Spoiler-Free Review of “Thanksgiving” in Theaters: A Delicious, Blood-Soaked Delight!

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

“There will be no leftovers…”

Thanksgiving released in theaters on November 17th 2023. The slasher-horror film (directed by Eli Roth) stars Patrick Dempsey, Nell Verlaque, Addison Rae, Rick Hoffman, Milo Manheim, and Gina Gershon. It runs for approximately an hour and forty-six minutes.

A year after a horrific tragedy on Black Friday, a masked killer begins to pick off those responsible one by one, leading up to a deadly feast.

Here is the trailer:

Thanksgiving successfully channels 90’s slashers to breathe new life into the genre, supplying us with plenty of fantastic chase scenes and gory kills. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Channels 90’s slashers in the best way possible!

I absolutely loved this aspect of the movie. It recognized the perfection of this era and borrowed from it in a clever and satisfying way. So many moments reminded me of films like Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer, but it wasn’t overdone. Thanksgiving still managed to find its own identity in the process, hopefully carving the way for more slashers to come.

Gore galore!

OK, so first off…that opening scene was jaw-dropping! But the gore didn’t stop there. Each kill was inventive, entertaining, and filled to the brim with seat-squirming moments. If extreme gore isn’t for you, I’d stay clear, but for those of you who can’t get enough of it, there’s plenty to enjoy here.

The Cons:

Predictable here and there…

This didn’t take away from the entertaining moments, but perhaps a little too much was revealed in the trailers. That being said, I still loved every second of it. I guess I just wanted a few unpredictable twists thrown in for good measure…

So am I in or out?

I’m in 100 percent!!!

A clever, entertaining slasher that delivers and then some!

Slashers are DOMINATING cinema right now and I’m absolutely loving it. More please!

I hope you enjoyed the review and please feel free to share your thoughts on Thanksgiving in the comments section!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

IN THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS, HER NIGHT FROM HELL HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN…

After working the night shift, Ashley becomes entangled in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse with a local street gang, forcing her to come up with a plan to survive the night by turning the tables on them.

Ashley must fight for her life and take them out one by one if she wants to make it to morning…

My young adult revenge thriller comes out November 30th 2023! I hope you enjoy!

Make it Through the Night is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Killer Book Club” on Netflix: Spanish Slasher Attempts to Channel “I Know What You Did Last Summer”

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

“She will be the one to die…”

Killer Book Club (El Club De Los Lectores Criminales) released on Netflix on August 25th 2023. The Spanish slasher-horror film stars Veki Velilla, Ane Rot, Priscilla Delgado, and Carlos Alcaide. It runs for approximately 90 minutes.

A group of friends are targeted by a masked killer, who wants to pick them off one by one to expose their secret and finish their horror novel.

Here is the trailer:

Killer Book Club clearly gets its inspiration from 90’s slashers with a fun concept, but does it find its own identity or get lost in the imitation? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Killer premise with some welcomed gore.

When I first read the description for this film, I was beyond excited. A slasher involving a book club? It honestly sounded like a dream come true. I really want to see more movies bring back the 90’s slasher vibe so I appreciate the effort here.

There were also plenty of gory kills so that was a plus.

The pros stop there though…

The Cons:

Tries too hard to imitate films like IKWYDLS and Scream.

They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but this film felt like really bad fan fiction. There were so many scenes that forced these comparisons and they didn’t come close to imprinting their own identity in the process, which was extremely frustrating to watch as a slasher fan.

The kills weren’t edgy enough.

I wanted some intense chase scenes here, but instead we got these watered down ones that had overpowering dramatic music playing over them and a weird voice-over narration. Look, I get that it was supposed to be similar to chapters in a book, but some of these scenes could have been a lot better if they had played out in a more organic way.

I couldn’t even appreciate the gore because of this.

Characters I could care less about…

There wasn’t one redeeming character. They all fell neatly into tropes and no one stood out to me. I found a lot of them to be really annoying and empty. They didn’t attempt to explore any character layers or growth so when they started to get picked off, I honestly didn’t care.

So am I in or out?

Unfortunately I’m out on this one…

More slashers please, but not like this…

I really wanted to like this film and I was so excited about the concept behind it, but it relied too much on ripping off 90’s slashers and never quite found any ounce of originality, which was beyond disappointing.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Killer Book Club 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…

Scream Hunt is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin” on HBO Max: A Teen Slasher Series done right!

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

“You can’t ignore the past forever…”

Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin premiered on HBO Max on July 28th 2022. The teen mystery drama series (based on Pretty Little Liars) stars Bailee Madison, Chandler Kinney, Maia Reficco, Malia Pyles, and Mallory Bechtel. There are three episodes available to stream now. The remaining seven episodes will air weekly. Each episode runs for approximately 50-52 minutes.

After a tragic event twenty years ago, a group of friends are targeted by A, connecting the past to the present.

Here is the trailer:

Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin may be the most entertaining spin-off series yet, as it gives fans of the original show plenty to be excited about with a clever slasher spin. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of HBO Max

The slasher spin is genius!

I absolutely loved the original Pretty Little Liars series and looked forward to coming up with crazy theories about A every week. I watched both spin-off series after that and was really excited about this new series.

The other series all focused on a teen mystery and so does this one, but it has a slasher vibe that will remind you more of Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer. A is still sneaky with the signature unknown texts and secret messages, but they are also a lot more brutal this time around and I am personally loving every second of it!

The past and present timelines are both interesting!

Similar to Yellowjackets, this new spin-off series does a good job of presenting us with an addicting mystery surrounding two timelines. Sometimes when shows go down this route, I prefer one timeline to the other, but so far I am invested in both and I am curious about how everything connects even though some parallels seem fairly obvious so far.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of HBO Max

The characters need some work…

I’m not really connecting to any of the characters yet, which is slightly disappointing. I loved the characters in the original series and we have some potential here, but I think that we need to learn more about everyone. So far we are spending a lot of time on two of the potential leads of the series, but I want to get to know everyone else too so that I care about what happens to them.

The forced pop culture and movie references are also a little nauseating at times. I get that the show is trying to be relevant, but it is a bit much so far.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of HBO Max

I’m in!

This show is really addicting and I am loving the slasher style! It’s not easy pulling off a reboot or spin-off, but so far this series is headed in the right direction and I can’t wait to watch more!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

A Halloween they’ll never forget…

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 “I Know What You Did Last Summer” (2021) on Prime Video: A Re-imagining Done Right

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

“You can never really know anyone…least of all yourself.”

I Know What You Did Last Summer premiered on Prime Video on October 15th 2021. The teen horror drama series (based on the Lois Duncan novel and the iconic film series) stars Madison Iseman, Brianne Tju, Ezekiel Goodman, Ashley Moore and Bill Heck. There are four episodes in season one available to stream now. The remaining four episodes will air weekly. Each episode runs for approximately 45-48 minutes.

After a fatal accident, a group of friends are stalked by a killer one year later, causing secrets to emerge and friendships to be tested.

Here is the trailer:

I Know What You Did Last Summer is the series I have been waiting for. It gives us some welcomed nostalgia for the original film series while finding a voice of its own, but is it worthy of YOUR next binge-watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

A solid twist on the original.

I’ve seen plenty of reboots and adaptations of films and I didn’t really know what I was going to get with this series, but I was pleasantly surprised by the twist thrown our way. There will be no spoilers in this review, but I thought that this show channeled the original vibe of one of my favorite films while finding a unique voice of its own.

You don’t mess with the original and this series understands that. Rather, it takes a new approach and a new setting to keep us entertained and it was the right call.

I also love that the series sprinkles in some Cruel Intentions and Cruel Summer vibes as well to give this series an edge.

Plenty of gore to satisfy the slasher fans.

The teen series takes a page out of Slasher’s book and presents us with plenty of gore and nudity galore. I’m not sure it needed all of that, but the gory kills are pretty solid and it helps balance out a lot of the teen melodrama you can expect in this type of show.

The Cons:

The killer needs to toy with them more…

I appreciate that this series is finding its own way with a different story, but if we are going to put up a message on a mirror, then I would also like to see the killer really mess with the group more. So far we have seen some horrific kills and some text messages pop up, but I want more.

Part of what made the original film so terrifying for me was the way that the killer lurked around and made the characters question everything and everyone around them. Someone already chopped off their hair without the killer’s help and while the pilot episode makes an attempt at this, I think that it could really add to the vibe of the show without copying the original film too much.

I also think that the characters seem to cope really easily with the death of those around them. I want to connect to all of them and it sometimes makes them come off as completely heartless, but I think that some of them are going to end up showing true remorse so I’ll see how this plays out in the next four episodes.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!

I was genuinely impressed at how well this show executed everything. The twist worked and it really helped me connect to this show. It balanced the perfect amount of nostalgia from the original film while presenting us with something new and really addicting!

There are some rough edges to work through, but overall this is a really entertaining series and it is delivering with plenty of gore, twists, and reveals.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on I Know What You Did Last Summer in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

A Halloween they’ll never forget…

My new young adult horror thriller is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Scream Hunt is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “There’s Someone Inside Your House” on Netflix: Modern Day “Scream” Fights to be Relevant

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

“You’re in my house so I can legally kill you…”

There’s Someone Inside Your House premiered on Netflix on October 6th 2021. Based on the book of the same name, the slasher horror film stars Sydney Park, Théodore Pellerin, Asjha Cooper, Dale Whibley and Burkely Duffield. It runs for approximately an hour and thirty-five minutes.

Makani Young moves in with her grandmother to escape her past, but when a killer starts targeting those around her with secrets, she is forced to face her inner demons in order to survive.

Here is the trailer:

There’s Someone Inside Your House follows the successful formula of movies like Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer, but does it find its own identity? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Strong start and gory kills.

This movie didn’t drag things out. Similar to Scream and Fear Street, it started off with a killer opening and provided the audience with plenty of gory kills to make it worthy of the slasher genre. Some of the kills were actually pretty gruesome and I thought it helped balance out the teen melodrama going on.

Images courtesy of Netflix

Characters to care about.

I really liked that we devoted enough time to our main character and some of the supporting ones as well. We were presented with a diverse cast and there were some honest genuine moments between them. It wasn’t just about someone trying to kill them. There was a deeper meaning here being explored.

We learned about their past, their secrets, and their fears, as they were exposed for who they truly are. They quickly realized that they can put on “a face” to the rest of the world, but they are lying to themselves and the sooner they accept who they are, the sooner they can own their past and be better in their present.

I thought this had a strong message in it and it helped me connect to the characters more than in your average slasher.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Scream by the numbers…

The plot was not the same, but the formula was almost identical and it was hard not to make comparisons when I watched this. Scream is my favorite movie of all time and I appreciate this movie channeling that (similar to Fear Street), but the execution felt stale and uninspiring.

I also thought that the title of the film was kind of strange. I didn’t read the book, but now I’m wondering if the film decided to branch off more from the “house setting.” I almost thought I was going to be watching a different type of movie and I’m not sure it did the film any favors…

An OK reveal.

Much like Scream, I spent the majority of this movie trying to figure out the mystery behind the killings but once we got to the major reveal, I was kind of disappointed. It wasn’t a bad one and it wasn’t obvious, but I guess I was expecting something a little bit more shocking.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in about 75 percent…

This movie was entertaining and if you enjoy slasher films like Scream, you will feel right at home. I never felt myself tuning out and I thought the overall pacing was good. The character development helped further things along but I wanted a little bit more from this movie.

It needed to branch out and find its own separate identity and I think we saw flickers of it, but it fell just a little bit short in other areas for me.

Overall, a decent watch for horror and slasher fans but just manage your expectations accordingly!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on There’s Someone Inside Your House in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

A Halloween they’ll never forget…

My new young adult horror thriller is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Scream Hunt is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Fear of Rain” on Hulu: Disturbia meets Unsane

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

“There was a man chasing me…”

Fear of Rain originally released back in February 2021 but it is now available to stream on Hulu. The psychological thriller film stars Madison Iseman, Katherine Heigl, Israel Broussard, and Harry Connick Jr. It is approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes long.

A young girl named Rain is dealing with schizophrenia, which causes her to have violent and vivid hallucinations. After returning home from the hospital, she meets a boy named Caleb and teams up with him to spy on her neighbor, who she suspects may have kidnapped a young girl. Rain struggles with what is real as everyone around her begins to doubt her, but she refuses to stop until she uncovers the truth.

Here is the trailer:

Fear of Rain has a very familiar plot, but it does have a great cast and some edge-of-your-seat moments to keep you guessing. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Solid performances.

Madison Iseman was wonderful in the new Jumanji movies and I am really excited that she is going to be starring in the I Know What You Did Last Summer series coming out in October. This was my opportunity to witness her test out her horror/thriller skills and she did a great job and was very believable.

I also loved seeing Happy Death Day’s Israel Broussard in this film. I think he may get typecast for being the charming nerd who takes care of erratic blonde girls, but if it works, it works.

Decent twists and reveals.

I was genuinely surprised by some of the twists and reveals. This is one of those movies where you almost have to take the gamble to see if the pay-off is worth it in the end. For me, it was and while some things were predictable, others threw me off guard completely which is a good thing.

The Cons:

Campy special effects…

This film decided to tackle mental illnesses and while some of the hallucinations and dreams worked, others did not translate well. I thought they were cheesy and over-the-top and it took away some of the edge of this film, which was thrilling without all of this thrown in.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!

I’ve seen this type of movie before but I genuinely like psychological thrillers with creepy neighbors. The formula just works somehow. I thought that the cast did enough to keep me invested and there were some reveals sprinkled in that threw me for a loop. If you enjoy films like Unsane and Disturbia, you will enjoy this one.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Fear of Rain 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 the “I Know What You Did Last Summer” movies from Best to Worst

“What you waiting for, huh? What are you waiting for?!”

Images courtesy of Showtime

A question that all fans of IKWYDLS know all too well. The popular film franchise is based on the book by Lois Duncan, which I actually read before I saw the first film. If you haven’t read it yet, I definitely recommend it. Things happen differently in the book, which may allow some of your favorite characters to get some deserved redemption.

When I think about 90’s slasher movies, I automatically jump to films like Scream, IKWYDLS and Urban Legend. They are fun, entertaining, and they keep you on the edge of your seat. Humor and teen drama weaves its way in while we witness some pretty intense scares as well.

I was super excited that Showtime added the IKWYDLS films to its lineup, which gave me a chance to catch up on all three films. Yes, there are three films…we’ll get to that later. The deadly fisherman with a hook for a hand becomes all too real after four friends make a fatal mistake that will haunt them forever…or at least for the next few summers.

Please note some spoilers are ahead.

Without any further delay, let’s find out exactly how I ranked the I Know What You Did Last Summer films and why.

1

I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)

Images courtesy of Showtime

The original film is the best one by a landslide. Released in 1997, it stars Jennifer Love Hewitt, Freddie Prinze Jr., Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Ryan Phillippe.

There is something really unsettling about this film in all the right ways. The villain is truly terrifying, the music is creepy, and some of the scares still haunt me till now. Seriously, I check my closet every single night before I got to sleep because of what happened to poor Helen (SMG).

Images courtesy of Showtime

The characters are far from perfect. They make a terrible mistake that comes back to haunt them. The killer doesn’t just want to eliminate them…he wants to mess with them and make them question everything and everyone around them.

Standout Death:

Spoiler alert. Do not read if you have not seen this movie!

Images courtesy of Showtime

Helen Shivers played by Sarah Michelle Gellar had the potential to be a fantastic Final Girl, but Julie James took that crown. However, her chase scene leading to her tragic death may be one of my favorite scenes in any slasher movie. I was rooting for her the entire time and the film really shook things up by killing her off. I’m still mad about it…

2 I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998)

Images courtesy of Showtime

The sequel is really not that bad. Released in 1998, it stars Jennifer Love Hewitt, Freddie Prinze Jr., Brandy, and Mekhi Phifer. Julie James is back and wins a trip to the Bahamas with her roommate, Karla. Julie and Ray are on the rocks, but luckily our favorite fisherman shows up in a few clutch moments.

While some of this movie is slightly outrageous, we do get some fun characters, including one played by Jack Black. We witness a fun karaoke performance, a tanning bed nightmare, and a lot of rain to really add to the ambiance.

Images courtesy of Showtime

Plus, there is a pretty big twist at the end which did help things.

Standout Death:

Images courtesy of Showtime

Not a death scene, but the tanning bed scene does come to mind. Julie decides to try and relax, but the killer locks the tanning bed, which is beyond terrifying.

3 I’ll Always Know What You Did Last Summer (2006)

Images courtesy of Showtime

So, I had no idea for the longest time that this film even existed and after watching it, I know why. The film was released in 2006 and it stars Brooke Nevin, David Paetkau, and Torrey DeVito. None of the original cast appear in this film although we do get a brief mention about what happened to them when the new characters are researching our infamous fisherman killer, Ben Willis.

The beginning of this film is actually kind of interesting. The group of friends decide to play a prank on everyone that actually ends up deadly and they try to cover it up.

That’s pretty much the only interesting part of the movie. The acting is horrible, the kills are gory, but eh, and the twist at the end is so ridiculous that you may think you actually fell asleep during the movie. I won’t reveal the twist here, but wow…and not in a good way.

Standout Death:

The tractor scene comes to mind, but honestly nothing really sticks out on this one.

I almost wish this movie had come out with a different name. It really doesn’t do the franchise any favors.

While there have been talks about an IKWYDLS television series, I haven’t seen too much on this. I would honestly love to see IKWYDLS take a page out of Scream’s book and give us a film with the original characters while introducing us to a new set of potential victims. Maybe Ben’s son had a son…or daughter? Just a thought…

Which I Know What You Did Last Summer films did YOU enjoy most?

I hope you enjoyed the list and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on the IKWYDLS films in the comments section below. Thank you so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

If you enjoy the IKWYDLS movies, you may enjoy Dash and Seek! I would love it if you would check it out in the link below. Thank you so much!

PLAY BY THE RULES…STAY ALIVE…

READ IF YOU DARE…

Dash and Seek is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Light as a Feather” Season 2 Part 2 on Hulu: “The Skin Crawling moments are Back with a Vengeance!”

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

Light as a feather, stiff as a board.

She’s dying.

She’s dead.

She’s dead…

Your favorite deadly slumber party game is back! After airing the first 8 episodes of season 2 back in July 2019, Hulu has released part 2 of the season as of October 4th 2019. Episodes 9-16 are all currently available to stream.

The show stars Liana Liberato, Haley Ramm, Brianne Tju, and Jordan Rodrigues and follows a group of friends who play a deadly game of Light as a Feather, which predicts exactly how they will die, targeting them one by one. After a slightly disappointing start to season 2, I was worried about the second half of the season. Did it live up to the bone-chilling moments in season 1 or did it fizzle out for good? Let’s find out!

The Pros:

Light as a Feather Hulu October 2019 1 — Images courtesy of Hulu

The performances of Haley Ramm (Violet), Liana Liberato (McKenna), and Brianne Tju (Alex).

Again, I have to give it up to this trio. Some of the characters on this show seem filler, but these three ladies held my attention the entire time. I love that they all didn’t start out as friends and their bond becomes stronger when they are all linked together by this curse, but the dynamic between them is fantastic and they really elevate the show.

The skin crawling moments are back!

Season 1 gave me some nightmares for sure, as some moments were genuinely shocking and hard to watch. These moments really gave a show that is mostly dipped in bubble gum pop horror a chance to be a little bit darker and I was disappointed when this fizzled out in the first half of season 2. However, the second half of the season delivered with this, giving us several moments that will really make you cringe and then some!

Satisfying twists.

We all know the game and I knew it would be hard to keep the show fresh and interesting, but I thought the second half of season 2 did a good job of keeping us on our toes. The twists worked for the most part and they kept me guessing up until the end.

The Cons:

Light as a Feather Hulu October 2019 2 — Images courtesy of Hulu

Channeling too much Lifetime…

So, this show has had a lot of teenage drama since the start and that’s not necessarily a bad thing if you are used to shows like Pretty Little Liars and Riverdale. I didn’t even really mind the will-they-won’t-they love triangle and I appreciated the LGBTQ relationship, but there were some moments that just felt like a failed attempt to throw in some fatal attraction psycho components, which weren’t really needed in my opinion.

Some really obvious moments.

I don’t know what it was, but there were just some moments that had that hit you over the head feel that undermined the show slightly. For example, (hey, here’s a bottle of pills…he must have taken these). I don’t expect everything to be a major twist, but I do want it to be believable as well. This didn’t happen all the time, but I did notice it more than I did in the first season.

So am I in or out?

Light as a Feather Hulu October 2019 3 — Images courtesy of Hulu

I’m back in! Even though I had some issues with the season overall, I still enjoyed the watch. The short episodes really helped move the binge-watching along and it’s just one of those shows that you can really enjoy especially around Halloween, so I have to give it up to Hulu for perfect timing.

Overall, I think this series is a lot of fun and it really gives you a lot of nostalgia for 90’s movies like The Craft and I Know What You Did Last Summer. Sure, there is a lot of teenage drama mixed in, but the skin crawling moments really helped push this one over to the darker side for me. There is no word yet on a season 3, but I’m not sure that we necessarily need one, although there is always something left open at the end…

Enjoy the watch and perhaps you may want to re-consider any slumber party games in the future…

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

**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!

The Dreaming of Wonderland Book Series is available here!

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

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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!

Spoiler-Free Review of “Light as a Feather” Season 2 Part 1 on Hulu: “Slumber Party with a Serial Killer…what can go wrong?”

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

So maybe a slumber party with a serial killer isn’t the best idea, especially when you and your friends are being stalked by an evil supernatural force that has a thing for games, but where would be the fun in that? After the addicting and fun premiere of Light as a Feather season 1, I have been anxiously waiting for new episodes to arrive and they are finally here! If you are craving some Pretty Little Liars drama mixed in with an I Know What You Did Last Summer feel, then you are in the right place!

Light as a Feather is based on the popular Wattpad story written by Zoe Aarsen. In season 1, five teenage girls head out to a graveyard for some underage drinking and a seemingly harmless game of Light as a Feather. If you are not familiar with the popular slumber party game, now might be a good time to re-visit the film, The Craft, which is one of my personal favorites as well.

During the game, each girl takes a turn and their death is described to them in detail. Things start to get weird when the girls begin dying exactly as it was determined in the game. McKenna Brady and her friends realize that they are being targeted by something supernatural, but is there a way to end the game without hurting others in the process?

Season 2 still centers around McKenna Brady, who now inherits the burden of carrying out the game, which leads to more players, more twists, and of course…more drama. Season 2 will feature 16 episodes in total. The first 8 episodes have been released on Hulu and are currently streaming as of July 26th 2019. The remaining 8 episodes will be released October 4th 2019 on Hulu.

The show stars Liana Liberato, Haley Ramm, Brianne Tju, and Jordan Rodrigues. We also get several new characters introduced into the mix, including characters played by The Walking Dead’s Katelyn Nacon and Angel and Dexter’s Julie Benz, who I am always happy to see! Season 2 has a lot to live up to, but can it hold steady and keep the game going? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Light as a feather 7 27 4 — Image courtesy of Hulu

The performances of Haley Ramm (Violet), Liana Liberato (McKenna), and Brianne Tju (Alex).

It’s not easy living up to the success of season 1, but these three ladies rock! They truly embrace their characters, which made the watch much more enjoyable for me. Plus, while the first season focused more on the aspects of the game, we get some needed character growth and development in season 2. I was particularly interested in Violet’s backstory, who is becoming one of my favorite female antagonists on TV and Ramm’s portrayal of her is fantastic!

Fast paced episodes and more cliffhangers!

I’ll say this, Light as a Feather does not disappoint when it comes to keeping you on the edge of your seat. Season 2 provides us with more twists and the end of episode 8 will immediately have you wanting more. I still thoroughly enjoyed the quick episodes, which run about 25-30 minutes in length, which means you can easily breeze through and binge-watch the first part of season 2 in about 4 hours, which comes in handy when you have a lot of other shows to watch! This show can easily drag certain things out for too long so I appreciated that we kept the short episodes going and I enjoyed a lot of the twists thrown our way, which made the game and plot interesting enough for me.

The Cons:

Light as a feather 7 27 — Image courtesy of Hulu

A lot of teenage drama.

I don’t personally mind watching some teenage drama and I am a fan of shows like PLL, but I also want to balance in the supernatural threat evenly with the social drama going on. There are new relationships forming, break-ups, and arguments among friends, but it sometimes felt like our characters were more worried about these social issues rather than the supernatural one that could actually threaten their lives and everyone they care about…

Slow start to the game.

The first three episodes provide us with a lot of setup and things really don’t start taking off until episode 4. Since we only have 8 episodes right now, that was slightly disappointing. We also see the game from McKenna’s perspective and she deals with blackouts, which means we only get bits and pieces of the actual game, which made the threats to the new players slightly underwhelming for me. There was a really creepy and gruesome vibe in season 1 and I was hoping that would continue in season 2, but I only saw some glimmers of it and I guess I just wanted to see more of the actual Light as a Feather game.

So am I in or out?

Light as a Feather 7 27 5 — Image courtesy of Hulu

I am still a huge fan of the series and I will continue to watch it, but I was slightly disappointed with season 2. The premise of this show makes it difficult to keep it new and fresh and I totally understand that, but I think that season 2 needed to find a better balance between the supernatural game and the teenage drama. We still have the second half of season 2 and we are left with another huge cliffhanger, so I will definitely be tuning in to find out what happens next.

Overall, perhaps I set my expectations too high for season 2, but it was still an entertaining watch for me. It just didn’t hold a candle to season 1. If you enjoyed season 1, I still recommend that you watch season 2, but I am interested to find out what other fans think as well. The game is far from over and it seems like we may explore the origins of it further, which has a lot of potential. Plus, you never know which side Violet is going to end up on and McKenna has her own inner turmoil to deal with, so there is a lot left to uncover. Stay tuned!

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

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Slasher: Solstice” Season 3 on Netflix: Gore and Gratuitous Sex Scenes Galore

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

“We all hate someone. We just need to find someone who hates enough to kill.” Well sure…that makes sense. But it doesn’t necessarily make it any easier to pinpoint the killer in Slasher: Solstice, as Netflix has finally released season three. So who is the Druid Killer? Think you already have it figured out? Maybe not, as season three genuinely keeps you guessing until the very end. If you are craving some slasher happy fun, you are in the right place.

Slasher is a horror anthology series. Each season follows a different killer and premise, but many of the actors take on different roles in each season, giving you an American Horror Story feel, while channeling I Know What You Did Last Summer and Scream. While the show is still far off from these slasher films, it does provide horror fans with plenty of creative kills and gore.

Season three features 8 episodes, all streaming on Netflix as of May 23rd 2019. It stars Dean McDermott, Joanne Vannicola, Baraka Rahmani, Mercedes Morris, and Salvatore Antonio. The opening episode starts off at some kind of Solstice rave and we cut right to the chase and witness a brutal murder by the Druid Killer. One year later, the Druid Killer returns and begins targeting the initial victim’s neighbors from the apartment building. Everyone is a suspect and no one is safe, as each episode reveals bits and pieces about their linked past, reminding us that standing by and doing nothing can have severe consequences.

The Pros:

Season three keeps you guessing until the very end.

If you’re like me, you immediately start playing Nancy Drew to discover who the killer is. I have to say that every time I thought I had it all figured out, my suspect would be killed and I would have to start all over again. One of the reasons why I enjoy this show is because every season keeps me guessing. The ultimate twists are not obvious and are satisfying enough to keep your attention.

The gore is extreme.

If you don’t like to watch horror and gore, this show is definitely not for you and I was even turning my head away after several of the kills, as I think this season has provided us with the most gore by far. Some of the kills are so outrageous that you will begin laughing, but each kill is more extreme than the next and some of them will genuinely make your skin crawl. I personally like my fair share of gore and season three didn’t disappoint with this.

The acting is decent enough.

I thought that the performances were solid enough in season three and I was interested in several of the backstories of the characters we meet. Standout performance goes to Baraka Rahmani, who plays Saadia. She had enough layers to hold my interest, as the story continued. I have been impressed with the cast each season and it was fun to see some of the actors from previous seasons play completely different roles.

The Cons:

The borderline soft-core porn sex scenes are unnecessary.

Season three seemed to go completely overboard with the gratuitous sex scenes. It was almost to the point where I could count to three and see another sex scene if it had been a few minutes since we witnessed our last brutal murder. These scenes took away from the show and made it obvious that they were completely filler. I would have rather had shorter episodes, as this almost ruined the season for me. Luckily, the reveal of the killer was interesting enough, but it seemed like every single time I went to grab a snack, I walked in to another pointless sex scene, which just made the show seem desperate.

The underlying themes hit you over the head.

While I was intrigued by the idea of punishing those who do nothing, the show also dealt with racism, stereotypes, and the dangers of social media. It just seemed like the show didn’t know which message to focus on and was trying to do too many things at once. I think that if the show had subtly introduced these issues, while focusing on how to be a good neighbor, it might have delivered the message a little better.

So am I in or out?

I am a huge fan of the series even though I much prefer season one. Seriously, The Executioner still gives me nightmares and I thought that season one gave me a true I Know What You Did Last Summer and Scream nostalgia. I love slasher films and I was genuinely excited when I first learned about this series. Season two fell short for me and had more of a contrived And Then There Were None approach, but it still had enough redeeming moments.

I personally enjoyed season three more than season two, but it still didn’t live up to season one for me. If the Druid Killer reveal wasn’t as satisfying, I probably would have been completely out, but this saved it for me. If you are a horror fan and love your fair share of gore, you will enjoy this, but if you don’t like this genre, I would say to pass on it. Overall, I was underwhelmed by the season, but I got through the 8 episodes very quickly and now is the perfect time to watch, since so many other programs are taking a break from new episodes.

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

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