Spoiler-Free Review of “Lisa Frankenstein” in Theaters: Charmingly Twisted

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

“You need socialization…”

Lisa Frankenstein released in theaters on February 9th 2024. The horror comedy film stars Kathryn Newton, Cole Sprouse, Liza Soberano, and Carla Gugino. It runs for approximately an hour and forty minutes.

Set in 1989, a misunderstood teen accidentally awakens a Victorian corpse, as the two set out to find love and happiness in unconventional ways.

Here is the trailer:

Lisa Frankenstein is everything I hoped it would be, featuring a romance that is anything but ordinary. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Universal Pictures

Cole Sprouse and Kathryn Newton are electric together.

Honestly, they were so much fun to watch in this one. In a lot of ways, this movie had a Warm Bodies meets Jennifer’s Body kind of vibe and I loved it. For not saying much, Cole Sprouse really stole the show and I think that Kathryn Newton is quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with in the horror genre.

I couldn’t help but smile when the two of them were on screen together, which made this such a delightful and effortless watch for me.

Images courtesy of Universal Pictures

Loved the 80’s vibe!

The music and fashion were fantastic in this one and I loved the use of bright colors throughout it. Everything just popped and it worked. This film never took itself too seriously and the time frame complimented the outrageous points of the plot really well.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Universal Pictures

Needed a touch more blood and gore in certain parts.

This may come down to preference, but I wanted a little more here since this movie wasn’t afraid to dabble into horror territory. Don’t get me wrong, we had some, but it felt very watered down. I don’t think it hindered the quality of this film in any way, but it would have been an added bonus.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Universal Pictures

I’m in!!!

Lisa Frankenstein is a love letter to those of us who never quite fit in and were the better for it.

Quirky, offbeat, and wickedly delightful!

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

A VACATION TO DIE FOR…

Blood Rose Island Ad

When sisters, Nina and Gemma are vacationing in Hawaii with their friends, they get invited to an exclusive party on a private island that seems too good to be true. There’s only one rulethey can’t miss their ferry at midnight or they’ll have to wait until morning to leave the island. Only they didn’t realize that breaking this rule meant they would be hunted down on the island one by one.

Who will make it off the island alive?

I hope you enjoy my new island thriller!

Blood Rose Island is available here!

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Review of “Riverdale” Season 7 Premiere on The CW: The gang time travels…again

*Please note that some spoilers are ahead.*

“The year is 1955…”

Riverdale season 7 premiered on March 29th 2023 on The CW. The final season will feature twenty weekly episodes. It stars Lili Reinhart, Cole Sprouse, KJ Apa, Camila Mendes, and Madelaine Petsch. Each episode runs for approximately 42-46 minutes.

After Bailey’s Comet threatened to destroy Riverdale for good, the gang got transported back in time to when the Archie Comics first took place. Only no one remembers what their lives were like before except Jughead.

Here is the trailer:

Riverdale was one of my favorite series for the longest time with crazy plot twists, insane cults, and love triangles that made our heads spin. As the seasons continued, the show became really far-fetched and lost its way, but the final season may be able to finish the series strong after all. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of The CW

This time jump is a lot more promising…

I wasn’t a huge fan of the time jump into the future after the gang finished high school. It felt forced and it never really worked for me personally. Well, the gang gets a second chance at high school…only this time they are back in 1955, which will give fans of the original comic series something to be excited about.

The costumes and music are a lot of fun and the series is even tackling important issues during this time period.

Old characters return.

The parents of Riverdale were pretty much phased out after the first time jump, but now we get to see some familiar faces return, which has actually been a lot of fun so far. I’m curious to see who else will come back for the final season since many of my favorite characters left the show at various points.

There also seems to be some hints at one of my favorite ships reigniting. Fingers crossed Choni fans!

We’ll have to see how all of this works out and things might get messy when the gang finds a way back to their original time…or universe. 

The Cons:

Images courtesy of The CW

Some characters regress…

While I was super excited to see Toni getting some well deserved screen time, other characters like Tabitha were barely around, which was slightly worrisome. I’m also not sure how I feel about Veronica’s character dealing with more nonsense surrounding her family when she worked so hard to break free of that.

Cheryl and Kevin are back in the closet and Betty doesn’t have the same fire within her that I’m used to seeing.

I’m hoping that our characters can remember who they are because they are all so fantastic to watch, but I’m worried about certain plots feeling recycled…just merely in a new time setting.

Our characters deserve better than that.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of The CW

I’m in about 75 percent…

Season 7 starts off with a lot of potential and I’m hoping that this show can redeem itself and finish strong, but we still have a ways to go.

Either way, I’m a lot more excited about this season and it’s already a lot stronger than the last two seasons I watched so there’s definitely some hope here!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Riverdale season 7 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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Ranking your Favorite Male Performances on Television for 2020

Greetings TV Fans!  As we wrap up 2020 and move on to 2021, let’s take a look at some of our favorite male performances on television from this past year.  Whether it was a moment of heroism, a sacrifice, or even a breaking point, these male actors went above and beyond to fully embrace their characters.

It was difficult for me to narrow down my favorite male performances for 2020 because there were honestly so many and I didn’t think it was possible for me to choose my absolute favorite one, which is where you came in!    

I ran a three round poll (randomized tournament style) on Twitter and asked for fans to cast their votes so that we can all decide who our favorite male performances are for the year.  Thank you so much for your participation and support, as the tournament was so much fun and actually really competitive!

Round One featured the following Male Performances on TV from 2020:

  • Misha Collins as Castiel from Supernatural
  • Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Negan from The Walking Dead
  • Tom Ellis as Lucifer Morningstar from Lucifer
  • Tom Pelphrey as Ben from Ozark
  • Cole Sprouse as Jughead Jones from Riverdale
  • Hugh Grant as Jonathan Fraser from The Undoing
  • Jonathan Majors as Atticus Freeman from Lovecraft Country
  • Jared Padalecki as Sam Winchester from Supernatural
  • Jensen Ackles as Dean Winchester from Supernatural
  • Richard Harmon as John Murphy from The 100
  • Lennie James as Morgan Jones from Fear the Walking Dead
  • Bob Morley as Bellamy Blake from The 100

After your votes, the following male actors moved on to Round Two:

  • Cole Sprouse
  • Misha Collins
  • Jeffrey Dean Morgan
  • Jared Padalecki
  • Jensen Ackles
  • Tom Ellis

After your votes in Round Two, the following male actors moved on to the FINALS:

  • Misha Collins
  • Jared Padalecki
  • Jensen Ackles

Honorable Mention:  Tom Ellis just came up short as Lucifer and I think it’s only a matter of time before we witness another showstopping number from him in season 5, part 2!

Lucifer

Image courtesy of Netflix

After your votes in Round Three, the FINAL results are:

3rd place: Jared Padalecki as Sam Winchester in Supernatural

Sam Winchester

Image courtesy of The CW

After winning the crown the past two years in a row, Jared Padalecki came in third place this year. I had a feeling the end results would be very Supernatural-centric and well deserving. Jared’s performance has always been so emotional and I am looking forward to seeing him explore a new role in 2021! Thanks for all the memories Sammy!

2nd place: Misha Collins as Castiel in Supernatural

Misha Collins

Image courtesy of The CW

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…Castiel has had one of the most brilliant character transformations I have ever witnessed on any show. Misha Collins has been amazing and his final performance still has me in tears. Castiel forever!

Drum roll please…

1st place:  Jensen Ackles as Dean Winchester from Supernatural

Dean Winchester

Image courtesy of The CW

We have a new winner for your favorite male performance on TV for 2020 and I couldn’t be more proud. Dean Winchester has always been my favorite character on SPN. While Sam usually carried the emotional weight of the show, I was so beyond impressed by Jensen’s incredibly heartbreaking performance in the final episode of SPN. He was so believable and I think he really showed a lot of range in his performance.

This year has given us so many incredible performances, but I am so beyond thrilled that Supernatural took the crown this year. Thank you for 15 amazing years of television. You will be missed, but never forgotten! SPN FAMILY FOREVER!

Thanks to all the fans who voted!  I wish you all the best for 2021!

View Final Poll Results Here!

I hope you enjoyed the list and please feel free to post your thoughts and comments below on some of your favorite male performances on TV from 2020.  Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

My performance of the week ending 2/15/20 on TV goes to…

Cole Sprouse as Jughead Jones on The CW’s Riverdale.

If you are fan of Riverdale, then you know that Jughead Jones is the heart of the series. His narrations shed so much light on everything and you really get to know him through his writing and his interactions with the rest of the characters. Cole Sprouse’s performance each week is believable and true.

**Please note some spoilers are ahead if you are not caught up on the series.**

That being said, it makes it even more difficult to picture Riverdale without Jughead Jones and yet we are left trying to piece together the mystery behind his supposed murder. To make matters even worse, a lot of evidence is pointing at Jughead’s queen, Betty Cooper, which makes this even more shocking and heartbreaking for us Bughead fans.

Riverdale The CW 1
Images courtesy of The CW

After watching season 4, episode 13, we finally catch up to that fateful night, but that doesn’t mean that we have solved the case just yet. Donna may have used a new trigger word on our girl Betty, but I have a feeling that this is all a set-up. I have to remain positive because I cannot even think about Betty being guilty under any circumstances.

In this past episode, Cole Sprouse really pulled out all the stops to make Jughead’s path toward potential demise so heartbreaking. As fans, we want to believe that there is some way for him to still be alive, creating a vortex of theories and questions to make sense of everything, but that’s part of the reason why I adore this show so much.

Sure, it may submerge itself in excess teen drama noir here and there, but the dark mysteries are so intriguing and compelling, luring you in that much more. Combine that with fantastic character dynamics and wonderful performances and you have more than a guilty pleasure on your hands.

What’s next for Jughead? Well, this might be the toughest one to figure out yet. Is Jughead really dead or is there some way to explain what has just happened? I can’t ignore the fact that we have been dancing around the plot of a “perfect murder,” so has Jughead truly cracked the case to somehow bring the real conspirators to light?

Riverdale The CW 2
Images courtesy of The CW

I have a lot of theories, but we know that Betty has connections with the morgue and their creepy doctor friend might have been able to make Jughead appear to be dead while Betty tries to bring the real culprits to justice, but how else can we explain what has happened?

For me, there is no show without Jughead Jones and Betty Cooper, so I’m hoping that the truth can salvage this ultimate duo. Lili Reinhart is always fantastic every single week, but I have to say that I was thoroughly impressed with Cole Sprouse’s performance this past week.

Let’s hope he gets the chance to continue to shine by bringing down the real villains here. Go team Bughead!

Stay tuned for a recognized performance on TV each week!

Have a performance on TV that you think is simply outstanding? Feel free to contact me with your nomination for the week by Friday at midnight! 

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

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The Dreaming of Wonderland Book Series is available here!

Dreaming of Wonderland Series Final Chapter Blog

**Do you love television shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Once Upon a Time, Lost, Charmed, The Vampire Diaries, and Supernatural?  Do you enjoy dark fantasy, fairy-tale retellings, paranormal romance, horror, and mystery?  Then you may like my book series, Dreaming of Wonderland…available on Amazon!  Thank you for taking the time to check it out and I appreciate any feedback as well.  I really hope you enjoy!

Free Instant Preview of The Search for Alice is available here!

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