Month: March 2024

Spoiler-Free Review of “In the Land of Saints and Sinners” in Theaters: A Solid, Authentic Thriller

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

“There’s more to me than this…”

In the Land of Saints and Sinners released in theaters on March 29th 2024. The Irish action film stars Liam Neeson, Jack Gleeson, Kerry Condon, and Desmond Eastwood. It runs for approximately an hour and forty-five minutes.

Set in Ireland during the 1970’s, Finbar Murphy hopes to leave his past as an assassin behind him, but when a group of terrorists arrive in town, he must choose between revealing his secret past and protecting his friends and neighbors from harm.

Here is the trailer:

In the Land of Saints and Sinners is not your average Liam Neeson film, presenting us with a captivating crime thriller deep rooted in genuine moments, but does it do enough to earn a watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn Films

Gorgeous scenery and solid performances.

This is the second film in the past month that I have watched set in Ireland and once again, the setting did not disappoint. It was breathtakingly beautiful and I thought that this film was really well shot.

The performances were exceptional as well, elevating this film into a crime thriller of a higher standard, which was refreshing to watch.

Images courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn Films

Not your typical Liam Neeson film…

It’s been years since Taken and The Grey have come out and I’m not sure that any film will ever come close to those, but Liam Neeson has starred in numerous action thrillers ever since that simply have not measured up. Don’t get me wrong, some of them have been very entertaining and I will continue to watch every single one, but I’ve been waiting for another worthy film and I think we came pretty close here.

While the premise was a familiar one for Neeson, this film felt very different and unique. It didn’t rely on a gimmick or flashy concept to reel the audience in. Rather, it presented us with something more organic and real, which actually really resonated with me.

The second half of the film was really intense and brilliant. Sure, it didn’t quite pack the same punch as some of his other films, but I’m not sure that it needed that. It transcended past those films, making this a thoughtful and more layered watch, which I really appreciated.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn Films

Takes a while to get going…

The first half was pretty sluggish even though there were some key moments sprinkled in. If you’re looking for a fast-paced action flick, you won’t get that here. We do eventually get to some action worth the wait, but be prepared for a slower paced film overall.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn Films

I’m in!

In the Land of Saints and Sinners is a smart and well-crafted crime thriller worth your time.

This film was not what I expected, but it delivered and allowed Liam Neeson to truly shine.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on In the Land of Saints and Sinners 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!

Spoiler-Free Review of “Late Night with the Devil” in Theaters: An Entertaining Spin on the Possession Genre

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

“Good evening Night Owls…”

Late Night with the Devil released in theaters on March 22nd 2024. The found footage horror film stars David Dastmalchian, Laura Gordon, Georgina Haig, and Ingrid Torelli. It runs for an hour and thirty-two minutes.

On Halloween night in 1977, a live broadcast of a late night talk show goes horribly wrong when a demon is unleashed on stage.

Here is the trailer:

Late Night with the Devil is captivating, engrossing, and wickedly entertaining. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Shudder

David Dastmalchian is exceptional.

He commanded the screen and then some! I thought he fully embraced his role with flair. He was so convincing on screen that I almost thought this was really happening. This may be one of the best horror performances I have witnessed in a long time. Seriously, he was that good. Amazing performance!

Images courtesy of Shudder

Insane final act!

I was impressed by the overall pacing of this film and by the time I got to the final act, I was blown away. It was so over-the-top and insane, sticking the landing with ease. I thought the ending was satisfying for the audience, making this even more of a compelling watch. 

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Shudder

I don’t have many…

I know that there has been some backlash to this film because it utilized AI generated art for some images. I don’t know much about that so I’m just going to leave that there.

I’m also not normally a huge fan of found footage films (although there are some exceptions), but this one felt different from the rest. It just felt like I was simply watching this transpire on the television screen, which was absolutely genius. So if you’re thinking of skipping it because it’s a found footage film, I would say to give it a chance. 

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Shudder

I’m in!!!

Late Night with the Devil is twisted fun!

A found footage film that delivers without over-complicating things.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Late Night with the Devil 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!

Spoiler-Free Review of “Immaculate” in Theaters: A New Scream Queen Emerges!

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

“I hope you find what you’re looking for…”

Immaculate released in theaters on March 22nd 2024. The religious horror film stars Sydney Sweeney, Álvaro Morte, Simona Tabasco, and Benedetta Porcaroli. The film runs for approximately an hour and thirty minutes.

Sister Cecilia is invited to a remote convent in Italy to take her vows as a nun, but she soon discovers that there are dark and sinister secrets lurking within that put her in immediate danger.

Here is the trailer:

Immaculate explores the horrors that can exist away from the rest of the world in an extremely disturbing way. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Neon

Unsettling and horrifying moments.

There was something so utterly terrifying about the overall tone of this film. Sure, some of it was utter nonsense but it still chilled me to my core and had my skin crawling during several key moments. I left the theater in complete shock after what I had just witnessed. It was extreme, intense, and absolutely insane in the best way possible.

Images courtesy of Neon

Sydney Sweeney proves her worth.

Wow, she was FANTASTIC in this role. I wasn’t sure what to expect at first, but as the film continued to build and build, her performance got stronger along with it. She poured so much into her portrayal and unleashed something spectacular. She’s an absolute star and she just carved her way into the horror genre, making this a performance to remember for sure.

More please!

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Neon

The weak jump scares didn’t add anything…

I really hate when films do this because it disrupts the overall tone of the film. This film was already terrifying enough with its content. It didn’t need these at all to provide shock value. Trust me.

The film started off really strong, but the pacing did slow down for a while after this. This wasn’t a major con because I expected this to be a slow burn, but be prepared for some fluff to sit through before you get to the extreme insanity.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Neon

I’m in!!!

Immaculate is deeply disturbing, featuring a bloody captivating performance by Sydney Sweeney. 

A twisted gem for horror fans!

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

Spoiler-Free Review of “Irish Wish” on Netflix: Lindsay Lohan’s Rom-Com Goes Through the Motions…

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

“It all happened so fast…”

Irish Wish premiered on March 15th 2024 on Netflix. The rom-com film stars Lindsay Lohan, Ed Speleers, Alexander Vlahos, Elizabeth Tan, and Jane Seymour. It runs for approximately an hour and thirty-three minutes.

When her dream man gets engaged to her best friend, Maddie makes a wish in Ireland for true love and ends up switching places with her friend as the new bride-to-be. But things get complicated when she begins connecting with someone else, leading her to question what she really wants after all.

Here is the trailer:

Irish Wish attempts to follow in the footsteps of Lindsay Lohan’s other recent Netflix rom-com, Falling for Christmas, but does it have the same magic and charm? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Gorgeous setting.

I loved that this film took place in Ireland and I thought that the scenery was absolutely breathtaking. Lindsay Lohan’s wardrobe was really cute as well and I liked the use of bright colors. Everything popped well on screen, which made this aesthetically pleasing at least…

Images courtesy of Netflix

Some cute moments sprinkled in.

I just wish there were more of them! I’ve seen my fair share of rom-coms and while there was a lot missing from this one, I did feel some chemistry between our two main leads and I liked when the focus was on them. Lindsay Lohan gave it her all here, but unfortunately she wasn’t able to completely save this movie…

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Lacking genuine charm and humor.

I REALLY wanted to like this movie, but so much felt forced here. I’m always looking for charm and some humor in films like this and a lot of that did not translate well. This film was predictable, but that would have been fine if it had brought us some real moments to get excited about. There were a few glimmers of potential, but they were quickly stifled.

It just felt like everyone was simply playing a part and reading through a script rather than embracing something I could connect to. Normally I cry at least once during films like this and that didn’t happen because a lot felt like they were just phoning it in. I expected more here…

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m 50/50 on this one…

Look, of course I’m always going to continue to watch Lindsay Lohan films, but she deserved a MUCH better movie.

There were some sweet moments in this one, but it was lacking in genuine emotion and charm. I’d recommend re-watching Falling for Christmas instead…

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Falling for Christmas 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 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 “Apples Never Fall” on Peacock: A Straightforward Mystery-Drama Series

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

“Thank you for opening your door…”

Apples Never Fall released on Peacock on March 14th 2024 with all seven episodes available to stream now. The limited mystery-drama series (based on the book of the same name) stars Annette Bening, Sam Neill, Alison Brie, Jake Lacy, Essie Randles, Conor Merrigan, and Georgia Flood. Each episode runs for approximately 45-50 minutes.

After their mother goes missing, the Delaney family works together and unlocks secrets involving the introduction of a stranger on their doorstep, hoping to find their mother before it is too late.

Here is the trailer:

Apples Never Fall is a quick and effortless watch with an addicting premise and decent performances. Is it worthy of your next binge-watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Peacock

Great cast.

Similar to Big Little Lies (from the same author), this miniseries had quite a few familiar faces in it and I thought the performances were solid for the most part. Annette Bening and Alison Brie stood out the most for me.

Some of the other characters could have been fleshed out a little bit more (I’m assuming they were in the book), but I didn’t need this to go on for longer than it did.

Images courtesy of Peacock

A soapy and simple enough mystery to indulge in.

I appreciated that this series kept things simple and didn’t try to do too much. I’ve seen similar series with outrageous twists and complex sub-plots and while I often love them, it was refreshing to just sit back and enjoy this one without having to think too much.

I thought that the balance between the soapy family drama and the core mystery worked well enough, keeping me engaged until the end.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Peacock

Not a fan of the constant time jumps.

I eventually got used to them, but it felt erratic jumping back and forth between timelines. Initially it was very confusing and I think they jam-packed way too many of these past and present scenes in the pilot episode, which made it slightly overwhelming.

As the episodes continued, the transitions worked a lot better, but they were disruptive at times still.

I also felt like the ending was kind of a letdown. I guess I wanted something more shocking and darker. It just felt like we were leading up to something extraordinary and then the end result was lukewarm at best.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Peacock

I’m in about 75 percent…

Apples Never Fall did enough to keep me engaged until the very end with an impressive cast and a layered mystery.

If you enjoy guilty-pleasure mystery-dramas, you’ll have a satisfying binge-watch overall.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Apples Never Fall 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 “Night Shift” on Demand: Spine-tingling Haunted Hotel Flick Delivers

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

“I know it seems a little spooky here…”

Night Shift released in limited theaters and on Demand on March 8th 2024. The supernatural horror mystery film stars Phoebe Tonkin, Madison Hu, and Lamorne Morris. It runs for approximately an hour and twenty-two minutes.

Gwen takes a job working the night shift at a remote hotel that she suspects may be haunted.

Here is the trailer:

Night Shift is a chilling version of The Shining meets Open 24 Hours with a worthy lead and an eerie premise. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Quiver Distribution

Genuinely scary!

I jumped quite a few times with this one and was impressed by the way it effectively created a lingering feeling of dread and terror with each scene. It was unsettling and really creepy! It’s been a while since a horror movie has actually frightened me and I thought this one did a great job of creating suspense in a single location.

Images courtesy of Quiver Distribution

Phoebe Tonkin is terrific!

I’m already a fan of hers from The Originals and have always thought that she would excel in horror movies and I was right! She dominated the screen and did an exceptional job with her portrayal, making this film believable and even more unsettling. I liked the other characters as well even though they didn’t get too much time to shine.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Quiver Distribution

Mixed feelings about the twist.

Sure, it was unpredictable and really out there, but I’m still not sure how I feel about it. It disrupted my watch slightly and changed the overall tone of the movie, but I appreciate this film taking a risk with it and thought it was entertaining enough. 

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Quiver Distribution

I’m in!!!

Night Shift is a chilling and satisfying treat for horror fans. It’s short, spooky, and it gave me nightmares in the best way possible!

I went into this one with lower expectations and was pleasantly surprised with the end result. 

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

Spoiler-Free Review of “Imaginary” in Theaters: He’s Not Your Friend…

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

“I found someone else to play with…”

Imaginary released in theaters on March 8th 2024. The supernatural horror film stars DeWanda Wise, Tom Payne, Pyper Braun, and Taegen Burns. It runs for approximately an hour and forty-four minutes.

When Jessica returns to her childhood home, she becomes concerned about her stepdaughter’s behavior when she begins to spend all her time with a stuffed bear named Chauncey.

Here is the trailer:

Imaginary attempts to terrify us with a decent enough premise, but its wild twists get in the way. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Lionsgate

Fun premise.

I really loved the idea of an imaginary friend terrorizing people in the form of a cute and cuddly bear. This had all the ingredients to be an entertaining horror film and I think that the first half of this film was creepy and interesting enough.

Images courtesy of Lionsgate

Decent characters.

I thought the cast did a solid enough job here and I appreciated that our characters were given some layers to explore. It helped me invest more in them and I was rooting for them despite some of my issues with this film.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Lionsgate

The second half goes off the rails…

And not in a good way. There were way too many twists in this one and none of them were that satisfying. This was frustrating because I thought this film started off entertaining enough. It’s like the writers decided to take everyone’s idea on how they think the movie should end and mashed them all together hoping it would pay off.

A lot of the reveals felt completely bonkers and laughable. Some of the dialogue was really hard to get through as well…

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Lionsgate

I’m 50/50 on this one…

Imaginary had some genuinely creepy moments built in and it was a lot better than Night Swim, but the crazy second half felt really forced and silly, which was disappointing.

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

Spoiler-Free Review of “Damsel” on Netflix: Not Your Average Fairy-Tale…

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

“This story always ends the same…”

Damsel is a dark fantasy action film that premiered on March 8th 2024 on Netflix. It stars Millie Bobby Brown, Robin Wright, Nick Robinson, and Angela Bassett. It runs for an hour and forty-nine minutes.

A young woman marries a prince, only to discover that his family actually plans to sacrifice her to a dragon.

Here is the trailer:


Damsel follows in the footsteps of The Princess, presenting us with a capable and intelligent female lead who needs to rely on herself to save the day. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Visually impressive.

This film was gorgeous to look at. It really felt like I was seeing an actual fairy-tale kingdom right off the page. The colors and costumes were aesthetically pleasing and I was impressed with the scenes involving the dragon.

Images courtesy of Netflix

Millie Bobby Brown gives it her all!

I really liked her in this and thought she stepped away from her character from Stranger Things in a bad-ass way, proving that she is more than capable of commanding the screen in different types of films. I’d like to see her do more than Netflix films because I think she has a lot of raw talent that is being stifled in a way, but I was rooting for her the entire time in this one.

I also wanted her character to give us some sarcasm or humor to lighten things up a little bit, but she delivered with what she was given.

The cat-and-mouse scenes were well done.

I loved the way the dragon toyed with her and I really enjoyed some of the earlier scenes in the cave where we got to see Elodie unlock her true potential with intelligence and courage. There were also some darker elements of horror in this one that I absolutely loved.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Nothing new here…

Look, I love modern day fairy-tales and I will continue to indulge in them. That being said, I’ve seen this movie before. I personally liked The Princess better, which had a better balance of bad-ass moments and humor to keep me fully engaged. I’m all for a strong female lead not requiring the prince to save the day, but this film needed some more edge to fully deliver.

It had some sprinkles of Ready or Not thrown in and if it had lightened up just a touch and found some twisted humor, it would have been a little bit more satisfying by the time I got to the end.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in about 75 percent…

Millie Bobby Brown reminds us that she’s here to stay as a strong female lead in this bad-ass (but mostly predictable) fantasy-action flick.

A lot felt very by the numbers here, but if you enjoy twists on fairy-tales and anything with dragons, there’s enough here to appreciate for a decent enough movie of the week.

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