Tag: Amanda Seyfried

Spoiler-Free Review of “The Housemaid” in Theaters: A Soapy & Campy Thriller Worth your Time!

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

“Would you like to see what you’re getting yourself into?”

The Housemaid premiered in theaters on December 19th 2025. The mystery thriller film (based on the novel of the same name) stars Sydney Sweeney, Amanda Seyfried, and Brandon Sklenar. It runs for approximately two hours and ten minutes.

Millie has a troubled past and is looking for a fresh start by interviewing for a live-in housemaid position in an extravagant home, but she soon discovers that her new bosses may be hiding deadly secrets that put her in danger.

Here is the trailer:

The Housemaid is a guilty pleasure thriller with plenty of juicy and shocking moments built in. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Lionsgate

Sweeney and Seyfried are a dream duo!

I thought both actresses did a really great job here. Amanda Seyfried is such an exceptional actress and she really went all out here. Sweeney kept up with her as well and I loved the back-and-forth between them.

Brandon Sklenar is popping up quite a bit now in movies (It Ends With Us, Drop) and I hope to see him in more as well. His wardrobe was fantastic…among other things.

This movie was very pretty to look at from the gorgeous cast to the beautiful Long Island home they were living in. I love pleasing aesthetics like this that tend to hide something dangerous and sinister beneath them.

Images courtesy of Lionsgate

Entertaining reveals.

I wouldn’t say that they were that shocking. I sort of saw the main twist coming a mile away. That being said, it was still so much fun to watch unfold on screen. I had a packed audience with me in the theater and they were cheering along during certain parts, which made this a blast to watch. In a lot of ways, this felt like an elevated Lifetime movie…but that’s my favorite kind of guilty pleasure thriller so I’m not complaining here.

The ending was satisfying as well.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Lionsgate

A little too long…

I was never bored, but I think things could have been wrapped up a little bit sooner. I like my movies to hover around 90 minutes or so. There were a few parts in the middle that were drawn out, but luckily things turned around for the explosive conclusion.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Lionsgate

I’m in!!!!

THE HOUSEMAID is sultry, satisfying, and so much fun to indulge in.

Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried go all out here in the best possible way!

Loved it!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The Housemaid 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 “Long Bright River” on Peacock: Amanda Seyfried Stars in this Emotional Crime Mystery Series

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

“Every single one of your actions is a choice…”

Long Bright River premiered on Peacock on March 13th 2025 with all eight episodes available to stream now. The limited crime drama series (based on the novel of the same name) stars Amanda Seyfried, Nicholas Pinnock, Ashleigh Cummings, and John Doman. Each episode runs for approximately 50-53 minutes.

When a series of murders involving young women occur in Philadelphia, a cop named Mickey suspects that there may be a connection to her own sister’s disappearance, leading her down a dangerous path to discover the truth.

Here is the trailer:


Long Bright River is very similar to Mare of Easttown with an emotional mystery at its core and a strong female lead. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Peacock

A layered mystery with emotional connections.

I thought the core mystery here was a solid one. I was invested more because of the believable bond between these sisters. Their relationship was far from perfect, but it made it more realistic and I truly felt Amanda Seyfried’s desperate struggle to find out the truth. I was engrossed until the very end and I thought the final reveal was a good one that kept me guessing.

Images courtesy of Peacock

Amanda Seyfried gives a note-worthy performance.

She’s the main reason why I tuned into this particular series and I thought she carried it in so many ways. She was believable, compelling, and very interesting to watch on screen. Her character was flawed in a lot of ways, but Seyfried clearly understood that with her portrayal.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Peacock

Draining at times.

The episodes here were a little too long for my liking. The first two episodes felt extremely sluggish, but thankfully things turned around by the time I got to episode 3.

I also think this series tried to cover too much. This often happens when series attempt to bring over as many details as possible from a book, but I think it took away slightly from the main mystery, which was interesting enough on its own.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Peacock

I’m in about 75 percent…

Long Bright River is an emotional, gripping crime series with a solid performance by Amanda Seyfried.

There were some pacing issues to deal with, but I think the series got better and better with each episode.

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

A VACATION TO DIE FOR…

Blood Rose Island Ad

When sisters, Nina and Gemma are vacationing in Hawaii with their friends, they get invited to an exclusive party on a private island that seems too good to be true. There’s only one rule…they can’t miss their ferry at midnight or they’ll have to wait until morning to leave the island. Only they didn’t realize that breaking this rule meant they would be hunted down on the island one by one.

Who will make it off the island alive?

I hope you enjoy my island thriller!

Blood Rose Island 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 Dropout” on Hulu: Amanda Seyfried puts forth a valiant effort

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

“What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?”

The Dropout premiered on Hulu on March 3rd 2022 with three episodes available to stream now. The remaining five episodes will air weekly. The drama series stars Amanda Seyfried, Naveen Andrews, William H. Macy and Elizabeth Marvel. Each episode runs for approximately 50-55 minutes.

Based on the true story of Elizabeth Holmes, who was convicted of defrauding investors, we witness the dramatized version in this series.

Here is the trailer:

The Dropout follows in Inventing Anna’s footsteps, bringing us another dramatized true story entry. Is it worthy of your next binge-watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

The Dropout Spoiler Free 1

Images courtesy of Hulu

Amanda Seyfried’s portrayal is fantastic.

I’m not sure that I would have watched this if someone else starred in this role. Amanda Seyfried is such an incredible actress and she really gives every role her all. Her performance has been really believable so far and I think she is electric on screen.

Plus, I’m a huge fan of LOST alum, Naveen Andrews!

Intriguing premise.

Much like Inventing Anna, I was pulled into this story as well. I think that each episode does enough to keep the audience coming back for more. It may be a well known story, but it is adding in enough content to build momentum for what’s to come.

The Cons:

The Dropout Spoiler Free 2

Images courtesy of Hulu

Could use some more soapy drama mixed in…

I kind of liked how Inventing Anna took some liberties with the true story. It made everything more interesting. The Dropout is following the story pretty closely from what I have seen so far and it could use some more drama here and there to keep things entertaining.

I’m not entirely sure on the intended angle just yet, but I’m sure there may be issues with creating sympathy for someone who defrauded so many people in real life as well…

So am I in or out?

The Dropout Spoiler Free 3

Images courtesy of Hulu

I’m in about 75 percent…

The series is highlighting an interesting story and I think that Amanda Seyfried’s performance is absolutely worth a watch. I’m not sure if I need five more episodes of this, but I’ll stick around to see what happens next because I think there is enough quality content here.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The Dropout 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 “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:

Things Heard and Seen Spoiler free review 1

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:

Things heard and seen spoiler free review 2

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?

Things heard and seen spoiler free review 3

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…

Girl Number Thirteen Lurking Promo

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!