Spoiler-Free Review of “Perpetrator” on Shudder: What did I just watch?

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

“I don’t know what to do with her…”

Perpetrator released on Shudder on September 1st 2023. The supernatural horror film stars Alicia Silverstone, Chris Lowell, Kiah McKirnan, and Melanie Liburd. It runs for approximately an hour and forty minutes.

Jonny is sent to live with her aunt right before her 18th birthday, triggering a bewitching transformation that allows her to help find a group of missing girls in her town.

Here is the trailer:

Perpetrator had plenty of bewitching ingredients, but its slow pace and trippy weirdness made this one difficult to enjoy. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

An eerie premise.

I was actually pretty excited to watch this one. I loved the concept and I’m all for a feminist witchy movie featuring a decent enough mystery at its core. This movie should have been a slam dunk based off of the premise, but it never quite executed things in an effective way.

The Cons:

Underwhelming performances…

I expect a lot more from Alicia Silverstone. She’s the main reason why I tuned in for this one and while I felt comforted by her mere presence, her performance seemed really odd. It almost felt like she was over-acting in certain scenes.

Chris Lowell didn’t get too much to do and our main lead was pretty bland. I honestly didn’t care about what happened to her, which didn’t help matters.

Super dull with no real direction.

This one was painfully slow and really confusing. It didn’t follow a logical sequence of events. Rather, it felt more like it mashed together a series of ideas and prayed that the audience wouldn’t notice? I felt like I was watching this one forever even though the runtime was standard. So disappointing…

So am I in or out?

Unfortunately I’m out on this one…

Boring, pointless, and really disappointing.

Shudder has been missing the mark lately. The last few original movies I have watched have been painfully awful.

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

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!

Play if you dare…

Dash and Seek is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Bad Things” on Shudder: LGBTQ Version of “The Shining” Has its Ups and Downs

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

“It doesn’t seem that haunted…”

Bad Things released on Shudder on August 18th 2023. The supernatural horror film stars Gayle Rankin, Hari Nef, Annabelle Dexter-Jones, and Molly Ringwald. It runs for an hour and twenty-five minutes.

After inheriting an abandoned hotel, Ruthie and her friends decide to spend the weekend there, but they soon discover that there is another presence lurking on the property.

Here is the trailer:

Bad Things has an intriguing and chilling premise with ghostly potential, but does it do enough to be worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

The nods to The Shining work.

Bad Things clearly drew a lot of its inspiration from that iconic movie and I really loved those elements the most. The creepy hotel and the winter setting felt very much on point and there were a few strange characters that gave me plenty of nostalgia for that film in a positive way without compromising the identity of this modern film.

Well-executed cinematography.

Everything was shot really well. I particularly really liked the shots of the hotel hallway and I thought the muted color scheme channeled the eerie vibe this film was going for. The offbeat music also worked in its favor.

The Cons:

Sluggish pacing.

This film was on the shorter side, but I felt like I had been watching it for a very long time and not in a good way. Some of the conversations between the characters felt completely unnecessary and they did nothing to add any layers to them, which was frustrating.

Odd ending.

I really wasn’t a fan of the ending. This film started off with so much potential, but I’m not sure that it ever quite found its way. There were some genuinely creepy moments that had me interested, but once we got to the end, I wanted something a lot more…

So am I in or out?

I’m 50/50 on this one…

Bad Things has a haunting concept with some freaky moments sprinkled in, but it loses its way at the end.

There were a lot of things that I liked about this one, but I just wanted a lot more from it.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Bad Things 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 “Quicksand” on Shudder: Solid Survival Suspense Film

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

“We both need to be perfectly still…”

Quicksand released on Shudder on July 14th 2023. The survival thriller film stars Carolina Gaitan, Allan Hawco, and Sebastian Eslava. It runs for an hour and twenty-five minutes.

Sofia and Josh are thinking about getting a divorce when they go hiking together in a rainforest in Colombia, but they end up with bigger problems when they get trapped in quicksand with dangerous predators close by.

Here is the trailer:

Quicksand has plenty of intense and edge-of-your-seat moments with a familiar, but entertaining plot. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Enough threats to keep us invested.

As if getting stuck in quicksand wasn’t horrifying enough, Sofia and Josh had to deal with a lot of other predators that had me squirming in my seat. There were plenty of intense moments in this one. I personally really like survival thrillers and this film did a good job of representing the genre with a few welcomed surprises.

Decent pacing.

I was worried that we might have to suffer through fluff-filled flashbacks to keep things moving, but the pacing worked really nicely in this film. The characters had enough time to hash things out while trying to figure out a way out of their situation. I never felt bored and I thought the actors gave us honest performances.

The Cons:

A movie I’ve seen before…

I did enjoy this one quite a bit, but it’s a very familiar plot. I’ve seen plenty of survival thriller/horror flicks where the main couple are having problems and then they end up in a life-threatening situation in different settings.

That’s pretty much the case with this film, but it’s still entertaining. Just don’t expect anything too out there…

So am I in or out?

I’m in about 75 percent…

A survival thriller worth your time with plenty of edge-of-your-seat moments.

This film was predictable, but it still checked off all the boxes to make this an enjoyable watch from start to finish.

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

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 “Influencer” on Shudder: Wickedly Fun Thriller

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

“Traveling is all about experiencing new things…”

Influencer premiered on Shudder on May 26th 2023. The horror-thriller film stars Emily Tennant, Cassandra Naud, and Rory J. Saper. It runs for approximately 92 minutes.

A social media influencer seeks inspiration in Thailand when she befriends a woman named CW, who offers to show her the local hot spots. But CW’s interest in the woman takes an unexpected and dark turn.

Here is the trailer:

Influencer takes a stab at the dangers of “becoming famous” on social media, exploring a disturbing take on obsession and the desire to be known. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Fresh take on the social media genre…

I’ve seen way too many films about this lately, but I have to say that Influencer presented the audience with a unique take on things. It crafted the perfect balance of a Single White Female-esque obsession in today’s world without overthinking things. The idea may not be new, but I thought the execution was really entertaining and twisted, making this an interesting watch overall.

Super strong start and finish!

Wow, I was completely hooked by the opening of this movie. It took me for surprise in such a gut-wrenching way. The ending was FANTASTIC and so bad-ass. I absolutely loved it.

The Cons:

Goes off course in the middle…

While this film started off with a bang and stuck the landing, the middle was a little murky and confusing. It was still interesting enough and it held my attention, but I was worried about where the film was going and I think it lost its way a little bit. The pacing also slowed down as well, but luckily things picked up.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!!!

Deranged and disturbing with plenty of shocking moments sprinkled in.

I thoroughly enjoyed my watch and recommend this one…especially if you enjoy films like Single White Female, The Roomate, and Swimfan.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Influencer 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 “Skinamarink” in Theaters: Not Much Going on…

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

“Are you hiding?”

Skinamarink released in limited theaters on January 13th 2023. The film will later release on Shudder on February 2nd 2023. The experimental horror film stars Jaime Hill, Lucas Paul, Ross Paul, and Dali Rose Tetreault. It runs for approximately an hour and forty minutes.

Two young siblings wake up in the middle of the night to discover that their parents are missing and the windows and doors have disappeared mysteriously.

Here is the trailer:

Skinamarink creates a different kind of horror movie, focusing more on feelings of fear and a setting rather than a story. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Tries something different…

I’m all for filmmakers trying something unique and different with their movies. The camera effects took me a while to get used to, but I actually kind of liked them. I felt like I had stumbled upon an old security VHS tape and was trying to piece together what I was seeing.

This film had a super low budget and that was apparent, but it did actually create some genuinely creepy moments and even one that actually made me jump so there’s that.

If you’re looking for a truly horrifying found-footage film, I’m not sure that you’ll get that here, but I appreciate the effort in this one. I’m just not sure that it translated that well at all…

The Cons:

So boring!

I think there was probably at least thirty minutes of the camera following around furniture. I was bored out of my mind and I was afraid to eat my popcorn in the theater because you could literally hear a pin drop. I think that this film could have been much shorter and only given us about five minutes of that material. There were actually people that got up and left in the middle of the movie so you may want to wait until this streams on Shudder so you can fast-forward to more of the creepy stuff.

The dialogue was so muffled and I’m not sure why we got subtitles during certain moments and it was absent in others. This didn’t make it scarier for me at all. I was just struggling to hear what was going on, which was super frustrating at times.

The ending of the movie was really bizarre and while I did look up several interpretations, I can’t say that it really helped fill in the blanks at all…

So am I in or out?

I’m 50/50 on this one…

Normally I would be out on this, but I appreciate what the filmmakers tried to accomplish and I’m always supportive of any kind of Indie film. This was a really cool concept, but I’m not sure where all the hype came from. There were a few flickers of potential, but I was hoping for a lot more.

I did like that phone though…

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Skinamarink 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 “The Apology” on Shudder: Intense and Emotionally Brutal

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

“The hardest part is the not knowing…”

The Apology released on Shudder on December 16th 2022. The holiday horror-thriller film stars Anna Gunn, Linus Roache, and Janeane Garofalo. It runs for approximately 90 minutes.

Twenty years after the disappearance of her teenage daughter, a recovering alcoholic is preparing to host her family’s Christmas celebration when there is a knock at her door during a winter storm from an old friend with a secret.

Here is the trailer:

The Apology features a powerful and gripping performance by Anna Gunn with some edge-of-your-seat moments of intensity. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Anna Gunn is beyond brilliant.

I tend to associate her with the annoying character of Skyler White on Breaking Bad, but wow was she incredible in this film. There weren’t too many characters in this so she needed to command the screen and she did so in a big way! She showed so many emotions and I thought her character was very believable, making you want to root for her that much more.

A simple, but effective premise.

I love simple revenge thrillers and I thought this film took on a different approach, which I actually really enjoyed. We could have had her character running around outside in the snow or finding different ways to call for help, but she mostly had to focus on her own wit and resources. The ending was powerful and even though there was quite a bit of talking in-between, it made the scenario seem that much more horrifying and realistic in a lot of ways.

The Cons:

Reveals too much too quickly…

My biggest issue with this film was that we found out the hook way too soon. Sure, there were other details that needed to be revealed, but I would have liked for things to drag out a little bit more before we realized the situation that our main character was in.

I also thought her character deserved a little bit more development, especially since Anna Gunn was so incredible in this role. It would have helped me connect with her character even more. Either way, I still enjoyed everything.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!

A gut-wrenching emotional performance combined with a simple, but effective premise, making this a unique watch from start to finish.

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

A VACATION TO DIE FOR…

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 rule…they 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!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Christmas Bloody Christmas” on Shudder: Campy Fun

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

“A killer Santa Claus…”

Christmas Bloody Christmas released on Shudder on December 9th 2022. The holiday horror film stars Riley Dandy, Jeff Daniel Phillips, and Sam Delich. It runs for approximately an hour and twenty-seven minutes.

A record store owner just wants to spend Christmas Eve getting drunk, but her plans are interrupted when a robotic Santa Claus goes on a killing spree.

Here is the trailer:

Christmas Bloody Christmas is an absolute blast to watch as long as you don’t take it too seriously. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Lots of fun.

Sure, the plot was completely bonkers, but I had a lot of fun watching this one. Don’t expect to get any real answers about why a robotic Santa Claus is on the loose, but do expect to enjoy plenty of gory kills. I loved the use of color and how this film channeled an 80’s horror vibe in so many ways.

Riley Dandy is one to root for!

I absolutely loved her in this. Her character was fierce and then some! She was really inventive and I was cheering for her the entire time. She fully embraced this role and elevated this film in a lot of ways.

That ending image was perfection!

The Cons:

Takes a while to get going…

The film was on the shorter side, but we had to sit through some exhausting dialogue for quite a long time. I also wasn’t a huge fan of the random first-person camera angle in the beginning, but luckily this didn’t stick around for too long.

The first half wasn’t bad, but things drastically improved once Santa got going…

So am I in or out?

I’m in!

Campy goodness filled with gory Christmas cheer!

Christmas Bloody Christmas lives up to its name and is a bloody good time!

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

A VACATION TO DIE FOR…

Who will make it off the island alive?

I hope you enjoy my new island thriller!

Blood Rose Island is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Deadstream” on Shudder: An Absolute Blast!

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

“I will be spending one night alone in a haunted house!”

Deadstream released on Shudder on October 6th 2022. The horror-comedy film stars Joseph Winter and Melanie Stone. It runs for approximately an hour and twenty-seven minutes.

A disgraced internet personality attempts to gain back his followers by livestreaming himself in an abandoned haunted house when he accidentally unleashes an evil spirit.

Here is the trailer:

Deadstream is so much fun to watch and really spot on with its depiction of the livestreaming culture. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Channels The Evil Dead and nails the horror comedy angle!

You basically get a crazy mashup of Paranormal Activity, Ghost Hunters, and The Evil Dead with this clever and hilarious found-footage horror film and it somehow just works! The “Wrath of Shawn” may seem ridiculous and silly, but it’s actually really spot on with a lot of the livestreamers I have watched and I think it nailed the vibe it was going for.

Joseph Winter and Melanie Stone killed it!

The film pretty much centers around these two main characters and I was worried that I would grow tired of them, but they were so amazing! The dynamic between them was so entertaining and even though Shawn was really extreme, he was playing the part to perfection and it sold this film in the best way possible. I think it’s really cool that he’s actually the director of the movie as well!

More please!

The Cons:

Not super scary…

This didn’t matter to me at all because I embraced this as a true horror comedy, but if you’re looking for some actual serious scares, you won’t find too many here. As long as you just go with the Raimi tone, you’ll find plenty to enjoy as a horror fan, however.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!!!

The most fun I have had watching a horror comedy in quite a while!

I don’t need to “fansplain” how much I enjoyed this film. Just watch it. Trust me! You’ll love it!

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

A VACATION TO DIE FOR…

Who will make it off the island alive?

I hope you enjoy my new island thriller!

Blood Rose Island is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “The Reef: Stalked” on Shudder: A Shark Addicted to Paddling

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

“All we can do is paddle…”

The Reef: Stalked released on Shudder on July 29th 2022. The survival horror film stars Teressa Liane, Saskia Archer, Ann Truong, and Kate Lister. It runs for approximately an hour and thirty minutes.

A group of friends head out on kayaks for a relaxing day of diving and fun, but wind up stalked by a great white shark instead.

Here is the trailer:

The Reef: Stalked gives kayaks a whirl for our toothy friend, but does it do enough to earn a watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Some intense moments!

Some of the jump scares were a little much, but there were some really intense moments during this film when the shark was stalking these characters. I was on the edge of my seat and was genuinely terrified. The Reef is one of my favorite shark movies so I had very high hopes for this and I think it did deliver some nail-biting moments for sure.

Pretty scenery and a different approach.

I’m not sure where this one was shot, but I thought the scenery was absolutely beautiful. When the characters initially set out on their kayaks, I was thoroughly enjoying the views under and over the water.

I’ve seen close to every shark movie ever made and the formula has become very predictable, but still enjoyable. That being said, I thought that this film took a different approach with how these characters were ultimately going to stay alive while the shark was stalking them. It broke the formula a little bit, which was a plus for me.

The Cons:

Repetitive flashbacks and some crazy bad acting…

Our main character went through a trauma that is explained during the film. She repeatedly gets flashbacks of this (even though she didn’t technically witness it). I totally understood the parallels given her current situation, but I thought they really dragged these out.

There were also a few supporting characters that had laughable reactions to the shark. I enjoyed the main characters, but wow…

So am I in or out?

I’m in about 75 percent…

I’m always going to give any shark movie a try and I thoroughly enjoy this genre. There’s plenty to enjoy with this one, but I don’t think it did anything that extraordinary to set itself apart from similar films that have come out recently.

I’d recommend watching Shark Bait or Deep Blue Sea 3 first for a more entertaining ride. There’s still enough here to have fun with, but I would manage your expectations accordingly.

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

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 “Revealer” on Shudder: 80’s Horror Nostalgia and a lot of Fun

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

“I’m not dying in a peep show booth!”

Revealer released on June 23rd 2022 and is available to stream on Shudder. The horror film stars Caito Aase and Shaina Schrooten. It runs for approximately an hour and 25 minutes.

A stripper and a religious protester end up trapped in a peep show booth together when the apocalypse begins.

Here is the trailer:

Revealer nails the cheesy 80’s horror vibe with flair, giving us a pair of leading ladies to be excited about. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Shudder

Dream duo!

These ladies were fantastic and the best part of the movie! Even though there is an apocalypse going on, the focus is primarily on these two characters so it was important for the acting to be on point and it really was. I had so much fun watching these two and they helped me fall in love with this one!

80’s horror vibe.

I loved that this film took place in the 1980’s and I thought it really channeled the cheesy horror vibe during that time. This was a low budget film but it was still a lot of fun to watch and I think it did a lot with what it had to work with.

More please!

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Shudder

Goes on for a little too long…

The movie wasn’t really long, but I think the plot was dragged out just a little bit. I think this might have worked better as an hour long part of an anthology series, but it still was a really fun ride so I’m not too disappointed with this.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Shudder

I’m in!

An absolute blast to watch!

If you’re looking for a quick horror film to watch and enjoy, you’ll have a lot of fun with this one.

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

**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!