Spoiler-Free Review of “The Hand That Rocks the Cradle” (2025) on Hulu: A Decent Enough Remake

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

“She’s pretending to be someone else…”

The Hand that Rocks the Cradle (2025) released on Hulu on October 22nd 2025. A remake of the 1992 film, the horror thriller film stars Maika Monroe, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Martin Starr, and Raul Castillo. It runs for approximately an hour and forty-four minutes.

An overwhelmed mom agrees to hire a nanny to look after her children, but she soon discovers she’s not who she claims to be, putting the lives of her family in danger.

Here is the trailer:

The Hand that Rocks the Cradle allows two scream queens the chance to battle it out on screen. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Two powerhouse performers!

Wow, when I saw that BOTH Maika Monroe and Mary Elizabeth Winstead were starring in this, I was so excited. They are both so fantastic and I thought their performances really elevated this movie in so many ways. It was great seeing Maika Monroe play a darker character this time around, really showing off her range.

Obsessed!

A slow burn that pays off.

This film took a while to get going, but it kept building and building in such an eerie way and I loved the result. It was unhinged and unafraid to throw some surprising gore our way, making this a satisfying Lifetime-esque thriller to indulge in.

The Cons:

A touch too long.

I think this film should have been just under 90 minutes. It dragged a little bit in the beginning and I was starting to wonder if ANYTHING would happen at all. Luckily it did, but it felt like it took forever to get there. The odd music chords used almost put me to sleep a number of times.

I also just have to say that the parents here made some really questionable choices when it came to their children. This was one of the most clueless husbands I have ever seen before on screen…

The very last reveal was silly and forced, but it kind of leaned into it’s movie of the week vibe seamlessly.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!

The Hand that Rocks the Cradle does just enough to stand out from the original film with two Scream Queens leaving their mark.

This film actually delivered for a straight to streaming remake. It wasn’t perfect, but it had its twisted moments for sure. I was pleasantly surprised.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The Hand that Rocks the Cradle 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 “The Girlfriend” on Prime Video: Sleazy, Guilty Pleasure Thrills

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

“This one’s different…”

The Girlfriend premiered on Prime Video on September 10th 2025 with all six episodes available to stream now. The limited psychological thriller series (based on the novel of the same name) stars Robin Wright, Olivia Cooke, and Laurie Davidson. Each episode is approximately 50-52 minutes.

Laura becomes paranoid when her son’s new girlfriend, Cherry begins to get between them, taking it upon herself to investigate her to see what her real agenda is.

Here is the trailer:

The Girlfriend is the latest trashy thriller to show up on streaming, but does it do enough to be worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Two unhinged performances.

When I saw the cast for this, I knew it would be good. Robin Wright is exceptional and I’m a big fan of Olivia Cooke (Bates Motel). Both actresses excelled with what they were given. They were both diabolical and manipulative, making this such a fun popcorn watch.

The back-and-forth really worked here and Olivia Cooke’s wardrobe was to die for!

Addicting and easy to binge-watch.

There are only six episodes so you can effortessly watch this in a weekend. Each episode did just enough to keep me hooked and coming back for more. This series is very Lifetime-esque, but I love watching shows like this from time to time. You can just turn your mind off and indulge!

The Cons:

Loses direction at times.

Overall, I thought this series did a great job of sticking to its core material, but it did change gears a few times. The switch in perspective between Laura and Cherry was distracting at times, but I understood the point of it and eventually got used to it.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!!!

The Girlfriend is deranged, soapy, and over the top, but I loved every second of it!

If you enjoy guilty pleasure thrillers, this one is worth your time.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The Girlfriend 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 Stranger in My Home” on Demand: Sophia Bush Stars in this Soapy Thriller

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

“I feel like every choice I’m making is wrong…”

The Stranger in My Home premiered on Demand on June 24th 2025. The drama thriller film stars Sophia Bush (One Tree Hill), Chris Carmack (The O.C.), Amiah Miller, and Chris Johnson. It runs for approximately an hour and thirty-five minutes.

A family’s world is turned upside down when a stranger knocks on their door and claims that their daughters were switched at birth.

Here is the trailer:

The Stranger in My Home is very lifetime-esque with over-the-top twists and soapy drama, but Sophia Bush elevates it as much as she can. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Queen Sophia Bush!

I’ve been waiting for her to make a return to film and was so excited to see her in this. She really gave this film her all and honestly made it a better watch because of her talent and charisma. I am a big fan and hope to see her in more films in the future. She does excel in the horror/thriller genre. Welcome back, Sophia Bush!

A few juicy twists.

I wouldn’t say that they were that great honestly, but there were some soapy ones thrown our way, which helped this watch a little bit. If you love lifetime movies, this one would be right up your alley.

The Cons:

Some terrible acting and dialogue…

Sophia Bush and Chris Carmack did the best with what they were given, but I really struggled watching the rest of the actors in this. The acting was so over-the-top and ridiculous and some of that dialogue was really out there.

I also thought these characters made some of the WORST decisions ever, but I guess we wouldn’t have a movie without them…

Takes too long to get to the hook!

My other issue was we had to wait 55 minutes before we actually got to the thrilling parts of this movie. There was a lot of unnecessary fluff to sit through. I was cheering for our girl once we finally got there, but it took way too long!

So am I in or out?

I’m 50/50 on this one…

The Stranger in My Home is a by the numbers thriller with too much unbelievable nonsense, but it was great seeing Sophia Bush on the screen again!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The Stranger in My Home 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 “Subservience” on Demand: Megan Fox Stars as a Robot in this Soapy Version of M3GAN

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

“How can we simplify your life?”

Subservience released on Demand on September 13th 2024. The sci-fi thriller film stars Megan Fox, Michele Morrone, and Madeline Zima. It runs for approximately an hour and forty-five minutes.

After his wife falls ill, a struggling father purchases an AI Android named Alice to help out around the house, but when Alice begins to become self-aware, she decides that she wants to have her primary user all to herself, risking everyone’s life around him.

Here is the trailer:

Subservience takes a page out of M3GAN’S script and gives us a predictable, but guilty pleasure worthy thriller to indulge in. Is it your next weekend watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Megan Fox easily steps into this role with flair.

I’ve been really enjoying Megan Fox thrillers lately. Till Death quickly became one of my new favorites and she puts forth a valiant effort here in Subservience. While this thriller had a very different feel to it and leaned more toward the sci-fi genre, it still had enough outrageous soapy thrills to hold my attention. It’s one of those trashy thrillers you can enjoy on a rainy weekend with a glass of wine. If that’s your jam, then you’ll enjoy this one and Megan Fox is absolutely flawless in this role.

The Cons:

Nothing new here.

Some of the scenes seemed like they were ripped right out of the M3GAN movie. This film followed a different story-line, but it still took quite a lot from other films. The outcome was also really predictable and the ending felt slightly anticlimactic. I also preferred the scenes that stayed within the family drama. I didn’t need this film to branch out into a potential war against AI Androids. At times, it felt like it was doing a little too much, but luckily it circled back to its core plot.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!!!

Subservience checks off every box that a soapy and guilty pleasure thriller should. It didn’t do anything new here, but it had solid pacing and enough thrills to hold my attention until the end.

As long as you manage your expectations, you’ll enjoy this one.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Subservience 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 island thriller!

Blood Rose Island is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Miller’s Girl” on Demand: Over-Complicated Erotic Thriller

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

“Writing is my means of escape…”

Miller’s Girl is an erotic-thriller film that released on February 16th on demand. It previously had a theatrical release on January 26th 2024. It stars Jenna Ortega, Martin Freeman, Gideon Adlon, and Bashir Salahuddin. The film runs for an hour and thirty-three minutes.

A creative writing assignment leads to unexpected results between a teacher and his talented student.

Here is the trailer:

Miller’s Girl has two talented leads and an edgy enough premise, but does it have enough going on to be worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Two solid performances.

Jenna Ortega and Gideon Adlon were both fantastic in this and elevated this film as much as they could. While I wouldn’t have necessarily cast them in roles like this, I thought they defied expectations and really held their own with what they were given.

Decent enough setting and premise.

I actually really liked the southern feel and charm within this film. Some of the “dream-like” sequences felt almost like works of art. Everything was well shot and I think this complimented the wordy narrations throughout the film.

The Cons:

Super slow and boring.

Like, painfully so! The pacing really didn’t work for me. Everything felt sluggish and dragged out and the thrills were really hard to uncover. I think this film could have benefited from some camp and Lifetime-esque insanity similar to The Crush. Sure, films like that are cheesy and ridiculous, but at least they are entertaining.

This film just felt too serious and icky and I think it thought it was a lot edgier than it actually was…

So am I in or out?

I’m 50/50 on this one…

I thought both actresses did a great job, but I’m still not sure of this film’s actual overall intention. I think it tried to do a little too much when it could have just indulged in some guilty pleasure camp to liven things up…

Either way, if you’re a fan of Jenna Ortega, her performance is note-worthy.

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

Spoiler-Free Review of “Wilderness” on Prime Video: Gone Girl Style Thriller Has its Moments

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

“We trust each other…right?”

Wilderness premiered on September 15th 2023 on Prime Video with all six episodes available to stream now. The revenge thriller series (based on the novel of the same name) stars Jenna Coleman, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Ashley Benson, and Eric Balfour. Each episode runs for approximately 50-58 minutes.

A spontaneous vacation turns into a nightmare when a seemingly happy couple begins to unravel, leading to a downward spiral of betrayal and revenge.

Here is the trailer:

Wilderness attempts to channel films like Gone Girl and Promising Young Woman with a Lifetime-esque tone, leading to plenty of juicy twists along the way. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Dream cast.

I’m a huge fan of Ashley Benson from Pretty Little Liars and I was super happy to see Buffy the Vampire Slayer alum, Eric Balfour on this too. The cast was the best part of this series. Everyone played their part very well, but I wish some characters had gotten a little bit more screen time because everyone was electric together on screen and the character dynamics really worked.

Jenna Coleman put forth a strong effort as Olivia, giving me quite a few chills throughout my watch. She was fantastic.

Starts off with a lot of potential.

I thoroughly enjoyed the first few episodes of this series. The premise was juicy and enticing. It seemed to fit neatly into a guilty pleasure watch and I even liked the random soundtrack (heavy on Taylor Swift) that overpowered certain scenes. Somehow that worked…

The Cons:

Goes off the rails…

I would say that I was hooked by the end of episode two (which was the strongest episode by far). Once we got to the second half of the series, things became really chaotic and confusing. We started to spiral off into something messy and uninspiring. I was still invested enough to finish the series and there were a few redeeming moments worth sticking around for, but this was disappointing because the show started off so strong.

I also wasn’t a huge fan of the voice-over narration and it led me to believe that we were headed toward a more extreme ending than we actually got.

I think what’s so frustrating about this series is that it did enough to earn a watch, but it could have been so much better. I think it played it safe rather than throwing itself into something unpredictable, which might have worked out a lot better in my opinion.

So am I in or out?

I’m in about 75 percent…

Watered down guilty pleasure thrills with a cast to be excited about, but don’t expect this series to do anything that extraordinary. It was a decent watch if you enjoy revenge thrillers, however.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Wilderness 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…

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…

Dash and Seek is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Echoes” on Netflix: A Trashy Thriller with A LOT Going On

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

“My sister is missing…”

Echoes released on Netflix on August 19th 2022. All seven episodes are available to stream now. The thriller drama series stars Michelle Monaghan, Matt Bomer, Daniel Sunjata, and Jonathan Tucker. Each episode runs for approximately 42-47 minutes.

Gina travels back to her home town to track down her missing identical twin sister, as deadly and dangerous secrets are revealed along the way that could shatter her life completely.

Here is the trailer:

Echoes has a decent Gone Girl-esque set-up and a well known cast, but its messy plot and endless twists over-complicate things. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

A strong start.

I was actually really pulled into this story initially. There was a major twist at the end of the first episode and I thought the mystery was decent enough to keep me coming back for more. Michelle Monaghan put forth a valiant effort with her performance and I thought the actual premise was really interesting with lots of guilty-pleasure potential.

The Cons:

Annoying voice-over narration…

Gina spends a lot of time “talking” to her identical twin sister over their video diary to find out where she is and what’s going on, but I found this really distracting and annoying. I’m not a fan of voice-over narration, but they really overdid it with this one.

A really messy plot.

I’m frustrated with this show because it started off really good and I thought I had an exciting binge-watch to enjoy. As the episodes continued, things started going off the rails completely. The plot was super messy and trashy. The performances got weaker and the twists were overdone, which ruined the initial shock value from the first episode for me.

So am I in or out?

Unfortunately I’m out on this one…

If you’re looking for a Lifetime-esque trashy thriller, there is enough going on to make your head spin (if that’s your kind of thing). I was intrigued at first, but I started to lose interest as the episodes continued unfortunately. I think this might have worked better as a Saturday movie of the week instead.

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