Spoiler-Free Review of “Haunted Mansion” (2023) in Theaters: A Haunting Good Time!

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

“There’s no such thing as ghosts…”

Haunted Mansion (2023) released in theaters on July 28th 2023. Based on the Disney ride, the remake fantasy comedy film stars LaKeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Rosario Dawson, Danny DeVito, Owen Wilson, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Jared Leto. It runs for approximately two hours.

After a woman and her son encounter some ghosts in their new home, they enlist the help of some spiritual experts to get rid of them.

Here is the trailer:

Haunted Mansion brings plenty of nostalgia for fans of the theme park ride while creating a delightful new story filled with spooky fun and heartwarming moments. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Walt Disney Studios

An entertaining story with welcomed nods at the Disney ride.

I almost forgot about the 2003 version of this film starring Eddie Murphy. The new remake has nothing to do with that story (although you will see some of the same familiar ghosts floating around). 

The new mystery is captivating enough and has a charm of its own. The haunted mansion ride at Disney World was always one of my favorite rides and it was really cute seeing some of those familiar characters pop up again, making this a fun tribute to that while branching off into its own mystery.

 
Images courtesy of Walt Disney Studios

Fun characters!

We got a fantastic cast in this one and they really delivered with their characters. At first I wasn’t sure about how I felt about this group, but I quickly fell in love with them and I think they elevated this film in a lot of ways.

It was easy to root for them all and the dynamic between them was wonderful.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Walt Disney Studios

Takes a while to find its groove…

The first half of this film felt a little unsure of itself. A lot of the humor didn’t land for me and the ghosts didn’t really do too much damage so I was quickly losing interest. Luckily that changed and the second half of the film really found its magic.

I wouldn’t say that this is a perfect film by any means, but it was still an enjoyable ride and I think that was the point.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Walt Disney Studios

I’m in!!!

A charming kids-friendly horror entry!

If you’re a fan of the Disney ride or in need of a quick film to watch with the kids, there are plenty of enjoyable moments in this one.

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

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Spoiler-Free Review of “National Treasure: Edge of History” on Disney+: A New Treasure Hunt to Indulge In

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

“Remember the treasure I told you about?”

National Treasure: Edge of History premiered on Disney+ on December 14th 2022 with the first two episodes. The remaining episodes will air weekly. Based on the popular film series, the series stars Lisette Olivera, Zuri Reed, Jake Austin Walker, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Harvey Keitel. Each episode is approximately 48-50 minutes.

Jess searches for answers about her family when she stumbles upon clues that may lead her to a famous lost treasure.

Here is the trailer:

National Treasure: Edge of History branches off into a new story without Nicolas Cage, but does the new series do enough to keep fans invested? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Disney+

A mystery with potential.

I love a good treasure hunt mystery and there is already a lot of potential with this one. The cast is likable enough and it’s embracing the young adult angle, which is working so far. I’m looking forward to getting more into the actual treasure hunt aspect, but so far it’s heading in the right direction.

Images courtesy of Disney+

Catherine Zeta-Jones is a lot of fun!

I loved seeing her in Wednesday and she is already dominating the screen in the best way possible in National Treasure. She looks incredible as always and is really channeling the female villainess vibe, which is working in her favor. More please!

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Disney+

Falling into the standard YA tropes…

This isn’t a huge con, but I want to keep watching this show and I’m slightly worried that it will fall into overused tropes I see in countless shows and reboots that are trying to be “fresh” for a new generation. I actually really like the new characters so I’m hopeful the show will settle down into its own identity without having to rely on these tropes, but they have the potential to make this show forgettable…

We’re also missing a key main character, but I’m crossing my fingers that he’ll show up in some capacity…even if it’s later on.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Disney+

I’m in about 75 percent…

I love a good treasure hunt movie and the YA spin is fun, but I’m hoping for more substance as the episodes continue.

I’m hopeful we’ll get there!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on National Treasure: Edge of History 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 “Disenchanted” on Disney+: Amy Adams Lights up the Screen Once Again

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

“What if I told you that ever after wasn’t the end of their story?”

Disenchanted premiered on Disney+ on November 18th 2022. The film is a sequel to 2007’s Enchanted. It stars Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, James Marsden, Idina Menzel, and Maya Rudolph. It runs for approximately two hours.

Years after finding her happily ever after, Giselle and her family move to the suburbs where they don’t really fit in, leading to her making an unexpected wish that may threaten both her community and the world of Andalasia.

Here is the trailer:

Disenchanted is the latest Disney sequel to air many years later. Does it still possess the charming magic of the original film while adding something new to the franchise? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Disney+

Amy Adams is better than ever.

You would think it was only yesterday that she portrayed the character of Giselle. Once again, Amy Adams gives us a magical performance that is well worth the wait. She’s a dream as Giselle and we even get to witness another side of her (courtesy of her wish), giving us some more layers this time around.

It was fun seeing some other familiar faces as well and the newcomers did a good job with what they were given. Maya Rudolph was perfectly cast for her role and was wickedly entertaining.

Images courtesy of Disney+

Clever premise.

I absolutely loved the idea of there being more to the story after happily ever after because of course there is. The whole premise was really clever and allowed us to see Giselle in a new kind of world so that things still felt fresh. Otherwise it would have been a very repetitive story.

There were definitely some Once Upon a Time vibes going on, which I loved. OUAT writer, Brigette Hales, created the Disenchanted script so of course that makes sense, but it honestly worked to the film’s advantage.

I also loved the pop of color throughout the film, making this a gorgeous watch from start to finish.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Disney+

Supporting characters weren’t given enough to do…

It honestly felt like Patrick Dempsey was a cameo. I forgot he was even in the film several times. I think he needed more to do here. I get that this wasn’t about their love story anymore, but he’s perfectly capable of commanding the screen so I was slightly disappointed with this.

James Marsden was fantastic as ever, but barely appeared in the film. Yvette Nicole Brown and Jayma Mays are both such funny actresses and I had high hopes for them in this, but they really weren’t given much to do here either.

I also felt like this film burst into song a little too much. I don’t remember there being THAT many songs in the original film or maybe those songs were just better? Either way, I felt slightly disconnected every single time a new song began.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Disney+

I’m in!!!

A clever spin on the original film with plenty of magic to go around.

This film was far from perfect and not as good as the original, but it still had enough entertaining moments to make me smile throughout my watch and that’s what I was hoping for.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Disenchanted 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 “The Santa Clauses” on Disney+: Scott Calvin is back and brings the nostalgia!

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

“So we’re just doing home invasions now?”

The Santa Clauses premiered on Disney+ on November 16th 2022 with the first two episodes available to stream now. There will be six episodes in total that will air weekly. The holiday comedy series is a continuation of The Santa Clause films (the first film released in 1994). The series stars Tim Allen, Elizabeth Mitchell, Austin Kane, Elizabeth Allen-Dick, and Kal Penn. Each episode runs for approximately 33-35 minutes.

Scott Calvin begins to realize that he can’t be Santa Clause forever, as he searches for a suitable replacement for the job.

Here is the trailer:

The Santa Clauses has a good amount of nostalgia while creating something new with some decent humor.  Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Disney+

Good sense of nostalgia.

Much like Hocus Pocus 2, The Santa Clauses taps into some magical nostalgia, transporting us right back to 1994 when the first film released. I was super happy to see both Tim Allen and Elizabeth Mitchell in the series and there will be another familiar face to be excited about later on.

The newcomers (especially the elves) do a fantastic job as well, making this series a lot of fun.

Images courtesy of Disney+

The production value is pretty impressive.

When Santa traveled across the world, there were a lot more bells and whistles this time around. I don’t necessarily need a film or series to be flashy with tons of special effects, but The Santa Clauses gets an upgrade, making things feel shiny and new without losing its original magic.

Decent humor.

I think it helps that the showrunner on this worked on shows like Modern Family and 30 Rock. There is a dry humor that works really well. The series is great for kids, but it may be even better for the adults who watched the original film.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Disney+

I’m not sure this needed to be a series…

While I’m having fun watching it, I think this series might have worked better as a film. It sort of feels like a film already and I’m not sure that the weekly release of episodes will do it any favors.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Disney+

I’m in!!!

A cute and light watch with some genuinely funny moments.

If you’re a fan of the original movie, there’s plenty to enjoy with this series.

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