Spoiler-Free Review of “Sirens” on Netflix: A Guilty Pleasure Beach Thriller

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

“It REALLY seems like a cult…”

Sirens premiered on Netflix on May 22nd 2025 with all five episodes available to stream now. The limited dark comedy thriller series stars Julianne Moore, Meghann Fahy, Milly Alcock, Kevin Bacon, Glenn Howerton, and Felix Solis. Each episode is approximately 55-58 minutes.

Devon is concerned about her sister’s odd relationship with her boss, tracking her down at a lavish mansion on an island to get some answers.

Here is the trailer:

Sirens is a soapy and odd thriller with nods at Desperate Housewives, Revenge, and Big Little Lies, but does it do enough to be worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Meghann Fahy is one to watch!

I have been becoming a big fan of her lately. I’ve seen her pop up on a few shows before and I recently just watched her in DROP, which I absolutely loved.

This was an all-star cast and Meghann Fahy really stole the show with her convincing performance. Her character was fantastic and I loved her dry, dark humor. It really helped elevate this show for me in a lot of ways.

Julianne Moore was terrific as well.

Gorgeous setting.

If you’re looking for a soapy show with beach vibes for the summer, you’re in luck. This one definitely checked off all of those boxes for me. The mansion was beautiful. I loved the use of color and light here. Everything was just breathtakingly beautiful, offsetting some disturbing things going on within the property.

I love soapy guilty pleasure thrillers and this one reminded me of a few other shows that I have really enjoyed with some unexpected twists along the way.

I also loved that this was only five episodes. It made it a breeze to binge-watch over the weekend.

The Cons:

Weird and bonkers plot…

Don’t get me wrong…I was hooked all the same, but this show went off into several different directions. It was really strange at times, but somehow I was still there for it. Everything just felt very jam-packed and chaotic during certain key moments.

The ending threw me for a loop. It was certainly unexpected, but it also left me with some mixed feelings at the end.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!!!

SIRENS is an addicting and unique watch. There were some strange things going on here, but I was here for it!

If you’re looking for a quick, guilty pleasure watch, I’d recommend adding this one to your list.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on SIRENS 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 Bondsman” on Prime: Kevin Bacon Shines!

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

“You’re supposed to be dead…”

The Bondsman premiered on Prime on April 3rd 2025 with all eight episodes of season one available now. The horror thriller comedy series stars Kevin Bacon, Beth Grant, Jennifer Nettles, Damon Herriman, Maxwell Jenkins, and Jolene Purdy. Each episode runs for approximately 30 minutes.

A murdered bounty hunter is resurrected by the devil to track down demons who have escaped from Hell, giving him the opportunity to make amends for his past mistakes with the help of his family.

Here is the trailer:

The Bondsman is a delightful mashup of Ash vs Evil Dead and Stan Against Evil while creating its own story along the way. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Kevin Bacon is bad-ass and A LOT of fun in this!

Kevin Bacon had one of his first starring roles in Friday the 13th and he proves to be an absolute legend in the horror genre all these years later. I thought he was so much fun as Hub. He had lots of sarcasm and charisma, making it very easy to root for him.

Beth Grant playing his mother, Kitty, was an absolute scene-stealer. She had me laughing out loud. These two made a fantastic team together. I liked the rest of the cast as well and enjoyed the character dynamics.

Short episodes.

It was such a nice and refreshing change to have bite-sized episodes for this. It made it very easy to binge-watch, mirroring the light and fun approach to demon hunting going on. I was able to finish all eight episodes in one day.

The series had a similar plot to the 2013 film R.I.P.D., but I thought that this series was a lot better than that.

It really understood the assignment and just had fun with it, making this so breezy and enjoyable. I loved the vibe similar to shows like Ash vs Evil Dead and Stan Against Evil, working in dark comedy that actually landed. Hub could definitely work together with Ash and Stan and there were even some elements of Supernatural going on, which I LOVED.

The Cons:

I want more!

The end of season one had a major cliffhanger so I really hope that people watch this show because I need more as soon as possible! There’s a lot more left to explore so I hope this show gets the attention it deserves.

My only other con is that this show is nothing new. I’ve seen this plot in numerous series before, however; the execution of it made it stand out, making it a welcomed addition to the genre so I’m really not complaining here.

So am I in or out?

I’m in 100 percent!!!

The Bondsman is a HELL of a good time!

This show exceeded my expectations and then some. Even if this isn’t your typical genre, I’d still recommend checking it out because it has something in it for everyone.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The Bondsman 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 “MaXXXine” in Theaters: It’s Mia Goth’s World and We’re All Just Living In It!

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

“I always wanted to be famous…”

MaXXXine releases in theaters on July 5th 2024. The slasher horror film is the third installment of the X franchise and it stars Mia Goth, Kevin Bacon, Michelle Monaghan, Moses Sumney, Halsey, and Elizabeth Debicki. It runs for approximately an hour and forty-five minutes.

Six years after surviving a massacre in Texas, Maxine Minx gets her big break in 1980’s Hollywood. However, when a serial killer named the Night Stalker targets young women in the city, Maxine’s bloody past is brought back to the present.

Here is the trailer:

MaXXXine once again allows Mia Goth to shine in this bloody fantastic world, channeling classic horror films in a stylish and entertaining way. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Transports us to another place and time with style!

Everything screamed 80’s perfection from the bubble gum pop font in the opening credits to the music. The fashion was on another level and I want Maxine’s boots for obvious reasons…

I loved the crime noir feel. It was nice to see that Ti West took the time to truly depict how this world was in such an aesthetically pleasing way. It made my watch so much better and reminded me why I absolutely love the 80’s.

Much like X, this film also successfully paid homage to classic films in a fun way without overdoing it. It was fantastic to see as a horror fan.

Mia Goth does it again!

This should really come as no surprise since I think she is exceptional in everything she does. She was on another level in Pearl and she gave us an electric performance now in MaXXXine.

I loved that we got the chance to truly experience Maxine’s story this time around. There were hints of this in X, but we didn’t have time to explore it. This movie definitely answered all those questions I had in a satisfying way.

Mia Goth is a modern scream queen in the best way possible and she really poured everything she had into this role with twisted charisma. I loved her performance.

Some brutal kills!

There weren’t as many of them in this movie, but the ones we witnessed will be haunting me for some time to come. Especially that one scene…yikes!

The Cons:

Phones it in with the plot…

My only issue with this film was that it didn’t take the time to flesh out the plot. I was actually really interested in certain aspects of the mystery killer and I think we glossed over some opportunities here.

We also didn’t spend enough time with other characters, which was a miss in my opinion. We had such a spectacular cast here and I get that this is Maxine’s movie, but this needed some work so we would actually care about who lived or died…

This isn’t really a con, but this movie didn’t feel like the third installment of a franchise. It felt like more of a spin-off with Maxine’s character in another world. This isn’t a bad thing and I think it worked effortlessly for the most part, but I guess I was expecting some kind of bloody finale here and I’m not sure that it pulled that off.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!!!

MaXXXine carves its way into the spotlight with sex, style, and blood galore, featuring an unforgettable and electric performance by Mia Goth.

While probably my least favorite film of the franchise, MaXXXine still has plenty of fantastic moments to appreciate and is well worth the watch.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on MaXXXine 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 “Leave the World Behind” on Netflix: An Unnerving Thriller that Hooked me from the Start

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

“The vacation from hell…”

Leave the World Behind released on Netflix on December 8th 2023. The apocalyptic thriller film stars Julia Roberts, Ethan Hawke, Mahershala Ali, Myha’la Herrold, and Kevin Bacon. It runs for approximately two hours and twenty minutes.

A family vacation in Long Island, New York is interrupted when two strangers show up at the house in the middle of the night claiming to be the owners. After explaining that there has been a blackout in the city, the threat begins to grow as both families must figure out how to survive.

Here is the trailer:

Leave the World Behind never allows you a moment to look away from the screen. The cast is out of this world and the feeling of dread that this film creates makes this an effective and relatable thriller. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Really draws you in!

I’m not usually a fan of apocalyptic movies, but I couldn’t stop watching this one. The cast was fantastic, which helped, but the plot was so puzzling and intriguing, which made a powerful mix. I had to know what was going on in the world and even though I was just as clueless as the characters, I somehow felt like I was a part of this, luring me in that much more.

Jaw-dropping scenes.

There will be no spoilers in this review, but so many scenes had me on the edge of my seat. They were eerie, shocking, and absolutely fantastic. This may be the best Netflix movie I have seen in a long time. It really did a great job from the music to the special effects. Everything fell into this place seamlessly, making this such a compelling watch.

Sticks the landing!

I absolutely LOVED the ending of this film. Sure, it didn’t answer most of my questions, but there was something so satisfying about it and there was an Easter egg in there that had me very excited! I think a lot of people will relate to it.

The Cons:

Unanswered questions…

This wasn’t a major con, but I had so many questions by the time I got to the end of this film. I didn’t read the book either, but from my understanding, that doesn’t fully answer everything either. I guess it makes sense with the content, but since we spent quite a bit of time on certain aspects of this film, I just wanted a touch more to truly understand what was going on.

So am I in or out?

I’m in 100 percent!!!

One of the best thrillers I have seen all year!

Tense, disturbing, and entertaining from start to finish. I never got a chance to breathe!

Even though this film was on the longer side, it never felt like it. I’d highly recommend giving this one a shot even if it doesn’t seem like your cup of tea. I loved it!

I hope you enjoyed the review and please feel free to share your thoughts on Leave the World Behind in the comments section!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

IN THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS, HER NIGHT FROM HELL HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN…

After working the night shift, Ashley becomes entangled in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse with a local street gang, forcing her to come up with a plan to survive the night by turning the tables on them.

Ashley must fight for her life and take them out one by one if she wants to make it to morning…

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

Make it Through the Night is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “The River Wild” (2023) on Netflix: Doesn’t Compare to the OG but a Solid Thriller Nonetheless!

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

“Not on my river…”

The River Wild (River Wild) released on Netflix on August 1st 2023. Loosely based on the film starring Meryl Streep and Kevin Bacon from 1994, the adventure thriller remake stars Leighton Meester, Adam Brody, Taran Killam, Eve Connolly, and Olivia Swann. It runs for approximately 92 minutes.

Joey accepts her brother’s invitation to go whitewater rafting with a group, but when they end up in a dangerous situation, someone begins to sabotage their attempts at survival as secrets are revealed.

Here is the trailer:

The River Wild will get your heart racing with a solid cast and some shocking moments, but is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Fun cast!

Leighton Meester and Adam Brody are married in real life and both starred on two of my favorite series so I was excited to see them in this one. Leighton is making a comeback in Netflix thrillers!

It was going to be hard to top Meryl Streep and Kevin Bacon’s performances, but I thought this cast really held their own and I cared about what happened to these characters, which is important in films like this.

Gets more and more intense as the plot unfolds…

Things started off a little slow, but as the movie continued, I was quickly on the edge of my seat. Everything kept building more and more, making this a consuming watch. I’m not sure I’ll be attempting whitewater rafting any time soon, but this movie really got my adrenaline pumping and I felt like I was there!

It really made me want to re-watch the original film again, which you should watch immediately if you haven’t yet. Trust me…it’s fantastic!

The Cons:

Should have been a standalone thriller to prevent comparisons…

The plots really have nothing to do with one another except for the fact that they are whitewater rafting and someone in their group means to do them harm. Other than that, this is a completely different thriller and I’m wondering why it was called the same name.

As a standalone film, this one checks off all the boxes for me as a fantastic “movie of the week.” It’s actually really solid and my only con is that it doesn’t come close to the original. This film was strong enough to have its own name and identity and I think sharing the name with the original film hindered it slightly.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!!!

Leighton Meester shines in this intense and entertaining thriller!

If you enjoy quick survival thrillers, there’s plenty to appreciate in this one.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The River Wild (2023) 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 “They/Them” on Peacock: Kevin Bacon is the Leader of an Unsettling Conversion Camp

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

“This is a safe space for everyone…”

They/Them is a horror film that released on August 5th 2022 on Peacock. The film stars Kevin Bacon, Theo Germaine, Anna Chlumsky, Anna Lore, and Carrie Preston. It runs for approximately an hour and forty-four minutes.

A group of teens at a LGBTQ+ conversion camp undergo unsettling forms of “therapy” while a masked killer hunts them down one by one.

Here is the trailer:

They/Them has the potential to lure us in with some slasher fun, but it steers off into several different directions along the way. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Fun cast.

It was great to see Kevin Bacon in this film and it definitely gave me some Friday the 13th vibes at first with the setting. I have to say that I am loving his gray hair and his twisted charisma made him one to watch out for.

There were some other familiar faces and I also really liked a lot of the newcomers, especially Theo Germaine. Overall, the performances were decent in this one.

Strong start.

I really liked the premise of this film and I thought it had a lot of potential from watching the trailer. The opening scene was actually really terrifying and I thought it nailed the slasher vibe I was looking for. There were also a lot of worthy creepy moments throughout the beginning before we experienced the actual reveals.

The Cons:

Tries to do too much…

The film switched genres quite a few times and was really more of a psychological thriller. I actually forgot about the masked killer until we got toward the end of the movie and by then, it didn’t give me the satisfying ending I was looking for. We had so much potential with these characters and I really wanted this film to go in a different direction. I personally think it tried to do way too much and the execution and pacing suffered as a result of this.

There was also one scene I could have really done without. If you’re concerned about a certain character, I recommend that you skip past one particular part involving target practice. You’ll know it when you get to it.

So am I in or out?

I’m 50/50 on this one…

There were some unsettling moments in this film and a decent cast, but it never fully captured the slasher vibe I was looking for.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on They/Them 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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Ranking the top 5 moments from “SMILF” season 2 episode 4: “It Only Has To Work Once”

Greetings TV viewers! After watching Showtime’s SMILF season 2, episode 4, I realized that “there’s something about Bridgette Bird.” Sure, she may be a little quirky, but it’s important that she recognizes who she is and stays true to herself. Please note spoilers are ahead if you have not gotten a chance to watch yet. In tonight’s episode, “So Maybe I Look Feminine,” Bridgette has a busy day planned, as she tries to tackle her to-do list. Meanwhile, Nelson invites Bridgette to the salon, which leads to some temptation and fantasy along the way. My top 5 moments from SMILF season 2 episode 4 are:

“You’re the one that should shush.”

In the beginning of the episode, Rafi and Nelson arrive at Bridgette’s apartment to pick Larry up for a fun weekend. Bridgette is thrown off when Nelson shushes Larry while on the phone. Bridgette is very protective of Larry and she wants him to feel loved wherever he goes, but she chooses not to confront Nelson in this very moment. However, she does point out to herself that Nelson is the one that should really shush.

“Rollin with the homies…”

After trying to tackle her to-do list, Bridgette takes Nelson up on her offer and joins her and her friend at the salon. After flipping through some hairstyle choices a la Britney Spears and Brittany Murphy, Nelson decides she will be going with the Brittany Murphy look and her and her friend break out into a tear-filled “rollin with the homies” to honor Brittany’s classic performance in one of my favorite films of all time, Clueless.

“I think you should consider going blonde.”

While waiting for her stylist, Bridgette meets a bride to be, played by Ari Graynor, and the two bond over some eyeliner tips. The woman suggests that Bridgette goes blonde, which allows us to see Bridgette’s fantasy world complete with an adorable polka dot ensemble, while watching a polo match. Bridgette actually looks really fabulous with her blonde hair, but we quickly learn that it has somehow transformed her entire life, which I’m not sure is really possible, but sometimes we all need a change in our look here and there.

“Is that Kevin Bacon on a horse?”

I mean, Bridgette’s fantasy would not be complete without Kevin Bacon showing up on a horse. After all, Hollow Man is her favorite film. Later on, Bridgette crosses paths with Kevin Bacon, who offers to “finger bang” her. However, he does not want to do this in front of his horse, Peggy, named after Pegasus. After the act is complete, Kevin asks Bridgette to dinner, who is beyond thrilled to accept.

“I missed you today.”

After the encounter with Kevin, Bridgette confronts Nelson about shushing Larry and Ari Graynor’s character ends up getting brutally hit in the face with a polo ball. There is blood everywhere and Bridgette repeatedly asks, “Will someone help her?” Bridgette spots a mannequin dressed like her former self in a t-shirt and shorts with brown hair, reminding her who she really is. This moment snaps Bridgette back to reality, as she is now staring in the mirror at her messy brown hair and makes the decision not to go to the salon. Bridgette is beyond thrilled to see Larry return, reminding her what’s truly important to her. Stay tuned for more SMILF fun!

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

**I am so excited to announce that my book, The Search for Alice, is now available! If you enjoy dark fantasy, fairy-tale retellings, paranormal romance, horror, and mystery, then this might be the book for you or someone you know! Thank you for taking the time to check it out and I appreciate any feedback as well. I hope you enjoy!

The Search for Alice is available here!

**Goodreads Giveaway currently going on for The Search for Alice (100 copies available) from 2/21/19-3/14/19. Enter Goodreads Giveaway Here!

Free Instant Preview of The Search for Alice is available here!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

@TV_Fanatic_Girl

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