*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*
“Are you into surfing?”
Surviving Summer released on Netflix on June 3rd 2022. The Australian teen series features ten episodes available to stream now. The show stars Sky Katz, Kai Lewins, Savannah La Rain and Dustin Clare. Each episode runs for approximately 26-30 minutes.
A wild teen from New York is sent to Australia to live with family friends she hasn’t seen in years, introducing her to the world of surfing.
Here is the trailer:
Surviving Summer will remind you of Blue Crush and Dive Club, but does this coming-of-age story add anything new to the genre?Let’s find out…
The Pros:
Images courtesy of Netflix
Aesthetically pleasing.
This series was gorgeous to watch. The scenery was incredible and the music soundtrack complimented it well. I felt like I was being transported somewhere else while watching it and I think the “summer” premiere was a smart one. I’m ready to hit the beach after watching this…
Images courtesy of Netflix
Likable characters.
I would have preferred a little bit more edge to some of the characters, but much like Dive Club, this series was very family friendly. I liked a lot of the characters and I appreciated that we spent enough time peeling back some layers. Even though this was a story I have seen over and over again, it was still entertaining to watch because of the characters.
The Cons:
Images courtesy of Netflix
Predictable with unnecessary montages…
The montages were a bit much in this one. The episodes were on the short side, but I’m not sure that we really needed ten of them. I think this gave us a lot of unnecessary fluff when the story itself was entertaining enough to keep me invested. The ending was also really predictable as well so I’m not sure that this coming-of-age story really did anything that different to make it stand out in the genre.
So am I in or out?
Images courtesy of Netflix
I’m in about 75 percent…
This series had its charms and it was absolutely stunning to watch, but I wanted a little bit more from it. If you enjoy Blue Crush, you will find a lot to enjoy with this one, but you’re probably better off just re-watching that film.
I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Surviving Summerin 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…
*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!**
“We’re ready to hunt for treasure…”
Dive Club released on Netflix on September 3rd 2021. The Australian teen series originally premiered back in May 2021 but season one is now available to stream. The show stars Miah Madden, Sana’a Shaik, Mercy Cornwall, Aubri Ibrag, and Georgia-May Davis. There are twelve episodes in total and each one runs for approximately 25-28 minutes.
A group of teenage divers pass the time by hunting down underwater treasure, but when a storm hits the small seaside town of Cape Mercy, one of them goes missing as the others desperately attempt to find out what happened to her.
Here is the trailer:
Dive Club has an interesting premise surrounding a mystery at sea that will give you some Pirates of the Caribbean feels, but does the teen drama get in the way of pure greatness? Let’s find out…
The Pros:
Images courtesy of Netflix
Fun premise.
I really like shows and films that involve scuba diving for buried treasure even if they can be cheesy sometimes. The show features some beautiful views and I thought that the core mystery was a good one. It takes a little while to unfold, but the second half of the series is much stronger than the first and the cliffhanger ending leaves a lot open for the potential for season two.
G rating makes it watchable for the whole family.
The show in a lot of ways reminded me of a mash-up between The Babysitter’s Club, Fool’s Gold, and Nancy Drew. The characters are likable for the most part and I’m always a fan of kids or teens solving mysteries on their own.
The Cons:
Images courtesy of Netflix
Too much teen drama.
I was initially excited that this series was rated G because I thought we would skip all of the teenage soapy drama, but there was so much of it! There is usually a good balance of this in shows like Riverdale and Nancy Drew, but I thought that the drama completely took over the show.
We also got a lot of singing, dancing, and montages that really didn’t add to the plot at all. I understand that we are focusing on a younger generation but I’m not sure it is going to translate well with anyone…
This was frustrating because it took away from the solid mystery at the center of this show. We did get back on track toward the end of the series, but I think that since we had shorter episodes, this fluff should have been cut out completely.
So am I in or out?
Images courtesy of Netflix
I’m 50/50 on this one…
The treasure hunting mystery was actually a lot of fun and I enjoyed these moments, but the teen drama really dominated the show, which was disappointing. I wouldn’t move this to the top of your watch-list, but if you are looking for short episodes that are family friendly, you can put this show on in the background.
I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Dive Clubin 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 comes out October 7th 2021! I hope you enjoy!
While I had seen the original Wolf Creek movie back in 2005, I somehow missed out on the rest of the franchise and I decided to binge-watch it all to catch up with our old pal, Mick Taylor. When it comes to horror villains, we naturally think about Freddy, Jason, Michael Myers and more, but Mick Taylor may be one of the best villains I have ever watched in a horror franchise.
Part of what makes the franchise so terrifying is that it is loosely based on real events. I already have issues with watching tourists get lost into the void and Mick Taylor welcomes you to the Outback with a smile and “rain water from the top end.” John Jarratt’s portrayal of Mick is out of this world. Mick is ruthless, sadistic, and terrifying, but he also manages to charm us with his fantastic laugh and quirky humor, which almost makes you root more for the villain as the characters in each film are just along for crazy Mick’s ride.
After watching the entire franchise, I can tell you that I absolutely love every film and season and there isn’t one that I would say is lacking. For today, I am going to be ranking the Wolf Creek franchise, but this mostly comes down to preference and I am anxiously waiting for Wolf Creek 3 to be released, which seems to already be in the works for 2022. Yay!
Please note some spoilers are ahead.
Without any further delay, let’s find out exactly how I ranked the Wolf Creek films/seasons and why.
1
Wolf Creek 2 (2013)
Images courtesy of Prime Video
It’s rare for me to like a sequel more than an original film, but I think that Wolf Creek truly found its way in the second movie. Mick is back and better than ever and I think everyone realized it’s better to let Mick just be Mick, as he faces off against Ryan Corr in this edge-of-your-seat film.
While the first film took a while to get going, this one starts off with a bang. I thought that Mick was even funnier in this one and there was no fluff in the way. Everything happens at a fast pace and was really brutal.
I thought that Ryan Corr was really good in the film as well and a worthy opponent, but you can’t beat Mick at his own game…
Standout Death:
Spoiler alert. Do not read if you have not seen this movie!
Images courtesy of Prime Video
Poor Katarina. She just wanted to go camping with her boyfriend and witnessed a lot of horrific things before Ryan Corr’s character picked her up on the side of the road. After screaming hysterically about her circumstances, Mick ends up shooting her…accidentally. There goes Mick’s play thing for the next few months and he is not happy about it.
2
Wolf Creek: Season 2 (2017)
Images courtesy of Shudder
Whoever came up with the idea to have Mick driving a bus full of tourists through the Australian Outback is a genius. I wasn’t really sure what I was going to get with the second season of the series and wow did it deliver. I was completely addicted to this show and there were explosions, twists, and more terrifying fun with Mick Taylor.
More please!
Standout Death:
Spoiler alert. Do not read if you have not seen this season!
Images courtesy of Shudder
I can’t think of anything more terrifying than poor Ritchie having his tongue cut out only to be buried alive with a termite mound on top of him…
I am still cringing over this.
Season 2 did not hold back at all…
3
Wolf Creek (2005)
Images courtesy of Prime Video
The original movie is really frightening, but it takes a while to get going. We follow Liz and her friends while they explore Wolf Creek and we are then first introduced to Mick’s character after their car won’t start.
Once Mick revealed his true sinister intentions, things really get going, but I think this film took a little while to find its footing and that’s not necessarily a bad thing at all. I just think it adjusted better with the later film and series.
Standout Death:
Spoiler alert. Do not read if you have not seen this movie!
Images courtesy of Prime Video
I really think Liz deserved better. I was rooting for her during the entire movie and I thought that she had Final Girl potential. She kept a clear head and made smart decisions, but it still wasn’t enough to defeat Mick in the end as he tried out his “head on a stick” impression, stabbing her to death.
I think this is also the moment that truly made me realize how good this franchise is. I thought Liz was going to be the survivor and then I realized that the film wasn’t about the good guy winning or saving the day. It was more about Mick and what he was getting away with and how easy it can be to make someone disappear…
Either way, I kind of wished we got some Easter Eggs about Liz in the later film and series. I still don’t know how Mick knew exactly what car she would get into…
4
Wolf Creek: Season 1 (2016)
Images courtesy of Prime Video
I really liked season one of the series as well, but when I look back at the entire franchise, it feels different from the rest. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing because the series should have a different vibe to make it stand out on its own and I think it accomplished that here. It was just really more of a revenge story for Eve and there was a lot of drama and romance sprinkled in, but I did really love the dog!
Standout Death:
Spoiler alert. Do not read if you have not seen season 1!
Images courtesy of Prime Video
Well, we know that Mick doesn’t actually die, but Eve does defeat him and this was the huge moment on the show. Well done, Eve!
So, what’s next for Mick Taylor?
We know that a new film is already in the works and season 3 is not off the table either so it looks like we will be seeing more Mick Taylor in the future. In the meantime, you might want to re-consider those vacation plans…
Which Wolf Creek films/seasons did YOU enjoy most?
I hope you enjoyed the list and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on the Wolf Creek franchise in the comments section below. Thank you so much for reading and happy viewing!
*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*
“I just can’t get you out of my head…”
The Secrets She Keeps originally premiered on Network 10 in April of 2020 and later was available to stream on Sundance Now. AMC is now airing the series with weekly episodes as of April 19th 2021. The Australian thriller series is set to air six weekly episodes. It stars Laura Carmichael, Jessica De Gouw, Michael Dorman, and Cariba Heine. Each episode runs for approximately 50-55 minutes.
Based on the novel of the same name, the show centers around two pregnant women who meet in a supermarket. After discovering their similarities, we start to piece together the secrets they are both holding as they become entangled in a web of deception.
Here is the trailer:
The Secrets She Keeps is a mystery thriller series that promises to keep you guessing at every turn. As pieces of the puzzle are revealed, we soon discover that nothing is as it seems. The plot is intriguing enough, but does this series do enough to earn a watch? Let’s find out…
The Pros:
Images courtesy of AMC
A mystery that draws you in.
The show immediately gave me a Single White Female kind of vibe and I loved that. Both women have past scars and secrets, but they also seem to be hiding a lot. Agatha clearly has some sort of obsession with Meghan and envies her life, but as we start to learn more about Agatha’s own past, things aren’t so clear cut, which makes this mystery that much more layered and intriguing to me.
Great acting.
Both of the female leads are fantastic and I actually really like both of their characters. They are believable and really embodied the real life fears and doubts of women everywhere. Pregnancy can be scary enough and they are also tackling so many other things, which makes this chance encounter between the two of them that much more important. I can’t wait to find out more!
The Cons:
Images courtesy of AMC
Somewhat predictable.
I predicted some of the initial reveals, but I think that as the series progresses, it will keep me guessing. It’s hard to keep that suspense going and I think the series is doing a good job of bringing us back for more, but I hope it doesn’t lean too heavily on obvious reveals.
I’m keeping an open mind!
So am I in or out?
Images courtesy of AMC
I’m in!
The Secrets She Keeps is exactly the kind of thriller I enjoy. It may be borderline Lifetime-esque, but it has enough going on to keep me coming back for more. I’m confident that the reveals will become harder to guess as the episodes progress and I’m excited to watch the remaining episodes to see this plot unfold!
If you enjoy shows like Who Killed Sara? and The Stranger, you will feel right at home with this series and I’m really excited it is finally airing in the United States!
I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The Secrets She Keepsin 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!
