Spoiler-Free Review of “Woman of the Hour” on Netflix: A Powerful and Unnerving Watch!

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

“What are girls for?”

Woman of the Hour released on Netflix on October 18th 2024. The crime thriller film (based on true events from the 1970’s) stars Anna Kendrick (she also directed the film), Daniel Zovatto, Autumn Best, Tony Hale, and Nicolette Robinson. It runs for approximately an hour and thirty-five minutes.

An aspiring actress reluctantly agrees to appear on a televised dating game show, unknowingly crossing paths with a serial killer.

Here is the trailer:

Woman of the Hour is an unconventional thriller with an engrossing story at its center. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Anna Kendrick and Daniel Zovatto are incredible!!!

This might be my favorite performance by Anna Kendrick yet. She was FANTASTIC in this and lit up the screen. I was cheering for her during so many key moments. I am even more impressed that she also directed this film.

Daniel Zovatto nailed the vibe he was going for. He was sinister and creepy with twisted charm. I was blown away by his performance.

So intense!

There were so many moments during this film that had me holding my breath. I was on the edge of my seat and could not look away from the screen. Normally I like my thrillers filled with action and adrenaline, but this one managed to stimulate that same feeling of intensity while approaching the thriller genre in a different way. It was very effective and it really had me contemplating a lot.

There were so many important messages and themes in this one, but I never felt like the writers were hitting us over the head with them. They worked with the plot seamlessly, making us care about each one of these characters that much more.

The Cons:

The transitions were distracting at times.

This isn’t a major con because I absolutely adored this film and understood what it was going for, but it was hard jumping around to past events when I was so engaged with what was going on during our present timeline. I was just connecting to one narrative in particular so whenever we switched over, I lost that enthralling feeling momentarily.

Don’t get me wrong…I thought each one of those plot points were necessary so we understood who we were dealing with, but I think the transitions could have been tweaked slightly to connect everything in a seamless way.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!!!

Woman of the Hour is a smart and captivating thriller that will make your heart pound!

I had a feeling that I would enjoy this one, but it exceeded my expectations and then some.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Woman of the Hour 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 “He Went That Way” on Demand: What did I just watch?

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

“Do you need a ride?”

He Went That Way released on demand on January 12th 2024. The crime thriller (loosely based on true events) stars Jacob Elordi and Zachary Quinto. It runs for an hour and thirty-five minutes.

Set in the 1960’s, a celebrity animal trainer and his chimpanzee, Spanky, offer a ride to a young stranger, but he quickly discovers that his passenger is actually a serial killer.

Here is the trailer:

He Went That Way is odd and uninspiring, allowing a chimpanzee to upstage the two leads of this strange thriller. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Vertical Entertainment

Beautifully shot.

The backdrop of this film was exceptionally well done and I thought the majority of it was aesthetically pleasing. My attention was drifting a lot during this film, but the cinematographer did a solid job here and I thought the road trip aspect was captured well.

Spanky steals the show…

I was honestly bored out of my mind watching this one, but who would have thought that a chimpanzee named Spanky would actually be the most entertaining? We had two well-versed leads here, but they were definitely upstaged…

The Cons:

Exhausting pacing with no real direction…

I think this goes to show that not every true crime story should be turned into a film. I actually found myself looking up these crimes during the movie, which was a lot more interesting than what I was watching. I just don’t think that it translated well at all in the film. The plot just felt really messy and choppy, never fully grabbing my attention.

The bond between our two main leads needed to be fleshed out more.

I think this would have made the movie a lot more interesting. Both characters needed to be fleshed out a lot more so that we would actually care about what happened to them. I think this film thought it accomplished that it, but it never truly did. There were a couple of worthy moments between them and more so between Spanky and them, but it never reached its level of potential.

So am I in or out?

Unfortunately I’m out on this one…

He Went That Way never finds its direction, making this a strange watch overall that never resonated with me until the end credits.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on He Went That Way 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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Ranking my Top 10 Television Shows of 2023: Which Shows Made The Cut?

It’s that time of year again! As we get closer and closer to approaching 2023, I thought it would be the perfect time to count down my Top 10 TV Shows of 2023.

While some returning shows continued strong, others fell off slightly. Meanwhile, some other new shows completely captivated my attention, paving their way into my top 10.

Without any further delay, let’s get to my list!

My Top 10 Television Shows of 2023 are:

10

Who Is Erin Carter?

I love guilty pleasure thrillers and this series checked off all those boxes and then some. It was so addicting and a binge-watcher’s dream. If you’re looking for a soapy action-packed series with tons of twists and turns, this one is for you!

9

Poker Face

While I personally feel that this series started off a lot stronger than it finished, Natasha Lyonne was absolutely fantastic in this one. Her quirky, dry humor really elevated things and I really liked the vignette style with each episode.

8

A Murder at the End of the World

A fantastic and modern whodunnit that kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end. Every reveal was so well crafted and I liked the flashbacks just as much as the present day mystery, making this a layered and thought-provoking series worth checking out.

7

School Spirits

A delightful and charming surprise that I absolutely fell in love with. A clever mix of Ghosts and Veronica Mars, featuring a major twist that really elevated this show into something spectacular.

6

Yellowjackets (season 2)

One of my favorite shows of last year stayed strong with season 2, providing us with darker and more shocking moments than ever before. Yellowjackets is so addicting and doesn’t hold anything back, bringing two timelines together seamlessly in a disturbing, but fascinating series.

5

Found

Another big surprise was how quickly I became addicted to this series. It started off like your standard crime series and then it presented us with an insane twist that hooked me completely and didn’t stop there. Each week reveals more pieces of the puzzle and Shanola Hampton and Mark-Paul Gosselaar are dynamite on screen!

I can’t wait for new episodes to return in the new year!

4

The Horror of Dolores Roach

This series was an absolute gem for horror fans and Justina Machado killed it! The bite-sized episodes made this one extremely easy to binge-watch and the plot channeled Sweeney Todd in a clever way.

I’m really disappointed that this series was canceled because it was so fresh and spectacular. I’m hoping another platform picks it up, but either way, you can still enjoy the first season. That cliffhanger is still bugging me though…

3

The Last of Us

Probably the best video game adaptation I have seen on the small screen. The Last of Us has been a long time coming and it delivered with powerful moments and performances on screen.

2

The Night Agent

The most addicting series of the year for me. The Night Agent was jam packed with insane twists and plenty of action to keep you anxiously pressing play on the next episode until the very end. More series like this please!

Honorable Mentions:

Full Circle

Based on a True Story

Class of ’07

You (season 4)

The Witcher (season 3)

The Summer I Turned Pretty (season 2)

Harlan Coben’s Shelter

Justified: City Primeval

Only Murders in the Building (season 3)

Nancy Drew (final season)

Drum roll please…

1

The Fall of the House of Usher

An eloquent and deliciously dark masterpiece from start to finish. This series was everything I hoped for and more with powerful characters, stand-out performances, and beyond shocking moments, making this my favorite series of the year by far! I loved every second of it!

I hope you enjoyed the list and feel free to post some of YOUR favorite television shows of 2023. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing in the new year!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

Spoiler-Free Review of “The Horror of Dolores Roach” on Prime Video: A Tasty and Twisted Treat!

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

“I’m just like you if everything went wrong…”

The Horror of Dolores Roach released on Prime Video on July 7th 2023 with all eight episodes available to stream now. The horror dramedy series stars Justina Machado, Alejandro Hernandez, Kita Updike, Jessica Pimentel, and Cyndi Lauper. Each episode runs for approximately 26-30 minutes.

After getting out of prison, Dolores discovers that the home she knew and loved has changed drastically. She tries to turn her life around by becoming a masseuse, but things go horribly wrong when she resorts to extreme measures to keep her new life going.

Here is the trailer:

The Horror of Dolores Roach is loosely inspired by Sweeney Todd, bringing us plenty of shocking and disturbing moments and featuring an out of this world performance by Justina Machado. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Justina Machado is bloody fantastic!!!

I absolutely LOVED her in this and think it was her best performance to date. She was funny, extreme, relatable, and so incredible to watch in each episode. I normally don’t like voice-over narrations, but hers were actually spot on and perfect in this. She is flawless and I am a fan for life now!

I enjoyed the other characters as well and I really thought there was a strong dynamic between her and Luis.

Bite-sized binge-worthy episodes.

I watched this series in one day. The shorter episodes worked and the pacing was spot on. This show was so addicting! I haven’t been this excited about a series in a long time. If you enjoy shows like Santa Clarita Diet, Shining Vale, and Based on a True Story, you’ll fall in love with this series.

I appreciated that it was not afraid to take us down a darker route. The balance of comedy/dramedy and horror worked seamlessly here. The series never took itself too seriously and that’s why it was so entertaining. It could have been a lot heavier (especially with some of the content), but I don’t think that would have translated as well.

The Cons:

I want more!

As soon as I finished this series, I wanted more. We were left with an insane cliffhanger and I truly hope that this series gets picked up for another season because I adored it.

As a note of warning, there were some stomach-turning moments sprinkled in here so be aware of that if that’s not your jam.

So am I in or out?

I’m in 100 percent!!!

The Horror of Dolores Roach is fresh, addicting, and muy loco!

The best new show you need to watch right now and certainly one of my favorites of the year already.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The Horror of Dolores Roach in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

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 “Based on a True Story” on Peacock: A Real Treat!

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

“Do we have to wake up to murder every morning?”

Based on a True Story premiered on Peacock on June 8th 2023 with all eight episodes available to stream now. The comedy crime thriller stars Kaley Cuoco, Chris Messina, Tom Bateman, Priscilla Quintana, Liana Liberato, and Natalia Dyer. Each episode runs for approximately 25-35 minutes.

Ava and Nathan are expecting a baby and feel like their marriage is becoming very mundane, but when Ava realizes that their plumber may be the Westside Ripper serial killer, she teams up with her husband to blackmail him into creating a true crime podcast with them from the killer’s perspective.

Here is the trailer:

Based On a True Story is the perfect mix of The Flight Attendant and Only Murders in the Building with a unique voice of its own. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Great chemistry between characters!

I honestly haven’t seen such good chemistry between a married couple on TV since Santa Clarita Diet. Kaley Cuoco and Chris Messina are hilarious on screen, but also very believable as a couple. They are very relatable and the real moments between them give this series an edge.

I was worried that this series would feel like a rip-off of The Flight Attendant and Only Murders in the Building, but it channeled the quirky take on the true crime craze flawlessly while branching off into something truly exceptional of its own.

Stand-out performance goes to Tom Bateman as Matt. Think Joe Goldberg from You without all of the whiny psychobabble. He is charming and entertaining and he absolutely steals the show!

Short episodes make it easy to binge-watch.

I got through this series very quickly. The episodes are super short and it’s so addicting! If you’re looking for a quick and easy binge-watch for the weekend, this is the show for you.

There are also some really fantastic blood-soaked moments for slasher fans. The series is more of a comedic thriller, but I personally liked that it wasn’t afraid to get a little bit messy here. After all, they are dealing with a serial killer…

The Cons:

Forced crude dialogue at times…

The opening episode felt a little awkward at times because of the forced and explicit dialogue. I don’t know if the series was trying to be extra shocking, but people in real life don’t talk like this and it just felt unnatural. This calmed down as the episodes continued, however. The show was a lot more entertaining when it wasn’t trying so hard.

I also wasn’t a fan of some of the trippy daydreams/hallucinations. They felt mostly filler to me.

What happened in episode 6 (no spoilers) was completely unnecessary. It almost ruined the entire show for me, but I tried to move past it…

I also wanted more of a pop from the ending. Sure, it left things open for a new season if it gets picked up, but I guess I was looking for something a little more jaw-dropping to seal the deal.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!

Based on a True Story is a lot of fun and very easy to binge-watch. The chemistry between our three main leads is bloody magic and well worth your time.

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

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 “The Clearing” on Hulu: Teresa Palmer stars in a Dark and Disturbing Cult Mystery

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

“I’m not supposed to be here…”

The Clearing released on Hulu on May 24th 2023 with two episodes available to stream now. There will be eight episodes in total that will air weekly. The Australian crime drama series (loosely based on a real story) stars Teresa Palmer, Miranda Otto, and Guy Pearce. Each episode runs for approximately 47-49 minutes.

A mother must face her troubled past in order to stop a cult from kidnapping innocent children.

Here is the trailer:

The Clearing is eerie and chilling with a talented cast and a layered mystery that pulls you in. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Some solid twists already with a twisted mystery at its core.

I’ve seen my fair share of cult thrillers and mysteries, but this series is already more disturbing to me since it focuses on young children. There have already been a few twists that grabbed my full attention and I’m invested in what happens next. This is not an easy watch at all because of the content, but so far I’ve been given enough pieces of the puzzle to reel me in.

Talented cast.

With Teresa Palmer (A Discovery of Witches), Miranda Otto (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), and Guy Pearce (Memento) on the same show, it seems like a dream come true and it is for the most part.

Teresa Palmer is always so convincing with her wide eyed stares and emotional reactions. She is very believable in this role and the main reason why I tuned in. Miranda Otto is absolutely CHILLING in her role and I can’t wait to see more.

I’m hoping Guy Pearce gets more of a chance to shine as well.

Either way, this cast is bringing a lot to this series and I’m confident they will continue to do so in the remaining episodes.

The Cons:

Confusing timelines and sluggish pacing.

The transitions between the different timelines are not as seamless as I’d like them to be. Both timelines are interesting enough, but it also seems like this series is trying to stuff in quite a lot, which can be overwhelming at times.

The pacing needs some improvement, but I think that each episode has done enough to bring me in for more. I just want things to speed up a little bit…

As I mentioned earlier, some of these moments can be emotionally triggering and disturbing so please be mindful of that.

So am I in or out?

I’m in about 75 percent…

This series has some serious potential with an unsettling cult mystery at its core, but it needs to pick up the pace and allow its stars to truly shine. I’m intrigued to find out more; however, and I’m willing to stick around for the remaining episodes.

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

Face your fear…

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 “The Good Nurse” on Netflix: Intense from start to finish!

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

“I can help you…”

The Good Nurse premiered on Netflix on October 26th 2022. The crime drama (based on a true story) stars Jessica Chastain, Eddie Redmayne, and Kim Dickens. It runs for two hours and three minutes.

A nurse assists with a police investigation involving one of her colleagues, who may be responsible for the murder of over a dozen patients.

Here is the trailer:

The Good Nurse lures you in from the get-go, featuring two compelling performances. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Award-worthy performances.

Jessica Chastain is brilliant in everything and this film was no exception. She poured so much into her character and kept me emotionally invested even during the small moments. Redmayne kept up with her a chilling way. All of the performances were decent, but these two should receive some award nominations. They were that good!

Gripping story.

This film is based on a true story, which made this watch that much more disturbing. I was horrified by what was happening on screen and shocked by how much slipped through the cracks. These types of films really make you think. The story was told in such an effective and gripping way, captivating my complete attention. I seriously could not stop watching this film.

The Cons:

Heavy content to deal with.

This wasn’t really a con, but I did have to be in the right state of mind to watch this. I think the film could have also been a touch shorter, but I was still satisfied with how everything was presented.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!!!

Jessica Chastain is mesmerizing!

This film was such an intense watch and well worth your time.

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

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