Spoiler-Free Review of “SEND HELP” in Theaters: Rachel McAdams is Bloody FANTASTIC!

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

“Don’t ever mistake my kindness for weakness…”

SEND HELP premieres in theaters on January 30th 2026. The survival horror-thriller film (directed by Sam Raimi) stars Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien. It runs for approximately an hour and fifty-three minutes.

Linda survives a plane crash with her crude boss, but they are now stranded on a deserted island with no way to call for help. They attempt to work past their differences to survive while waiting for rescue, but the reality of their situation begins to take a toll on them.

Here is the trailer:

SEND HELP is a fresh, smart, and entertaining film featuring two incredible performances. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of 20th Century Studios

An INCREDIBLE dynamic between characters.

OK…Regina George is back and she SLAYED in this! Wow, Rachel McAdams is one of my favorite actresses of all time and this is why! This is probably my favorite performance by her yet. She really immersed herself into this role. Dylan O’Brien did a solid job also. I thought the banter between them was HILARIOUS. I had no idea this movie would be so funny, but a lot of that had to do with how well they played these characters.

Getting stranded on a deserted island with a boss you despise sounds like a complete nightmare and Rachel McAdams really sold me on this. She is now officially a horror queen! I was blown away by her performance.

More please!

Images courtesy of 20th Century Studios

A Perfect horror comedy!

I never looked at the time even once during this film. The pacing worked really well and every moment was intriguing and intense. The comedy really landed for me and I loved how deranged and twisted this was as well. You could definitely tell that Sam Raimi was the director. In a lot of ways, this movie felt like a crazy mash-up of LOST, The Evil Dead, and Triangle of Sadness. That may seem like an odd combination, but it was bloody brilliant and I loved every second of it!

I think I will be returning to the theater to watch this one multiple times. It just felt like CINEMA to me in the best way possible.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of 20th Century Studios

I don’t have any…

When I first saw the trailer for this movie, I knew that I would LOVE it and I was right. It exceeded my expectations and then some. I don’t have a single con. This was a perfect movie for me.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of 20th Century Studios

I’m in 100 percent!!!

SEND HELP is a deranged and twisted masterpiece, reminding me why I fell in love with movies in the first place.

Rachel McAdams is a horror queen and absolutely spectacular in this!

It’s safe to say that I absolutely LOVED every aspect of this movie. I can already tell that this will probably be one of my favorites of the year and January isn’t even over yet.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on SEND HELP 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 “Mean Girls” (2024) in Theaters: A New Queen Bee Has Emerged!

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

“Don’t look her in the eye…”

Mean Girls (2024) released in theaters on January 12th 2024. The musical teen comedy (inspired by the 2004 film of the same name) stars Angourie Rice, Reneé Rapp, Auliʻi Cravalho, Jaquel Spivey, Tim Meadows, and Tina Fey. It runs for approximately an hour and fifty-eight minutes.

New student, Cady Heron gets invited to join The Plastics at school, but when she falls for Regina George’s ex-boyfriend, Aaron, she winds up stuck in a cruel rivalry where friendships are put to the test.

Here is the trailer:

Mean Girls is a celebration of the 2004 film, creating something different for the new generation with a musical spin while still presenting fans of the original film with enough nostalgia. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Paramount Pictures

All hail, Reneé Rapp!

She ate up every second of screen time and absolutely delivered as Regina George. This role is not easy to fill and Rachel McAdams is so iconic in it. That being said, I thought that Rapp took everything that was great about the original Regina and put a wicked spin on her portrayal, making her performance the best part of this film. I loved her in The Sex Lives of College Girls, but she broke out as an absolute star in this film. Perfection!

Images courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Satisfying nostalgia for fans of the original film.

Mean Girls is one of my favorite movies of all-time so I had high expectations for this one. While it didn’t come close to the original film, I appreciate that it didn’t try to be a lifeless remake. The musical spin made it feel like more of a celebration of the film, recognizing where it came from and giving fans a lot of memorable moments to appreciate.

There were familiar faces in this one as well, which helped me connect to the film a lot more.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Some characters couldn’t measure up…

While I thoroughly enjoyed Rapp’s performance, not everyone translated as well on screen. Cravalho was terrific as Janis and Jaquel Spivey was hilarious as Damian. However, I couldn’t connect with Cady, Gretchen, or Karen (despite her various attempts). They just didn’t measure up.

This was slightly problematic for me since Cady is the main character. I thought they were all talented actresses, but they didn’t stand out to me and certain moments felt very watered down because of this.

Too many songs…

I get that this is a musical, but it felt like the characters were bursting out into song every other minute, which grew tiresome at times and took away from paying homage to some other epic moments from the original film. I did enjoy some of the songs, but I think this could have been toned down slightly.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Paramount Pictures

I’m in!!!

Mean Girls may not be as fetch as the original film, but Reneé Rapp dominates the screen in the best way possible, making this an entertaining watch overall.

As long as you manage your expectations, there’s still plenty to enjoy here although I’m sure there will be plenty of mixed opinions on this one.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Mean Girls (2024) 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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5 Guilty Pleasure Thrillers to Enjoy while Staying at Home

Happy Throwback Thursday! Staying at home has really allowed me to enjoy a lot of new television series and movies. However, there are some old favorites that I wanted to return to. Netflix has recently been releasing some guilty pleasure Lifetime-like thrillers such as Secret Obsession and Dangerous Lies, which really got me thinking about some of my own personal favorite guilty pleasure thrillers.

While nothing compares to watching these films for the very first time, there is this rush I get whenever I watch them. Sure, some of them are somewhat predictable and have outrageous plots, but that’s why I love them. They are the perfect films to binge-watch staying at home while enjoying a nice glass of wine and a snack…or two.

Either way, these films will certainly provide you with some edge of your seat tension to shake things up while staying at home. Please note spoilers have been left out for your convenience. Enjoy!

My top 5 Guilty Pleasure Thriller films of all time are:

5

Red Eye

Red Eye
Image courtesy of HBO

Released in 2005, Red Eye stars Rachel McAdams and Cillian Murphy and is directed by Wes Craven. A lot of people forget about this movie, but I actually saw it in theaters and loved it!

Synopsis: Hotel manager, Lisa boards a plane and sits next to a charming stranger. Things seem to be going well until the stranger reveals that he has an ulterior motive for sitting with her. The plane ride is filled with unexpected twists and turns.

I have probably seen this movie over twenty times and while I know the plot very well now, I just can’t stop watching it. It’s over the top sometimes and predictable in certain moments, but the film pulls you in and brings you back to those edge of your seat moments without skipping a beat.

Where to watch: HBO demand

4

Sleeping with the Enemy

Sleeping with the enemy
Image courtesy of STARZ

Released in 1991, this film stars Julia Roberts and Patrick Bergin. Before I had cable TV, this movie was always on as the Saturday night movie on The WB. I used to watch it all the time because I didn’t really have many other options, but I quickly became obsessed. It’s actually one of my mom’s favorite movies and I still think twice about keeping my towels in order. Watch out for that music…

Synopsis: An abused wife fakes her own death and tries to start her life over, but her husband attempts to track her down to make her life a living hell.

Where to watch: STARZ demand

3

A Perfect Getaway

Perfect Getaway
Image courtesy of STARZ

Released in 2009, A Perfect Getaway stars Milla Jovovich and Steve Zahn. This thriller has one of the best twists I have ever witnessed. Sure, I know the twist now, but I still love watching this movie. It has some really great stars in it, including Timothy Olyphant and Chris Hemsworth! Plus, the movie takes place in Hawaii! You can’t get much better than a vacation trip gone wrong when you’re stuck staying at home.

Synopsis: A newly married couple travel on their honeymoon in Hawaii, but quickly realize that they may be hiking with a dangerous threat. Secrets are revealed and their survival is put to the test.

Where to watch: STARZ demand

2

The Call

The Call Halle Berry
Image courtesy of Amazon Prime

Released in 2003, The Call stars Halle Berry and Abigail Breslin. I absolutely adore this movie! I have probably seen it more than all the others on this list and Halle Berry is beyond amazing as 911 operator, Jordan. This movie screams guilty pleasure thriller. It is fast paced and has a shocking ending that will leave you completely satisfied.

Synopsis: After a young woman meets her demise while on the phone with 911, Jordan is traumatized. She sticks to training new 911 operators, but when a similar call comes through from a young woman, she is forced to push her demons aside in order to try and save her before history repeats itself.

Where to watch: Amazon Prime with add on, VUDU, FANDANGONOW

1

Double Jeopardy

Double Jeopardy Movie
Image courtesy of STARZ

Released in 1999, Double Jeopardy stars Ashley Judd and Tommy Lee Jones. This is my go-to movie and probably the one that first got me interested in this guilty pleasure thriller genre. While there are certainly a lot of movies that fall into this category, there’s really nothing like Double Jeopardy. It stands in a class of its own and always will for me.

Synopsis: You can’t be convicted for the same crime twice. Ashley Judd’s character, Libby, eventually learns this when she is wrongfully convicted for the murder of her husband. After being released, she tries to track down her son and starts to learn that she may have been intentionally framed for her crime. Libby decides to get revenge while her parole officer tries to stop her.

Where to watch: STARZ demand

Which guilty pleasure thriller films do YOU enjoy most? 

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

PLAY BY THE RULES…STAY ALIVE…

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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!

PLAY IF YOU DARE…

Dash and Seek is available here!

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Do you love horror series? Of course you do! Please also check out 12 Nights of Horror Series Coming Soon. It’s your home for everything you need to know about new and returning horror television series including new trailers, premiere dates, reviews, recaps, and renewals!