Spoiler-Free Review of “I Know What You Did Last Summer” (2025) in Theaters: Heavy on the Nostalgia but light on Slasher Fun

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

What are you waiting for?!
I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025) released in theaters on July 18th 2025. The fourth installment of one of my favorite franchises of all time takes place after the events of I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, bringing us back to Southport where a new crime has been committed by a group of teens who are soon targeted by a masked killer in a fisherman’s slicker.

The slasher horror film stars Chase Sui Wonders, Madelyn Cline, Sarah Pidgeon, Tyriq Withers, Freddie Prinze Jr. and Jennifer Love Hewitt.

After trying to keep a crime a secret, a group of friends receive an anonymous note as a killer begins targeting those closest to them, forcing them to seek help from Ray and Julie, who went through something similar in Southport back in 1997. The film runs for approximately an hour and fifty minutes.
Here is the trailer:


I Know What You Did Last Summer brings us plenty of welcomed cameos and nostalgia for fans of the original film, but does it do enough to be worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing

Lots of familiar faces and nostalgia for fans of the original.

Honestly, we got nostalgia overload here and I was all for it! Those cameos were to die for and I loved all of the Easter eggs and nods at the original. This movie clearly understood where it came from and was very much for the fans in a lot of ways.

This elevated the movie for me A LOT…

Make sure you stick around for the end credit scene as well.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing

Insufferable characters.

Where do I start…these characters were AWFUL and the acting was atrocious. I really tried here, but I couldn’t connect with any of these characters and I didn’t care when anyone lived or died.

There were people laughing in the theater so maybe other viewers will connect with them more, but I was honestly struggling here and IKWYDLS is one of my favorite movies of all time so I did put in the effort, but wow they were bad.

The reason why I love the original film so much is because I really rooted for the characters. There wasn’t enough development here for anyone (including Ray and Julie) so this was tough.

The random fluff was excruciating to sit through as well…

Images courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing

Terrible twist and not enough suspense…

There was some more gore, which I guess was cool, but I thought there was an overwhelming lack of suspense here, which the original film mastered. We needed more chase scenes and while I appreciated some of the familiar backdrops for these kills, they just didn’t dig deep enough for me.

This felt like a very timid slasher, which was disappointing.

Thanksgiving did a much better job with this.

I HATED the twist so much and thought it was a complete disservice to fans. I’m sure some people will love it and find it shocking and bold, but I found it very frustrating and thought the writers were grasping at straws here…

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing

I’m in about 75 percent…

I Know What You Did Last Summer delivers on nostalgia but fails to hook us with anything new, relying too heavily on a messy and disappointing plot.

Look, I’m a fan of the franchise and always will be and those cameos were FANTASTIC, but I wanted so much more from this movie.

I really got what it was trying to do, but I don’t think the execution was there and honestly Scream did a much better job with its newer films…

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025) 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!
**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 “Heart Eyes” in Theaters: Rom-Coms are making a Killer Comeback!

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

“This is going to be the best Valentine’s Day ever…”

Heart Eyes released in theaters on February 7th 2025. The slasher-romance horror film stars Olivia Holt, Mason Gooding, Devon Sawa, and Jordana Brewster. It runs for approximately an hour and thirty-seven minutes.

A masked killer targets couples each year on Valentine’s day, but when two co-workers get mistaken for a pair in love, they must work together to survive the night.

Here is the trailer:

Heart Eyes is my type of movie, effectively channeling slasher comedies like Happy Death Day, making this an absolute blast to experience. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing

Perfect balance of genres!

In the mood for a rom-com or a gory slasher? Why not combine both? This film understood the assignment and just went for it in the best possible way. The opening really set the tone and we even had some fun chase scenes!

The comedy really landed for me and I loved the outrageous gory kills. There were also a lot of sweet moments in this one without overdoing it. Honestly, it was the perfect mash-up and I will be watching this one every Valentine’s day for sure!

Images courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing

Great chemistry between characters.

Olivia Holt and Mason Gooding were delightful in this one. I believed the chemistry between them. It felt real and genuine and it wasn’t too over-the-top, which I appreciated.

They are both starting to appear in more and more horror movies (which I love) and I can’t wait to see them in more films in the future.

It was also fantastic seeing horror alum, Devon Sawa and Jordana Brewster in this.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing

Predictable reveal.

I still loved it, but I saw it coming a mile away. The ending was a little messy, but I think it managed to stick the landing for the most part and make sure you stay for the after credits scene!

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing

I’m in 100 percent!!!

Heart Eyes is a self-aware slasher with the perfect balance of gory kills and genuine laughs.

I had a feeling that I would fall in love with this film. It exceeded my expectations and then some!

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

**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 “MaXXXine” in Theaters: It’s Mia Goth’s World and We’re All Just Living In It!

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

“I always wanted to be famous…”

MaXXXine releases in theaters on July 5th 2024. The slasher horror film is the third installment of the X franchise and it stars Mia Goth, Kevin Bacon, Michelle Monaghan, Moses Sumney, Halsey, and Elizabeth Debicki. It runs for approximately an hour and forty-five minutes.

Six years after surviving a massacre in Texas, Maxine Minx gets her big break in 1980’s Hollywood. However, when a serial killer named the Night Stalker targets young women in the city, Maxine’s bloody past is brought back to the present.

Here is the trailer:

MaXXXine once again allows Mia Goth to shine in this bloody fantastic world, channeling classic horror films in a stylish and entertaining way. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of A24

Transports us to another place and time with style!

Everything screamed 80’s perfection from the bubble gum pop font in the opening credits to the music. The fashion was on another level and I want Maxine’s boots for obvious reasons…

I loved the crime noir feel. It was nice to see that Ti West took the time to truly depict how this world was in such an aesthetically pleasing way. It made my watch so much better and reminded me why I absolutely love the 80’s.

Much like X, this film also successfully paid homage to classic films in a fun way without overdoing it. It was fantastic to see as a horror fan.

Images courtesy of A24

Mia Goth does it again!

This should really come as no surprise since I think she is exceptional in everything she does. She was on another level in Pearl and she gave us an electric performance now in MaXXXine.

I loved that we got the chance to truly experience Maxine’s story this time around. There were hints of this in X, but we didn’t have time to explore it. This movie definitely answered all those questions I had in a satisfying way.

Mia Goth is a modern scream queen in the best way possible and she really poured everything she had into this role with twisted charisma. I loved her performance.

Some brutal kills!

There weren’t as many of them in this movie, but the ones we witnessed will be haunting me for some time to come. Especially that one scene…yikes!

The Cons:

Images courtesy of A24

Phones it in with the plot…

My only issue with this film was that it didn’t take the time to flesh out the plot. I was actually really interested in certain aspects of the mystery killer and I think we glossed over some opportunities here.

We also didn’t spend enough time with other characters, which was a miss in my opinion. We had such a spectacular cast here and I get that this is Maxine’s movie, but this needed some work so we would actually care about who lived or died…

This isn’t really a con, but this movie didn’t feel like the third installment of a franchise. It felt like more of a spin-off with Maxine’s character in another world. This isn’t a bad thing and I think it worked effortlessly for the most part, but I guess I was expecting some kind of bloody finale here and I’m not sure that it pulled that off.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of A24

I’m in!!!

MaXXXine carves its way into the spotlight with sex, style, and blood galore, featuring an unforgettable and electric performance by Mia Goth.

While probably my least favorite film of the franchise, MaXXXine still has plenty of fantastic moments to appreciate and is well worth the watch.

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

**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 “Amp House Massacre” on Demand: The Killer Price of Internet Fame

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

“I’m your biggest fan…”

Amp House Massacre released on demand on June 25th 2024. The horror slasher film stars Kara Royster, Pedro Correa, Chris O’Neal, and Ana Osorio. It runs for approximately an hour and twenty minutes.

While staying at an exclusive mansion, a group of influencers wind up caught in a deadly game that reveals each of their secrets to the others.

Here is the trailer:

Amp House Massacre has a fantastic premise for a slasher film, but does it translate well on the screen? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Mill Creek Entertainment

A premise I was super excited about!

I’ve seen plenty of horror films leaning into the influencer craze lately, but I really thought that this premise was exceptional. It put a Bodies Bodies Bodies spin on things and had the potential to be a bloody fantastic film. I’m always up for a low budget slasher!

Some inventive kills.

I wanted to see more gore and I think a few of the kills could have been dragged out a little more to really make an impact, but there were some creative options used here, which I appreciated as a slasher fan.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Mill Creek Entertainment

Takes a while to settle in…

This was a shorter film, but I found myself losing interest until the killer started to shake things up. I could have done without some of the excessive fluff personally.

Also, there was some CRAZY over-acting going on in this one. We got some random yelling and crying that was so bad, it was funny. I’ve seen some of these actors in other things so this was confusing. It just felt very amateur.

I started to like everything more as the killer games started, but I thought that the ending was a dud, which was disappointing.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Mill Creek Entertainment

I’m 50/50 on this one…

Amp House Massacre has a really cool premise for a slasher film, but it needed to flesh things out fully to bring the idea to life.

If you enjoy lower budget slashers, this is a quick enough watch with a few sprinkles of killer fun.

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Gil

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!

**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 “In a Violent Nature” in Theaters: A Lot Of Walking…

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

“Stay out of the park…”

In a Violent Nature released in limited theaters on May 31st 2024. The slasher horror film (directed by Chris Nash) stars Andrea Pavlovic, Charlotte Creaghan, Ryan Barrett, and Reece Presley. It runs for approximately an hour and thirty-four minutes.

When a group of teens take a locket from an old fire tower in the woods, they unleash an undead killer who slaughters anyone he comes across.

Here is the trailer:

In a Violent Nature attempts to accomplish something different by presenting everything from the killer’s perspective. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Shudder

Tries something different…

This was an inventive concept. I really liked the idea of having everything shot from the killer’s perspective (although this wasn’t always consistent).

There was one extra gory kill in particular that grabbed my attention. This one is worth nothing, but the way it happened made me scratch my head. If they were going for shock value, they succeeded with this one scene.

The pros stop here though…

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Shudder

So boring!!!!

There was so much slow walking in this movie. It drove me absolutely bonkers and not in a good way. I would have much preferred for the killer to run around and just kill everyone. That would have been a lot more interesting. I get that this set the tone of the film, but it was painful to sit through. I was bored out of my mind!

Horrendous dialogue.

When we got up to characters actually speaking I was relieved, but then I changed my mind really quickly. This was some of the worst dialogue I have ever heard and the acting was atrocious. I was anxiously waiting for the killer to just break up the party and kill them all, but instead I had to sit through all of this fluff and wait until we got more walking…

At one point a character yelled out, “what are you waiting for?” (very IKWYDLS-esque) and I said: “for this movie to end!”

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Shudder

I’m out on this one…

This film is already getting a lot of hype and glowing reviews. I’m all for supporting lower budget slasher films and if you enjoyed this, then I support that. I’m glad you got something out of the movie. This just wasn’t for me…at all.

In a Violent Nature is dull, boring, and painfully slow. It put me to sleep. I’d rank it right there with Skinamarink, which is another movie that got way too much attention.

I did like that one kill though so kudos on that…

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on In a Violent Nature 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!

**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 “The Strangers: Chapter 1” in Theaters: What was the point?

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

“Why are you doing this to us?”

The Strangers: Chapter 1 released in theaters on May 17th 2024. The slasher horror film stars Madelaine Petsch and Froy Gutierrez. It runs for approximately 90 minutes.

After their car breaks down in a small town in Oregon, a young couple is forced to spend the night in a remote cabin. They are soon terrorized by three masked strangers with no motive, as they desperately try to survive the night.

Here is the trailer:

The Strangers: Chapter 1 continues the violent franchise with this latest reboot, but does it do enough to separate itself from the original film? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Lionsgate

Look out for Madelaine Petsch!

I bought my ticket for her and she served with all she had! I’m a huge fan of hers from Riverdale and I think that she is a Scream Queen in the making for sure. I hope to see her cast in more roles soon. She was the best part of this movie and gave it all she had. Plus, I loved her nail polish color!

Froy Gutierrez wasn’t bad either and I thought they were believable as a couple for the most part.

There were a few suspenseful moments sprinkled in. I liked the scenes in the woods, which had an eerie vibe.

The pros stop here though…

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Lionsgate

Follows the original film VERBATIM!

I just did my re-watch of the 2008 film as well as The Strangers: Prey at Night (2018) and I couldn’t believe that this film followed the original one almost exactly. I’m fine with this being a reboot, but give us something new here! This was so incredibly frustrating to watch on screen and it dissolved any potential moments of suspense and tension because I already knew what was going to happen.

I’m not sure why we went in this direction and I have no idea why we need two more of these films if this is what we’re doing?

We can do a lot better here…

Images courtesy of Lionsgate

Dumb decisions!

As much as I like both of these actors, their characters made some of the worst decisions I’ve ever seen in a horror film. My favorite film of the franchise is The Strangers: Prey at Night because it’s fun and campy. But I will give The Strangers (2008) credit for creating a realistic and horrifying nightmare that still haunts me to this day. That feeling of authenticity was missing from this reboot and a lot of that came from the dumb decisions made by these characters.

There were so many opportunities to run or find a weapon and for some reason they wanted to have a precious moment together or just stare at the door willing the intruders to go away. Really? Do you think that’s going to work?

The ending felt so watered down and I could care less about the set-up at the end for the next film. I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHO TAMARA IS! Sigh…

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Lionsgate

I’m 50/50 on this one…

Look, I’m in for Madelaine Petsch, but she deserved a MUCH better film here and so did the audience.

The Strangers: Chapter 1 wasn’t horrible, but it was a pointless remake that had very little to say, which was beyond disappointing. I really hope that the next two films do something different.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The Strangers: Chapter 1 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…

Scream Hunt Promo window

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!

**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 “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:

Images courtesy of TriStar Pictures

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.

Images courtesy of TriStar Pictures

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:

Images courtesy of TriStar Pictures

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?

Images courtesy of TriStar Pictures

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!

**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 “It’s a Wonderful Knife” in Theaters: A Delightful Holiday Horror Entry that Slays with Slasher Cheer

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

“That night still haunts me…”

It’s a Wonderful Knife released in theaters on November 10th 2023. The slasher-horror film stars Jane Widdop, Jessica McLeod, Joel McHale, Katharine Isabelle, and Justin Long. It runs for approximately an hour and twenty-seven minutes.

One year after saving her town from a psychotic killer on Christmas Eve, Winnie wishes that she was never born, bringing her into an alternate reality where the killer has returned and her family doesn’t remember who she is.

Here is the trailer:

It’s a Wonderful Knife is utterly charming with some inventive kills and a cast worth cheering for. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of RLJE Films

This cast KILLED it!

OK, Justin Long can do no wrong for me and he was bonkers and brilliant in this one! I was super excited to see Katharine Isabelle and Joel McHale in this one too and thought they both did a great job.

Our main two leads had fantastic chemistry together, making the heartfelt moments of this film a lot more believable.

Images courtesy of RLJE Films

Solid balance of brutal kills and heartwarming moments.

This is a holiday film after all…

The kills delivered for the most part. I just wish there were more of them, but you’ll get some bloody moments to enjoy. I personally think the opening scene featured the best ones.

I really liked the development of characters and friendship here and appreciated the heartwarming moments, reminding me of films like Happy Death Day and Freaky while still channeling It’s a Wonderful Life in a clever way.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of RLJE Films

A few pacing issues and some odd choices with dialogue…

This film was on the shorter side, but I thought it needed a severe energy boost in the middle of it. There were some scenes between characters that could have been cut out and while I did find myself laughing out loud at some things (Katharine Isabelle mostly), some of the dialogue felt like it was used to over-explain things to the audience, which felt odd and forced.

As I mentioned earlier, I also wanted some more kills in this one since it is coded as a slasher…

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of RLJE Films

I’m in!!!

It’s a Wonderful Knife is bloody charming with a few killer twists thrown in, making this a fun B-movie slasher that is worthy of your time.

I thoroughly enjoyed my watch and will be adding this one to my yearly holiday horror list for sure!

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!

**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 “That’s a Wrap” on Demand: A Killer Concept that Loses its Edge Along the Way

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

“I’d do anything to be a star…”

That’s a Wrap released on Demand on August 25th 2023. The slasher-horror film stars Gigi Gustin, Monique Parent, Robert Donavan, Adam Bucci, Sarah French, and Cerina Vincent. It runs for approximately 95 minutes.

After unveiling the teaser trailer for their new slasher movie, the cast is targeted one by one by someone dressed up as the killer from the movie.

Here is the trailer:

That’s a Wrap channels aspects of Scream 3 that are a lot of fun, but does it rely too much on sexually explicit content to keep its audience tuned in? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Quiver Distribution

The opening scene is the best part of the movie.

I actually had high hopes for this one after watching the opening scene. It really felt like a meta slasher with lots of potential. I also really enjoyed the stylish use of florescent lighting throughout the film. I thought that it matched the overall tone without overdoing it.

Killer premise.

The idea behind this movie was a lot of fun and I’m all for a whodunit style approach. I felt like I was part of the “Stab” crew again from Scream 3, watching the actors get picked off one by one, which had its moments. There were a few note-worthy kills in this one, but the pros stop here unfortunately…

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Quiver Distribution

Painful dialogue and empty characters.

The movie was just over 90 minutes and it dragged quite a bit. I felt like fast-forwarding through a lot of the chatting because it didn’t add anything to the movie and it just felt really forced and dull. I couldn’t really connect to any of the characters and a lot of the performances left a lot to be desired…

Shout-out to Cerina Vincent for dominating her scenes, however.

Sexually explicit kills that come off as desperate.

Look, I’m all for some inventive kills and slutty moments in a slasher film, but I think that this movie went completely overboard with the forced sexually explicit content. It just felt like they were trying too hard to get the audience’s attention with “shock material” and full frontal nudity scenes that went on for way too long.

I’m also not sure why every single victim decided to basically stand still while they were being killed. We really could have used some clever chase scenes or brutal fight scenes to spice this movie up more than extended scenes that felt like they belonged more on late night “Skinemax.”

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Quiver Distribution

I’m 50/50 on this one…

This movie was watchable and it did have some fun moments, but I’m frustrated because it had SO MUCH potential and it went in the wrong direction. That being said, if you enjoy B-movie slashers, there’s enough here for a quick watch. I would just manage your expectations accordingly.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on That’s a Wrap 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!

**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 “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:

Images courtesy of Netflix

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:

Images courtesy of Netflix

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.

Images courtesy of Netflix

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?

Images courtesy of Netflix

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!

**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!