Spoiler-Free Review of “Your Monster” on Demand: A Charming and Offbeat Rom-Com That Delivers in All the Right Ways!

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

“I’m really REALLY sad…”

Your Monster released in theaters on October 25th 2024 and is now available to watch on Demand as of November 12th. The rom-com horror film stars Melissa Barrera, Tommy Dewey, Edmund Donovan, and Meghann Fahey. The film runs for approximately an hour and forty-three minutes.

While recovering from surgery, a musical theater actress is dumped by her boyfriend, but when she uncovers a monster hidden in her closet at her childhood home, she finally unleashes all of the rage she has kept locked away for so long.

Here is the trailer:

Your Monster has everything I want from a rom-com with its clever and dark take on Beauty and the Beast. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Your Monster 2024 no spoilers

Images courtesy of Vertical Entertainment

Perfect blend of genres!

This film somehow managed to brilliantly mashup two of my favorite genres: rom-coms and “good for her” revenge. I didn’t think that something like this could ever work and I was delighted at the outcome. Lisa Frankenstein also dipped into this style and I think these two films would make a fantastic double feature!

I experienced so many emotions while watching this film. I haven’t enjoyed a movie like this in a really long time. I was laughing and crying throughout all of the key moments, making this such a compelling and heartfelt cinematic experience for me personally. It’s rare to find a movie that can truly make you feel like this and Your Monster accomplished that effortlessly.

Your Monster spoiler free

Images courtesy of Vertical Entertainment

Melissa Barrera is enchanting!

I never would have thought my top two films of the year would both star Melissa Barrera, but she was INCREDIBLE in this! I fell in love with her even more and it was great to see a different role for her. I really related to her character on so many levels and I thought the chemistry in this movie was perfect.

Your Monster had a lot to say without hitting the audience over the head with its messages (which I’ve seen too much of this year). It just told us a beautiful (yet dark and edgy) story while exploring so many emotions that we all go through, making this such a fantastic watch. I seriously have goosebumps from this one. It was absolute perfection for me!

The Cons:

Your Monster review

Images courtesy of Vertical Entertainment

I don’t have any…

Maybe it needed a touch more gore during key parts, but I honestly didn’t need it. I understood what this movie was trying to accomplish and I thought it was executed brilliantly.

So am I in or out?

Your Monster 2024 review

Images courtesy of Vertical Entertainment

I’m in 1000 percent!!!!

Your Monster is a “good for her” rom-com that just moved me on another level. Melissa Barrera absolutely shines!

One of my top films of the year!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Your Monster 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 “Abigail” in Theaters: A Bloody Amazing Time!

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

“I hate ballet…”

Abigail released in theaters on April 19th 2024. The vampire horror film stars Melissa Barrera, Dan Stevens, Kathryn Newton, Alisha Weir, Kevin Durand, Angus Cloud, and Giancarlo Esposito. The film runs for approximately an hour and fifty minutes.

A group of would-be criminals kidnap a twelve-year-old daughter of a powerful crime boss and hold her in an isolated mansion, but when they discover that she is a vampire, they quickly realize that they are the ones in real danger.

Here is the trailer:

Abigail has everything I want in a horror movie and more with a genius concept that executes itself flawlessly on screen. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Universal Pictures

“Dream f*ckin team!”

Seriously, this was one of the best ensembles I have seen in a film in a very long time! I was so excited to see this one because of the cast: Melissa Barrera (Scream 5 and 6), Kathryn Newton (Freaky, Lisa Frankenstein), Dan Stevens (The Guest), Kevin Durand (LOST and The Strain), and Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad). I mean…can you get much better than that?

That’s already perfection to me and they DELIVERED and ate up every ounce of screen time with charisma. I loved all of the characters and thought that Alisha Weir was exceptional, but Dan Stevens edged out everyone for me. He was so fantastic in this. Loved every second of these performances!

Images courtesy of Universal Pictures

So much fun!

Whoever came up with the premise of a ballerina vampire is a GENIUS! It was twisted and bonkers and it just worked so well! I knew I was going to love this film and it lived up to the hype.

It featured the perfect blend of humor and horror, which is what I love to see. It was so playful and I loved the gore. Abigail is brought to us from the same people who made Ready or Not and it very much channeled that vibe, but it never felt unoriginal or stale. It had its own voice and I’d honestly rank it right up there with that one and that’s one of my favorite horror films.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Universal Pictures

Yeah…I don’t have any.

I really don’t. This movie will definitely become a regular watch for me. It was fantastic and I don’t have anything negative to say about it.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Universal Pictures

I’m in 1000 percent!!!!

Abigail is bloody perfection!

The vampire genre is back and better than ever!

My favorite film of the year so far!

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

**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 “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, Courteney 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:

Images courtesy of Paramount Pictures

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!

Images courtesy of Paramount Pictures

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:

Images courtesy of Paramount Pictures

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?

Images courtesy of Paramount Pictures

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 “Keep Breathing” on Netflix: Melissa Barrera’s Survival Drama has its Moments

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

“I don’t give up…”

Keep Breathing premiered on Netflix on July 28th 2022. All six episodes are available to stream now. The survival drama limited series stars Melissa Barrera, Austin Stowell, Jeff Wilbusch, and Juan Pablo Espinosa. Each episode runs for approximately 32-35 minutes.

After her private plane crashes in the Canadian wilderness, Liv must find a way to survive as she copes with her past personal traumas during her journey.

Here is the trailer:

Keep Breathing has plenty of intense moments built in with a believable performance from Melissa Barrera, but does it do enough to earn a a watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Keep Breathing Spoiler Free 1

Images courtesy of Netflix

Melissa Barrera gives an emotional performance.

I’ve seen a lot of survival dramas and thrillers and it’s far from easy to carry an entire film or series when you’re basically on your own. Melissa Barrera manages to captivate her audience with a heartfelt performance that redeemed this series in a lot of ways. Even the quiet moments felt real and made an impact. I enjoyed her in Scream (2022), but she took things to another level and really showed her range in this series.

I hope to see her in more things soon!

Keep Breathing Spoiler Free 2

Images courtesy of Netflix

The survival moments were really intense.

The episodes were on the shorter side which helped things, but I thoroughly enjoyed the survival moments during this series. I was actually on the edge of my seat quite a few times (especially in the beginning) and I thought the series really captured the trial and error parts of survival effectively. This was the most interesting part of the series for me and I was rooting for Liv the entire time.

The setting was also really beautiful and I think the series captured it well.

The Cons:

Keep Breathing Spoiler Free 3

Images courtesy of Netflix

The flashbacks made the series drag at times…

I totally understand the point of the flashbacks. Liv is trying to survive in a scenario that seems almost impossible and starts to think about her past and why she is trying to stay alive now. Even though the episodes were short, I often felt like I was watching this series for a long time.

Things just moved way too slow, which was really frustrating. The content was also really heavy and emotional. That’s not necessarily a con, but it didn’t help the pace when I was connecting more to other parts of the series. 

So am I in or out?

Keep Breathing Spoiler Free 4

Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in about 75 percent…

I enjoyed my watch for the most part and was genuinely moved. I thought Melissa Barrera did a great job, but I don’t think that all the pieces came together seamlessly to make this into the entertaining watch I really wanted it to be.

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

**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 “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:

Images courtesy of Paramount Pictures

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.

Images courtesy of Paramount Pictures

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.

Images courtesy of Paramount Pictures

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:

Images courtesy of Paramount Pictures

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?

Images courtesy of Paramount Pictures

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…

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 new 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!