Spoiler-Free Review of “Tarot” in Theaters: Gimmicky Version of Final Destination Feels Familiar

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

“I’ve never seen cards like this before…”

Tarot released in theaters on May 3rd 2024. The supernatural horror film stars Harriet Slater, Avantika Vandananapu, Jacob Batalon, and Adain Bradley. It runs for approximately an hour and thirty minutes.

A group of friends unknowingly unleash a curse on them when they conduct horoscope readings with a box of tarot cards they find.

Here is the trailer:

Tarot attempts to channel films like Final Destination and Stay Alive, but does it do enough to earn a watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Sony Pictures

2000’s horror nostalgia.

This film brought me back to films like Final Destination, Stay Alive, and One Missed Call. I wouldn’t say that it was as good as any of those, but the premise was fun and creepy enough. There were a few stand-out characters to root for and it didn’t waste too much time with unnecessary fluff.

Images courtesy of Sony Pictures

Investigating the lore behind it all was actually interesting.

I was honestly impressed by the background provided for what was causing the curse on the deck of cards. The film was based off of a 1992 novel named Horrorscope and that probably helped with this. It enhanced the premise a lot more and I was more invested in the outcome because of it.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Sony Pictures

Predictable with mostly cheesy scares.

There were actually a few well done scares toward the end, but the majority of them felt really watered down…especially in the beginning. This film needed some more edge and perhaps a decent twist to make it stand out. When it leaned more on twisted fun with its villains, it worked better. The dialogue wasn’t great and everything felt very rushed. I wish they would have spent a little bit more time on the lore because that was the most interesting part.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Sony Pictures

I’m in about 75 percent…

Tarot has 2000’s horror energy with some creepy moments built in, but it needed to embrace some twisted fun to make it truly shine. 

I wouldn’t say that you need to rush to the theaters to see this one, but it’s worth a quick watch when it comes to streaming.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Tarot 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 “Grimcutty” on Hulu: A Gen Z Teen’s Nightmare

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

“You sure you don’t have a phone?”

Grimcutty released on Hulu on October 10th 2022. The supernatural horror film stars Sara Wolfkind, Shannyn Sossamon, Usman Ally, and Alona Tal. It runs for approximately an hour and forty minutes.

A teen girl is plagued by a frightening internet challenge that is manifested by the hysteria of her parents.

Here is the trailer:

Grimcutty feels very much like a cross between Slender Man and Pulse, highlighting the danger of technology and what happens when parents overreact to social media exposure. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Hulu

Tries to do something different…

While this is hardly the first film I have seen about the dangers of the internet, I thought Grimcutty made a valiant effort to think outside the box with its concept. While I wouldn’t necessarily say that I was really terrified throughout my watch, I appreciated the idea behind the film and I think it executed a lot of things really well.

Images courtesy of Hulu

Some familiar faces…

Shannyn Sossamon starred in One Missed Call back in 2008 so it was nice to see her in this film. She is no stranger to a killer phone…

I thought all of the characters did a good job with what they were given. I’m not sure that anyone really stood out, but the performances were believable enough to keep me interested.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Hulu

The Grimcutty isn’t that scary…

Sure, it’s weird looking and odd, but it didn’t frighten me the way some supernatural creatures have. Even though I preferred this film to Slender Man, the actual Slender Man is a lot scarier than this guy. If the Grimcutty was truly frightening, this film may have worked a lot better, but it was honestly laughable at times.

I also thought this film was longer than it needed to be. I didn’t need anything dragged out on this one.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Hulu

I’m in about 75 percent…

An interesting concept with some entertaining moments.

This film was actually a lot better than I thought it would be. If you enjoy films like Slender Man and pretty much any horror film involving technology, you’ll feel right at home with this one.

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

A VACATION TO DIE FOR…

Blood Rose Island Ad

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 rulethey 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 new island thriller!

Blood Rose Island 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!