Tag: Archie Renaux

Spoiler-Free Review of “Alien: Romulus” in Theaters: A Terrifying Love Letter to Fans of the Franchise!

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

“We’re never coming back…”

Alien: Romulus released in theaters on August 16th 2024. The sci-fi horror film (taking place between the events of Alien and Aliens) stars Cailee Spaeny, Archie Renaux, David Jonsson, Aileen Wu, and Isabela Merced. It runs for approximately two hours.

A group of space colonizers discover an abandoned ship, but they soon find another life-form already on board.

Here is the trailer:

Alien: Romulus gives fans of the original films something to be excited about with plenty of frightening and gruesome moments, making this an intense watch from start to finish. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of 20th Century Studios

Brings us plenty of moments of sheer terror!

Wow, what an intense watch! I’ve seen so many horror movies lately that rely on cheesy jump scares. The original Alien film was a masterpiece of real fear and I’m happy to report that the latest film of the franchise gets back to its roots, making this an intense and heart-pounding watch without forced gimmicks.

I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. If you came for some stomach-turning moments, you’ll get plenty of them to appreciate. This film did not hold back in that department.

Suspense to the max!

Images courtesy of 20th Century Studios

For the fans!

There were so many fun and entertaining parts sprinkled into this that were clearly meant for the fans. We got lots of welcomed nods at the original film and some clever parts that were replicated in an effective way. This film still managed to create a whole new world of terror for us to indulge in, but I appreciated that it recognized where it came from, truly understanding its intention as part of the franchise.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of 20th Century Studios

I don’t have many…

I really had to think about a “con” for this film. It delivered in so many ways and exceeded my expectations. That being said, I would say that the ending lost a little bit of the intense vibe it had managed to create so effortlessly for the majority of the film. It still was satisfying enough, but it lost a touch of edge here.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of 20th Century Studios

I’m in 100 percent!!!

Alien: Romulus is an all-consuming watch!

A welcomed addition to the Alien franchise, giving fans something to be excited about.

One of my favorite films of the year!

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

This competition is killer…

Scream Hunt Halloween

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 “Upgraded” on Prime: Camila Mendes is an Absolute Delight!

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

“This is what you wanted, right?”

Upgraded released on Prime on February 9th 2024. The romantic-comedy film stars Camila Mendes, Archie Renaux, Marisa Tomei, Lena Olin, and Anthony Head. It runs for approximately an hour and forty-five minutes.

A hard-working art intern is given the opportunity to travel to London to help her demanding boss when she meets a handsome stranger, which distracts her from her priorities.

Here is the trailer:

Upgraded successfully channels films like The Devil Wears Prada and Confessions of a Shopaholic, making this a charming treat for rom-com fans. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Prime

Cheers to Camila Mendes!

She’s an absolute dream in this film and she elevated it in a lot of ways. The Riverdale star definitely has a long career in front of her and I think she should continue to do films like this because she was likable and down-to-earth in her portrayal, making it very easy to root for her character.

The rest of the cast was great as well. I thought Marisa Tomei was hilarious (although her accent took a little getting used to) and I was so beyond excited to see Buffy the Vampire Slayer alum, Anthony Head in this! He was bloody fantastic!

Images courtesy of Prime

Believable chemistry.

I hate it when chemistry feels forced in films like this, but I was pleasantly surprised by how easily I fell in love with these two. I think what helped was that the main focus wasn’t on the new romance.

Rather, we learned more about Camila’s character as an individual and focused more on her challenges at work, which made the rest of the pieces fall together seamlessly. Adding in a charming romance was a bonus and while traditional rom-com fans may be looking for a little more in this department, it was the perfect amount for me.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Prime

Predictable at times…

I mean, but most rom-com films fall into some ounce of predictability so I can’t really fault it too much here. The film played it safe a lot, but I honestly couldn’t care less. I knew what I was getting when I started this film and it delivered and then some. Just don’t expect anything too shocking or unique here.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Prime

I’m in!!!

Upgraded is the artsy version of The Devil Wears Prada, delivering with super cute and charming moments worth indulging in.

I thoroughly enjoyed this film and I think it found the perfect balance of self-discovery and romance.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Upgraded 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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Spoiler-Free Review of “Shadow and Bone” Season 2 on Netflix: The Crows Steal the Show…

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

“They’re not nightmares…it’s really happening…”

Shadow and Bone season two premiered on Netflix on March 16th 2023. The second season features eight episodes available to stream now. It stars Jessie Mei Li, Archie Renaux, Ben Barnes, Freddy Carter, and Amita Suman. Each episode runs for approximately 55-60 minutes.

Based on the popular Grisha book series, Shadow and Bone follows a Sun Summoner named Alina Starkov, who must battle against General Kirigan and his powerful army in order to protect the world.

Here is the trailer:

Shadow and Bone season two is visually stunning to watch on screen, but overstuffed to the brim with sub-plots. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Netflix

A sexy villain and characters to root for against all odds…

Sure, you can put scars on his face, but General Kirigan is still very easy on the eyes and a wickedly entertaining villain. I loved him even more in season two. Alina embraced her destiny as a chosen one and wasn’t so wishy-washy this season, but my attention was stolen by the Crows, who were the most entertaining characters of the bunch and deserve their own series…

Intense battle/action sequences.

We had to sit through a lot of fluff to get to them, but this series had some worthy scenes for sure. I loved the action, but I just wanted more of it. The visuals were stunning once again and the costumes were on point. 

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Way too much going on…

I thought season one was jam-packed, but season two pushed the limit even further. I get that the series was trying to borrow from several of the books, but I felt like I needed to take notes to keep up with all of the sub-plots and extra characters. Honestly, it was a lot of work and I’m not sure that it was worth the effort…

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in about 75 percent…

There’s plenty of moments to enjoy and lots of characters to root for, but sometimes less is more…

I preferred the first season, but I still think there’s enough here for fans of the book series to enjoy.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Shadow and Bone season two 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…

Main promo smaller

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 “Shadow and Bone” on Netflix: Entertaining but Jam-Packed Fantasy

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

“The dark is a place that is full of monsters…”

Shadow and Bone premiered on Netflix on April 23rd 2021. The series features eight episodes available to stream now. It stars Jessie Mei Li, Archie Renaux, Ben Barnes, Freddy Carter, and Amita Suman. Each episode runs for approximately 55 minutes.

Based on the popular Grisha book series, Shadow and Bone follows a mapmaker orphan named Alina Starkov who discovers a power within her that could change the world.

Here is the trailer:

Shadow and Bone is jam-packed with quite a lot, but it’s easy to get lost without proper context. While this show channels a familiar plot, it does have a lot going on to keep us invested. Does it do enough to stand out as a proper fantasy series? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Shadow and Bone Spoiler Free Review 1

Images courtesy of Netflix

Entertaining at its core.

The show is clever about the placement of events during each episode. While there is a lot going on, it does enough to keep you coming back for more, which makes this series binge-watch worthy. I thought the very end of the pilot episode was so well done and I was immediately hooked.

Much like Game of Thrones and The Witcher, the audience sits around waiting for a pay off, but when these scenes arrive, they are brilliantly done and you remember why you are watching the show in the first place.

Immersive world.

I thought that this realm or world was so intriguing. I’ve watched and read a lot of teen dystopian-esque fantasy series and it was really extraordinary to see this particular world come to life. I think it really worked in the show’s favor not having it take place in the “real world,” adding to the fantasy elements.

The Cons:

Shadow and Bone Spoiler Free Review 2

Images courtesy of Netflix

Wishy-Washy Chosen One.

I’m all for a story about a female chosen one and I had very high expectations for Alina Starkov. She has these really cool abilities and a great story to work with, but there was something lacking here. I thought that Jessica Mei Li gave a solid performance, but I had trouble connecting with her.

I want to be rooting for my female lead from the start and that didn’t really happen here even though there were some glimmers throughout the series of strength and potential. I think that the supporting characters captured more of my attention, which shows that there was a great cast, but I wanted more from our lead.

Fantasy by the numbers with awkward wide eyed stares…

You can check off each of your fantasy tropes with this particular series. I didn’t really mind them, but it didn’t help this series stand out from The Hunger Games and Divergent, which have similar plots.

I also could not take the constant wide eyed stares between the characters that seemed to last for over five minutes at a time. We can do a better job of creating moments without this…

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in…

This series is packed with a lot. I think that fans of the book series will enjoy it for the most part. The series made a valiant effort to bring this world to life while introducing it to a new audience. You really have to pay attention to this show and probably need a guide to keep track of everything, but if you are looking for an entertaining fantasy binge-watch, you’re in the right place.

Overall, this series does enough to bring us into this world and I was invested and entertained throughout my watch.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Shadow and Bone 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…

Main promo smaller

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!