Tag: The Black Phone

Spoiler-Free Review of “The Curse of the Necklace” on Demand: Nothing New Here…

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

“I think you’ll really like this…”

The Curse of the Necklace released on Demand on October 1st 2024. The supernatural horror film stars Sarah Lind, Violet McGraw, Madeleine McGraw, Henry Thomas, Roma Maffia, and Felix Solis. It runs for approximately an hour and forty minutes.

Set in the 1960’s, a mother tries to cope with separating from her husband, but when he gives her a cursed necklace that her daughter tries on for fun, a spirit wreaks havoc on her entire family.

Here is the trailer:

The Curse of the Necklace has an eerie enough premise and a recognizable cast, but does it do enough to earn a watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

The McGraw sisters have potential!

The McGraw sisters have been giving us some solid performances in horror so far. Madeleine starred in The Black Phone and Violet was recently in M3GAN. It was great seeing them appear together in a horror film. Obviously it made them more believable as sisters, but I think they have a lot of talent and a real future in this genre.

Also, Nip Tuck’s Roma Maffia was a scene stealer and prevented this movie from being a total dud.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

A movie I’ve seen a million times before.

Family trauma mixed with some kind of supernatural evil presence. It’s a formula I’ve seen over and over again and this film fell right into that trap, giving in too easily to tropes and presenting us with watered down scares. There were a few genuinely creepy and disturbing moments, but I had to really search for them.

The dialogue wasn’t great (even though we had a great cast) and the plot felt like it was slapped together last minute. Everything just felt very predictable and ultimately forgettable. This movie borrowed too much from other films and never really found its own way, which was disappointing.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Unfortunately I’m out on this one…

The Curse of the Necklace had some glimmers of creepy potential, but it relied too much on watered down scares and a trope heavy plot.

The McGraw girls need to be in more horror films, however!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The Curse of the Necklace 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 “Cobweb” in Theaters: Creepy AF!

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

“I heard something…”

Cobweb released in select theaters on July 21st 2023. The horror film stars Lizzy Caplan, Antony Starr, Cleopatra Coleman, and Woody Norman. It runs for approximately an hour and thirty minutes.

Peter begins to hear something inside his bedroom wall, but his parents insist that it is only in his imagination. Peter is determined to find out what lies beyond the wall, unlocking dangerous secrets in the process.

Here is the trailer:

Cobweb weaves together an unsettling story filled with plenty of disturbing and hair-raising moments. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Lionsgate Films

Unsettling from start to finish…

This movie didn’t waste any time with unnecessary fluff or set-up. We got right into the creepy stuff and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. This film was very effective at creating an eerie tone and even some of the conversations and small moments felt very unnerving, adding to the overall vibe.

In a lot of ways, this film sort of reminded me of a mix of The Black Phone and Barbarian. It explored tangible fears while keeping the audience guessing about where the real threat was.

Images courtesy of Lionsgate Films

Insane final act!

I already thought this movie was freaky enough, but then we got to the final act and my jaw dropped. It was crazy in the best way possible. I haven’t been this excited about a reveal in a horror movie in a long time. It grabbed hold of the audience and never let go, effectively giving me some new nightmares in the process!

Wow…

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Lionsgate Films

The characters make some really bad decisions…

Look, I get it. We wouldn’t have a movie if they didn’t, but I was almost yelling at the screen at some points. I just don’t get it when characters decide to investigate things on their own without calling anyone…

It’s not realistic, but I’ll leave this alone because the movie was so fantastic.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Lionsgate Films

I’m in!!!

A terrifying and captivating watch that will stick with you long after it’s over!

This movie was such a fantastic surprise and an absolute must see watch for horror fans!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Cobweb 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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Ranking my Top 10 Films of 2022: Which Movies Made The Cut?

It’s that time of year again! As we get closer and closer to approaching 2023, I thought it would be the perfect time to count down my Top 10 Films of 2022.

There are still a lot of movies that I have not seen yet, but I wanted to highlight some of my favorites of the year so far!
My Top 10 Films of 2022 are:

10

The Fallout

Image courtesy of HBO Max

Beautiful, touching, and gripping from start to finish. Jenna Ortega was an unstoppable force in 2022 and she really showed off a different side of her in The Fallout.

9

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent

Image courtesy of STARZ

Hilarious, entertaining, and a blast to watch, featuring a dynamic duo worth getting excited about. This movie was really unique as well and Nicolas Cage proved once again why he is absolutely brilliant.

8

See for Me

Image courtesy of Hulu

A modern version of Wait Until Dark that was so suspenseful from start to finish. Our two main leads were incredible on screen and there were plenty of twists and turns that had my adrenaline pumping.

7

Scream (2022)

Image courtesy of Paramount+

Scream (1996) happens to be my favorite movie of all time so I had mixed expectations going into the new film. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It did a fantastic job of providing fans of the original with plenty of nostalgia while still keeping things fresh and new with lots of bloody kills and shocking reveals along the way.

6

Fresh

Image courtesy of Hulu

The date movie from hell! Twisted, deliciously dark, and bold! I loved this film from start to finish. Our two main leads were electric on screen and that ending still replays in my mind from time to time.

5

Fall

Image courtesy of Prime Video

A chilling thriller that kept me off even the smallest step ladder for quite a while. This film was meant to be watched on the big screen. It was so intense and brutal with a shocking twist I never saw coming.

4

Prey

Image courtesy of Hulu

A prequel done right with an electric female lead! Plus, I loved her furry sidekick! This film was so well done and such a pleasant surprise.

3

The Black Phone

Image courtesy of Peacock

One of the best horror films I have seen in a long time. Ethan Hawke was such a terrifying villain. There were so many elements in this one that had me completely immersed in the outcome.

2

X

Image courtesy of Showtime

Sex, drugs, and gore galore. This film pushed so many boundaries in the best possible way. It was bloody fantastic to watch on screen with characters to root for and some seriously twisted moments.

Honorable Mentions:

The Wonder

No Exit

Thirteen Lives

Barbarian

Drum roll please…

1

The Menu

Image courtesy of HBO Max

Deliciously twisted and so entertaining! Anya Taylor-Joy does it again! Last Night in Soho was my number one pick of 2021 and I have to crown this queen again in The Menu. This film had the perfect blend of horror comedy and intense thrills. I am beyond excited that it will be releasing on HBO Max in January so I can watch it again and again!

I hope to see more films from 2022 soon, but I hope you enjoyed the list!

Did you have a favorite film of 2022? If so, drop it in the comments!

I wish you all a happy and healthy new year and can’t wait to review more new films in 2023! Happy viewing!

Spoiler-Free Review of “The Black Phone” in Theaters: A Horror Movie Worth Your Time

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

“You don’t have to be scared…”

The Black Phone released in theaters on June 24th 2022. The horror film stars Ethan Hawke, Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, Jeremy Davies, and James Ransone. It runs for approximately an hour and forty-two minutes.

Set in the late 1970’s, a young boy is abducted by the neighborhood “grabber” and held in a soundproof basement when he begins to receive calls from the killer’s past victims on a disconnected phone.

Here is the trailer:

The Black Phone features a villain who is beyond terrifying, along with exceptional characters to root for against all odds. Is it worth a watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Blumhouse Productions

Terrifying in a very real way…

I don’t know about you, but this is the type of film that scares me the most. Sure, there are supernatural/paranormal elements in this one, but this isn’t your typical gore fest or jump scare horror film. There is this unsettling and creepy vibe present throughout the film. It crawls under your skin, festering into something beyond scary. There are so many real and cruel moments in this film that make this way more than your average horror film.

Ethan Hawke truly immersed himself into this role with sadistic perfection and I think I’ll be having nightmares about his character for quite a long time…

Images courtesy of Blumhouse Productions

Characters to root for.

Finney and Gwen were fantastic characters. Gwen was my favorite and I think that Madeleine McGraw was truly wonderful. I was very invested in what happened to them, which made this movie even more absorbing. I think they nailed the brother-sister relationship and really helped the audience connect with them on a deeper level.

Even though this is a horror movie, it was also a movie about self-discovery and growing up as well.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Blumhouse Productions

Unanswered questions and some fuzzy details…

By the time I got to the end of the film, I was satisfied, but I also had a lot of unanswered questions. There were details that didn’t add up from some of the flashbacks, which had me scratching my head. Since this was such an engaging watch, I wanted to know more and perhaps I will invest my time in reading the short story by Joe Hill to fill in some of the blanks.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Blumhouse Productions

I’m in 100 percent!!!!!

A terrifying and captivating watch from start to finish!

This movie was so well done and I was so impressed with the performances all around, making this a must see watch for horror fans!

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