Spoiler-Free Review of “Backrooms” in Theaters: A Mind-Bending Trip!

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

“You’re still stuck right where you started…alone…”

Backrooms premiered in theaters on May 29th 2026. The psychological horror science fiction film (based on the popular web series) stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve, Finn Bennett, Lukita Maxwell, and Mark Duplass. It runs for approximately an hour and fifty minutes.

After an unhappy furniture salesman finds a secret door within the walls of the store, he discovers a space beyond reality. His curiosity leads him down a dangerous path, as he soon discovers he is not alone.

Here is the trailer:

Backrooms reels us into an Alice in Wonderland-esque world, unraveling a chilling mystery before our eyes. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of A24

An eerie concept!

I really enjoyed this world and thought it was so intriguing and complex. I wanted to go and discover all the endless rooms with the main character. Each one had me scratching my head, but I felt fully immersed in this puzzle, making this an interactive watch.

Images courtesy of A24

Enough freaky moments.

Even though this was a bit of a slow burn, there were enough freaky moments in this one. Sure, a lot of it didn’t make sense, but that was also sort of the point. They effectively used the found footage camera approach where it mattered, mirroring the overall tone of the film. While I wouldn’t necessarily say this film scared me, it did present us with some insane moments worth exploring.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of A24

The first half was stronger than the second half…

This might simply come down to preference, but I really enjoyed the first half of this film. I liked the idea of the unknown and once everything started to be revealed, it lost that chilling magic for me. I thought some things felt a little silly and outrageous, but I’m also not a huge science fiction fan so that could be why.

I also don’t enjoy shaky camera effects (even though I think they used them well) because it makes me dizzy so be prepared for that if that’s not your thing…

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of A24

I’m in!

(3.5/5 stars)

Backrooms is eerie, bonkers, and packed with freaky footage.

This film did a solid job with the content, inviting us into an intriguing new world.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Backrooms 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 “AFRAID” (2024) on Demand: The Screen Time Premise is Getting Exhausting…

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

“I feel like it’s listening to us all the time…”

AFRAID released in theaters on August 30th 2024 and is now available to stream on Demand as of September 17th 2024. The sci-fi horror film stars John Cho, Katherine Waterston, Havana Rose Liu, Lukita Maxwell, and David Dastmalchian. It runs for approximately an hour and twenty-five minutes.

A marketing executive is selected to take home a new digital device named AIA to organize his family’s life, but when AIA thinks she knows what’s best for his family, she begins to take control of every situation, threatening their safety in the process.

Here is the trailer:

AFRAID channels M3gan in a lot of ways, but its gimmicky plot and cheap scares do little to enhance this viewing experience. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing

Talented cast.

I’m always happy to see John Cho in horror films and I thought this film had a pretty recognizable cast, which was a plus. Havana Rose Liu stole the film for me. She is quickly becoming one of my new favorite actresses. I loved her in No Exit and Bottoms. She managed to be charming and eerie at the same time with her portrayal. I just wish she got a better film…

Unfortunately the pros stop here…

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing

Uninspiring plot.

I just recently watched Subservience starring Megan Fox (which also channeled M3gan), but that film was a lot more interesting than AFRAID. I’ve seen too many movies with the AI taking over theme recently and while some have clever takes on it, this film fails to say anything new. The plot felt lazy and that ending was atrocious.

Images courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing

Lack of suspense.

I would have been fine with the overdone plot if this movie was actually scary. Instead it relied on cheesy jump scares, which was beyond frustrating. There was one scene that actually had potential, but it cut away from it before showing us anything that violent or frightening. It just felt like they phoned it in with this film and didn’t really care to put in any real effort here.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing

Unfortunately I’m out on this one…

AFRAID fails to deliver with nothing new to say, but at least Havana Rose Liu ate up every ounce of screen time.

Still better than Night Swim though…

I hope you enjoyed the review and please feel free to share your thoughts on AFRAID 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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