Tag: Shailene Woodley

Spoiler-Free Review of “To Catch a Killer” on Demand: Gripping Crime Thriller

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

“The only thing enough for me is a solid lead…”

To Catch a Killer premiered in limited theaters on May 9th 2023 and is now currently available to watch on demand as of June 20th 2023. The crime thriller film stars Shailene Woodley, Ben Mendelsohn, Jovan Adepo, and Ralph Ineson. It runs for approximately two hours.

A police officer with a traumatic past is recruited by the FBI’s chief investigator to help profile and stop a deadly killer in Baltimore.

Here is the trailer:

To Catch a Killer hooks the audience right from the start with an intense opening and a captivating case that reels you in for more. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Vertical Entertainment

Explosive opening!

This was probably one of the best openings I have seen in a while. It was intense and shocking and it did a great job of hooking the audience. The crime was horrific and eye-opening and Shailene’s character, Eleanor was thrown right into things as well, making us connect to her immediately.

The intensity didn’t stop here. I thought there were plenty of thrilling moments built into this one, making it a very entertaining watch. The case itself was intriguing and complex. I never felt bored at all even during the quiet moments.

Images courtesy of Vertical Entertainment

Strong performance by Shailene Woodley.

All of the actors did a good job, but she was absolutely incredible in this. I’ve always liked her as an actress and she proved her worth in this film. She was believable, emotional, and powerful without overdoing things. I liked her interactions with Investigator Lammark, but she was perfectly capable of commanding the screen on her own as well.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Vertical Entertainment

I needed a few more character layers…

Eleanor dealt with something traumatic during her childhood, which was part of what made her so exceptional for this case, but we never really explored what that trauma was. I didn’t need the movie to be longer than it was, but I guess I just wanted a few more layers because I really liked her character and I wanted to truly understand her. I get that it was more about the trauma in general, but we took the time to look at this from the killer’s perspective so why not focus on her as well?

In a lot of ways this film was a crime thriller by the numbers. I’m not sure that it did anything that new in the genre, but I still found the content to be captivating and entertaining so this wasn’t a major con at all for me personally.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Vertical Entertainment

I’m in!!!!

An engrossing watch!

Exceptional performances, great cinematography, and some intense moments that shouldn’t be missed.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on To Catch a Killer 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 new island thriller!

Blood Rose Island 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 “The Fallout” on HBO Max: Low Key and Honest Coming-of-Age Story

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

“I feel like I’m fine…”

The Fallout released on HBO Max on January 27th 2022. The teen coming-of-age drama stars Jenna Ortega, Maddie Ziegler, Julie Bowen, Niles Fitch and Shailene Woodley. The film runs for an hour and thirty-five minutes.

After a devastating and traumatic event, Vada begins to reevaluate her life and her relationships. She bonds with new friends and attempts to find a way to cope with her grief one day at a time.

*Please note there are issues of trauma depicted in this film and the viewer advisory at the beginning of the film should be noted.*

Here is the trailer:

The Fallout manages to create an authentic approach to teen trauma as it delivers with its talented cast and emotional content. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of HBO Max

Award-worthy performances…

I’m already a huge fan of Jenna Ortega and she is the main reason why I decided to watch this movie. This isn’t the type of film I would normally watch, but I was immediately drawn in by her believable and genuine performance. The other performances were really solid as well.

This subject matter is really delicate and one could easily over-do it, but Jenna Ortega managed to portray her character in such a real and compelling way. It almost felt like you were her friend in real life. It was that believable.

In a lot of ways, the film reminded me of a more emotional Booksmart. It had that same kind of vibe with its simplicity and it worked in the film’s favor.

Depicts real aspects of trauma, recovery, and identity without hitting you over the head.

I’ve seen a lot of coming-of-age films and while some of them have moved me, this one was on another level and the main reason behind that was because of how low-key it was. It addressed a lot of issues that the new generation is dealing with on a daily basis and yet it never seemed like it was preaching at anyone or making assumptions. It was just an honest and emotional story.

Images courtesy of HBO Max

Bold ending.

There will be no spoilers in this review, but the ending of this film really struck a chord with me. This film could have easily ended in one particular way, but instead it went down a different route which was extremely powerful. I think the writer and director absolutely took a big chance with this, but it paid off and really added to the authenticity of the film.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of HBO Max

I don’t have any…

This film was as close to perfection as it gets. Every aspect just worked and it truly touched me.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of HBO Max

I’m in 100 percent!!!!

Beautiful, genuine, and emotional.

This film really explored the aspects of trauma and recovery in such a powerful way without ever overdoing it. The performances were exceptional and I think this may have just become one of my favorite films of all time!

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

Face your fear…

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!

**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!