Spoiler-Free Review of “Opus” in Theaters: An Eerie and Engrossing Watch

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

“This whole thing’s a trip…”

Opus released in theaters on March 14th 2025. The psychological thriller film stars Ayo Edebiri, John Malkovich, Juliette Lewis, Murray Bartlett, Amber Midthunder, and Stephanie Suganami. It runs for approximately an hour and forty-four minutes.

A young writer gets the invitation of a lifetime to visit a legendary pop star’s compound to hear his new album after disappearing 30 years ago. However, when she arrives, she soon suspects that she may be entangled in a cult with ulterior motives.

Here is the trailer:

Opus draws from films like Blink Twice and The Menu with a talented cast and an unnerving story at its core. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

A creepy and captivating watch.

I’m a fan of weird cult flicks that push the envelope and this one was an unexpected surprise. I hadn’t heard much buzz around this film and I went into it without expecting much, but it quickly drew me in. It was weird, intriguing, and shocking.

If you’re a fan of films like Get Out, Midsommar, and The Menu, you’ll really enjoy this one.

Great cast!

John Malkovich really played this role well and it was great seeing so many familiar faces in this one. I thought that Ayo Edebiri was a strong and capable lead. I was rooting for her the entire time. She was relatable and she really lit up the screen with her convincing performance. I hope to see her in more horror-thrillers soon. She did a great job!

The Cons:

Some unanswered questions.

I usually have a lot by the time I get to the end of films like this, but I was still trying to piece together certain elements of the puzzle at the very end. I thought the ending was solid, but I was a little fuzzy on certain details.

This film clearly drew a lot from some of its predecessors. I still think it had enough of its own story, but it made the reveal a little lukewarm since I kind of knew what to expect. I still enjoyed it though.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!!!

Opus is a dark and twisted watch with plenty of shocking moments built in.

This film exceeded my expectations!

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

Blood Rose Island 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 “House of Spoils” on Prime Video: Ariana DeBose Shows Off Her Insane Culinary Skills

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

“You said you can handle it…”

House of Spoils released on Prime Video on October 3rd 2024. The supernatural horror film stars Ariana DeBose, Barbie Ferreira, and Arian Moayed. It runs for approximately an hour and forty-two minutes.

A chef accepts a new opportunity at a remote estate, but a haunting presence begins to sabotage her inventive meals, threatening her job and sanity.

Here is the trailer:

House of Spoils features a noteworthy performance by Ariana DeBose, but its bewildering and chaotic plot goes off course. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Ariana DeBose gives it her all!

She literally CARRIED this film. Honestly, I would have tuned out a lot sooner, but I thought she gave a convincing performance. Her character was not without flaws, but she really portrayed someone with a fiery passion for her craft and I think it worked well here. I also really liked the witchy elements. I just wish we got more of them to give this film the creepy boost it needed.

The food prep and presentations were actually interesting!

I felt like I stumbled across a bizarre version of The Bear. I actually really liked the food prep scenes. Horror films have been dipping into the culinary world more recently with films like The Menu and What You Wish For. Both of those films were exceptional and I can see why others would want to try their hand at this genre.

I’m not sure that the supernatural aspects worked, but there were some interesting moments sprinkled in here.

The Cons:

Goes completely off the rails!

And not in a good way. The movie was a slow burn, but once it revealed its intention, I was really confused. The suspense really wasn’t there and everything just felt so chaotic and silly by the time I got to the end, which was disappointing. I’m not sure what the writers were smoking here…

So am I in or out?

I’m 50/50 on this one…

House of Spoils gives Ariana DeBose another opportunity to shine, but its plot spirals out of control, making this a confusing and uneventful watch overall.

If you’re looking for a twisted take on the cooking world, I’d recommend What You Wish For instead.

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

**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 “What You Wish For” on Demand: The Perfect Thriller for Fans of The Menu

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

“Nice gig…”

What You Wish For released on demand on May 31st 2024. The horror thriller film stars Nick Stahl, Tamsin Topolski, Penelope Mitchell, and Juan Carlos Messier. It runs for approximately an hour and forty minutes.

After fleeing the country to avoid paying back his gambling debt, a chef assumes the identity of an old friend and takes on a gig as a private chef for the wealthy. However, when he finds out the agency’s true motives, he desperately tries to find a way out of his new circumstances.

Here is the trailer:

What You Wish For features an exceptional performance by Nick Stahl in this enthralling thriller that was beyond shocking. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Visually striking.

This film was so gorgeous to look at from the scenery to the food to the lighting. It was very pleasing to the eye despite all of the horrific things that were happening, which enhanced the overall message of the film in a lot of ways.

Nick Stahl gives a worthy performance.

He felt very relatable in this role and I was drawn in by him completely. This was a smaller cast, but everyone did a great job with what they were given. I loved the performances, but Stahl was a stand-out for sure.

Hooked me right from the start!

Although the first fifteen minutes were a little slow, it quickly turned things around and hooked me with so many shocking reveals. I honestly couldn’t look away. Each shocking moment was so well placed and I really loved that ending.

The Cons:

Go into it blind.

This isn’t really a con, but definitely a recommendation. It’s better if you go into this movie without knowing much about it. It will make the reveals that much more shocking. The trailer gave away a little bit too much in my opinion.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!!!

What You Wish For is a dark and consuming thriller well worth your time.

I was so pleasantly surprised by this one and highly recommend it, especially if you enjoyed The Menu.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on What You Wish For 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!

**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!

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

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

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

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)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 Menu” in Theaters: Deliciously Fantastic

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

“Go with the flow…let it be magical…”

The Menu released in theaters on November 18th 2022. The dark comedy-horror film stars Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Fiennes, Nicholas Hoult, Hong Chau, and John Leguizamo. It runs for approximately an hour and forty-six minutes.

A young couple travels to a remote island to experience an exclusive dinner with a renowned chef when they soon discover that the unique menu contains some shocking surprises.

Here is the trailer:

The Menu is captivating from start to finish with the perfect ingredients to satisfy your appetite. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Anya Taylor-Joy is perfection.

She is already one of my favorite actresses and she shows off her talent and range once again in The Menu. She was absolutely stunning in that lavender dress and I hope I can find something similar for my own closet!

There was a great back-and-forth between her and Ralph Fiennes, creating a unique dynamic, which was so entertaining to watch unfold on screen. She stole the show for me and then some, proving once again to be an unstoppable force in the horror genre.

Perfect balance of dark comedy and shocking thrills.

It’s not easy achieving this and I thought that this film executed this balance seamlessly. I absolutely loved the moments of dark comedy, which actually had me laughing out loud quite a few times. The pacing worked really well and I never looked at the time even once. In a lot of ways, this film had the same kind of vibe as Ready or Not, which was fantastic.

Satisfying ending.

There will be no spoilers in this review, but I was thoroughly pleased with the ending. I often watch films that are completely brilliant and then fail to stick the landing. I think this film really nailed it and carved its spot as one of my top films of the year. It’s safe to say that I will be watching this one over and over again.

The Cons:

I really don’t have any…

I loved everything about this film and I don’t have anything negative to say about it…

So am I in or out?

I’m in 100 percent!!

Twisted, savory, and a pure delight!

What are you waiting for?

Go see The Menu and bring your appetite! It’s worth every bite.

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

**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!