting. Jason Takes Manhattan is one of my favorite slasher films, but Scream VI used NYC in a chilling and effective way, bringing us some edge-of-your-seat moments that were truly fantastic.

More please!

A cast to die for!

Sure, we were missing our star player, but this cast did such a wonderful job and I actually started to really care about these characters a lot more this time around.

Melissa Barrera was a SCREAM QUEEN and then some! Wow!

Our “legacy” characters really held their own as well and even stole the film at one point…

I don’t think I’ve cheered this much for a bunch of characters since Scream 2…and that had Queen SMG so that’s saying a lot!

The twists and reveals were also well-played and had me guessing! Loved them!

The Cons:

I don’t really have any…

This should come as no surprise since I adore this franchise, but after thinking about it, I really loved every aspect of this movie. There was enough nostalgia and Easter eggs to keep fans happy while still keeping things fresh and new.

So am I in or out?

I’m in 100 percent!

Already one of my favorite films of the franchise! Scream VI is bad-ass and beyond entertaining!

It’s safe to say I’ll be re-watching this one again and again!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Scream VI 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 “Wednesday” on Netflix: Jenna Ortega is Fantastic

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

“Emotion equals weakness…”

Wednesday premiered on November 23rd on Netflix with eight episodes available to stream now. The supernatural drama series stars Jenna Ortega, Christina Ricci, Gwendoline Christie, Emma Myers, and Catherine Zeta-Jones. Each episode is approximately 48-50 minutes.

While attending Nevermore Academy, Wednesday Addams finds herself caught up in a mystery involving her parents from twenty-five years ago.

Here is the trailer:

Wednesday is addicting in all the right ways with an interesting mystery and wickedly fun premise. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

All hail, Jenna Ortega!

I expected her to be really good in this role, but she was even better than I could have hoped for. She was the BEST part of the series. This may be my favorite role by her yet. She does a fantastic job of paying tribute to the character while really putting her own spin on her as well.

I enjoyed the other characters as well and it was so wonderful seeing Christina Ricci in this one too for obvious reasons.

Emma Myers was a scene-stealer as Wednesday’s roommate along with Thing. Even though a lot of the characters fit into tropes, they were still a lot of fun to watch and I enjoyed the supporting characters more in this one than I typically do with other teen supernatural dramas.

Easy to binge-watch with very entertaining moments.

I enjoyed the sleuth-mystery approach to this series and even though we got to see some of the iconic characters from the Addams family, this was clearly Wednesday’s show and we stayed true to that, which I appreciated.

I loved each episode and the typical teen moments were actually really entertaining because of Wednesday’s reaction to them. The pacing was a little slow at first, but it improved significantly as the episodes continued. By the time I got to episode three, I was completely hooked.

The Cons:

Predictable at times with your typical teen drama.

I saw the ending reveal coming and I thought some things were easy to figure out, but I still enjoyed everything. There was also some typical teen drama in this series with another love interest triangle. In a lot of ways, this show was like a mashup of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and Nancy Drew. I love both of those series so that’s not really a con, but some of the moments of drama could have easily appeared in any show on The CW.

That being said, the drama wasn’t overdone so it didn’t take away from the series that much at all.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!!!

Jenna Ortega is perfection!

This show was so entertaining and really put a unique spin on The Addams Family, allowing Wednesday to truly shine.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Wednesday 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 “Studio 666” on Demand: Rockin out with the Devil

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

“This place is to die for…”

Studio 666 released in theaters on February 25th 2022. It is now currently available to watch on digital demand. The horror comedy film stars Dave Grohl, Pat Smear, Taylor Hawkins, Rami Jaffee, Leslie Grossman, Jenna Ortega, Whitney Cummings and Will Forte. It runs for approximately an hour and forty-five minutes.

The Foo Fighters attempt to make their 10th album and decide to stay at a mansion in California that has been linked to some violent deaths as they quickly realize that there may be a supernatural presence lurking on the property.

Here is the trailer:

Studio 666 is a lot of fun, bringing us a horror comedy that channels films like The Evil Dead while creating something new of its own. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

B movie horror fun!

This film recognizes what it is and just goes with it in the best way possible. It is one of those movies you might see airing late at night on TV, but it quickly draws you in with great humor, music, and gory/silly horror fun to keep you entertained. I love movies like this and Studio 666 is a great entry into the horror comedy genre.

Great ensemble!

It was cool seeing the members of Foo Fighters in this film, but there were plenty of awesome co-stars and cameos that were amazing as well. I love Jenna Ortega and Leslie Grossman so it was nice to see them in this. I thought everyone put forth a valiant effort with their performances.

I’m also so incredibly saddened to hear the news about the passing of Taylor Hawkins. I heard the news just one day after watching this film. It is truly devastating. He was a great entertainer and I hope everyone checks this film out because you get to see another side of him.

The Cons:

Cheesy effects.

This isn’t really a con because I accept this film as a B movie horror comedy so you’re going to see a lot of over-the-top cheesy gory effects that are kind of ridiculous. As long as you embrace how ridiculous it is, you’ll enjoy your watch that much more. Just don’t expect anything truly terrifying…

So am I in or out?

I’m in!

Ridiculous, hilarious, and over-the-top horror comedy magic! I had so much fun watching this one and I think that fans everywhere will be really entertained by both the music and the film.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Studio 666 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 “X” in Theaters: Sex and Gore Galore with a Killer Soundtrack

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

“You know what they say about too much of a good thing…”

X released in theaters on March 18th 2022. The slasher horror film stars Mia Goth, Jenna Ortega, Brittany Snow, Kid Cudi, Martin Henderson, and Owen Campbell. It runs for approximately an hour and forty-five minutes.

Set in 1979, a group of actors head out to rural Texas to shoot an adult film. However, when their hosts catch them in the act, they find themselves fighting for their lives.

Here is the trailer:

X pays homage to classic films like Psycho, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and Jaws while creating something wild, entertaining, and delightfully disturbing on its own. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Visually stunning with an amazing soundtrack!

This film really transported me back in time and the musical soundtrack complimented it so well. I also loved the camera effects and the use of lighting. There were so many shocking and horrifying moments during this film and everything was elevated that much more by the visual and sound effects.

This film took my breath away in the best way possible!

Creepy AF!

This movie was so creepy and disturbing. There was plenty of gore, but the horror went well beyond that. My skin was crawling during certain scenes and I was genuinely freaked out by what I was watching. This film did a great job of embracing the slasher genre while pushing the envelope that much more with its uncensored content.

So much fun!

There’s already such a close and wonderful relationship between sex and horror films and X took it one step further. I loved the film within a film and the actors did a fantastic job with every aspect of their portrayal. Don’t think about things too much. Just enjoy the film and you’ll love it that much more!

The Cons:

Takes a little while to get going…

I wouldn’t say that this was a major con, but the pacing was a little sluggish in the beginning. Once things took a turn for the disturbing, I was all in but it did take a little while to get there.

So am I in or out?

I’m in 100 percent!!!!!

Creepy AF and so much fun! I was so excited to watch this movie and I can happily say that it lived up to the hype and then some! If you enjoy slasher and horror films, you will feel right at home with this one. Enjoy it!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on X 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 “The Fallout” on HBO Max: Low Key and Honest Coming-of-Age Story

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

“I feel like I’m fine…”

The Fallout released on HBO Max on January 27th 2022. The teen coming-of-age drama stars Jenna Ortega, Maddie Ziegler, Julie Bowen, Niles Fitch and Shailene Woodley. The film runs for an hour and thirty-five minutes.

After a devastating and traumatic event, Vada begins to reevaluate her life and her relationships. She bonds with new friends and attempts to find a way to cope with her grief one day at a time.

*Please note there are issues of trauma depicted in this film and the viewer advisory at the beginning of the film should be noted.*

Here is the trailer:

The Fallout manages to create an authentic approach to teen trauma as it delivers with its talented cast and emotional content. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Award-worthy performances…

I’m already a huge fan of Jenna Ortega and she is the main reason why I decided to watch this movie. This isn’t the type of film I would normally watch, but I was immediately drawn in by her believable and genuine performance. The other performances were really solid as well.

This subject matter is really delicate and one could easily over-do it, but Jenna Ortega managed to portray her character in such a real and compelling way. It almost felt like you were her friend in real life. It was that believable.

In a lot of ways, the film reminded me of a more emotional Booksmart. It had that same kind of vibe with its simplicity and it worked in the film’s favor.

Depicts real aspects of trauma, recovery, and identity without hitting you over the head.

I’ve seen a lot of coming-of-age films and while some of them have moved me, this one was on another level and the main reason behind that was because of how low-key it was. It addressed a lot of issues that the new generation is dealing with on a daily basis and yet it never seemed like it was preaching at anyone or making assumptions. It was just an honest and emotional story.

Bold ending.

There will be no spoilers in this review, but the ending of this film really struck a chord with me. This film could have easily ended in one particular way, but instead it went down a different route which was extremely powerful. I think the writer and director absolutely took a big chance with this, but it paid off and really added to the authenticity of the film.

The Cons:

I don’t have any…

This film was as close to perfection as it gets. Every aspect just worked and it truly touched me.

So am I in or out?

I’m in 100 percent!!!!

Beautiful, genuine, and emotional.

This film really explored the aspects of trauma and recovery in such a powerful way without ever overdoing it. The performances were exceptional and I think this may have just become one of my favorite films of all time!

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

Face your fear…

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 “Scream” (2022) in Theaters: Fans have something to be excited about!

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

It’s always someone you know…

Scream (2022) released in theaters on January 14th 2022. The fifth installment of my favorite franchise of all time brings us back to Woodsboro as a killer dressed as Ghostface threatens the town once again. The slasher horror film stars Neve Campbell, David Arquette, Courtney Cox, Melissa Barrera, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Dylan Minnette, Jack Quaid, Jenna Ortega and Marley Shelton.

Sidney Prescott thought that she was done with Ghostface for good, but a new killer emerges twenty-five years later, targeting a group of teens in this new “requel.”

Here is the trailer:

Scream (2022) brings together our favorite characters from the original film while introducing a new generation to Ghostface, making us fear answering the phone once again. Does the new film deliver with gory whodunnit goodness? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

For the fans.

The fifth film gives fans of the original plenty to be really excited about. We have returning characters, some welcomed surprises, and lots of nods to some of our favorite moments in the films. I thought the film did an excellent job with this nostalgia without overdoing it.

It just worked effortlessly and I loved all of the Easter eggs along the way. Scream is my favorite movie of all time and this film honored that in an effective way.

I also thought that there was a seamless balance between the original story and the new one. Everything connected and just worked, making this film really entertaining.

Not afraid to make fun of itself.

I really loved the well placed humor sprinkled into the film and I loved that it didn’t take itself too seriously. It recognized its place in the franchise and gave us plenty of laugh-out-loud moments to appreciate.

Welcomed new characters keep you guessing.

I really thought that some of the new characters did an excellent job fitting in and some of them were scene-stealers for sure.

Stand-out performances: Jenna Ortega as Tara and Jasmin Savoy Brown as Mindy.

This made me like the film even more because I didn’t need Sidney to be on screen in every scene to be entertained. A lot of the new characters really held their own.

I thought that the film embraced its whodunnit mystery and kept the audience guessing for the most part. The kills had a different feel to them, but it still kept the vibe from the original going, which is important.

The Cons:

Some performances were lacking…

I thought that the cast did a great job for the most part, but there were some performances stronger than others. While I loved a lot of the new characters introduced to us, a lot of other characters felt mostly filler and I didn’t really care if they made it out or not.

I also thought there were a few plot holes and some unnecessary tangents as well, but overall I was thoroughly entertained.

So am I in or out?

I’m in 100 percent!

I absolutely adored this film and I thought it did a great job of keeping the audience entertained. The film honored its fans with lots of nostalgia while giving us plenty of gory kills and surprises to be excited about!

A worthy entry to the franchise!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Scream (2022) in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

This competition is killer…

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 “The Babysitter: Killer Queen” on Netflix: They’re Back

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

“Join us and be the best version of yourself…”

The Babysitter: Killer Queen is the sequel to the brilliant horror comedy, The Babysitter, which starred Samara Weaving. The sequel was released on Netflix on September 10th 2020 and runs for an hour and forty-five minutes. It stars Judah Lewis, Emily Alyn Lind, Jenna Ortega, Bella Thorne, and Robbie Amell.

In the sequel, we catch up with Cole approximately two years after that fateful night when his babysitter and her demonic cult friends tried to have him sacrificed to the devil.

Here is the trailer:

The Babysitter: Killer Queen has a difficult job, as it is tasked with keeping up with the original film, which was just pure horror comedy fun. The sequel lacks the presence of Samara Weaving as its lead, which does give other supporting characters the chance to step into the spotlight. But does it measure up? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Our favorite characters return!

Well, we are missing one key character, but I have to say that it was a lot of fun to see our favorite demonic cult misfits return from the dead. Sonya is back with cookies, Allison explains the difference between “fuck-me pumps” and “fuck-you pumps,” John shows off his dance moves, and Max just wants to kill people and is actually really psyched to see Cole showing some improvements since he was last here.

The humor and chemistry between these characters is pure magic. More please!

Images courtesy of Netflix

Jenna Ortega steals the show.

If you’re like me, then you may be worried that the film is missing something without Samara Weaving, but luckily Jenna Ortega steps in perfectly as the character to root for. New girl, Phoebe, is bad-ass and then some. She really gave quite the performance and I have to say that I actually preferred her to Cole.

He could really learn a thing or two from her…and perhaps he will. I loved Jenna Ortega in You season 2 and I am looking forward to seeing her in Scream 5, but she definitely delivered in this film.

A satisfying ending.

There will be no spoilers in this review, but let’s just say that you will definitely want to stick around for the end. A lot is revealed and it actually helped turn the film around for me.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Too much set-up and way too long.

The first film ran for about 85 minutes, which was the perfect length. We got a little set-up in the beginning and then we were thrown into the heart of the movie rather quickly, which kept up the fun and pace. In the sequel, the movie really drags and is much too long. We get a lot of set-up about Cole’s life in the beginning which I could have personally done without.

Flashy over-the-top scenes.

Even though the kills were outrageous in the first film, they somehow felt more raw and believable. The kills and effects in this film were way over-the-top and just felt silly at times. The magic from the first film was absent in a lot of scenes, but there were some flickers of it here and there.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m about 50/50 on this one.

I absolutely adored the first film and I had high hopes for the sequel, but it felt like the same plot in a different setting for the majority of the movie. There wasn’t anything really original about the film, but it did have its charms. While not all of the humor landed, there were some parts that were genuinely funny and I loved the chemistry between the characters.

The ending helped make this film a lot more enjoyable, but not every film should get a sequel…

That being said, there are glimmers of fun and nostalgia in this film and I think that it is worthy of a watch if you are a fan of the first film.

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

If you have time, I would love it if you would check out my book, Dash and Seek in the link below. Thank you and I hope you enjoy!

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…

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Spoiler-Free Review of “You” Season 2 on Netflix: Lifetime Dexter Does It Again

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

Obsession looks good on Joe Goldberg, played brilliantly by Penn Badgley. After season one became a streaming sensation on Netflix, I was slightly worried that season two would not be able to deliver, but starting over in a new town gave us plenty of opportunities to witness Joe’s dark narrative come alive once again.

You (season two) began streaming new episodes on December 26th 2019 on Netflix. Season two features ten episodes (about 50 minutes in length). It stars Penn Badgley, Victoria Pedretti, James Scully, Ambyr Childers, Carmela Zumbado, and Jenna Ortega.

In season two, Joe moves from New York to L.A. and is determined to get a fresh start as “Will,” but things get complicated when he falls in love with his new romantic interest, Love. He quickly becomes entangled in her family drama, which mostly involves her twin brother, Forty. Joe tries to be a better person, but the darkness within him continues to stir, as he starts to lose self-control once again.

If you loved season one, you are probably wondering if season two lives up to it? Let’s find out!

The Pros:

You Netflix 6 — Images courtesy of Netflix

Strong supporting characters that steal the show.

As much as I love listening to Joe’s moody narrative, it can get a bit stale if we don’t shake things up with some interesting characters. My biggest issue with season one was that I actually really didn’t like Beck as a character. In season two, I really thought that Love had a lot of potential, but I was also intrigued by her twin brother, Forty, who is absolutely hilarious.

Joe’s new neighbors, Delilah and Ellie, are also both fantastic. You care about their stories and they really allowed us to see Joe/Will’s struggle to be a hero you can count on. Being a serial killer can get in the way of this; however, but these characters spark a lot of goodness within him, which really helps him grow as a person despite all of his past inner demons.

Joe’s backstory is revealed and seamless connections to season one questions.

We get a lot of flashbacks sprinkled in during the episodes about Joe’s childhood, which help us understand him a bit more. Even though we get a new setting and characters for season two, I thought the connections to season one worked perfectly. They weren’t forced or excessive and they really answered a lot of questions that I had without hitting us over the head with unnecessary cameos.

Really great twists.

I did not see the ultimate twist coming and I was very impressed with it, bringing me in that much more. This show is addicting and I tend to watch it all in one sitting because I don’t want anyone to spoil it for me. Each reveal was well timed and I actually thought this season was even better than the first.

The Cons:

You Netflix 4 — Images courtesy of Netflix

Less kills than season one.

I mean, I guess that shows growth in Joe’s character, but I kind of missed seeing all of the Dexter-like kills from season one, but the ones we do get are rewarding enough. That being said, it’s hard to continue listening to Joe’s conflicted narrative when we don’t get some surprising kills thrown into the mix to balance that out.

Can’t escape that Lifetime feel.

The show actually did originally air on Lifetime and Netflix ended up picking it up, but there are a lot of scenes that just scream Lifetime with so many over dramatic moments. But to be honest, that’s why we are watching this. I can’t say that this surprised me and we witness so many real and honest performances to balance this out, but there were some scenes that were just a little bit too outrageous.

So am I in or out?

You Netflix 5 — Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in 100 percent! I really enjoyed season one of the show, but I loved season two even more. “I wolf you season two!”

This show is beyond addicting. It’s dark and obsessive, but it also has so many genuine moments of compassion and humor.

Stand out character: Forty, who basically stole the show for me.

Season two was also not afraid to make fun of itself, even having one of the characters comparing Joe’s actions to Dexter, which I appreciated.

The twists were so great and the pacing worked so well, making this show the perfect one to binge-watch. I hope that we get a season three because this show is fantastic!

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

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**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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