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:

“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!

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:

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?

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!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Thanksgiving” in Theaters: A Delicious, Blood-Soaked Delight!

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

“There will be no leftovers…”

Thanksgiving released in theaters on November 17th 2023. The slasher-horror film (directed by Eli Roth) stars Patrick Dempsey, Nell Verlaque, Addison Rae, Rick Hoffman, Milo Manheim, and Gina Gershon. It runs for approximately an hour and forty-six minutes.

A year after a horrific tragedy on Black Friday, a masked killer begins to pick off those responsible one by one, leading up to a deadly feast.

Here is the trailer:

Thanksgiving successfully channels 90’s slashers to breathe new life into the genre, supplying us with plenty of fantastic chase scenes and gory kills. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Channels 90’s slashers in the best way possible!

I absolutely loved this aspect of the movie. It recognized the perfection of this era and borrowed from it in a clever and satisfying way. So many moments reminded me of films like Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer, but it wasn’t overdone. Thanksgiving still managed to find its own identity in the process, hopefully carving the way for more slashers to come.

Gore galore!

OK, so first off…that opening scene was jaw-dropping! But the gore didn’t stop there. Each kill was inventive, entertaining, and filled to the brim with seat-squirming moments. If extreme gore isn’t for you, I’d stay clear, but for those of you who can’t get enough of it, there’s plenty to enjoy here.

The Cons:

Predictable here and there…

This didn’t take away from the entertaining moments, but perhaps a little too much was revealed in the trailers. That being said, I still loved every second of it. I guess I just wanted a few unpredictable twists thrown in for good measure…

So am I in or out?

I’m in 100 percent!!!

A clever, entertaining slasher that delivers and then some!

Slashers are DOMINATING cinema right now and I’m absolutely loving it. More please!

I hope you enjoyed the review and please feel free to share your thoughts on Thanksgiving 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 comes out November 30th 2023! I hope you enjoy!

Make it Through the Night is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Killer Book Club” on Netflix: Spanish Slasher Attempts to Channel “I Know What You Did Last Summer”

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

“She will be the one to die…”

Killer Book Club (El Club De Los Lectores Criminales) released on Netflix on August 25th 2023. The Spanish slasher-horror film stars Veki Velilla, Ane Rot, Priscilla Delgado, and Carlos Alcaide. It runs for approximately 90 minutes.

A group of friends are targeted by a masked killer, who wants to pick them off one by one to expose their secret and finish their horror novel.

Here is the trailer:

Killer Book Club clearly gets its inspiration from 90’s slashers with a fun concept, but does it find its own identity or get lost in the imitation? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Killer premise with some welcomed gore.

When I first read the description for this film, I was beyond excited. A slasher involving a book club? It honestly sounded like a dream come true. I really want to see more movies bring back the 90’s slasher vibe so I appreciate the effort here.

There were also plenty of gory kills so that was a plus.

The pros stop there though…

The Cons:

Tries too hard to imitate films like IKWYDLS and Scream.

They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but this film felt like really bad fan fiction. There were so many scenes that forced these comparisons and they didn’t come close to imprinting their own identity in the process, which was extremely frustrating to watch as a slasher fan.

The kills weren’t edgy enough.

I wanted some intense chase scenes here, but instead we got these watered down ones that had overpowering dramatic music playing over them and a weird voice-over narration. Look, I get that it was supposed to be similar to chapters in a book, but some of these scenes could have been a lot better if they had played out in a more organic way.

I couldn’t even appreciate the gore because of this.

Characters I could care less about…

There wasn’t one redeeming character. They all fell neatly into tropes and no one stood out to me. I found a lot of them to be really annoying and empty. They didn’t attempt to explore any character layers or growth so when they started to get picked off, I honestly didn’t care.

So am I in or out?

Unfortunately I’m out on this one…

More slashers please, but not like this…

I really wanted to like this film and I was so excited about the concept behind it, but it relied too much on ripping off 90’s slashers and never quite found any ounce of originality, which was beyond disappointing.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Killer Book Club 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…

Scream Hunt is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Sick” on Peacock: A Smart, Self-Aware Slasher

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

“There’s somebody in the house…”

Sick released on Peacock on January 13th 2023. Written by Scream’s Kevin Williamson, Sick is a slasher-horror film that stars Gideon Adlon, Bethlehem Million, and Dylan Sprayberry. The films runs for approximately an hour and twenty-three minutes.

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, a killer targets two friends quarantining at their family lake house.

Here is the trailer:

Sick channels Scream in the best way possible, giving horror fans a new slasher to be excited about. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Uses the pandemic in an effective way.

Since 2020, I have seen a number of horror films that used the pandemic in the background, attempting to give us a new horror entry in a unique setting. Some of the films really worked, but others fell flat.

Sick may be my favorite film featuring the pandemic (other than Host). I think it helped having Kevin Williamson write this, but this film was smart and funny, while still giving us plenty of slasher gore and terrifying moments to enjoy. Everything it highlighted from the pandemic was actually spot on and the premise was terrifying because people in extreme conditions can be dangerous and volatile.

Keeps it small…

This film could have featured an infamous house party (similar to Scream), but I actually really liked that there were very few characters in this. There was this isolating fear that made perfect sense during this time. Even though we didn’t know too much about our main characters, they did a great job of dominating the screen and creating some truly suspenseful moments.

The Cons:

Takes a little while to get going…

The opening scene was fantastic and really channeled Scream in a lot of ways. I loved it! There was some fluff to sit through after this, however. It wasn’t terrible, but I was really glad that things finally picked up and they didn’t slow down from there. The movie was on the shorter side so this didn’t impact the pacing too much.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!!!

The slasher genre is making a bloody comeback with this clever addition that has so much going for it. Sick is absolutely well worth the watch!

I loved it!

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

THIS COMPETITION IS KILLER…

Scream Hunt is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin” on HBO Max: A Teen Slasher Series done right!

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

“You can’t ignore the past forever…”

Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin premiered on HBO Max on July 28th 2022. The teen mystery drama series (based on Pretty Little Liars) stars Bailee Madison, Chandler Kinney, Maia Reficco, Malia Pyles, and Mallory Bechtel. There are three episodes available to stream now. The remaining seven episodes will air weekly. Each episode runs for approximately 50-52 minutes.

After a tragic event twenty years ago, a group of friends are targeted by A, connecting the past to the present.

Here is the trailer:

Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin may be the most entertaining spin-off series yet, as it gives fans of the original show plenty to be excited about with a clever slasher spin. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of HBO Max

The slasher spin is genius!

I absolutely loved the original Pretty Little Liars series and looked forward to coming up with crazy theories about A every week. I watched both spin-off series after that and was really excited about this new series.

The other series all focused on a teen mystery and so does this one, but it has a slasher vibe that will remind you more of Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer. A is still sneaky with the signature unknown texts and secret messages, but they are also a lot more brutal this time around and I am personally loving every second of it!

The past and present timelines are both interesting!

Similar to Yellowjackets, this new spin-off series does a good job of presenting us with an addicting mystery surrounding two timelines. Sometimes when shows go down this route, I prefer one timeline to the other, but so far I am invested in both and I am curious about how everything connects even though some parallels seem fairly obvious so far.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of HBO Max

The characters need some work…

I’m not really connecting to any of the characters yet, which is slightly disappointing. I loved the characters in the original series and we have some potential here, but I think that we need to learn more about everyone. So far we are spending a lot of time on two of the potential leads of the series, but I want to get to know everyone else too so that I care about what happens to them.

The forced pop culture and movie references are also a little nauseating at times. I get that the show is trying to be relevant, but it is a bit much so far.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of HBO Max

I’m in!

This show is really addicting and I am loving the slasher style! It’s not easy pulling off a reboot or spin-off, but so far this series is headed in the right direction and I can’t wait to watch more!

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

A Halloween they’ll never forget…

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 “Shining Vale” on Starz: Courteney Cox Moves into a Haunted House

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

“Women are also twice as likely to be possessed by a demon…”

Shining Vale premiered on Starz on March 6th 2022 with the first two episodes. There will be eight episodes in total that will air weekly. The horror comedy series stars Courteney Cox, Greg Kinnear, Mira Sorvino, Gus Birney and Judith Light. Each episode runs for approximately 30 minutes.

To save her marriage, a writer moves into a house in Connecticut with her family, but soon discovers that it may actually be haunted.

Here is the trailer:

Shining Vale is a delightful mashup between Santa Clarita Diet and Ghosts, creating its own story along the way with lots of ghostly potential. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Courteney Cox shines!

It’s fantastic seeing Courteney Cox back on television and after just watching her in the latest Scream movie, I’m all for a series centered around her moving into a haunted house. So far she is a lot of fun to watch and I think that once the show really kicks into high gear, she will really embrace this role with flair.

The rest of the cast are likable enough and so far I’m most intrigued by the potential spirits roaming around the property.

Plus, the dog is a scene stealer!

Clever use of female authors…

Courteney Cox plays a writer but there are also several nods at Sylvia Plath and Charlotte Perkins Gilman. These female authors wrote stories surrounding women suffering from some kind of mental illness while being driven mad by the walls surrounding them so I’m curious to see this theme portrayed in the modern world. I think that this will be way more than your typical ghost story. It looks like it will also be taking on the female role in society, which gives this story a unique edge already.

The episodes are also super short which makes this easy to binge-watch and the dry dark humor is a nice touch.

The Cons:

Slow start…

The opening episode felt a little unsure of itself. I was intrigued, but not really sold until the very end. Episode two was a big improvement and I thought the humor landed better as well. I think that once we get to episode three or four, this show will really find its way. I’m remaining positive that we’ll get there.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!

I think this show already has a lot of potential and I’m curious to see some of the other themes really take off because I think we could witness pure magic!

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

THIS COMPETITION IS KILLER…

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 “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:

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.

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.

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:

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?

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…

My new young adult horror thriller is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Scream Hunt is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “There’s Someone Inside Your House” on Netflix: Modern Day “Scream” Fights to be Relevant

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

“You’re in my house so I can legally kill you…”

There’s Someone Inside Your House premiered on Netflix on October 6th 2021. Based on the book of the same name, the slasher horror film stars Sydney Park, Théodore Pellerin, Asjha Cooper, Dale Whibley and Burkely Duffield. It runs for approximately an hour and thirty-five minutes.

Makani Young moves in with her grandmother to escape her past, but when a killer starts targeting those around her with secrets, she is forced to face her inner demons in order to survive.

Here is the trailer:

There’s Someone Inside Your House follows the successful formula of movies like Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer, but does it find its own identity? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Strong start and gory kills.

This movie didn’t drag things out. Similar to Scream and Fear Street, it started off with a killer opening and provided the audience with plenty of gory kills to make it worthy of the slasher genre. Some of the kills were actually pretty gruesome and I thought it helped balance out the teen melodrama going on.

Images courtesy of Netflix

Characters to care about.

I really liked that we devoted enough time to our main character and some of the supporting ones as well. We were presented with a diverse cast and there were some honest genuine moments between them. It wasn’t just about someone trying to kill them. There was a deeper meaning here being explored.

We learned about their past, their secrets, and their fears, as they were exposed for who they truly are. They quickly realized that they can put on “a face” to the rest of the world, but they are lying to themselves and the sooner they accept who they are, the sooner they can own their past and be better in their present.

I thought this had a strong message in it and it helped me connect to the characters more than in your average slasher.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Scream by the numbers…

The plot was not the same, but the formula was almost identical and it was hard not to make comparisons when I watched this. Scream is my favorite movie of all time and I appreciate this movie channeling that (similar to Fear Street), but the execution felt stale and uninspiring.

I also thought that the title of the film was kind of strange. I didn’t read the book, but now I’m wondering if the film decided to branch off more from the “house setting.” I almost thought I was going to be watching a different type of movie and I’m not sure it did the film any favors…

An OK reveal.

Much like Scream, I spent the majority of this movie trying to figure out the mystery behind the killings but once we got to the major reveal, I was kind of disappointed. It wasn’t a bad one and it wasn’t obvious, but I guess I was expecting something a little bit more shocking.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in about 75 percent…

This movie was entertaining and if you enjoy slasher films like Scream, you will feel right at home. I never felt myself tuning out and I thought the overall pacing was good. The character development helped further things along but I wanted a little bit more from this movie.

It needed to branch out and find its own separate identity and I think we saw flickers of it, but it fell just a little bit short in other areas for me.

Overall, a decent watch for horror and slasher fans but just manage your expectations accordingly!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on There’s Someone Inside Your House in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

A Halloween they’ll never forget…

My new young adult horror thriller is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Scream Hunt is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Fear Street Part 1: 1994” on Netflix: 90’s Slasher Nostalgia

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

“It began as a prank and ended in murder…”

Fear Street Part 1: 1994 is a supernatural slasher film that premiered on July 2nd 2021 on Netflix. It is the first entry to the trilogy which will take place over the next three weeks. The film stars Olivia Welch, Kiana Madeira, Benjamin Flores Jr. and Maya Hawke. It runs for approximately an hour and forty-five minutes.

Inspired by the R.L. Stine book series, the first film follows a group of teens in the town of Shadyside as they face off against a supernatural presence that threatens to wreak havoc on their town.

Here is the trailer:

Fear Street Part 1: 1994 turns back time and reels us in with some iconic 90’s slasher nostalgia along with a killer soundtrack, but does it do enough to earn a watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Don’t f*** with the original.

The opening of this film was really strong. It helped having Stranger Things fan favorite, Maya Hawke lighting up the screen in a B.Dalton bookstore, which brought back so many memories. This film definitely channeled Scream and even gave me some Blair Witch vibes as well, but it did it in a clever way. It didn’t feel like a cheesy rip-off. It felt like a tribute to some iconic 90’s horror and I hope this also helps introduce a younger audience to some of these great films.

It still pains me to hear things like “oh I didn’t know the Scream show was based on a movie.” (This really happened by the way).

90’s dream.

Remember when people used to actually call one another? I thought this time jump back to the 90’s was a lot of fun. Similar to shows like Little Fire Everywhere and Cruel Summer, Fear Street is jumping on the bandwagon and they delivered in a lot of ways.

I thought the soundtrack was amazing and the throwbacks were a lot of fun, but I thought the fashion could have used some work. Other than the opening scene, I didn’t see any real iconic pieces of 90’s fashion thrown into the mix.

In a lot of ways, this time jumping theme for Fear Street is kind of reminding me of American Horror Story: 1984 and in a good way. Both of these entries understood the time period and the movies they were channeling, but they also did a good job of creating something on their own.

I’m interested to see how they will approach the next era in the second film. Bring it on!

The Cons:

Where’s the chemistry?

This film earned a R rating and stepped away from Goosebumps. I’m all for a group of kids or teens facing off against an unspeakable horror, but I need to actually care about the characters. Fear Street needed to take a lesson from Stranger Things and even the new IT film. The chemistry and humor between the characters was lacking here.

There were a lot of scenes where we witnessed some melodrama that didn’t really translate well. I won’t call it Riverdale-esque because I actually like Riverdale, but it felt empty and uninspiring.

I loved Olivia Welch in Panic and all of the actors put forth a valiant effort, but I needed more. There were some moments sprinkled in, but I think any major character layers were glossed over and as much as I appreciated the LGBTQ relationship at the core, we needed more development to truly care about these characters.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!

The film had a really strong opening and ending. It did enough at the end of the movie to reel me in for more and I’m anxious to see the other two parts connect with everything. Overall, this was an entertaining watch and I think as long as you manage your expectations and power through the unnecessary teen melodrama, you will enjoy the watch. Besides, you can always just tune them out and focus on the amazing soundtrack!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Fear Street Part 1: 1994 in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

A HALLOWEEN THEY’LL NEVER FORGET…

My new young adult horror thriller comes out October 7th 2021! I hope you enjoy!

Scream Hunt is available here!

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Ranking the “I Know What You Did Last Summer” movies from Best to Worst

“What you waiting for, huh? What are you waiting for?!”

Images courtesy of Showtime

A question that all fans of IKWYDLS know all too well. The popular film franchise is based on the book by Lois Duncan, which I actually read before I saw the first film. If you haven’t read it yet, I definitely recommend it. Things happen differently in the book, which may allow some of your favorite characters to get some deserved redemption.

When I think about 90’s slasher movies, I automatically jump to films like Scream, IKWYDLS and Urban Legend. They are fun, entertaining, and they keep you on the edge of your seat. Humor and teen drama weaves its way in while we witness some pretty intense scares as well.

I was super excited that Showtime added the IKWYDLS films to its lineup, which gave me a chance to catch up on all three films. Yes, there are three films…we’ll get to that later. The deadly fisherman with a hook for a hand becomes all too real after four friends make a fatal mistake that will haunt them forever…or at least for the next few summers.

Please note some spoilers are ahead.

Without any further delay, let’s find out exactly how I ranked the I Know What You Did Last Summer films and why.

1

I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)

Images courtesy of Showtime

The original film is the best one by a landslide. Released in 1997, it stars Jennifer Love Hewitt, Freddie Prinze Jr., Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Ryan Phillippe.

There is something really unsettling about this film in all the right ways. The villain is truly terrifying, the music is creepy, and some of the scares still haunt me till now. Seriously, I check my closet every single night before I got to sleep because of what happened to poor Helen (SMG).

Images courtesy of Showtime

The characters are far from perfect. They make a terrible mistake that comes back to haunt them. The killer doesn’t just want to eliminate them…he wants to mess with them and make them question everything and everyone around them.

Standout Death:

Spoiler alert. Do not read if you have not seen this movie!

Images courtesy of Showtime

Helen Shivers played by Sarah Michelle Gellar had the potential to be a fantastic Final Girl, but Julie James took that crown. However, her chase scene leading to her tragic death may be one of my favorite scenes in any slasher movie. I was rooting for her the entire time and the film really shook things up by killing her off. I’m still mad about it…

2 I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998)

Images courtesy of Showtime

The sequel is really not that bad. Released in 1998, it stars Jennifer Love Hewitt, Freddie Prinze Jr., Brandy, and Mekhi Phifer. Julie James is back and wins a trip to the Bahamas with her roommate, Karla. Julie and Ray are on the rocks, but luckily our favorite fisherman shows up in a few clutch moments.

While some of this movie is slightly outrageous, we do get some fun characters, including one played by Jack Black. We witness a fun karaoke performance, a tanning bed nightmare, and a lot of rain to really add to the ambiance.

Images courtesy of Showtime

Plus, there is a pretty big twist at the end which did help things.

Standout Death:

Images courtesy of Showtime

Not a death scene, but the tanning bed scene does come to mind. Julie decides to try and relax, but the killer locks the tanning bed, which is beyond terrifying.

3 I’ll Always Know What You Did Last Summer (2006)

Images courtesy of Showtime

So, I had no idea for the longest time that this film even existed and after watching it, I know why. The film was released in 2006 and it stars Brooke Nevin, David Paetkau, and Torrey DeVito. None of the original cast appear in this film although we do get a brief mention about what happened to them when the new characters are researching our infamous fisherman killer, Ben Willis.

The beginning of this film is actually kind of interesting. The group of friends decide to play a prank on everyone that actually ends up deadly and they try to cover it up.

That’s pretty much the only interesting part of the movie. The acting is horrible, the kills are gory, but eh, and the twist at the end is so ridiculous that you may think you actually fell asleep during the movie. I won’t reveal the twist here, but wow…and not in a good way.

Standout Death:

The tractor scene comes to mind, but honestly nothing really sticks out on this one.

I almost wish this movie had come out with a different name. It really doesn’t do the franchise any favors.

While there have been talks about an IKWYDLS television series, I haven’t seen too much on this. I would honestly love to see IKWYDLS take a page out of Scream’s book and give us a film with the original characters while introducing us to a new set of potential victims. Maybe Ben’s son had a son…or daughter? Just a thought…

Which I Know What You Did Last Summer films did YOU enjoy most?

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

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