Spoiler-Free Review of “All Fun and Games” on Demand: Natalia Dyer Stars in this Forgettable Supernatural Horror Film

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

“I will play. I won’t quit…”

All Fun and Games released on Demand on September 1st 2023. The supernatural horror film stars Natalia Dyer, Asa Butterfield, Laurel Marsden, and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth. It runs for approximately an hour and sixteen minutes.

A group of teens discover a cursed knife in Salem, which unleashes a demon that forces them to play childhood games until they die.

Here is the trailer:

All Fun and Games has a spooky premise with a decent cast, but does the film do enough to earn a watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Good cast.

Natalia Dyer was the main reason why I tuned into this one and she did a good job with her character. The rest of the cast did a decent job too with what they were given, elevating this film as much as they could. There were characters to root for and some that seemed filler, but overall the cast delivered.

The second half was better than the first…

Luckily this film was on the short side or I may have tuned out sooner, but thankfully things picked up steam in the second half. There were some slasher vibes that worked and when everyone started playing the games and working together, it flowed much better.

The Cons:

Silly, watered down scares.

I didn’t jump once. This film was not scary at all and the demons were so ridiculous and laughable at times. I know it’s difficult to instill a sense of dread and fear in films, but it seemed like we needed a lot more effort in this area, which could have made this a much more satisfying watch.

Annoying voice-over narrations.

Luckily they didn’t take over the film, but they added nothing to it and they started explaining things to the audience that didn’t make logical sense. I’m assuming this was just to fill time since the film was already on the short side, but wow these were bad.

So am I in or out?

I’m 50/50 on this one…

I’m in for Natalia Dyer, but this film was cheesy and uninspiring for the most part. I wouldn’t say that you need to rush to see this one, but there were a few glimmers of potential wedged into the middle.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on All Fun and Games 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 “Based on a True Story” on Peacock: A Real Treat!

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

“Do we have to wake up to murder every morning?”

Based on a True Story premiered on Peacock on June 8th 2023 with all eight episodes available to stream now. The comedy crime thriller stars Kaley Cuoco, Chris Messina, Tom Bateman, Priscilla Quintana, Liana Liberato, and Natalia Dyer. Each episode runs for approximately 25-35 minutes.

Ava and Nathan are expecting a baby and feel like their marriage is becoming very mundane, but when Ava realizes that their plumber may be the Westside Ripper serial killer, she teams up with her husband to blackmail him into creating a true crime podcast with them from the killer’s perspective.

Here is the trailer:

Based On a True Story is the perfect mix of The Flight Attendant and Only Murders in the Building with a unique voice of its own. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Great chemistry between characters!

I honestly haven’t seen such good chemistry between a married couple on TV since Santa Clarita Diet. Kaley Cuoco and Chris Messina are hilarious on screen, but also very believable as a couple. They are very relatable and the real moments between them give this series an edge.

I was worried that this series would feel like a rip-off of The Flight Attendant and Only Murders in the Building, but it channeled the quirky take on the true crime craze flawlessly while branching off into something truly exceptional of its own.

Stand-out performance goes to Tom Bateman as Matt. Think Joe Goldberg from You without all of the whiny psychobabble. He is charming and entertaining and he absolutely steals the show!

Short episodes make it easy to binge-watch.

I got through this series very quickly. The episodes are super short and it’s so addicting! If you’re looking for a quick and easy binge-watch for the weekend, this is the show for you.

There are also some really fantastic blood-soaked moments for slasher fans. The series is more of a comedic thriller, but I personally liked that it wasn’t afraid to get a little bit messy here. After all, they are dealing with a serial killer…

The Cons:

Forced crude dialogue at times…

The opening episode felt a little awkward at times because of the forced and explicit dialogue. I don’t know if the series was trying to be extra shocking, but people in real life don’t talk like this and it just felt unnatural. This calmed down as the episodes continued, however. The show was a lot more entertaining when it wasn’t trying so hard.

I also wasn’t a fan of some of the trippy daydreams/hallucinations. They felt mostly filler to me.

What happened in episode 6 (no spoilers) was completely unnecessary. It almost ruined the entire show for me, but I tried to move past it…

I also wanted more of a pop from the ending. Sure, it left things open for a new season if it gets picked up, but I guess I was looking for something a little more jaw-dropping to seal the deal.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!

Based on a True Story is a lot of fun and very easy to binge-watch. The chemistry between our three main leads is bloody magic and well worth your time.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Based on a True Story 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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Spoiler-Free Review of “Stranger Things” Season 4 Volume 2 on Netflix: Intense from Start to Finish

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

“Without heart we’d fall apart…”

Stranger Things season four (volume 2) premiered on Netflix on July 1st 2022 with two new episodes available to stream now. The sci-fi horror series stars Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Sadie Sink, Joe Keery, Maya Hawke, and Natalia Dyer. Each episode runs for approximately 90-140 minutes.

Our beloved group is put to the test as they face off against Vecna in an epic battle.

Here is the trailer:

Stranger Things season four started off with a bang, but does volume 2 stick the landing with the final two episodes of the season? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Doesn’t hold back…

Volume 1 was absolutely fantastic to watch, but we got a lot of set-up and flashbacks so there were some breaks from the intensity. Volume 2 takes us on a thrill ride and never stops. It really felt like more of a movie and I loved every second of it. There were so many edge-of-your-seat moments in this one, along with a lot of really heartfelt and heartbreaking ones. The music was AMAZING and there was one musical moment in particular that I will be re-watching over and over for years to come for sure. Wow! Talk about entertaining…I think it’s safe to say that this was definitely one of my favorite seasons yet.

Images courtesy of Netflix

Other characters prove their worth!

I really liked that we got enough time to explore each character in volume 1 and I am happy to report that volume 2 filled in the blanks with a few other characters that needed a little bit more time and development. Everyone proved that they were worthy to the group in different capacities and I loved watching their journeys.

That’s why I like this show so much. It’s not just about the superhero. It’s about everyone else too. The show reminds me of Buffy the Vampire Slayer in that way. You have this one powerful girl who is destined to save the world, but her friends are just as capable and powerful and they all show just how special they are over the seasons.

The same thing can absolutely be said about the characters in Stranger Things. That’s why it makes it so incredibly hard whenever we lose one of these characters. There will be no spoilers in this review, but wow. I shed quite a few tears during volume 2.

A finale to be excited about!

That last shot took my breath away. We are all set up for the final fifth season of the show and I am confident that it will be out of this world. The only problem is…we have to wait for it!

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Unanswered questions.

That was a lot to take in and now I have all of these unanswered questions stirring in my brain. It’s not really much of a con, but I loved this season so much and it’s really hard to come up with something I didn’t like. I am sure that everything will be resolved in the final season, but there’s a lot left to explore and I’m just hoping that this series can finish strong because these characters all deserve a satisfying ending and so do we!

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in 100 percent!!!

A satisfying conclusion to a fantastic season!!!!!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Stranger Things season four (volume 2) 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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Spoiler-Free Review of “Stranger Things” Season 4 Volume 1 on Netflix: Delivers with 80’s horror vibe

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

“What have you done?”

Stranger Things season four (volume 1) premiered on Netflix on May 27th 2022 with seven new episodes available to stream now. The final two episodes of the season will air on July 1st 2022. The sci-fi horror series stars Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Sadie Sink, Joe Keery, Maya Hawke, and Natalia Dyer. Each episode runs for approximately 65-75 minutes.

It’s Spring Break in the town of Hawkins, but our beloved group encounters a new nightmarish threat targeting local teens.

Here is the trailer:

Stranger Things season four is more mature in a lot of ways, channeling classic 80’s horror films like A Nightmare on Elm Street and Hellraiser, while giving us plenty of reveals to be excited about. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Dark fast-paced plot.

Our characters have grown up a lot so it makes sense for the plot to mature as well. I absolutely loved the 80’s horror vibe. We got a great cameo/small role that furthered some of these similarities even more and the dark and twisted story really was quite frightening this time around.

I loved every second of it!

Standout episodes: 4 and 7!

Supporting characters get their chance to shine!

I appreciated that we took some time for each character on the series to get some well deserved screen time. There’s a lot of characters and a lot of subplots going on, but the longer episodes actually helped us catch up with all of them. The new characters really added something as well.

Standout performance goes to Sadie Sink as Max. Wow, she was absolutely incredible! I’m really glad we got a chance to see her character develop more.

The Nancy and Robin adventures were pure entertainment and the other characters had plenty of fantastic moments as well.

I would have liked for Erica to have gotten some more screen time, however.

The Cons:

I have to wait until July to watch the last two episodes…

Seriously, that’s my only con. I love this series so much and I think that season 4 has been absolutely incredible so far. I can’t wait to see how it all ends!

So am I in or out?

I’m in 100 percent!!!!!

Dark, twisted, and so much fun to watch! Season 4 has been absolutely incredible so far and I highly recommend it!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Stranger Things season four (volume 1) 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 “Things Heard & Seen” on Netflix: Amanda Seyfried challenges horror tropes

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

“What do you want?”

Things Heard & Seen is a horror thriller film that premiered on Netflix on April 29th 2021. The film stars Amanda Seyfried, James Norton, Rhea Seehorn, and Natalia Dyer. It runs for approximately 120 minutes.

Based on the novel, All Things Cease to Appear, the film centers around a couple who relocates to the Hudson Valley. Their house has a lot of history in it as a darkness emerges and secrets are revealed in their marriage.

Here is the trailer:

Things Heard & Seen has a lot of unsettling horror sprinkled throughout the film, but it does have a very familiar premise that may seem overdone. Does the film do enough to earn a watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Amanda Seyfried puts forth a valiant effort.

I’m already a fan of hers, but I think she was born to be in horror films. There is just something really magnetic and believable about her. Throughout the film, her character deals with a lot of terrifying ordeals. Her marriage is not what it seems and the house she has just moved into clearly has something lurking in its walls and yet she still manages to think things through rationally which was really refreshing to see.

Moves away from tropes.

This film could have very easily fallen into many of the familiar tropes and plot devices we see in these types of horror thriller films and yet it decided to do thing differently which was really refreshing.

We didn’t have the typical jump scares and slow-moving walks through the dark. Rather, an unsettling terror built up as Amanda Seyfried’s character handled things as a normal person would in real life. She investigates different things in the house but in a smart and practical way.

When she discovers that some kind of spirit might be in her house, she looks into it without skipping a beat.

I also thought the ending was unique and I liked how the evil actions in her everyday life overshadowed the supernatural presence.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Slow pace.

This movie really didn’t need to be two hours long. I thought the pacing was really slow and it prevented this movie from reaching its full potential. It just felt like so much was dragging and I stopped paying attention during several scenes because I just wanted to figure out what was going on at the root cause.

Nothing truly extraordinary.

The film made an effort to do things differently. Its ending has a lot of meanings embedded in it and I think it had a great cast to work with even though I absolutely hated James Norton’s character.

We had glimmers of real potential throughout the film, but I’m not sure it reached its full potential and things took way too long to unfold in the end.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m 50/50 on this one.

I’m in for Amanda Seyfried, but I’m out on the overall slow and boring pace of this film. This watch was kind of frustrating because I thought that the film really did make an effort, but if it had gone a little bit further with some other tweaks, this film could have actually been really eerie and thought-provoking.

I loved the idea of women coming together to finally be heard and the focus on the horrors of the people who surround us rather than what we cannot see, but it failed to deliver in a lot of other areas.

I don’t think that you need to move this to the very top of your watch-list, but Amanda Seyfried’s performance is worth checking out if you don’t have much else to watch.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Things Heard & Seen 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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My performance of the week ending 7/13/19 on TV goes to…

“I make my own rules!” You ladies absolutely do and that’s why I can’t just narrow it down to one standalone performance this week. Let’s give it up for the amazing ladies of Stranger Things season 3 on Netflix. In my favorite season yet, the girls pretty much stole the show. They had me laughing, crying, and rooting for them against all odds. These powerful and impressive female characters refused to sit on the sidelines, as they kicked ass and had fun doing it. Let’s meet these wonderful characters and discuss why they are so fantastic! **Please note major spoilers have been left out for your convenience so feel free to read on!

Stranger things shopping — Image courtesy of Netflix

Girls just want to have fun and I would absolutely love to go on a shopping spree with Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) and Max (Sadie Sink). I already liked these two characters and Millie Bobby Brown has impressed me since the beginning of the series, but the adorable friendship between these two made me smile so much! Maybe the shopping spree montage was a little cheesy and over-the-top, but that’s why it worked for me. Eleven is growing up and learning what it’s like to be a teenage girl and luckily she has Max to help her out along the way!

There is no question about it, our girl Robin (Maya Hawke) rules! I absolutely loved the introduction of her character. Steve could definitely learn a thing or two from her. OK, he probably needs to be completely schooled by her, and he is…on more than one occasion. Robin is smart, cool, funny, and someone I could really relate to.

We all scream for ice cream and I want more screen time for another new addition, Erica (Priah Ferguson). She may be Lucas’s little sister, but she is a scene-stealer for sure! She was a little annoying with wanting to try every flavor of ice cream, but once she became part of the team, she was fantastic and had me laughing out loud constantly!

Joyce stranger things — Image courtesy of Netflix

Joyce (Winona Ryder) continues to remind us why we love her so much. She’s loyal, intelligent, and she refuses to let anyone stand in her way…even the military! Better watch out or she will give them a stern talking to, as if it is part of a parent-teacher conference! But seriously, Joyce is such an amazing character and her quirks just work. She’s fearless, caring, and hilarious in a subtle way.

nancy wheeler 2 — Image courtesy of Netflix

I gotta give it up for my girl Nancy Wheeler (Natalia Dyer), who refuses to let being called Nancy Drew turn into an insult. In season 3, Nancy has to deal with some beyond difficult and frustrating male co-workers, who had me pulling my own hair out in disgust, but she continues to follow her instincts, refusing to take no for an answer. I have a feeling she will make a fantastic reporter one day, but I love that Nancy is living in a man’s world and shatters it completely. She even shows off some impressive shooting skills, reminding us that she’s a complete bad-ass too. Team Nancy Wheeler for life!

What’s next for the Stranger Things ladies? We’ll have to wait and see, but I would love to see more screen time for all of these characters in season 4. While I love all of the characters on the show, there has to be something said here for the girl power in season 3. I hope that trend continues because these women are strong, powerful, intelligent, and beyond capable. They are the super heroes of the show for me!

Stay tuned for a recognized performance on TV each week!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

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Have a performance on TV that you think is simply outstanding? Feel free to contact me with your nomination for the week by Friday at midnight!

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!

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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!