Spoiler-Free Review of “Lucifer” Season 5B on Netflix: Emotional Perfection

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

“Everyone deserves a second chance…”

Lucifer follows the devil himself, who decides to take a vacation on earth while teaming up with Detective Chloe Decker to solve crimes. Season 5B features the remaining eight episodes of the fifth season. It premiered on May 28th 2021 and all episodes are available to stream now. The show stars Tom Ellis, Lauren German, Kevin Alejandro, D.B. Woodside, and Lesley Ann-Brandt.

After some epic moments in the first half of the fifth season, Lucifer now has to deal with his family head on. The episodes present the audience with a roller coaster ride of emotions as we laugh, cry, and root for our favorite characters against all odds.

Here is the trailer:

Lucifer Season 5B was truly moving and entertaining from start to finish. There were some standout episodes, but the crescendo of moments mirroring Lucifer’s quest to find himself have a serious impact, leading to a cliffhanger ending that will leave you wanting even more.

So, is Lucifer season 5B worth a watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Great guest stars and returning favorites.

If you watched season 5, then you know that God has arrived. There has been a lot of family drama between the angels, but God really was a delight to watch and I thought Dennis Haysbert was truly outstanding and a welcomed addition.

I was worried that the family drama might become overdone, but it really helped shed some light on the dynamic between all of the characters and it also brought us some hilarious moments as well.

We also got to see several familiar faces throughout the second half of season 5, but there will be no spoilers here. Let’s just say that you’ll be happy to see them!

Images courtesy of Netflix

Standout episodes and performances.

Much like the first half of season 5, there were some more standout episodes that really had me entertained. Season 5, episode 12 was a welcomed surprise. Some of these episodes actually really had me channeling some Buffy the Vampire Slayer as well, which is a good thing.

I don’t like to make too many comparisons to one of my favorite shows of all time, but there really was a great balance throughout the second half of the season that deserves some serious recognition.

Real character development.

We’ve seen Lucifer grow over the seasons, but I thought that Tom Ellis did an exceptional job in the second half of the season. When we got to the big moments, he really had me in tears and there were a lot of heartbreaking moments to deal with, but I felt like we had a worthy redeemed hero to guide us through them, which made me care about the show even more.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Needed more Deckerstar.

I shouldn’t really complain because we got plenty of that in the first half of the season, but I was missing some of the epic moments at first and I also thought that Chloe didn’t really seem like herself. There was a lot of talk about sacrifice, but I lost part of what makes Chloe who she is and I had some mixed thoughts on it.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in 100 percent!

Season 5 really stepped up to the challenge. There were some really fun moments, but there were also some really heartbreaking ones too that still have me in tears. I think these moments were necessary; however, as it gave the show the fuel it needs to become something truly extraordinary as our characters start to realize who they are and who they can still become and I’m excited to be along for the journey.

I can’t wait to see what happens next in season 6!

Stay tuned!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Lucifer season 5B in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

It was only supposed to be temporary…but when Olivia Crewe accepts a new position that seems too good to be true, she soon discovers that twelve other girls previously had the same job as her. Only none of them lasted for more than thirty days. No notice. Nothing…right before they mysteriously disappeared without a trace.

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

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Checking in on “Cruel Summer” on Freeform: 5 Questions I’m Dying to Know the Answers to

Greetings TV Fans! Freeform’s Cruel Summer has really been picking up the pace lately and I’m excited to watch the final three episodes. While each episode shows us things from Jeanette and Kate’s perspectives, there are a lot of other characters jammed into the mix with potential secrets and motives.

I have a lot of questions and theories, but will we be able to answer them all by the end of the series?

**Please note spoilers are ahead if you are not caught up on the series.**

My top 5 questions I’m dying to know the answers to on Cruel Summer are:

Can Mallory be trusted?

Images courtesy of Freeform

I’m still somewhere in the middle with the whole Kate vs. Jeanette debate, but how does Mallory fit into it all? I find it odd that she jumped sides and is now best friends with Kate, especially after she even admits that she used to hate her.

So, can we trust her?

I like Mallory a lot. I think she really brings a real and authentic quality to her character, but could she be the wild card making trouble?

It’s certainly possible and we still don’t really know why she and Jeanette stopped being friends.

The parents are also really suspect and Jeanette’s mom clearly has more secrets, but what else is she capable of?

I started to form some theories about Mallory after Jeanette talked about how Mallory wants to be in control and make everyone follow her ideas. When she left Jeanette high and dry after the CD incident, I started wondering more about her true intentions.

We’ll have to see how this plays out, but I always love a good twist!

How did Jeanette’s necklace end up with Kate?

Images courtesy of Freeform

Jeanette claims the necklace found isn’t hers, but how did Kate wind up with it? Did Jeanette leave it behind while going through Martin’s house? Maybe Martin found it and gave it to Kate as a token of his weird love for her?

I don’t know, but things aren’t adding up. Mallory could also have a part in this too, but I think this piece of evidence should not be ignored.

Were Kate and Martin romantically involved?

Images courtesy of Freeform

After that major reveal at the end of episode 7, we know that Kate went to Martin’s house willingly, which “changes everything,” according to Jeanette.

But we also witnessed Kate swooning over her stuffed animal and touching Martin’s hand, which gave out some signals. Sure, Martin should not take advantage of her period, but was there more to this relationship than we know?

If Jeanette thought that Kate was romantically involved with Martin (maybe she saw them previously together), she could have thought that Kate was cheating on Jamie with him and that could have caused her to flee the scene, but there is still a lot left to uncover here.

Did Jeanette actually see Kate?

Images courtesy of Freeform

It’s the initial question we were presented with during this mystery, but I’m still kind of wondering about it myself. I saw this really interesting theory online about there being some kind of two-way mirror in Martin’s house and we did see Jeanette with mirrors in one of the flash-forwards. Maybe Kate did see Jeanette, but Jeanette never saw her?

I also still think it’s possible that maybe Jeanette thought Kate was doing wrong by Jamie, but Jeanette seemed like an innocent girl who was just trying to fit in. Even though we are presented with some serious Single White Female vibes, Jeanette seems more stable than that and I’m not sure that’s what is actually happening here.

But why is she hiding that key?

Who is Annabelle?

Images courtesy of Freeform

This is my number one question. After Kate’s creepy campfire story about a girl named Annabelle, she learns from her therapy tapes that she saw Annabelle before she was rescued, and she also has some serious memory loss.

The obvious answer is that Annabelle is a version of Kate and maybe she had a psychotic break, which would also explain the memory loss.

But I really want there to be more to this story. Maybe there really was an Annabelle. We know that another girl came forward about Martin from a different school. What if he was keeping more than one girl prisoner?

Maybe she helped Kate?

If we want to go with the split personality route, maybe Martin is Annabelle?

I have a lot of theories about this and I really hope we devote the time to this question because it is the most interesting part of the mystery for me.

We have three episodes left and a lot of questions that are still unanswered, but I’m excited to reveal more pieces of the puzzle.

Stay tuned, Cruel Summer fans!

I hope you enjoyed today’s post and please leave your own thoughts and theories on Cruel Summer in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

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 “Who Killed Sara?” Season 2 on Netflix: Addicting in all the Right Ways

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

“The path to vengeance always leads to two graves…”

Who Killed Sara? season two premiered on Netflix on May 19th 2021 with eight episodes available to stream now. The series stars Manola Cardona, Alejandro Nones, Carolina Miranda, Ximena Lamadrid and Eugenio Siller. Each episode runs for approximately 40-45 minutes.

The Mexican crime series, ¿Quién mató a Sara? season 2 still focuses on Alex’s journey of revenge, but it also unlocks more secrets of Sara’s past as we learn that things were not as they seemed, leading to devastating consequences.

Here is the trailer:

Who Killed Sara? season one was such a delightful surprise and was beyond binge-worthy, but can season two keep up the pace? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Thrills, reveals and cliffhangers during every episode.

Much like the first season, the second season also starts off with a bang. At the end of the first episode, I was literally hitting play so quickly to get to the next one and the show does a good job of replicating this clever formula during each episode to keep you coming back for more.

There are so many twists in the second season and the fast overall pace continued which made the second season just as binge-worthy as the first.

Pieces of the puzzle unlocked.

The first season aired in March and I was beyond thrilled to find out that we would get the second season so quickly. I had so many questions at the end of the first season and the second season helped us fill in the blanks by witnessing more of Sara’s past.

The flashbacks were necessary and important, as we started to piece together the mystery at hand while allowing us to connect with some of the other characters more.

The Cons:

Sub-plots and unnecessary fluff.

If you watched the first season of the series, then you know that you will be getting a lot of intense action, but you also will be getting some outrageous sub-plots and some unnecessary fluff and sex scenes. I think that the second season toned things down slightly, but some of the sub-plots were stronger than others…

Confusing time jumps.

The flashbacks to Sara and Alex’s past when they were teenagers made perfect sense to me and fit into each episode seamlessly. However, the second season also decided to add in time jumps during present day which were kind of confusing. We would witness an event and then in the next episode, see it from another character’s perspective, but I had to keep reminding myself about where we were in time and what was actually going on.

So am I in or out?

I’m in 100 percent!

I didn’t think that season two would be able to live up to season one and it exceeded my expectations. I watched all eight episodes in one day because I had to know what happened.

Who Killed Sara? is a binge-watcher’s dream. It is a non-stop thrill ride that will leave you guessing and wanting more with each episode.

The mystery is far from over based on that cliffhanger ending and I can’t wait for this show to return!

It looks like we should be getting a season three based on the message at the end of the credits, but we’ll have to wait for Netflix to confirm its release date.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Who Killed Sara? 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 new young adult horror thriller comes out October 7th 2021! 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 “Army of the Dead” on Netflix: Ocean’s Eleven meets World War Z

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

“This should be a simple in and out…”

Army of the Dead is a horror action film that released on May 21st 2021 on Netflix. The film stars Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Tig Notaro, Omari Hardwick, and Garret Dillahunt. It runs for approximately two and a half hours.

The film takes place after a zombie outbreak in Las Vegas as a group of mercenaries go through zombie territory in order to pull off a heist with a lot of cash.

Here is the trailer:

Army of the Dead looks like it could be filled with a lot of gory zombie fun, but does its dragged out set-up get in the way of pure greatness? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Fun dynamic between characters.

This movie had an Ocean’s Eleven vibe going on and I actually thought this worked in the movie’s favor because you cared more about what happened to the characters. Dave Bautista played the exact role I needed him to play and we also had some other stand-out performances as well.

It was honestly really funny to see good guy Garret Dillahunt from Fear the Walking Dead play a complete jerk and I think that the comedy sprinkled throughout the film actually really helped. The film didn’t take itself too seriously and that was important because all I wanted was an action filled zombie flick and I think it delivered on that.

Lots of action.

If you came for lots of violence and action, you will not be disappointed. Once the film gets going, you will have plenty of that to go around. The Vegas setting worked in the film’s favor and the zombies were actually pretty formidable too, which prevented this film from feeling overdone and stale.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Way too long and issues with pacing.

My biggest con about this film is the length of it. I don’t want to watch a zombie action film for two and a half hours. I don’t really want to watch any film for that long, but I make exceptions here and there.

This movie should have been an hour and forty minutes and I think the dragged out length really hurt this film. We don’t even get any real gritty action until over an hour into the movie and that’s when the film takes off, but this film could easily lose an audience within the first hour.

While I loved the introduction to the gang of characters, we could have fast forwarded through a lot of the unnecessary fluff. The heart-to-heart talks and slow moving flashbacks were a little too much as well.

I think that if this film had broken away from that and just embraced its real identity, it would have been much better in my opinion.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in!

While I was on the fence about this movie during the first hour, things picked up once we got to the meaty part of the plot and the action, gore, and comedy really delivered for me. I thought this movie was a lot of fun. It wasn’t anything truly epic or outstanding, but it was thoroughly entertaining.

The movie was way too long, but luckily it made up for that in the second half. If you are looking for some zombie fun with a lot of action, you’re in the right place.

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

THIS COMPETITION IS KILLER…

My new young adult horror thriller comes out October 7th 2021! 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 “The Woman in the Window” on Netflix: Close your Curtains

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

“I can’t go outside…”

The Woman in the Window is a mystery drama film that released on May 14th 2021 on Netflix. The film stars Amy Adams, Julianne Moore, Gary Oldman, and Wyatt Russell. It runs for approximately an hour and forty minutes.

Based on the novel of the same name, the film follows an agoraphobic psychologist named Dr. Anna Fox, who lives alone and spies on her neighbors to pass the time. After a brief encounter with her new neighbor, she witnesses her murder, but no one will believe her.

Here is the trailer:

The Woman in the Window has a talented cast and is clearly trying to channel the classic film, Rear Window, but its messy plot leaves a lot to be desired. Does it do enough to earn a watch or is it an uninspiring rip-off? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Talented cast.

Every single cast member makes a valiant effort with this one, but I have to say that I wasn’t truly invested in the portrayal of Dr. Anna Fox by Amy Adams. This is not the first time we have seen her in this type of role and yet I was disappointed.

However, some of the minor characters really elevated things and I thought that Julianne Moore was electric on screen and that Wyatt Russell did a good job as well with what he was given.

While I appreciate the talent and the familiar faces here, it almost seemed like it was making up for something else…

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Dragged out messy plot.

This film was really frustrating because it had a story-line that could have been really interesting and it decided to go about it in a really slow and dragged out way that was so uninspiring. Unlike Emily Blunt’s character in The Girl on the Train, there were really no redeeming qualities for Dr. Anna Fox.

I mean, who doesn’t at least leave out a bowl of candy on Halloween?

Sure, maybe she was trying to do the right thing and we eventually unfold the tragedy that has basically crippled her from having a normal life, but it took too long to get there.

Trying too hard.

Anna is a film buff and we see her watching several of the movies that clearly inspired this film, which really hit the audience over the head with the similarities. This honestly made this film feel like a really bad rip-off. At one point, I literally paused the film because I thought it was over and realized there were thirty more minutes to sit through.

The last thirty minutes were the strongest of the film by far, but it just took so long to get there and the film felt like such a trashy rip-off that almost insulted the audience, attempting to trick us into thinking this is something thought-provoking and relevant in present day because of the talented cast and hints dropped along the way.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m out on this one…

Unfortunately the talented cast and interesting premise were overshadowed by a dull, dragged out, and uninspiring plot. While there is enough to keep you watching until the reveal at the end, it’s not as rewarding as you might expect and you are better off re-watching Rear Window or The Girl on the Train instead.

Honestly I had really high hopes for this film and I like Amy Adams, but I was really disappointed with this watch. I think Netflix should focus more on thrillers like My Secret Obsession. You know that you are getting a guilty pleasure thriller and you accept that, rather than being tricked into thinking you are about to watch something truly extraordinary…

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

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Predictions for the “Big Sky” Season Finale: What I’m Dying to See and More!

Happy Monday TV Fans! As we approach the season finale of Big Sky, there is quite a lot I want to see, but will we have time to address it all in the jam-packed finale?

**Please note spoilers are ahead if you are not caught up with this series.**

Big Sky has quickly become one of my favorite shows and I am so thrilled that it has been picked up for season 2 already. That eases my mind about a cliffhanger that may never be resolved as we approach the finale.

We know that we can’t chase Ronald forever, but it’s really a lot of fun.

So, what can we expect from the season finale?

Based on what happened in the previous episode, it seems like things are pretty much wrapped up with the mystery surrounding Blake’s family. Justice was kind of served and it looks like Britt Robertson’s character will be the one calling the shots now, but I think it’s safe to say that this story has run its course.

Images courtesy of ABC

I’m honestly looking forward to a new mystery next season that has a little bit more edge like the initial one.

Let’s talk about Ronald…

Images courtesy of ABC

Whether you love him or hate him, there’s just something about Ronald, but I think he may be out of options at this point. Much like I predicted, his girlfriend has a dark side and may be even crazier than him, but based on the previews, it looks like Ronald is going to be locked up…at least temporarily.

So, where does that leave Jerrie?

Images courtesy of ABC

I desperately want to see Jerrie get her revenge on Ronald. Everyone needs to stop telling her what to do so she can see this through on her own. She deserves it and honestly I would really like to see the other girls return as well even though they haven’t appeared on the second half of the show.

Let’s let Jerrie shine and have her moment. Watch out, Ronald!

What else is Ronald hiding?

Images courtesy of ABC

We know that Ronald murdered his girlfriend’s sister, but that isn’t really much of a surprise for Dewell and Hoyt. We need something else…something unexpected. So, what is it?

Did Ronald take out an insurance policy in case he was caught?

I’m hoping for something really dark and twisted here, but we’ll have to wait and see.

I know that the Ronald story-line can’t last forever, but it’s a good one and maybe he can act as the new Hannibal Lecter when other serial killers start coming to town so he can stay involved with the show.

Either way, I’m excited to watch the season finale and I can’t wait to see more mysteries arrive at Dewell and Hoyt’s doorstep.

If you haven’t watched Big Sky yet, you can catch up now on ABC and on Hulu!

Feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Big Sky in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

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!

**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 “Jupiter’s Legacy” on Netflix: Standard Super Hero Show

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

“We have these powers for a reason…”

Jupiter’s Legacy is a superhero action series that premiered on Netflix on May 7th 2021. There are eight episodes for part one that are available to stream now. The show stars Josh Duhamel, Leslie Bibb, Matt Lanter, Andrew Horton and Elena Kampouris. Each episode runs for approximately 40-45 minutes.

Based on the comic series of the same name, the show follows a group of superheroes who attempt to hand over their responsibilities to the new generation, but a dangerous threat gets in the way of their moral code.

Here is the trailer:

Jupiter’s Legacy is the latest series to bring a comic book to life for a new audience, but is there enough substance here to keep you coming back for more? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Familiar faces.

Josh Duhamel and Leslie Bibb make a pretty good team although some of Josh’s acting left a lot to be desired and what was with that wig? I was also really glad to see Matt Lanter on this series as well and I think that the rest of the cast did a decent enough job with what they were given.

Interesting flashbacks.

I actually preferred the flashbacks with the origin story more than the present day events. The time period itself was more interesting and I thought that the writers paid more attention here to keep the audience invested. While some of the flashbacks seemed forced, there was enough going on here to make them connect to the overall story without overdoing it.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Mediocre plot.

I got halfway through the series and started to ask myself if I even liked what I was watching. That tells me that the series is decent enough, but there is nothing truly spectacular going on to make you have to watch this.

This show could very easily fit into The CW’s lineup and I gave up on those superhero shows after wasting too much time on Arrow after it went off the deep end.

Much like the DC shows on The CW, there’s enough superhero action and drama going on here, but it’s nothing you haven’t seen before.

No humor.

One thing I really needed in this show was some well placed humor. Since the plot was already so mediocre, it needed something to prevent the series from feeling too heavy and melodramatic.

Much like Walker and October Faction, this show tried to focus on a balance between family drama and action, but it just felt dull and uninspiring.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m 50/50 on this one.

The show is watchable and if you really enjoy superhero action series, you will feel right at home with this one. There were some moments sprinkled in and a couple of stand-out performances, but the show just felt like a standard superhero show to me that will most likely become very forgettable in the long run.

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen 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 Resort” on Demand: Island horror leaves a lot to be desired

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

“That was the last time I felt truly safe…”

The Resort is a horror film that released on April 30th 2021 on demand and in limited theaters. The film stars Bianca Haase, Michelle Randolph, Brock O’Hurn and Michael Vlamis. It runs for approximately 75 minutes.

The film centers around a writer obsessed with the paranormal who decides to go on a trip to Hawaii with her friends to investigate an abandoned resort that is supposedly haunted by a ghost called the Half-Faced Girl. When they arrive, they are in paradise, but things soon take a dark turn.

Here is the trailer:

The Resort has the potential to lure us in with some guilty pleasure island terror paired with some jaw-dropping gorgeous scenery. But is this film truly worth a watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Double Down Pictures

Gorgeous scenery and a gorgeous cast.

The movie is filmed in Maui, Hawaii and the scenery is absolutely beautiful. I love anything that has to do with Hawaii so this was a major plus for me and we also had a gorgeous cast to go along with it.

I also thought that the premise was good and I wanted to know more about the history behind the abandoned resort and the haunting there.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Double Down Pictures

Bad acting.

Like, really bad. The cast is almost too gorgeous and I felt like the people making this movie suddenly realized just how terrible they were at acting and decided to throw in random skinny-dipping scenes for fluff just to kill some time and the movie only runs for an hour and fifteen minutes…

Images courtesy of Double Down Pictures

Not scary at all and a terrible plot.

I really wanted to like this movie. It had the perfect premise and I was thinking I might get a mix of A Perfect Getaway and Club Dread. There was some humor sprinkled in and the beginning was not that bad even with the terrible acting, but once the plot took off, things just got beyond awful.

While there is some gore and attempts at channeling some Evil Dead vibes, this film fails to execute every single one of its scares and the twist at the end was laughable, but this is not coded as a horror comedy so it makes me wonder what the writers were thinking here.

At least the movie was short, otherwise I would have stopped watching it much sooner…

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Double Down Pictures

I’m out on this one…

Unfortunately the gorgeous backdrop of Hawaii could not save this awful horror movie. Don’t waste your money on this one. I would recommend checking it out just to see how terrible it is when it airs at like 4 am on basic cable or is available to stream for free.

The plot was just horrendous and laughable and perhaps this would have been better if it took a page out of Club Dread’s book and went full horror comedy.

If you are looking for some island terror, check out A Perfect Getaway or Fantasy Island instead.

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

THIS COMPETITION IS KILLER…

My new young adult horror thriller comes out October 7th 2021! 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 “Things Heard & Seen” on Netflix: Amanda Seyfried challenges horror tropes

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

“What do you want?”

Things Heard & Seen is a horror thriller film that premiered on Netflix on April 29th 2021. The film stars Amanda Seyfried, James Norton, Rhea Seehorn, and Natalia Dyer. It runs for approximately 120 minutes.

Based on the novel, All Things Cease to Appear, the film centers around a couple who relocates to the Hudson Valley. Their house has a lot of history in it as a darkness emerges and secrets are revealed in their marriage.

Here is the trailer:

Things Heard & Seen has a lot of unsettling horror sprinkled throughout the film, but it does have a very familiar premise that may seem overdone. Does the film do enough to earn a watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Amanda Seyfried puts forth a valiant effort.

I’m already a fan of hers, but I think she was born to be in horror films. There is just something really magnetic and believable about her. Throughout the film, her character deals with a lot of terrifying ordeals. Her marriage is not what it seems and the house she has just moved into clearly has something lurking in its walls and yet she still manages to think things through rationally which was really refreshing to see.

Moves away from tropes.

This film could have very easily fallen into many of the familiar tropes and plot devices we see in these types of horror thriller films and yet it decided to do thing differently which was really refreshing.

We didn’t have the typical jump scares and slow-moving walks through the dark. Rather, an unsettling terror built up as Amanda Seyfried’s character handled things as a normal person would in real life. She investigates different things in the house but in a smart and practical way.

When she discovers that some kind of spirit might be in her house, she looks into it without skipping a beat.

I also thought the ending was unique and I liked how the evil actions in her everyday life overshadowed the supernatural presence.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Slow pace.

This movie really didn’t need to be two hours long. I thought the pacing was really slow and it prevented this movie from reaching its full potential. It just felt like so much was dragging and I stopped paying attention during several scenes because I just wanted to figure out what was going on at the root cause.

Nothing truly extraordinary.

The film made an effort to do things differently. Its ending has a lot of meanings embedded in it and I think it had a great cast to work with even though I absolutely hated James Norton’s character.

We had glimmers of real potential throughout the film, but I’m not sure it reached its full potential and things took way too long to unfold in the end.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m 50/50 on this one.

I’m in for Amanda Seyfried, but I’m out on the overall slow and boring pace of this film. This watch was kind of frustrating because I thought that the film really did make an effort, but if it had gone a little bit further with some other tweaks, this film could have actually been really eerie and thought-provoking.

I loved the idea of women coming together to finally be heard and the focus on the horrors of the people who surround us rather than what we cannot see, but it failed to deliver in a lot of other areas.

I don’t think that you need to move this to the very top of your watch-list, but Amanda Seyfried’s performance is worth checking out if you don’t have much else to watch.

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “The Innocent” on Netflix: “The Stranger” has finally met its match!

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

“The first day of the rest of your life…”

Harlan Coben’s The Innocent (El Inocente) premiered on Netflix on April 30th 2021. The Spanish mini-series features eight episodes available to stream now. It stars Mario Casas, Aura Garrido, Alexandra Jiménez and Juana Acosta. Each episode runs for approximately 55-60 minutes.

After an accidental killing, Mateo Vidal is released from prison and thinks that he can start his life over when he meets the love of his life. Years later, a disturbing phone call tangles him in a dangerous and deadly web of deception involving the murder of a young nun.

Here is the trailer:

The Innocent immediately submerges us back into the brilliant and mysterious world of Harlan Coben, as his novel comes to life on the small screen. While many of his shows have delivered in the past, can any show measure up to The Stranger? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Netflix

A captivating mystery that lures you in.

Harlan Coben is so talented at creating such a layered mystery and he does it over and over again with his books. In this latest adaption of his novel, we are immersed into this new mystery that immediately hooks us from the very first episode.

It was so engrossing and well done. Much like The Stranger, I was on the edge of my seat and I could not stop watching this series. It is that good!

Inspiring characters.

The characters were developed so well and as soon as I thought I had my mind made up about someone, something drastic would happen to change my mind completely. I became so invested in the well-being of each character and even the flashbacks were really interesting and held my attention the entire time.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Netflix

A lot of sub-plots.

This should come as no surprise because it is always listed as my con for any Harlan Coben series and at this point, I’m used to it. That being said, you have to invest a lot of time and energy into this series. If you stop paying attention, you will miss something important that will connect later on.

I also thought that the opening episode was so incredibly strong and then when we switched narratives in the second episode, it was really jarring and I almost thought I was watching a different show.

However, the payoff is worth it and I recommend that you stick around even if these initial subplots and narrative changes seem confusing.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in 1000 percent!!!!!

The Innocent is an engrossing mystery from start to finish. This series is so addicting and it will keep you guessing at every new reveal. I didn’t think that another Harlan Coben series could come close to The Stranger and The Innocent is giving it a run for its money. Wow!

It is the absolute perfect binge-watch and the show I have been waiting for!

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen 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!

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