Spoiler-Free Review of “The Blackening” in Theaters: So Much Fun!

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

“We are all alone…in a cabin in the woods…”

The Blackening released in theaters on June 16th 2023. The horror comedy film stars Grace Byers, Sinqua Walls, Melvin Gregg, X Mayo, Dewayne Perkins, and Jermaine Fowler. It runs for approximately an hour and thirty-seven minutes.

A group of friends meet up for a reunion weekend, but things go terribly wrong when they are forced to play a deadly game to survive the night.

Here is the trailer:

The Blackening is a brilliant horror comedy that is spot on with its satire and outrageously funny. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Lionsgate Films

Laugh-out-loud funny and fun references for horror fans.

In a way, this was a smarter version of Scary Movie (which I absolutely love). It created the perfect balance of super funny moments with tons of slasher fun, making this stand out in the horror comedy genre and I think it’s safe to say I’ll be re-watching this one again and again.

The humor worked really well for the most part and I loved the horror references and Easter eggs sprinkled into the mix. It took on horror tropes we have seen again and again in a fun and entertaining way.

Images courtesy of Lionsgate Films

Great characters!

Everyone really held their own, but my favorite character was Dewayne for sure. I loved the chemistry and banter between everyone, which made this film even more entertaining in a lot of ways. Sure, there are a lot of silly and unbelievable things that happen, but as long as you just go with it, you’ll have an absolute blast.

The pacing worked really well and I LOVED that opening!

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Lionsgate Films

The twist is predictable…

I don’t think this took away anything from the movie, but I saw the twist coming a mile away. You could say that it just added to the silly take on the horror tropes so maybe it was intentional, but since we did experience some solid slasher moments in this, I was also hoping for a touch more in terms of this. That being said, I still enjoyed the execution of it so this wasn’t a major con.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Lionsgate Films

I’m in!!!

The Blackening is a witty and delightful horror comedy!

I was so excited to watch this film and it exceeded my expectations in the best way possible.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The Blackening 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 “Nanny” on Prime Video: Chilling Performance

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

“Jobs like this, they don’t fall from the sky…”

Nanny premiered on Prime Video on December 16th 2022. The psychological horror-thriller film stars Anna Diop, Michelle Monaghan, Sinqua Walls, and Morgan Spector. It runs for approximately an hour and forty minutes.

Aisha takes a job as a nanny, hoping to earn enough money to bring her son to the United States, but a dark presence begins to slither into her dreams, threatening to shatter her sanity.

Here is the trailer:

Nanny weaves together a foreboding mystery that hooks you until the very end. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Prime Video

A layered mystery.

Aisha had to deal with quite a lot while being a nanny for a wealthy, but clearly troubled couple. The dynamic between her and the parents was interesting enough on its own, but there were also these dark dreams and hallucinations sprinkled into the mix, along with Aisha’s own struggle to reunite with her son. While this film could have easily felt overstuffed and unfocused, it did a good job of balancing out all of the elements, refusing to let its audience off the hook.

I loved the imagery and connections to folklore. They really gave this film such a unique feel. The ending was also unexpected, but really well done.

Images courtesy of Prime Video

Strong female lead.

Anna Diop was beyond fantastic in this. She really put forth so much effort into the portrayal of her character and truly made this film into something unique and intriguing just by her mere presence. She nailed every single scene and gave her character so much strength during pivotal moments. 

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Prime Video

Needed more of an edge at times…

Don’t get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed the dark imagery and vivid dreams, but I also wanted them to embrace some horror elements a little bit more. There were several moments that could have been truly terrifying if they had gone a little bit farther with them. I didn’t need anything really grotesque or extreme, but submerging a little bit more into the horror side of things would have worked really nicely with the overall tone of this film.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Prime Video

I’m in!

A consuming mystery enhanced by a stunning performance that honestly left me with chills.

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