Tag: Murray Bartlett

Spoiler-Free Review of “Opus” in Theaters: An Eerie and Engrossing Watch

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

“This whole thing’s a trip…”

Opus released in theaters on March 14th 2025. The psychological thriller film stars Ayo Edebiri, John Malkovich, Juliette Lewis, Murray Bartlett, Amber Midthunder, and Stephanie Suganami. It runs for approximately an hour and forty-four minutes.

A young writer gets the invitation of a lifetime to visit a legendary pop star’s compound to hear his new album after disappearing 30 years ago. However, when she arrives, she soon suspects that she may be entangled in a cult with ulterior motives.

Here is the trailer:


Opus draws from films like Blink Twice and The Menu with a talented cast and an unnerving story at its core. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of A24

A creepy and captivating watch.

I’m a fan of weird cult flicks that push the envelope and this one was an unexpected surprise. I hadn’t heard much buzz around this film and I went into it without expecting much, but it quickly drew me in. It was weird, intriguing, and shocking.

If you’re a fan of films like Get Out, Midsommar, and The Menu, you’ll really enjoy this one.

Images courtesy of A24

Great cast!

John Malkovich really played this role well and it was great seeing so many familiar faces in this one. I thought that Ayo Edebiri was a strong and capable lead. I was rooting for her the entire time. She was relatable and she really lit up the screen with her convincing performance. I hope to see her in more horror-thrillers soon. She did a great job!

The Cons:

Images courtesy of A24

Some unanswered questions.

I usually have a lot by the time I get to the end of films like this, but I was still trying to piece together certain elements of the puzzle at the very end. I thought the ending was solid, but I was a little fuzzy on certain details.

This film clearly drew a lot from some of its predecessors. I still think it had enough of its own story, but it made the reveal a little lukewarm since I kind of knew what to expect. I still enjoyed it though.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of A24

I’m in!!!

Opus is a dark and twisted watch with plenty of shocking moments built in.

This film exceeded my expectations!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Opus 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 rule…they 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 island thriller!

Blood Rose Island is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “The White Lotus” on HBO Max: I’m On Vacation!

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

“Have a nice vacation…”

The White Lotus premiered on HBO Max on July 11th 2021. All six episodes are available to stream now. The limited series stars Alexandra Daddario, Jennifer Coolidge, Steve Zahn, Jake Lacy, Murray Bartlett, Sydney Sweeney, Brittany O’Grady, and Connie Britton. Each episode runs for approximately 60 minutes.

Written and directed by Mike White, the satire-dramedy follows several people on vacation in Hawaii as they attempt to deal with their issues while interacting with the staff at the White Lotus Resort and Spa.

Here is the trailer:

The White Lotus has a fantastic cast and a good balance of dark humor and drama to make a statement, but does it do enough to earn a watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of HBO Max

Exceptional characters.

I wasn’t really sure what I was going to get when I started watching this show, but I found myself really connecting to a lot of the characters. Some of them were outrageous and extreme while others were just trying to form a true sense of self-realization. None of the characters were perfect. In fact, they were all far from it and constantly making mistakes, but I thought this made this show that much more real and interesting.

Standout character for me: Paula (O’Grady).

A reveal worth waiting for.

The beginning of the series introduces a mystery, but it fades into the background for the majority of the show. However, once you get to the last two episodes, you start to piece things together as you discover everything with your own eyes, which I thought was extremely satisfying and I’m still in shock.

Images courtesy of HBO Max

Addicting with heart and humor.

There wasn’t really a lot going on in this show, but there was also SO MUCH going on when it came to the characters. When I got to the end of the first episode, I was intrigued but I didn’t really know what I was watching.

There were some moments that were really dark and dramatic and others that actually really had me laughing out loud, which created a necessary balance to keep me coming back for more. This show was more about the characters, but it also cleverly used satire to make a point about social class and how difficult it can be to accept any kind of change.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of HBO Max

Extreme at times.

I know it’s HBO, but some scenes just seemed way over-the-top and slightly unnecessary. I also think that some episodes could have been a little bit shorter to keep the pacing going.

Supporting characters needed to have more development.

I really liked so many of the characters, but I thought we spent quite a bit of time on some without really developing others that were so interesting. I realize that’s sort of the point in some ways, but I really would have liked to focus more time on them because they were a lot more interesting than some of the other plot points going on.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of HBO Max

I’m in!

This show was really unique and I think it successfully created a dialogue worth having. The characters were great and there was a steady balance of dark humor and drama going on to keep you coming back for more.

While there was a mystery lingering in the air, it took a backseat to the characters and I think that was a smart decision after watching the entire show in one day. The show was really more about the people and the decisions they made. I was left with chills at the end of the season and that ending really did shock me.

The White Lotus will be returning for season 2 but with a different cast and setting.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The White Lotus 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 new young adult horror thriller comes out October 7th 2021! I hope you enjoy!

Scream Hunt is available here!

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