MATCH (2025)

Directed By: Danishka Esterhazy

Written By: Al Kaplan and Jon Kaplan

Editor: David Trevail 

Cast: Humberly Gonzalez, Shaeane Jiminez, Dianne Simpson, Jacques Adriaanse, Luke Volker, Nikita Faber, Dean Goldblum, Alex McGregor 

After Paola is matched with a handsome online suitor, she arrives for a first date to discover a house full of dark and terrifying secrets.

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Once again, a Tubi channel original movie has taken me by surprise by being excitedly, entertaining and a solid thriller that keeps building as a story goes along with quite a few twist and moments, you are shocked, actually go there. As this film is crazy. Yet timely 

At first, the film plays as expected, but as it goes along with each act, it gains momentum and offers more shocks and the unexpected. As we can all identify with the film and it’s characters. Trying to find love in all the wrong places all the games that are played only

To discover your partner might be a monster.

The film is gory, but not an obnoxious way that can be somewhat tasteful, even if there are other parts of the film that some audiences might find gross, distasteful, and disgusting.

The cast is all excellent and truly make the film work and stay believable even in some of the more outlandish material and scenes. Especially one of the central characters within the film wasn’t expecting a literal monster to be involved.

Having watched a few films by director, Danishka Esterhazy. A few of which on the Tubi channel. She has made plenty of thrillers in here. She seems more confident with her material, focusing more on the scares and characters as well as the sensationalism. She is really coming into her own helping raise the bar of what is commonly thought of when it comes to the Tubi channel. And it’s originals that are more low budget films to be screened with Hollywood and foreign hits, but also a bastion for true independent filmmakers usually involved or characterized by genre.

Though there are plenty of times that the film feels like a B-movie. It has quite a few dramatic scenes that grounded in reality. Though the film

Ian’t for the squeamish as it gets quite nasty 

The last act of the film is off to the races of excitement as it truly has you and it’s grip.

My only group is that while the practical special effects make up is impressive. You can see the seams on the actors back, which take you out of the film a bit, but not enough to make this film a failure.

Grade: C+ 

KILLER BODY COUNT (2024)

Directed By: Dansihka Esterhazy 

Written By: Jessica Landry 

Cinematography: Manoel C. Ferreira

Editor: Lee Walker 

Cast: Cassiel Eatock-Winnick, Savana Tardieu, N’Kone Mametta, Khoshi Ngama, Bjorn Steinbach, Jessie Diepeveem, Ethan Saunders, Jason K. Ralph 

Mistaken for a sex addict by her devout father, Cami is sent to an isolated rehab center. But when a killer begins to hunt the teens, Cami realizes that her survival and her independence are intertwined in ways she could never imagine.


Considering the subject matter this film could have been a lot worse, bordering on pornographic or even exploitive. 

The cast is mainly made up of new faces for the most part and they do what is required, but don’t necessarily make too much of an impact. Except for Alex McGregor, who seems to be one of the more acting veterans of the cast who plays one of the brothers and sisters who run this camp.

A Horror film that revels in its exploitation that could’ve had a real message about conversion therapy and religious hypocrisy not to mention, power dynamics, and even the way sex is handled or dealt with between the sexes

Instead, it goes with the easy route of being an 80 slasher film being awkward and hokey humor makes it perfectly disposable and entertaining while you watch, but won’t gather too many thoughts or memories after 

It’s possible and a little more lighthearted, despite its violence like the director’s previous film banana splits the movie only here it doesn’t seem to celebrate or find fun in it in this film is more about presenting and hoping it’s shocking 

As each death scene seems to go a little further and its violence is almost like the film itself following the baseball euphemism when it comes to the sex of first base second base, and third base each goes a little further 

The film comes across as a nice attempt, but it’s never quite engaging nor do any of the characters stay particularly memorable. What would you expect when we’re not really ever given anything to really remember them by other than names and looks there’s nothing particularly memorable about them as even their personalities almost seem similar 

so that you care truly about them except for maybe the lead and that is because we’re supposed to as she is our introduction into the story, even as the action takes place a little bit before we meet her

There is a budding lesbian relationship, which might be why the lead character can’t seem to get an orgasm, which seems to be a major plot point of the film female characters consistently the lead characters are a little different than any other lady with those same byproducts.

Though truthfully you know what you are getting into and what type of film this is, as it goes for the easiest way out and tries to be more humorous at times.

The third act tries to surprise itself by piling on the surprises. as even the audience will be left, guessing and having their own theories until all is revealed. That eventually might make some in the audience’s eye roll. Though at least is trying for maximum entertainment. 

Grade: C-