Tag: Regina George

Spoiler-Free Review of “Mean Girls” (2024) in Theaters: A New Queen Bee Has Emerged!

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

“Don’t look her in the eye…”

Mean Girls (2024) released in theaters on January 12th 2024. The musical teen comedy (inspired by the 2004 film of the same name) stars Angourie Rice, Reneé Rapp, Auliʻi Cravalho, Jaquel Spivey, Tim Meadows, and Tina Fey. It runs for approximately an hour and fifty-eight minutes.

New student, Cady Heron gets invited to join The Plastics at school, but when she falls for Regina George’s ex-boyfriend, Aaron, she winds up stuck in a cruel rivalry where friendships are put to the test.

Here is the trailer:

Mean Girls is a celebration of the 2004 film, creating something different for the new generation with a musical spin while still presenting fans of the original film with enough nostalgia. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Paramount Pictures

All hail, Reneé Rapp!

She ate up every second of screen time and absolutely delivered as Regina George. This role is not easy to fill and Rachel McAdams is so iconic in it. That being said, I thought that Rapp took everything that was great about the original Regina and put a wicked spin on her portrayal, making her performance the best part of this film. I loved her in The Sex Lives of College Girls, but she broke out as an absolute star in this film. Perfection!

Images courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Satisfying nostalgia for fans of the original film.

Mean Girls is one of my favorite movies of all-time so I had high expectations for this one. While it didn’t come close to the original film, I appreciate that it didn’t try to be a lifeless remake. The musical spin made it feel like more of a celebration of the film, recognizing where it came from and giving fans a lot of memorable moments to appreciate.

There were familiar faces in this one as well, which helped me connect to the film a lot more.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Some characters couldn’t measure up…

While I thoroughly enjoyed Rapp’s performance, not everyone translated as well on screen. Cravalho was terrific as Janis and Jaquel Spivey was hilarious as Damian. However, I couldn’t connect with Cady, Gretchen, or Karen (despite her various attempts). They just didn’t measure up.

This was slightly problematic for me since Cady is the main character. I thought they were all talented actresses, but they didn’t stand out to me and certain moments felt very watered down because of this.

Too many songs…

I get that this is a musical, but it felt like the characters were bursting out into song every other minute, which grew tiresome at times and took away from paying homage to some other epic moments from the original film. I did enjoy some of the songs, but I think this could have been toned down slightly.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Paramount Pictures

I’m in!!!

Mean Girls may not be as fetch as the original film, but Reneé Rapp dominates the screen in the best way possible, making this an entertaining watch overall.

As long as you manage your expectations, there’s still plenty to enjoy here although I’m sure there will be plenty of mixed opinions on this one.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Mean Girls (2024) 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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My performance of the week ending 1/11/20 on TV goes to…

Marlo Kelly as Beth Cassidy on USA Network’s Dare Me.

There’s a new mean girl in town and she can already give Regina George and Heather Chandler a run for their money.  Throw in some over-competitive cheerleading, dark secrets, obsession, and a possible murder, and she may just be crowned the new Queen Bee.

**Please note spoilers have been left out for your convenience.**

Dare Me has aired two episodes so far and I am already completely captivated by Beth Cassidy, played brilliantly by Marlo Kelly.  While a lot of the other characters have potential as well, there is something almost magnetic about Beth. Her wide eye stares and dangerous actions make her a potential modern day femme fatale, but there’s also several layers beneath this tough appearance.

Beth clearly has a weakness for her best friend, but we all know that obsession can be a deadly game, especially when someone gets in her way.  While the cheesy montages are a little bit much, Marlo nails every scene with unsettling perfection.  This may be her break-out role because she is destined for stardom.

In addition, Beth clearly has some family issues going on.  Her father moved in with his mistress across the street and their daughter is also on the squad, which causes even more drama during games and practice.  Being on top of the pyramid is not just a privilege…it’s a necessity, and Beth is willing to take out the competition while keeping a smile planted on her face.

Beth is already set up to face off against our main protagonist, Coach Colette French (Willa Fitzgerald), but will she be able to put her personal agenda aside for the good of the team?  I personally am looking forward to more interactions between these two because the tension is intense.

Coach Colette French does not initially seem to be intimidated by Beth, but she is not an ordinary teenage girl.  There is clearly this jealousy and rage brewing inside of Beth, but she is able to appear so calm and in control on the surface.  Sometimes, that can be even more dangerous; however, as Beth even keeps certain secrets from her best friend, Addy.  Beth is manipulative and calculating and yet we can’t turn away from her.

Marlo Kelly fearlessly embraces this beautiful dark role with perfect poise.  She is a scene stealer for sure and the main reason why I keep coming back for more every single week.

What’s next for Beth?  Well, there is this mystery unfolding slowly week after week and you have to wonder if Beth is behind a possible crime, but is she the obvious choice?  Beth has already demonstrated that she is not afraid to break the rules to get what she wants, but how far will she go?

I can’t wait to find out!  

Stay tuned for a recognized performance on TV each week!

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! 

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

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The Dreaming of Wonderland Book Series is available here!

Dreaming of Wonderland Series Final Chapter Blog

**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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