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Black Phone 2 (Review)

Posted in New Movie reviews, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on October 19, 2025| Leave a Comment »

by LaTaeya Lane

Black Phone 2, directed by Scott Derrickson (Black Phone, 2021) and Starring Ethan Hawke, Mason Thames, Madeline McGraw and Jeremy Davies, follows brother Finn and sister, Gwen, after surviving a terrifying kidnapping.


A mind-bending psychological and supernatural thriller. The film’s edgy energy presented something classic and unique. Now 17, Finn (Thames) is struggling with the emotional scars and impact that (The Grabber), portrayed by (Hawke), has had on his life. Unable to shake off the dark and traumatic experience, Finn has changed, using those experiences as a means to protect himself.
Meanwhile, his sister Gwen (McGraw) is struggling with her special abilities as her dreams become more vivid and her power grows stronger within each dream. After a very disturbing dream, Gwen’s abilities force her and Finn to follow a lead connecting their past to a series of unsolved murders at a Winter Christian camp in the mountains.

The Black Phone becomes the key, while Gwen’s dreams become the door through which The Grabber can penetrate. The evolution of Finn and Gwen’s story is built on solid character development. Both present a vulnerability that connects resilience, pain, love, hope, and faith into a force that is capable of bringing evil to its knees. This film was a great horror that was well written and visually composed of many frightening elements that blended reality and the supernatural, creating a marriage between the two. Thames and McGraw’s chemistry as brother and sister balances well with their personalities. At the same time, Ethan Hawke’s hauntingly dark portrayal of the evil antagonist brings out an emotional rawness that further enhances the development of Finn and Gwen.


The music throughout the film took us back to the 80s, shaping the mood and atmosphere of this cinematic world. The special effects were scary, realistic, and visually stomach-churning at times, and grossly entertaining.


I gave Black Phone 2 (5)stars for an exciting, fun time!
Watch the trailer below.

Check me out having a little fun at the Black Phone 2 experience at New York City’s Comic Con NYCC2025!

The Black Phone 2 experience at New York City’s Comic Con NYCC2025.

Happy Halloween Season!!!

L.L.

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The Conjuring: Last Rites (review)

Posted in Fantasy literature, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 7, 2025| Leave a Comment »

by LaTaeya Lane

The Conjuring: Last Rites, directed by Michael Chaves (The Nun II) and starring Vera Farmiga (The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do IT), Patrick Wilson (Annabelle Comes Home, and Mia Tomlinson (The Mediator) follows Ed and Lorraine Warren as they face the most impactful paranormal case that would eventually end their careers.

This film starts with a young expecting couple as they encounter a powerful demon on a case that would mark the family for the rest of their lives. In their fight to help and protect a family from the dark entities of a home, things go terribly wrong, and Lorraine goes into labor early.

After the traumatic birth of their daughter, Judy, the Warrens work hard to put their lives back together and move on. Judy has a psychic connection and works to manage her abilities with guidance from Lorraine.  It is not until Judy reaches her full psychic capacity that the entity that marks her returns in connection with a family she is drawn to help.

The story was well-written and presented a new chapter in the Warren world of the paranormal. The franchise has evolved in ways that have expanded the universe while allowing it to grow within the story without any fractures.

The visual and special effects opened the door to imagery, defining the meaning of creativity and imagination. The score was great and took me directly to my 80’ Playlist.

There were plenty of jump scares, creepy thrills, and intense moments invoking the feeling of uncertainty, mystery, and heart-pounding fear.

The new additions to the cast were a continuation of the legacy that the Conjuring Universe already carries. At the same time, the story, visuals, and all the other components are the perfect recipe for a fantastic start to the fall horror season.

The Conjuring: Last Rites is a 5-star Paranormal Adventure that horror fans will love as the final chapter in the Conjuring film Universe.

Check out the trailer below:

L.L.

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28 Years Later “Review”

Posted in Fantasy literature, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 24, 2025| Leave a Comment »

by LaTaeya Lane

28 Years Later, directed by Danny Boyle and starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ralph Fiennes, and Jodie Comer, tells the story of how a group of people have survived on a Scottish island since the initial Rage Outbreak over twenty years ago.

The film opens with father and son, Jamie and Jimmy, trekking through treacherous and unstable terrain as Jamie teaches Jimmy how to defend himself against the Infected. Jimmy is on a mission to learn how the world works while attempting to stay safe and be fully aware of his surroundings. Eventually, the actions of the father and son, in conjunction with their family dynamic, set the stage for Jimmy to venture beyond the borders of their small island in search of answers to aid his ailing mother.

This movie felt completely disconnected and seemed more like a stand-alone film, rather than part of a franchise. There were so many elements that went wrong. The beginning was off to a decent start. By the time we explore the middle of the film, we are lost in the concept of ridiculous storytelling. Jimmy, played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, was underdeveloped as a character, while Dr. Kelson, played by Ralph Fiennes, was just bizarre.

The zombies were beyond terrible. This film attempted to convey a sense of evolutionary nature within them. The first type of zombie we see is the basic rage zombie; however, these zombies were completely nude, which didn’t make sense. I could see tattered clothes, but just running with nothing on was just over the top. Then we have another type, which is just an overweight crawling zombie. Their origin was explained, but it was so pointless that I can no longer recall how they came to be.

Unfortunately, this movie was a waste of time and a big disappointment.

I gave this film 1 star.

Check out the trailer below:

L.L.  

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Wolfman 2025 Review

Posted in Fantasy literature, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on January 20, 2025| Leave a Comment »

by LaTaeya Lane

The Wolfman, directed by Leigh Whannell and starring Julia Gardner (Ozark), Christopher Abbott (Kraven The Hunter), and Matilda Firth (Disenchanted), follows a family as they travel to the remote mountains in Oregon to Blake’s childhood home to pack up his father’s things after being declared deceased.

The moment Blake reaches his family estate, things go bad as the family suffers from a terrible accident, leaving Blake with an injury that he is unable to recover from.

The situation continues to spiral out of control as  Charlotte (Garner) and their daughter Ginger (Firth) try to help Blake while attempting to make sense of their current circumstances.

Overall, this was a pretty good movie. The storyline was interesting and presented a nice backstory into the past of our antagonist. The balance between Blake’s humanity and his relationship with the monster within created an internal struggle that was projected beautifully on screen.

Charlotte’s character is strong yet flawed. The fast-paced horror film did not disappoint, as its structure had many classic elements interwoven within. However, the creature design for the Wolfman did miss the mark for me. Parts of the character’s transformation reminded me of Seth Brundle from 1986’s The Fly. The concept of Blake living between human and wolf was conveyed, but I was hoping to see more elements of the wolf transpire.

The special effects were solid, and the film was thrilling in many ways.

I gave this movie 3 stars

L.L.

Check out the trailer below:

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