Spoiler-Free Review of “Smile 2” in Theaters: A Superior Sequel!

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

“Do you believe in like weird stuff?”

Smile 2 premiered in theaters on October 18th 2024. The supernatural psychological horror film stars Naomi Scott, Rosemarie DeWitt, Dylan Gelula, Peter Jacobson, and Kyle Gallner. It runs for two hours and seven minutes.

A pop star named Skye Riley is trying to make her upcoming tour a success after battling substance abuse and surviving a car accident, but when she witnesses a horrifying event that she can’t explain, she begins to lose control of her life and sanity.

Here is the trailer:

Smile 2 is a chilling, terrifying, and unhinged trip that will have you on the edge of your seat the entire time. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Scream QUEEN, Naomi Scott!

Wow, she was absolutely fantastic in this! I didn’t think that anyone could top Willa Fitzgerald’s performance in Strange Darling, but Naomi Scott just gave the performance of her life and I loved EVERY SECOND OF IT! She was fierce, captivating, and willing to give this film her all. She just became one of my favorite scream queens of all time with that performance and I hope she appears in more horror films in the future.

Favorite performance of the year!

Seriously, I have chills.

Images courtesy of Paramount Pictures

So creepy and disturbing!

Similar to the vibe of the first film, the sequel had plenty of terrifying moments. It was fun seeing this in a packed theater. There were so many moments that had people jumping. This film descended into darkness a lot quicker than the original one, which was fantastic to experience. I loved the psychological elements and that ending was jaw-dropping in the best possible way!

OK and can we talk about that music?! I loved it!

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Paramount Pictures

A few unanswered questions.

This wasn’t a major con and I actually think it will create an interesting discussion among fans, but I had a little trouble piecing together what was actually happening in this film at times (which I think was the point). I was along for the ride and willing to go with it, but I had a few questions by the time I got to the end that were never fully addressed.

Maybe we’ll get a part three?

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Paramount Pictures

I’m in 100 percent!!!

Smile 2 is a frightening and trippy experience that will leave your heart pounding. Naomi Scott just gave the best performance of the year and I truly hope she’s recognized for it!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Smile 2 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!

**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 “Anatomy of a Scandal” on Netflix: A Guilty Pleasure Binge-Watch with a Twist

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

“It meant nothing…”

Anatomy of a Scandal is a new limited series drama from Big Little Lies creator, David E. Kelley. It released on April 15th 2022 on Netflix with all six episodes available to watch now. The series stars Sienna Miller, Rupert Friend, Naomi Scott, and Michelle Dockery. Each episode runs for approximately 44-48 minutes.

When a scandalous secret comes to light, Parliamentary Minister, James Whitehouse is put on trial, as he risks losing his job, his family, and the respect of the people.

Here is the trailer:

Anatomy of a Scandal will remind you of shows like The Undoing and Big Little Lies, but it manages to tell a new story of its own with powerful performances. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Addicting with a twist I did not see coming!

I love David E. Kelley shows, but I didn’t know if I would like this one based on the premise. I started the series Saturday morning and quickly finished it within one day because it was very easy to binge-watch and I had to know what happened next with each episode.

We also got this twist that I did not see coming. If you’re looking for your next guilty-pleasure binge-watch, you’re in the right place.

Images courtesy of Netflix

Fantastic cast.

I thought that everyone really played their part well. I liked all of the actors in this series and I was drawn in more because of their performances. Some of the scenes were a little over-the-top but I sort of expected that with this type of series. Plus, Sienna Miller’s wardrobe was incredible!

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Weird slow-motion camera views and silly dialogue at times…

I didn’t really get the slow-motion falls throughout this series. I think that they almost glossed over the real reactions and emotions we were seeing, which wasn’t really necessary in my opinion. Some of the dialogue was painful to get through (especially in the earlier episodes) but I think this improved over the episodes or perhaps I just got used to it. The flashbacks were also done in a chaotic way and I would have liked a more seamless transition during certain ones.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in!

Addicting with an insane twist worth sticking around for!

If you enjoy David E. Kelley and Harlan Coben-esque series, you’ll enjoy this one as well.

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

Girl Number Thirteen Lurking Promo

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 new supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen releases on November 12th 2020! Available for pre-order! 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!