Spoiler-Free Review of “Violent Night” in Theaters: Plenty of Bloody Violence and Christmas Cheer to go around

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

“Welcome to your worst Christmas ever…”

Violent Night released in theaters on December 2nd 2022. The holiday action film stars David Harbour, John Leguizamo, Alex Hassell, Cam Gigandet, and Beverly D’Angelo. It runs for approximately an hour and fifty-two minutes.

After a team of mercenaries holds a family hostage in their extravagant home, the real Santa Clause gets involved to help a selfless girl named Trudy.

Here is the trailer:

Violent Night is the perfect mashup of Die Hard and Home Alone. It has plenty of entertaining action while still managing to channel the holiday spirit, making it the ultimate holiday film to watch this year and for years to come. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Universal Pictures

David Harbour is perfection!

He was the perfect actor for this role and he really shined in the best way possible. He was hilarious, charming, and a hero to root for! The rest of the cast did a great job as well. Trudy was a delight to watch on screen and it’s always fun seeing John Leguizamo.

The dynamic between the family and the villains really worked well. The humor mixed with violence was pure magic, giving me so many Die Hard vibes. The film was clearly aware of the inspiration, but it also branched off into its own story without holding back.

Images courtesy of Universal Pictures

A holiday film that has it all!

It’s not easy making a holiday film for everyone. While this film was clearly not for children, I appreciated that it still managed to capture the essence of Christmas in the midst of all the bloody violence (which was fantastic). I’m always looking for new holiday films to add to my watch-list each year and it’s safe to say that Violent Night will definitely become a yearly watch for me.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Universal Pictures

Some of the puns were a little on the nose…

Look, I still enjoyed them and this was the perfect film to just sit back and enjoy. Some of the Christmas puns needed some work. Perhaps I’m just spoiled by Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s clever puns and I wanted a little more here, but they were still fun so I can’t complain too much.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Universal Pictures

I’m in!!!

A jolly, bloody good time!

Violent Night was the perfect film to watch this holiday season and David Harbour was beyond fantastic!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Violent Night 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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Ranking the top 5 moments from “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” season 13 episode 8: “Charlie’s Home Alone”

Happy Saturday TV fans!  After watching the FXX network’s It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia season 13 episode 8, I was super excited to finally get a Charlie centric episode.  While I’m not sure that it kept up with “Charlie Rules the World” or “Charlie Work,” it at least gave Charlie some much needed screen time.  Please note spoilers are ahead if you have not gotten a chance to watch the latest episode yet.  In Wednesday night’s episode, “Charlie’s Home Alone,” Charlie begins freaking out when he cannot find his beloved Green Man suit, explaining that it is part of his “color rituals” that are necessary for the Eagles to win the Super Bowl.  After an impostor wearing the suit heads off with the gang, Charlie realizes that he “made his friends disappear.”  My top 5 moments from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia season 13 episode 8 are:

5

“How is salmonella the only word you spelled correctly?”

Charlie has pretty much everything covered in order for the gang to go see the Super Bowl, only he cannot find his Green Man suit.  Charlie even takes time to put a sign up at the bar, explaining that they are closed for “salmonella” because of the Super Bowl, only every single word is spelled wrong except for “salmonella,” which surprises Dee.  Charlie doesn’t have time to argue with Dee over the sign and focuses all of his attention on finding the Green Man suit, only someone takes off with the gang wearing it, leaving Charlie alone at the bar.  Who is wearing the suit?  I’m guessing Cricket, but we’ll have to wait until next week to find out.

4

“I made my friends disappear.”

After wishing that his friends would all just go away, they actually do and Charlie is shocked that he was able to make this happen, signaling an immediate throwback to the classic film, Home Alone Charlie takes this even further as “Rockin Around The Christmas Tree” begins playing and he runs around, loving the fact that he can do whatever he wants.  Charlie finds a pair of Dee’s old panties and hilariously says, “Dee…Woof” and even tries out some shaving cream of his very own, patting his face and screaming and then saying out loud, “Why am I screaming?  This doesn’t hurt at all.” 

3

“This is my bar and I have to defend it.”

After two patrons try to get into the bar, Charlie realizes that he will need to defend the bar, just like Kevin from Home Alone.  Charlie assumes that they are burglars and starts setting up traps all over the bar and even lays out his battle plan or “Batall Plan.”  It seems like Charlie has everything worked out, until he gets caught in his own bear trap.  Poor Charlie.

2

“You’re going to lose the game because of me.”

Charlie listens to the crowd outside to determine if the Eagles are winning or losing and realizes that he must complete his “color rituals” in order for them to succeed.  Charlie’s color rituals consist of eating brown, wearing green, and drinking yellow.  Seems simple enough, right?  Only poor Charlie has been badly injured from the bear trap and is clearly not thinking straight at this point.  After spotting a rat, Charlie decides to eat it because it was brown and then immediately regrets this decision when he begins puking right on cue.  However, when he hears the fans cheering outside the bar, Charlie quickly realizes that the “color rituals” must be working.  He is determined to find something green to wear and spots the cans of green paint he set up.  Charlie hilariously ends up knocking himself out with the paint can, but the green paint does get on him so I guess this counts?  After Charlie wakes up, he courageously tries to make it to the beer so he can drink something yellow, but to no avail.  Charlie decides to drink his own urine, which is beyond disgusting, but he takes one for the team.

1

“Finish your color rituals.”

Now that Charlie has successfully finished his “color rituals,” he just needs to make it to the television and turn on the game.  Charlie’s leg is killing him at this point and he even begins hallucinating and seeing football players standing in front of him, trying to motivate him and cheer him on.  Charlie realizes that he can actually release himself from his own trap by pressing the button on the bottom, which makes this whole ordeal seem silly now.  Charlie successfully turns on the TV, but the football players tell him he has to now get back in the trap.  You know because “everything fans do has a direct impact on the outcome.”  Will Charlie be able to succeed?  We’ll have to wait to find out, as “to be continued” came up on the screen.  While the episode started out with promise, it soon became something outrageous, but that is what Charlie does best.  Either way, it’s good to see Charlie have his moment in the spotlight.  Stay tuned!

I hope you enjoyed the list and feel free to post your own thoughts on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia below in the comments section.  Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

**I would love it if you would take a moment to check out my Whizbuzz Book page via the link below for everything you need to know about my new book, The Search for Alice, including my author bio page and links to my website and social media sites!  Thank you!

My Whizbuzz Book Page

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

@TV_Fanatic_Girl

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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!

I am so excited to announce that my book, The Search for Alice, is now available!  If you enjoy fairy-tale retellings, paranormal romance, horror, and mystery, then this might be the book for you or someone you know!  Thank you for taking the time to check it out and I appreciate any feedback as well.  I hope you enjoy!

When Kallie Bennett, a jaded teenage girl plagued by her alcoholic mother and her peers molded out of sheer bubble gum perfection, chases after Alice in Wonderland herself, she ends up lost in her own version of Wonderland, which forces her to face her utmost fears and introduces her to familiar characters with a dark twist. Among these characters is Ches, a gorgeous vampire with a conflicted conscience, who becomes Kallie’s guide and blossoming love interest. She also crosses paths with Queen Hartley, a manipulative witch who has the power to strip away one’s memories and imagination, which brings a bone chilling new meaning to “off with their heads.” In The Search for Alice, Kallie starts to realize that her Wonderland is just as frightening as her own reality and that she cannot always run away from her problems. She must figure out a way to defeat Queen Hartley and return home before it is too late, but she soon learns that escaping Wonderland means leaving Ches behind forever.

Want to read more?  You can click the link directly below for a free preview.  Thanks for your support!

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

The Search for Alice is available here!

The Search for Alice Cover