*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*
“Are you sure there’s nothing I need to know about your parents…”
The Parenting premiered on Max on March 13th 2025. The comedy horror film stars Brandon Flynn, Nik Dodani, Lisa Kudrow, Edie Falco, Parker Posey, Brian Cox, and Dean Norris. It runs for approximately an hour and thirty-four minutes.
Boyfriends Josh and Rohan set up a weekend getaway so that their parents can meet one another, but they soon realize that the place they are renting may be haunted by a dangerous spirit.
Here is the trailer:
The Parenting has a fun premise and cast, but does it do enough to earn a a watch? Let’s find out…
The Pros:
Images courtesy of Max
Terrific ensemble.
Honestly, this cast was practically perfection. The dynamic between the families was fun at times and Lisa Kudrow stole the show as always. I wanted a little bit more screen time for some of the other characters, but I thought that everyone put forth their best effort here.
The premise for this one was actually really fun…Meet the Parents, but make it horror. Sounds entertaining, right? It should have been, but unfortunately the idea worked a lot better than the execution…
The Cons:
Images courtesy of Max
Cheesy scares…
I get that it’s not easy delivering a fantastic horror comedy. Films like Shaun of the Dead, Happy Death Day, and Tucker and Dale vs. Evil managed to do so, but I usually appreciate the effort for most horror comedies as long as they can deliver on at least one side of the genre.
Unfortunately, The Parenting was neither funny nor scary. The scares were so ridiculous. I would have been fine with this if it could have delivered from a comedy angle (similar to Scary Movie), but I didn’t really find this film that funny. There were a few moments that got me to chuckle, but most of it felt drawn out, over-exaggerated, and silly.
The final act went way off course and dragged this film down even more, wasting the talent of these great actors.
So am I in or out?
Images courtesy of Max
I’m out on this one…
The Parenting should have been tons of fun with such a spectacular cast, but it failed to deliver as a horror comedy, leaving me wanting so much more.
This wasn’t the worst film I’ve seen by any means, but there really wasn’t anything that enjoyable about it. I was thoroughly disappointed because I love horror comedies.
I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The Parentingin 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!
*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*
“It’s a puzzle box…”
Hellraiser (2022) released on Hulu on October 7th 2022. The reinvention of the 1987 original film stars Odessa A’zion, Jamie Clayton, Adam Faison, Drew Starkey, Brandon Flynn, and Goran Visnjic. The film runs for approximately 2 hours.
A young woman struggling with addiction must face off against the Cenobites when her brother is brutally taken by them.
Here is the trailer:
Hellraiser (2022) doesn’t hold back with its extreme gore, reeling fans of the original film back in for some gruesome pleasure. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…
The Pros:
Images courtesy of Hulu
Cringe-worthy gore that would make the original proud…
Hellraiser (1987) and the sequel are an acquired taste, but they are noteworthy for their extreme 80’s gore, bringing the audience into a twisted world of pain and pleasure with one of the scariest villains of all time. I thoroughly enjoy the first two films, but the franchise goes off the rails after that.
Hellraiser (2022) does not shy away from the bloody violence, bringing us something even more disturbing. This film is not for the faint of heart…
If you’re looking for lots of gore, you’ll get plenty to enjoy in the new film.
Images courtesy of Hulu
Jamie Clayton steps in nicely.
Pinhead is a terrifying villain and gave me nightmares for years. Jamie Clayton’s version had a different feel, but I thought she did a very good job. There was something so sinister and eerie about her presence. I didn’t find her as terrifying as Doug Bradley’s version, but she really went all in with this role and it worked.
More please!
The Cons:
Images courtesy of Hulu
A little too long and overcomplicates things…
I didn’t think this film needed to be two hours long. There was some unnecessary fluff that could have easily been cut out. I also could have done without the twists and additional story elements thrown our way.
I get that the film was trying to find its own separate identity while channeling the original film, but it lost a little bit of its magic this way. Sometimes less is more…
I also wasn’t a huge fan of our female lead. She didn’t come close to Kirsty and that’s OK since she isn’t her, but I found the character to be a little whiny and annoying. I couldn’t get behind her as a final girl to root for.
So am I in or out?
Images courtesy of Hulu
I’m in about 75 percent…
Hellraiser (2022) delivers with extreme signature blood and gore, making this a decent reinvention of the original film, but I didn’t need all of the excess story-lines, which got in the way of pure greatness.
Either way, this film ranks very high in the franchise for me and easily beats out all of the films that came after the sequel.
I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Hellraiser (2022) 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!
**Major spoilers have been left out for your convenience so feel free to read on!**
“Life is a pretty spectacular thing.”
The final season of 13 Reasons Whypremiered on Netflix on June 5th 2020 with 10 new episodes (Approximately 58 minutes in length) in season 4. It stars Dylan Minnette, Christian Navarro, Alisha Boe, Brandon Flynn, and Miles Heizer.
The show is based on the novel written by Jay Asher. It follows a young high school student who suffers from depression after dealing with bullying and betrayal. The series allowed us to see things from Hannah Baker’s perspective in the first season, but the other seasons focused more on the lives of her friends and family members as they coped with grief and other significant changes.
If you are a fan of this show, then you know that it is like nothing else you have ever seen. It tackles a lot of important and sensitive issues without holding anything back. When the show first premiered, there was a lot of controversy surrounding it and there are several warnings that come up before each episode that should not be ignored.
Coming to the end of a brilliant series is not easily done, but does 13 Reasons Whygive our beloved characters the proper farewell they deserve?Let’s find out…
The Pros:
Images courtesy of Netflix
Moving performances by Dylan Minnette, Alisha Boe, and Brandon Flynn.
The entire cast is great, but this trio really gives us some heart-wrenching moments that will have you in tears. They are real, believable, and thought-provoking. You can truly empathize with them. You can easily imagine them as your own best friend or brother or sister. In a way, we have really watched them grow up on screen.
When I first started the series, I had mixed thoughts on all of the characters and while Clay Jensen stole our hearts and compassion from the very start, Justin and Jessica really went through important character transformations throughout the series.
Images courtesy of Netflix
Proper goodbyes.
A lot of series don’t really get the chance to give each and every one of their characters a proper send off. Some series are canceled too early and others drag things out too much. However, I thought that 13 Reasons Why did a really great job of allowing us to truly say farewell to each character.
High School can often feel like the end and unfortunately, it is the absolute end for some of our beloved characters. But for others, it is just the beginning of their journey and we can all relate to that.
While some characters discovered new relationships and passions, others went down dark roads of despair. But each one got enough screen time so that we could appreciate and understand their growth. Not just in high school, but in life.
Images courtesy of Netflix
Episode 6
Each episode gave us some tropes about the end of high school. We got to witness a senior camping trip, college interviews, the prom, and graduation. However, I thought that episode 6 almost could have been a standalone for the series.
It was so intense and it really brought me back to that same feel I had while watching season 1, which I appreciated. Again, the warnings should not be ignored on this series and I strongly recommend watching it with someone else, but I thought the writing and direction for this particular episode was brilliant.
The Cons:
Unsure of its plot.
A lot of season 4 focuses on Clay’s anxiety, especially after coping with what happened to Bryce and Monty. It is not easy to personify mental illness, but I could have done without the cheesy horror effects sprinkled in. They were kind of distracting and it took away from Clay’s actual issues. I thought it would have been better to stick with Clay’s revealing conversations with his therapist, which were extremely well done.
I’m still also not sure what the main plot was. Season 4 was kind of all over the place in certain aspects. In season 1, we focused on Hannah. In season 2, we looked at things from other eyes. In season 3, we watched things from a newcomer and also focused on a murder. However, season 4 didn’t really have much of a plot.
There were moments of pure brilliance and some really heartbreaking ones that still have me in tears, but I guess I was hoping for something to really captivate my attention like with the other seasons.
Images courtesy of Netflix
Jessica Davis deserved more.
Jessica’s character transformation across the seasons has really been something spectacular. In season 3, she really embraced her strength and identity as a woman and became a leader. However, in season 4, she still talks a lot about these issues, but we spend too much time tangling her up in a love triangle that was unnecessary.
Jessica has been in toxic relationships, but she has also discovered her individuality. I just didn’t want that completely tainted and I thought that we could have moved away from the love triangle plot all together.
So am I in or out?
Images courtesy of Netflix
I’m in because I have a lot of respect for this show. There are a lot of teen dramas around that skim over important issues and I really thought that this particular one dove right in without censors. There are some moments throughout the show that are extremely difficult to watch, but sometimes we need to watch them in order to process all of these important issues in our lives.
The world can be scary and overwhelming and 13 Reasons Why reminded us that through all of the grief and difficult moments, there are also really beautiful ones as well and that life is worth living. While I had some personal preferences and issues with the final season, I will forever be a fan of this show.
It’s one of a kind and something that will stand the test of time for me.
I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on 13 Reasons Why 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…
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!
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Do you love horror series? Of course you do! Please also check out 12 Nights of Horror Series Coming Soon. It’s your home for everything you need to know about new and returning horror television series including new trailers, premiere dates, reviews, recaps, and renewals!
