Tag: Ben Hardy

Spoiler-Free Review of “The Conjuring: Last Rites” in Theaters: A Worthy Conclusion!

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

“We’ve been waiting so patiently…”

The Conjuring: Last Rites is the fourth and final installment of the popular horror franchise. The supernatural horror film stars Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Mia Tomlinson, and Ben Hardy. The film runs for approximately two hours and fifteen minutes.

Ed and Lorraine Warren return to investigate a demonic presence from their past that threatens to wreak permanent damage on their family.

Here is the trailer:

The Conjuring: Last Rites is advertised as the last film of the franchise, but does it do enough to close the book on the Warren family in a proper way? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of New Line Cinema

Bone-chilling moments!

The Conjuring movies do a spectacular job of creating some genuinely scary moments and I thought that Last Rites really held its own. There were a few moments that genuinely made me jump. Overall, I thought this film had the perfect amount of scares and disturbing occurrences that will satisfy fans of the franchise with plenty of nods at all of the films within this universe.

Images courtesy of New Line Cinema

Love and demons featuring our favorite couple in horror.

I’ve always said that the chemistry between Ed and Lorraine Warren in these movies is truly moving and the glimpse into their past made their bond appear that much stronger to me. Vera Farmiga is so powerful and convincing in these films and I’m always on the edge of my seat when these two are on screen because I don’t want anything to ever happen to them.

There was a solid balance in this film that allowed us a chance to understand the Warren family dynamic a little bit more without taking away from the terrifying core of the film. That’s not easy to accomplish and somehow this movie made everything unfold effortlessly.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of New Line Cinema

A touch too long…

I get why this movie was a little bit longer. There was a lot of backstory to fill in, but I still think there were a few moments that were dragged out. I think this movie should have been just under two hours, but I’m nitpicking here because I thought the movie was fantastic from start to finish.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of New Line Cinema

I’m in!!!

The Conjuring: Last Rites possesses the perfect balance of bone-chilling scares and heartfelt moments, making this a consuming and moving conclusion for the Warren family.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The Conjuring: Last Rites 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 Girl Before” on HBO Max: Erotic Thriller that will keep you Guessing

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

“It feels like it’s waiting for someone…”

The Girl Before originally premiered back in December 2021 on BBC One, but released on HBO Max on February 10th 2022. The limited series based on the book of the same name stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Jessica Plummer, David Oyelowo and Ben Hardy. There are four episodes in total, which are all available to stream on HBO Max. Each episode runs for approximately 58-60 minutes.

A woman moves into a modern day dream home with an interesting set of rules, as she soon begins to unlock secrets from the past that may put her life in immediate danger.

Here is the trailer:

The Girl Before presents us with a stunning setting and a thrilling mystery that will keep you guessing. Is it worthy of your next binge-watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of HBO Max

An apartment to die for…

I love when a mystery/thriller series has a setting that is just as interesting and layered as the characters. The modern apartment is stunning and sleek, but it has so many interesting features and rules, which really helped generate such an unsettling vibe throughout the series. 

Images courtesy of HBO Max

Believable performances.

I thought that Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Jessica Plummer were both so electric on screen. I felt their pain and rooted for them whenever possible. They portrayed real women in a type of thriller that didn’t stray too much from the ordinary, which made this series that much more horrifying and powerful for me. 

Unpredictable.

Just when I thought I had everything figured out, this show threw me for a complete loop in the best possible way. If you’re looking for a steamy thriller that you can easily binge-watch, you’re in the right place. 

I also really loved the way the story unfolded between the past and the present, which is not always easy to nail. This can sometimes become confusing, but the different timelines worked seamlessly, luring me in that much more.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of HBO Max

Pacing issues at times…

The show took a little while to get going for me and had some pacing issues here and there. After a while, I was completely hooked, but I’m wondering if this might have been better suited as a movie to remove some of the excess fluff.

That being said, I think the pace picks up enough to make this very easy to binge-watch over the weekend.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of HBO Max

I’m in!

If you’re looking for your next guilty-pleasure thriller, you’ve found it! The past and present story-lines centered around the stunning piece of architecture are really intriguing and there are plenty of moments and reveals that will shock you in the best possible way.

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