Spoiler-Free Review of “We Were Liars” on Prime Video: A Vapid and Uninspiring Watch…

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

“When you’re left for dead, you want answers…”

We Were Liars premiered on Prime Video on June 18th 2025 with all eight episodes available to stream now. The mystery drama series (based on the novel of the same name) stars Emily Alyn Lind, Joseph Zada, Candice King, Rahul Kohli, and Shubham Maheshwari. Each episode is approximately 50-52 minutes long.

After a mysterious accident alters Cadence’s life, she begins to suspect that her friends and family may be hiding secrets.

Here is the trailer:

We Were Liars has a recognizable cast and a decent premise, but does it do enough to be worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Aesthetically pleasing with some familiar faces.

If you’re searching for a beachy, lovely setting, you’ll get that here. The house looked like it was right out of a magazine with gorgeous colors and the cast was all very pretty as well (although I’m not sure what was with some of those wigs).

There were also a few familiar faces in this one. I was excited to see The Vampire Diaries star, Candice King in another show.

Unfortunately the pros stop here, despite this show having a decent enough story that should have hooked me right away…

The Cons:

Annoying voice-over narration…

This is still one of my biggest pet peeves in shows! I hate drawn out voice-over narrations. Everything felt so whiny and fake. The soundtrack was also SO DISTRACTING.

Honestly, it felt like they were building a vibe here rather than paying attention to the plot, which was extremely frustrating as a viewer.

Unlikable characters and excruciatingly cheesy dialogue…

I really couldn’t connect with any of these characters. They were all over-privileged and annoying. This was a brutal watch for me. Everything just felt so dull and the dialogue was absolutely terrible. I didn’t read the book, but I can’t imagine it being that bad…

“Why did you run? To see if you’d chase me!”

Seriously…

I love guilty pleasure watches, but this one just fell completely flat for me.

So am I in or out?

I’m out on this one…

We Were Liars is a dull and drawn out watch that was painful to sit through.

There was a mystery to untangle, but not enough of a hook overall.

If you’re looking for a summer themed teen series, I’d recommend The Summer I Turned Pretty instead.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on We Were Liars 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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Spoiler-Free Review of “The Better Sister” on Prime Video: An Engrossing Mystery from Start to Finish

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

“My husband’s covered in blood…”

The Better Sister premiered on Prime Video on May 29th 2025 with all eight episodes available to stream now. The mystery drama series (based on the novel of the same name) stars Jessica Biel, Elizabeth Banks, Kim Dickens, Corey Stoll, Maxwell Acee Donovan, and Gloria Reuben. Each episode is approximately 53-58 minutes.

After Chloe’s husband is murdered, she is reunited with her estranged sister while trying to piece together what really happened to him.

Here is the trailer:

The Better Sister hooks the audience from the opening scene with a solid mystery and an interesting dynamic between characters, but does it do enough to be worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Jessica Biel’s wardrobe is to die for!

I loved every one of her ensembles. They were so chic and that closet…wow! Everything was very pleasing to the eye in this one. There were a lot of beachy and serene colors used in the houses. I love when series give us so many gorgeous views while something dark and twisted is going on at the core.

I thought that Jessica Biel and Elizabeth Banks were very believable as sisters. Both of them gave us great performances and it was fun seeing Kim Dickens in this one too. There were plenty of recognizable faces here.

A mystery that reels you in.

I love when a series can hook me right from the first episode and this show managed to do that and keep the momentum going right up until the reveals at the end. I was trying to work a number of theories and this show did a great job of leading the audience in several different directions, which was refreshing.

I never felt bored watching this one.

The Cons:

The time jumps were a bit chaotic.

I eventually got used to them, but they were distracting at times and a bit messy, dragging things out more than they needed to be. I preferred the current timeline so whenever we jumped to the past, I would have to switch gears a little bit, but I think the transitions improved with the later episodes.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!!!

The Better Sister is your next binge-watch featuring a layered mystery and two worthy performances by Jessica Biel and Elizabeth Banks.

Once I started this one, I could not stop watching!

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

**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!

Spoiler-Free Review of “Vincent” (2023): An Offbeat and Heartfelt Mystery-Drama

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

“I will find him…”

Vincent is an upcoming indie Nordic mystery-drama film starring Mikkel Vadsholt, Herman Knop, and Joachim Knop. It runs for approximately an hour and twenty minutes.

A bullied teenager forms an unlikely friendship with a strange Ice Cream Man from out of town, who may possess a few supernatural secrets.

Here is the trailer:

Vincent is far from your average watch, giving the audience plenty of emotional and relatable moments with an intriguing mystery beneath the surface. Does it do enough to earn a watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Gorgeous cinematography.

This film was beautifully shot. The use of lighting felt so natural. I honestly expected something lacking in this department, but I was pleasantly surprised by how well executed this was, elevating the quality of this film that much more. Most impressive!

Highlights an unlikely friendship that is beyond moving.

I didn’t think I would get so attached to two characters, but I was nearly in tears at the end of this film. The friendship was unconventional and definitely strange, but there were a lot of life lessons built into this film. The two leads put their hearts into this one and it showed in the best way possible.

The Cons:

Dabbles with several different genres.

I don’t really mind when films do this, but I guess I was initially unsure of this one’s intention. I didn’t know if this was supposed to be a coming-of-age story or some kind of supernatural mystery. Looking back at it now, I’m not sure that it matters because it was a beautiful and strange story, but it’s difficult to pinpoint what genre it truly belongs to.

I also had a few unanswered questions by the time I got to the end, but this wasn’t a major con because it added to the overall mystery of the film.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!

An emotional and unconventional film that truly captivated me from start to finish!

This film was really unique and it reminded me why I love cinema so much.

Special thanks to the Vincent team for this advanced screening! Follow @TheVincentMovie on Twitter X for all updates regarding the release.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Vincent (2023) in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

A VACATION TO DIE FOR…

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 new island thriller!

Blood Rose Island 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…

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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Spoiler-Free Review of “Where the Crawdads Sing” in Theaters: Beautiful and Emotional

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

“The swamp knows all about death…”

Where the Crawdads Sing released in theaters on July 15th 2022. The mystery drama film (based on the book of the same name) stars Daisy Edgar-Jones, Taylor John Smith, Harris Dickinson, David Strathairn, Garret Dillahunt, and Sterling Macer Jr. It runs for two hours and five minutes.

Kya grows up alone in the marshlands of North Carolina during the 50’s and 60’s after being abandoned by her family. Years later, she is accused of murdering a boy she was romantically involved with.

Here is the trailer:

Where the Crawdads Sing transports its audience into a beautiful setting with deep, dark secrets, as it weaves together a story of heartbreak, love, and deception. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Sony Pictures Entertainment

Beautifully shot.

This movie was so gorgeous to watch. The setting was incredible and I loved the use of color. Everything was just so vivid and clear. Since the setting was such an integral part of this story, it made sense to make it stand out as the star and I think it really pulled the audience in to this secret world tucked away from the rest of society.

Daisy Edgar-Jones is mesmerizing on screen.

I absolutely loved her in the film Fresh and she delivered in this film as well. This was such an eccentric and unique character and I think that her portrayal was truly moving. She captured my attention the entire time. I’m looking forward to seeing her in more films because she is very talented.

A mystery that pulls you in with an ending I didn’t see coming…

I did not read the book prior to watching this film so I went into it with no real expectations. I thought the mystery was solid and the ending really threw me for a loop in the best possible way. There will be no spoilers in this review, but wow!

The Cons:

Glosses over details I wanted to know more about.

I know it’s not easy adapting a book into a film, but I thought that certain characters and timelines felt rushed. Just when I started to really connect with the young Kya story-line, we were pulled right back into the present day one.

I also wanted to know more about some of the other characters in Kya’s life (including the two love interests). I didn’t need this film to be much longer than it was, but I thought that some of these details were necessary so that we could connect with Kya’s story even more.

Even though I didn’t read the book, I would have liked to have also seen the more wild side of the swamp. Everything was just so gorgeous and serene and I’m sure that the darker parts were explored more in the novel. I’m also not really sure how Kya got such a beautiful wardrobe when she was basically a recluse, but I’ll just go with it…

So am I in or out?

I’m in!!

Beautiful, moving, and shocking in the best way possible!

I really enjoyed my watch and I definitely recommend that you give this film a chance because it has a lot going for it.

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

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Predictions for the “Cruel Summer” Season Finale: Who is Annabelle?

Happy Monday TV Fans! As we approach the season finale of Cruel Summer, there is quite a lot I want to see, but will we be able to answer all of our questions or will there be more of the mystery left to uncover?

**Please note spoilers are ahead if you are not caught up with this series.**

Cruel Summer has quickly become one of my favorite shows to premiere this year and even though the trippy time jumps may have your head spinning here and there, the mystery is a good one and I have had so many theories and questions about this particular show.

Just when you think you have it all figured out, the show throws you for a loop which reminds us that seeing things from each perspective is not always clear cut and sometimes there is a lot more to the truth.

So, what can we expect from the season finale?

Well, now that we have witnessed the events leading to Kate being locked up in the basement, we are going to be watching the trial between Kate and Jeanette. We know that Kate did have a relationship with Martin, but it did escalate into something truly horrific and my heart does go out to her.

We now understand how Jeanette’s necklace showed up at the house, but Kate seems still pretty convinced that Jeanette saw her and that wasn’t evident at all from the flashbacks we witnessed.

The trial is probably going to have a lot of drama, but will we learn anything new?

I still have two major questions and I want some answers in the season finale.

Is Mallory hiding something?

Everything in my gut tells me that Mallory has a secret. I’m not exactly sure what her part is in this all, but maybe she saw more on that videotape than she is letting on…

Mallory lied to Jeanette about the snow globe, but what else does she know and can she be trusted at all?

Let’s talk about Annabelle…

The biggest question I have had has been around who Annabelle is. I have theories about it being another victim, part of Kate’s personality or part of Martin’s own issues, but I really hope that we finally get to explore the answer to this burning question because I think it has the potential to truly surprise the audience.

Don’t let us down!

Will there be another twist?

The series has only been approved for one season, but that doesn’t mean that Freeform won’t decide to bring it back for a second one, but what would actually happen in the second season?

We would need another shocking twist to bring us back for more and the only thing that comes to mind is perhaps Martin isn’t actually dead after all? Maybe Jeanette did actually see her?

I also think that one of the parents knows a lot more than they are saying or maybe there was another witness.

Honestly I don’t know, but I really like this show and would be happy to see another season only if we have more to the mystery left to uncover.

Stay tuned!

If you haven’t watched Cruel Summer yet, you can catch up now on Freeform and Hulu!

Feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Cruel Summer in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

THIS COMPETITION IS KILLER…

My new young adult horror thriller comes out October 7th 2021! I hope you enjoy!

Scream Hunt is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “The Woman in the Window” on Netflix: Close your Curtains

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

“I can’t go outside…”

The Woman in the Window is a mystery drama film that released on May 14th 2021 on Netflix. The film stars Amy Adams, Julianne Moore, Gary Oldman, and Wyatt Russell. It runs for approximately an hour and forty minutes.

Based on the novel of the same name, the film follows an agoraphobic psychologist named Dr. Anna Fox, who lives alone and spies on her neighbors to pass the time. After a brief encounter with her new neighbor, she witnesses her murder, but no one will believe her.

Here is the trailer:

The Woman in the Window has a talented cast and is clearly trying to channel the classic film, Rear Window, but its messy plot leaves a lot to be desired. Does it do enough to earn a watch or is it an uninspiring rip-off? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Talented cast.

Every single cast member makes a valiant effort with this one, but I have to say that I wasn’t truly invested in the portrayal of Dr. Anna Fox by Amy Adams. This is not the first time we have seen her in this type of role and yet I was disappointed.

However, some of the minor characters really elevated things and I thought that Julianne Moore was electric on screen and that Wyatt Russell did a good job as well with what he was given.

While I appreciate the talent and the familiar faces here, it almost seemed like it was making up for something else…

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Dragged out messy plot.

This film was really frustrating because it had a story-line that could have been really interesting and it decided to go about it in a really slow and dragged out way that was so uninspiring. Unlike Emily Blunt’s character in The Girl on the Train, there were really no redeeming qualities for Dr. Anna Fox.

I mean, who doesn’t at least leave out a bowl of candy on Halloween?

Sure, maybe she was trying to do the right thing and we eventually unfold the tragedy that has basically crippled her from having a normal life, but it took too long to get there.

Trying too hard.

Anna is a film buff and we see her watching several of the movies that clearly inspired this film, which really hit the audience over the head with the similarities. This honestly made this film feel like a really bad rip-off. At one point, I literally paused the film because I thought it was over and realized there were thirty more minutes to sit through.

The last thirty minutes were the strongest of the film by far, but it just took so long to get there and the film felt like such a trashy rip-off that almost insulted the audience, attempting to trick us into thinking this is something thought-provoking and relevant in present day because of the talented cast and hints dropped along the way.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m out on this one…

Unfortunately the talented cast and interesting premise were overshadowed by a dull, dragged out, and uninspiring plot. While there is enough to keep you watching until the reveal at the end, it’s not as rewarding as you might expect and you are better off re-watching Rear Window or The Girl on the Train instead.

Honestly I had really high hopes for this film and I like Amy Adams, but I was really disappointed with this watch. I think Netflix should focus more on thrillers like My Secret Obsession. You know that you are getting a guilty pleasure thriller and you accept that, rather than being tricked into thinking you are about to watch something truly extraordinary…

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

**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!

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