Month: January 2022

Spoiler-Free Review of “The 355” in Theaters: “Ocean’s Eight” Spy Edition

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

“The enemy of my enemy is my friend…”

The 355 premiered in theaters on January 7th 2022. The action thriller film stars Jessica Chastain, Diane Kruger, Penélope Cruz, Lupita Nyong’o and Fan Bingbing. It is approximately two hours long.

A CIA agent joins forces with agents from other countries to track down a dangerous drive that could put the world in immediate danger.

Here is the trailer:

The 355 has an all-star female cast with plenty of kick-ass moments, but does it do anything truly extraordinary? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

The 355 Spoiler Free 1

Images courtesy of Universal Pictures

Fabulous cast!

I loved every single one of these ladies and Diane Kruger really stole the show for me! They all brought plenty to the table with stunning outfits and bad-ass moves to keep us entertained for the most part. They were the best part of the movie and I loved the dynamic between them all.

The 355 Spoiler Free 2

Images courtesy of Universal Pictures

Lots of action.

The film delivered in this department. There were some pacing issues here and there, but there were plenty of chase and fight scenes to keep you invested. I loved the opening chase scene the most, but there were a lot of other satisfying moments to keep you rooting for these ladies throughout the movie.

The Cons:

The 355 Spoiler Free 3

Images courtesy of Universal Pictures

Predictable and by the numbers…

Even though I enjoyed this film, it didn’t really do anything truly unique or extraordinary. I’ve seen this type of movie before and while I’m all for a film that highlights female empowerment, the movie really struck the audience over the head with this and fit very neatly into tropes and clichés.

Everything just felt really generic and the cast honestly deserved a better plot.

Needed some humor.

I enjoyed Ocean’s Eight a lot more because there was humor involved to balance out things and while this film attempted to channel that vibe, it didn’t execute it as well. It made me focus more on the generic plot and even though I loved the actresses in the film, many of the characters needed some more layers as well.

So am I in or out?

The 355 Spoiler Free 4

Images courtesy of Universal Pictures

I’m 50/50 on this one…

I loved the cast and there was plenty of action to keep me watching, but I just wanted so much more for this movie. It just felt like something I have already seen before. There’s plenty to enjoy, but I wouldn’t say that you need to rush out to see this one…

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The 355 in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

Watching Girl Number Thirteen

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!

**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 “Anxious People” on Netflix: Whodunnit Mystery with Heart

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

“Appearances can be deceptive…”

Anxious People released on December 29th 2021 on Netflix. The Swedish dramedy mystery series stars Alfred Svensson, Dan Ekborg, Carla Sehn, Marika Lagercrantz and Sascha Zacharias. The limited series features six episodes available to stream now. Each episode is approximately 25-30 minutes long.

A bank robber holds a group of strangers hostage at an open house event and then vanishes from the scene, as a father and son cop duo try to figure out what really happened.

Here is the trailer:

Anxious People has a quirky charm creating an interesting mashup of Only Murders in the Building and Nine Perfect Strangers, but is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Good balance of humor and drama.

It’s not easy nailing a dramedy and somehow Anxious People makes it look easy. There is a lot of emotional and heartfelt content here, but there is also a really fun mystery and tons of light humor similar to Hot Fuzz in a lot of ways to keep things light. I personally loved the balance and I was surprised by how much I actually liked this show.

Short episodes.

If you are looking for something quick to binge-watch, you’re in the right place. Each episode is just under a half hour and the pacing works really well. We focus on a different witness in each episode, weaving the pieces of the mystery together for us in a compelling way.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Takes a little while to get going…

Even though I was entertained during the first two episodes, I was also really confused and I think that the series was attempting to find its way. I wasn’t really sure what type of show I was watching, but once I got to episode three, I felt right at home and I thought the show found its groove, reeling me in for more and more.

Since there were only six episodes, I would have liked to have been brought in right from the start, but I think it managed to find its way in the end.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in!

This show really had a great balance and presented us with a fun mystery at its core, but it was also about the characters and their interactions, which made this such a heartwarming watch. I genuinely loved the vibe and I thought that it had a satisfactory conclusion, making it an easy binge-watch to enjoy!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Anxious People 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! I hope you enjoy!

READ IF YOU DARE…

Dash and Seek is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “The Silent Sea” on Netflix: An Intense Watch

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

“We have an important mission…”

The Silent Sea premiered on Netflix on December 24th 2021 with eight episodes available to stream now. The South Korean sci-fi thriller series stars Gong Yoo, Bae Doona, Lee Joon, Kim Sun-Young and Heo Sung-tae.

A group goes on an important mission to the moon to seek out samples that could help save the world, but something is lurking in the abandoned space station they are on, putting them all in immediate danger.

Here is the trailer:

The Silent Sea has an Alien feel with edge-of-your-seat intensity and complex characters, but does it do enough to be worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Chilling and intense!

From the music, to the setting, I thought this show really nailed the vibe it was going for. I don’t normally watch too many sci-fi series, but this one did a great job of reeling the audience in with each episode. There was a lot of mystery surrounding everything and the reveals were well worth it in my opinion.

Images courtesy of Netflix

Characters to root for.

While some of the characters were pretty much there to add to the body count, there were others that had a lot of layers. Dr. Song and Captain Han were both fantastic characters and it helped me care about the outcome that much more.

I thought the past flashbacks worked because they didn’t dominate the episodes. Rather, they gave us glimpses into the past lives of these characters and what made them go on the mission in the first place, which was an effective approach.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Pacing issues…

The episodes could have been a little shorter. I was hooked the entire time I was watching the show, but it did have some pacing issues going on. It took too long for things to happen, which was slightly frustrating at times.

I also don’t think you should go into this show expecting it to be the next Squid Game even though there were some similarities and some of the same actors appeared in The Silent Sea. If you treat it as a separate show, you will enjoy it more.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in!

This is not the type of show I normally watch, but I was surprised by how much it hooked me right from the start. It was chilling and intense with a great strong female lead!

If you enjoy sci-fi thrillers, you will feel right at home with this one.

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

Spoiler-Free Review of “Stay Close” on Netflix: Harlan Coben does it again!

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

“Do they know who you were in your previous life?”

Harlan Coben’s Stay Close premiered on Netflix on December 31st 2021. The mystery thriller series features eight episodes available to stream now. It stars Cush Jumbo, Richard Armitage, James Nesbitt, Sarah Parish and Bethany Antonia. Each episode runs for approximately 42-48 minutes.

As Megan prepares for her upcoming wedding, her dangerous past comes back to haunt her, connecting her to a mysterious murder while threatening her new life and family.

Here is the trailer:

Stay Close follows Harlan Coben’s compelling and addicting formula perfectly, but does this series do enough to keep up with The Stranger and The Innocent? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Netflix

An engrossing mystery…

I’ve come to expect this from the Harlan Coben mysteries, but this series is no exception. I was immediately pulled in right from the start and each episode did plenty to bring me back for more. This show was so much fun to binge-watch. It kept me guessing the entire time and did a great job of revealing just enough to keep the audience fully invested.

Images courtesy of Netflix

A final twist I didn’t see coming!

I’ve gotten pretty good at piecing together Harlan Coben mysteries, but there is always one final twist that throws me for a loop and this may be the best twist I have seen so far! I am still in shock over it!

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Netflix

A lot to keep track of…

If you’re used to Harlan Coben mysteries, then you already know that there will be plenty of sub-plots to make your head spin, but everything eventually connects in the end. I wouldn’t really say this is a con, but you need to pay attention to everything and even if some characters seem slightly ridiculous, they’ll start to grow on you…

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in 100 percent!!!

Stay Close is a fantastic mystery that will keep you guessing. I loved every second of it! I think it absolutely kept up with The Stranger and The Innocent, but it did something new and different as well! The mystery will keep you coming back for more, but this series has so much going for it and it is beyond worthy of your next watch!

Start the year off with an addicting thriller that will make you binge-watch to your heart’s content!

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

**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!