Tag: sense of dread

Spoiler-Free Review of “Wolf Man” in Theaters: Needed More Bite

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

“You can survive if you know exactly what to do…”

Wolf Man released in theaters on January 17th 2025. A reboot of the 1941 film, Wolf Man is an American horror film starring Julia Garner, Christopher Abbott, Matilda Firth, and Sam Jaeger. It runs for approximately an hour and forty-three minutes.

Blake and his family are attacked by an unseen animal when they go to visit his father’s farmhouse. After they barricade themselves inside, Blake begins to act strangely, transforming into something unrecognizable that threatens the safety of his family.

Here is the trailer:

Wolf Man has some stomach-turning and suspenseful moments throughout the film, but is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Universal Pictures

Some edge-of-your-seat moments.

Most of them appeared in the trailer, but there were some super intense parts of this film that I really enjoyed. I thought the Oregon wilderness worked well as the backdrop here, enhancing the dire situation for our main characters who are literally stranded in the middle of nowhere.

That sense of dread continued to build and build, leading to a satisfying enough conclusion.

Images courtesy of Universal Pictures

Cool gory effects!

I was thoroughly impressed with the effects in this one. The transformation scenes were brutal and gory. There was one scene in particular that had my stomach turning. There could have been a little more gore in this overall, but I was pleased with this aspect of the film.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Universal Pictures

Stupid decisions made over and over again!

I really hate it when characters make the worst decisions possible. It’s very irritating to watch unfold. There were so many moments that had me practically yelling at the screen. As much as I like Julia Garner, I thought her character lacked edge. We needed her to channel Ruth Langmore a little more to show she meant business!

I didn’t believe the chemistry between her and her husband at all, which made me invest less in the overall outcome. I’ve seen some terrible couples in horror films before (The Strangers: Chapter 1 most recently), but these two may have topped them…

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Universal Pictures

I’m in about 75 percent…

Wolf Man is a decent enough watch with some stomach-turning effects, but it needed to dig a little deeper.  

This is a movie I’ve seen a million times before and it didn’t offer anything that new or exciting. It wasn’t a terrible start for Blumhouse for 2025, but I had higher expectations.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Wolf Man 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 “Nosferatu” in Theaters: A Gorgeous Gothic Piece of Art

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

“Come to me…”

Nosferatu released in theaters on December 26th 2024. The vampire horror drama film (directed by Robert Eggers) is a remake of the 1922 film. It stars Bill Skarsgård, Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp, and Willem Dafoe. The film runs for approximately two hours and fifteen minutes.

Set in the 1800’s, an estate agent travels to Transylvania to meet with Count Orlock, leaving his wife Ellen behind in the care of friends, but she quickly becomes plagued by haunting nightmares and visions involving a dangerous presence that threatens them all.

Here is the trailer:

Nosferatu has gorgeous scenery, poetic dialogue, and a Gothic sense of dread that terrifies its audience in a subtle, but effective way. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Focus Features

Beautiful to look at.

I love it when a film can effortlessly transport you to another place and time. Every image and scene was flawless to look at. It felt like I had stepped into a timeless piece of art mixed perfectly with a Gothic novel, creating a breathtaking piece of cinema.

Images courtesy of Focus Features

Incredible performances.

I was very pleased with Lily-Rose Depp’s performance along with Nicholas Hoult’s. They were both exceptional in this one. Willem Dafoe blew everyone out of the water, however. I expect nothing less from him, but his presence elevated the film in a lot of ways for me. 

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Focus Features

Way too long…

I didn’t need this film to be over two hours long. I thought the initial pacing was fine, but there were too many scenes involving walking around with no real purpose. Once we returned to London, everything almost came to a screeching halt. I felt like I was watching certain parts for over five hours and I did look at the time quite a bit.

I was hoping this would lead to a satisfying conclusion, but it was just kind of OK for me personally. I get what they were going for and it worked with the obsession angle, but I guess I just wanted something a little more here to really sell me on this one.

I enjoyed my watch overall, but I wouldn’t necessarily return to this film again for another viewing.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Focus Features

I’m in…

Nosferatu is an eloquent film filled with dark obsession, terror, and dread elevated by exceptional performances.

While I had some issues with this film, I do think that it was a worthy entry to cinema worth experiencing on the big screen.

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