Tag: Lois Duncan

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:

Images courtesy of Prime Video

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.

Images courtesy of Prime Video

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:

Images courtesy of Prime Video

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?

Images courtesy of Prime Video

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…

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!

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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?!”

I Know What You Did Last Summer 4

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)

I Know What You Did Last Summer 1

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).

I Know What You Did Last Summer 2

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!

I Know What You Did Last Summer 5

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)

I Still Know What You Did Last Summer 1

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.

I Still Know What You Did Last Summer 3

Images courtesy of Showtime

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

Standout Death: 

I Still Know What You Did Last Summer 5

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)

I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer

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…

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Ranking the top 5 moments from “Riverdale” Season 4 Episode 19: “Killing Mr. Honey”

Happy Thursday TV fans! After watching The CW’s Riverdale season 4 episode 19 season finale, we “blurred the line between fact and fiction,” but are we left with a threat or a rehearsal for actual murder?

Please note spoilers are ahead if you have not gotten a chance to watch yet. 

In last night’s episode, “Chapter Seventy-Six: Killing Mr. Honey,” the gang is outraged by Mr. Honey’s restrictions on the prom and decide to get creative. Meanwhile, Jughead’s story takes on a life of its own, as we inch closer to the truth.

My top 5 moments from Riverdale season 4 episode 19 are:

5

“Something must be done to stop this heinous villain.”

Mr. Honey is certainly not very popular in Riverdale among his students, as he bans the majority of them from the prom. After Mr. Honey also refuses to approve Betty’s late yearbook submission, war is basically declared.

The group decides to teach Mr. Honey a lesson, leading to a few creative ideas on how to actually execute this…

4

“Is it took dark?”

Maybe not, Jughead, but your story does remind me of something…Killing Mr. Griffin by Lois Duncan. For those of you who have never read this, I highly recommend it if you enjoyed Jughead’s initial story during the episode.

Jughead finds out that a college in Iowa may accept him, but he needs to submit another story. Jughead is basically all tapped out, but Betty sparks some new ideas. Jughead begins to create the story of “Killing Mr. Honey,” as the pages are created before our very eyes.

Riverdale season 4 episode 19 1 The CW
Images courtesy of The CW

We witness what could have actually happened if the group decided to kidnap Mr. Honey, which could have led to some unforeseen consequences. It was entertaining though!

3

“The Grinch that stole prom.”

After the group decides to play an immature prank on Mr. Honey in reality, leading to him literally sticking to everything in his office, he is far from amused. He cancels the prom, but our group is not ready to take this decision lightly.

They recruit their parents and we get this amazing scene featuring Alice, Hermione, and Mary leading the way, as they stand up for their children and are successful.

Riverdale season episode 19 2 The CW
Images courtesy of The CW

Mission accomplished!

2

“Don’t mess with us in our own town.”

After a new tape is discovered, featuring the halls of Riverdale High, Betty detects Mr. Honey’s reflection and blows the whistle on him. Mr. Honey’s is a copycat and is forced out of Riverdale High, but it looks like he already has a secure job waiting for him at Stonewall Prep.

Coincidence?

Mr. Honey tries to explain that he was just trying to help them prepare for a life outside of Riverdale, but the gang seems unwilling to buy it. Later on, the school secretary sheds some light and explains that Mr. Honey was the best principal. She gives Jughead a letter that he was sending to Iowa and we discover that Mr. Honey was actually supporting Jughead and the rest of the students.

His measures may have been extreme, but the death toll was down and college acceptance was up, proving that perhaps he did have the best of intentions for the Riverdale students. Jughead decides to change his story and have the students save Mr. Honey, but is it too late?

It looks like Mr. Honey may have been ruled out as a suspect after all, but then who is still sending the creepy tapes and what is their end game?

1

“Maybe it’s an invitation…”

Bughead takes a minute to talk things through toward the end of the episode and Jellybean delivers another tape. They think that the tape is at Veronica’s cabin and decide to take a drive out there to investigate.

After stumbling upon a room with old camera equipment, it’s clear that someone has been staying there. Another tape is waiting and they witness the gang in masks pretending to stab a masked Mr. Honey in a chair, similar to Jughead’s original story.

Riverdale season 4 episode 19 3 The CW
Images courtesy of The CW

So, who is the culprit behind the tapes? We’ll have to wait and see, as episode 19 will now serve as the season finale. We were originally supposed to get three more episodes of season 4 and the acting finale certainly didn’t have the same feel as past season finales, but I’m intrigued to find out more.

Suspects? Theories? Feel free to comment below with your thoughts on the episode and what’s next for our favorite Riverdale residents.

Stay tuned!

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

PLAY BY THE RULES…STAY ALIVE…

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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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