*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*
“I’ll come for every one of you…”
Natty Knocks is a horror film that released on July 21st 2023 on demand. It stars Danielle Harris, Bill Moseley, and Robert Englund. It runs for approximately an hour and thirty-five minutes.
A babysitter and a group of kids cross paths with a dangerous serial killer connected to an urban legend in their town on Halloween eve.
Here is the trailer:
Natty Knocksgets us into the spirit of Halloween with a cast made up of horror legends, but does it do enough to earn a watch? Let’s find out…
The Pros:
Images courtesy of Vertical
Horror dream team!
The cast was out of this world in this one! It was so much fun seeing Danielle Harris, Robert Englund, and Bill Moseley on screen. They each played their character really well and gave the audience something to cheer about.
Images courtesy of Vertical
Killer fun!
As long as you manage your expectations, you’ll have a lot of fun with this B horror movie. I love finding new gems that can fit right into my Halloween lineup and the mashup of supernatural and slasher elements were really entertaining.
The kids did a great job in this one too and that ending was a blast!
This film successfully channeled some campy fun in an effective way. I loved the premise and the second half of the film was thoroughly enjoyable to watch.
The Cons:
Images courtesy of Vertical
Takes a while to get going…
The film started off really strong, but then things died down a little bit while we waited for the kids to stumble upon everything. At times, it felt a little filler, but we eventually got back on track and I thought that the film finished strong so this wasn’t a major con.
So am I in or out?
Images courtesy of Vertical
I’m in!
If you’re looking for some Halloween fun starring some horror legends, then you are in for a real treat with this one.
I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Natty Knocksin 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…
**This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!**
“You are worthy…”
Choose or Die (CURS>R) premiered on Netflix on April 15th 2022. The horror film stars Iola Evans, Asa Butterfield, Eddie Marsan, and Robert Englund. It runs for approximately an hour and twenty-five minutes.
A coder finds an 80’s retro computer game with an unclaimed prize, but she soon realizes that she is actually playing for her own survival.
Here is the trailer:
Choose or Die has a fun premise with a retro feel, but does the film do enough to earn a watch?Let’s find out…
The Pros:
Images courtesy of Netflix
Killer concept.
Similar to horror films like Stay Alive, Truth or Dare, and Would You Rather, this film takes on a game gone wrong to the extreme. I actually really dug the retro feel and I thought that the opening was really strong. There was an 80’s horror nostalgia present from a familiar voice to some well-placed posters, which made me feel right at home.
Images courtesy of Netflix
Doesn’t hold back in the gore department…
There were actually a lot of moments in this one that had my skin crawling. If you’re looking for gore, you’ll get some here. Most of the games end in some kind of overly bloody and disgusting demise but if gore is not your thing, you may want to steer clear.
The Cons:
Images courtesy of Netflix
Wishy-washy female lead…
I like to have a strong or even a flawed female lead to root for in horror films. She doesn’t have to be a complete bad-ass, but I have to like her. I just couldn’t connect to this main character at all. I just watched this film and her name already escapes me because she was just kind of bland.
Killer concept, but fails in the execution.
I was really looking forward to this movie and I was disappointed by the time I got to the end. The movie isn’t bad. It’s short enough to hold your interest but I wasn’t really a fan of the ending and once things were fully explained, I think the film tried to do a little too much. Sometimes less is more…
So am I in or out?
Images courtesy of Netflix
I’m 50/50 on this one…
I loved the concept and the 80’s nostalgia, but the film fell flat for me in a lot of ways, which was really disappointing. If you have nothing else to watch this weekend, you can give it a whirl but you’re better off re-watching Stay Alive instead.
I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Choose or Die 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 new supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!
Happy Wednesday TV Fans! With the lack of new programming, I have been re-visiting several film series and I was beyond thrilled to discover that HBO Max has all of the Nightmare on Elm Streetfilms available to watch!
After quite the marathon, I started to think about which films held up and which fell flat. There are 8 NOES films, (not including Freddy vs. Jason) but today I will be ranking my top 5 films of the franchise. Please note that some spoilers are ahead.
Freddy is cool. Freddy is funny and Freddy will give you some nightmare for sure…along with some disturbing images that will forever be embedded in my brain. Robert Englund is absolute perfection as Freddy Krueger and I am a huge fan of Heather Langenkamp as Nancy Thompson. Nancy will always be one of my favorite Final Girls.
After all, she’s into survival…
Whatever you do, don’t fall asleep!
These films really have everything. They are scary, funny, and addicting!
Stars like Johnny Depp, Laurence Fishburne, and Patricia Arquette appear in them as well and we get some pretty unique death and dream sequences that really make the NOES films stand out.
While I thoroughly enjoy the Friday the 13th and Halloween franchises, NOES certainly measures up with these iconic films. After all, Freddy did have an epic showdown with Jason…
Without any further delay, my top 5 Nightmare on Elm Street films are:
5
A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child (1989)
Images courtesy of HBO Max
Alice is back in the fifth film and we discover that she is pregnant. However, Freddy is back as well and he begins attacking and killing her friends using her unborn child as a weapon. Alice and Freddy have an epic showdown, as she does everything in her power to eliminate him for good and protect her child.
The fifth film is pretty good. I enjoyed seeing Alice again and I thought the buildup to the showdown was decent.
Standout kill: Poor Greta is what she eats, as she is force fed at the table. Gross!
4
Wes Craven’s New Nightmare (1994)
Images courtesy of HBO Max
Nancy is back! Well, Heather is technically back, but I was excited to see her either way. In this re-imagining of the NOES world, Robert Englund and Heather Langenkamp play themselves, but quickly learn that the world of fantasy may actually cross over into reality.
This movie actually really held up for me. I thought that it was unique and it gave fans a lot of nostalgia. Heather/Nancy even yells out “Screw your pass,” bringing us right back to the original film. While I love the NOES film franchise, the films can become repetitive. However, this film really stood out and did something truly unique and different, which I appreciated and thoroughly enjoyed.
Standout kill: Poor Julie gets tossed and thrown around against the ceiling while Heather’s child watches in horror.
3
A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988)
Images courtesy of HBO Max
The Dream Warriors are back! But unfortunately, so is Freddy. As he begins to pick off the Dream Warriors one by one, Alice is dragged into this mess when Kristen Parker gives her the power. During Kristen’s fiery death, there is this weird electric blue energy floating around and Alice and Freddy’s abilities overlap.
Freddy collects souls and when he does, Alice begins to inherit a part of them. She starts smoking when she doesn’t smoke, she learns Kung Fu, and she wears a bad-ass leather jacket to prove she is ready to bring down Freddy by forcing him to take a good look in the mirror…
I really enjoy this film and I think it has a fantastic music soundtrack. The kills are really outrageous and Freddy’s humor takes on a life of its own in this one. More please!
Standout kill: Deb’s checkout at the Roach Motel still leaves a bad taste in my mouth…
2
A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987)
Images courtesy of HBO Max
Nancy is back! After the horrific sequel to the original film, we really needed Dream Warriors and it delivers! In this film, Nancy works as a doctor at a psych ward and helps troubled teens who may be having some fatal nightmares that she is all too familiar with…
Dream Warriors is fantastic. It allows Freddy to truly shine and we also get some interesting concepts on dreams and abilities and powers within them, which I thought was a welcomed and cool feature to prevent the films from becoming too repetitive.
Standout kill: “Welcome to Primetime, bitch” immediately comes to mind…be careful about what you are watching on television!
1
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Images courtesy of HBO Max
The original still remains as the absolute best film of the franchise for me. It really draws you in and the concept of someone killing you in your dreams is so terrifying, really allowing Freddy to reign as a supreme villain.
The characters are absolutely fantastic in this and Nancy really steps into the spotlight as a bad-ass Final Girl. Plus, she’s got her coffee machine ready under the bed! You have to admire her commitment to staying awake!
Standout kills: It’s probably a toss up between Tina being dragged up the wall in the opening scene and Glen getting sucked into his bed.
Overall, I had a blast re-watching these films. I may have some trouble falling asleep now, but it was worth it!
I hope you enjoyed the list and feel free to post your own thoughts on the NOES 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…
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!
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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!
