Tag: The White Lotus

Spoiler-Free Review of “Another Simple Favor” on Prime Video: A Gorgeous, but Unnecessary Sequel

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

“Let me fill you in on how we got here…”

Another Simple Favor released on Prime Video on May 1st 2025. A sequel to the 2018 film, the dark comedy thriller stars Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, Henry Golding, Michele Morrone, and Allison Janney. It runs for approximately two hours.

Stephanie reluctantly agrees to be Emily’s maid of honor, traveling to Capri for an elaborate wedding, but she finds herself caught up in a dangerous scheme for revenge.

Here is the trailer:

Another Simple Favor tries to channel the quirky dark charm of the first movie with a layered mystery, but does it do enough to earn a watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Prime Video

Incredible fashion to compliment a beautiful scenery!

I loved Blake Lively’s wardrobe in the first movie and of course I had high expectations for the sequel. The film did not disappoint in the fashion department. All of Blake Lively’s outfits were to die for! They took my breath away. Wow!

I also loved the setting. This movie was definitely aesthetically pleasing.

Images courtesy of Prime Video

Fun seeing Anna and Blake on screen together again!

While the banter wasn’t quite the same this time around, I still enjoyed seeing these two back together on screen. There were some fun moments sprinkled in and I think they both did the best they could with what they were given.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Prime Video

Over-complicated things…

Where do I start? Well, this movie felt very forced to me. The humor didn’t land the way it did with the first movie. It just felt like they were trying too hard to capture the essence of the original film, but it didn’t feel very genuine.

The mystery didn’t hook me either, which was disappointing, and the reveals were beyond silly and all over the place.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Prime Video

I’m 50/50 on this one…

Another Simple Favor felt like a scrapped season of The White Lotus, but there were some guilty pleasure elements and noteworthy fashion to indulge in. 

Overall, this film seemed very messy and unsure of its direction and I don’t think it was needed.

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

CHECKING OUT WAS NEVER AN OPTION…

A weekend getaway goes horribly wrong when Charlotte suspects that a guest at her bed-and-breakfast has gone missing. A heart-pounding thriller that will keep you guessing until the end. We Hope You Enjoy Your Stay is available below! I hope you enjoy!

We Hope You Enjoy Your Stay 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 Perfect Couple” on Netflix: Nicole Kidman Stars in a Juicy Murder Mystery!

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

“Kill someone and get away with it rich…”

The Perfect Couple is a limited mystery-drama series based on the novel of the same name. It released on Netflix on September 5th 2024 with all six episodes available to watch now. The series stars Nicole Kidman, Eve Hewson, Liev Schreiber, Dakota Fanning, Jack Reynor, and Meghann Fahy. Each episode runs for approximately 43-53 minutes.

Friends and family gather at a wedding, but when a dead body washes up on shore, everyone becomes a suspect.

Here is the trailer:

The Perfect Couple will remind you of shows like The White Lotus and Big Little Lies, but it still manages to find its own voice and hook its audience with a compelling mystery that will keep you guessing until the end. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Netflix

All-star cast!

Nicole Kidman mystery dramas are my new favorite genre. She has been absolutely fabulous in Big Little Lies, The Undoing, and Nine Perfect Strangers. Well, she’s got another hit here and she leads a fabulous cast worth getting excited about. I love a good murder mystery and this one was elevated by a talented cast.

The setting was absolutely gorgeous to look at and Nicole Kidman’s wardrobe was so elegant and classy. I had a feeling I would like this one right from the start and I was right.

Images courtesy of Netflix

A solid mystery that keeps you guessing until the very end.

This series did a great job of keeping us guessing. There were a lot of well-placed clues and even though I had my suspicions about the outcome, I still thought the reveal was well done. This series was extremely easy to binge-watch and it was an absolute treat. It had the perfect balance of mystery thrills and soapy drama.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Netflix

The interrogation scenes in the beginning of the series were distracting.

This wasn’t a major con, but I much preferred the natural course of events and whenever we flashed to someone’s opinion about everything, it lost a little edge for me. The transitions with these scenes eventually worked better in the later episodes, but I struggled with this initially.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in 100 percent!

The Perfect Couple is your next obsession!

Nicole Kidman is to die for in this smart and stylish mystery series that really held my attention until the very last frame. I absolutely loved it!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The Perfect Couple 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 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 “Only Murders in the Building” on Hulu: Offbeat Who-Dun-It Mystery

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

“All the eyes on you all the time…”

Only Murders in the Building premiered on Hulu on August 31st 2021. The comedy crime series will have ten episodes in total. The first three are available to stream now and the remaining seven will air weekly. The show stars Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez. Each episode runs for approximately 30-35 minutes.

Three strangers with an obsession for a true crime podcast come together to solve a mystery in their apartment building in New York City.

Here is the trailer:

Only Murders in the Building has a quirky appeal with layered characters and a mystery at its core to draw us in for more. Does it do enough to earn a watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Hulu

Intriguing characters.

This group may seem odd, but that’s why it works. We’re supposed to believe that they are three strangers living in the same apartment building and that’s exactly what we get. I thought the set-up to bring them all together was clever and well done and I wanted to know more about our main characters right away.

Selena Gomez is really lighting up the screen and holding her own. Her character is so interesting and her dry sarcasm is clashing brilliantly with her two co-stars.

I can’t wait to see what they do next!

Images courtesy of Hulu

A murder mystery balanced with character development.

The show kind of reminds me of a mash-up between The Flight Attendant, Nancy Drew, and The White Lotus. We get the mystery at the very beginning of the show to hook us right from the start, but we also spend a lot of time on our three characters. They each have secrets and issues going on in their lives that we are going to explore and we immediately want to invest in them.

The show also balances in humor quite well to prevent the episodes from feeling too heavy and I like that the episodes are only about thirty minutes each, which keeps the pacing going.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Hulu

Goes slightly off track…

Some of the Martin Short scenes and flashbacks went slightly off track for me. I’m confident that everything will connect later on but I found myself losing focus a few times. Once we got back to the mystery, I was all in but this show can easily go off the rails if it isn’t careful.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Hulu

I’m in!

This show is quirky and fun with a solid mystery at its core.

I have already fallen in love with the characters and the show is doing a good job of pulling us in for more. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

THIS COMPETITION IS KILLER…

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 comes out October 7th 2021! 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!

Spoiler-Free Review of “The White Lotus” on HBO Max: I’m On Vacation!

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

“Have a nice vacation…”

The White Lotus premiered on HBO Max on July 11th 2021. All six episodes are available to stream now. The limited series stars Alexandra Daddario, Jennifer Coolidge, Steve Zahn, Jake Lacy, Murray Bartlett, Sydney Sweeney, Brittany O’Grady, and Connie Britton. Each episode runs for approximately 60 minutes.

Written and directed by Mike White, the satire-dramedy follows several people on vacation in Hawaii as they attempt to deal with their issues while interacting with the staff at the White Lotus Resort and Spa.

Here is the trailer:

The White Lotus has a fantastic cast and a good balance of dark humor and drama to make a statement, but does it do enough to earn a watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of HBO Max

Exceptional characters.

I wasn’t really sure what I was going to get when I started watching this show, but I found myself really connecting to a lot of the characters. Some of them were outrageous and extreme while others were just trying to form a true sense of self-realization. None of the characters were perfect. In fact, they were all far from it and constantly making mistakes, but I thought this made this show that much more real and interesting.

Standout character for me: Paula (O’Grady).

A reveal worth waiting for.

The beginning of the series introduces a mystery, but it fades into the background for the majority of the show. However, once you get to the last two episodes, you start to piece things together as you discover everything with your own eyes, which I thought was extremely satisfying and I’m still in shock.

Images courtesy of HBO Max

Addicting with heart and humor.

There wasn’t really a lot going on in this show, but there was also SO MUCH going on when it came to the characters. When I got to the end of the first episode, I was intrigued but I didn’t really know what I was watching.

There were some moments that were really dark and dramatic and others that actually really had me laughing out loud, which created a necessary balance to keep me coming back for more. This show was more about the characters, but it also cleverly used satire to make a point about social class and how difficult it can be to accept any kind of change.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of HBO Max

Extreme at times.

I know it’s HBO, but some scenes just seemed way over-the-top and slightly unnecessary. I also think that some episodes could have been a little bit shorter to keep the pacing going.

Supporting characters needed to have more development.

I really liked so many of the characters, but I thought we spent quite a bit of time on some without really developing others that were so interesting. I realize that’s sort of the point in some ways, but I really would have liked to focus more time on them because they were a lot more interesting than some of the other plot points going on.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of HBO Max

I’m in!

This show was really unique and I think it successfully created a dialogue worth having. The characters were great and there was a steady balance of dark humor and drama going on to keep you coming back for more.

While there was a mystery lingering in the air, it took a backseat to the characters and I think that was a smart decision after watching the entire show in one day. The show was really more about the people and the decisions they made. I was left with chills at the end of the season and that ending really did shock me.

The White Lotus will be returning for season 2 but with a different cast and setting.

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

THIS COMPETITION IS KILLER…

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 comes out October 7th 2021! 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!

Spoiler-Free Review of “Nine Perfect Strangers” on Hulu: Is Wellness truly worth it?

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

“Wellness here I come!”

Nine Perfect Strangers is a new mini-series from David E. Kelley (Big Little Lies, Big Sky) based on the bestselling novel by Liane Moriarty. The show premiered on August 18th 2021, featuring three episodes available to stream now on Hulu (approximately 45-50 minutes in length). The remaining five episodes will air weekly. The show stars Nicole Kidman, Melissa McCarthy, Samara Weaving, Luke Evans, Regina Hall, and Bobby Canavale.

Nine Perfect Strangers introduces us to nine people who have been invited to an exclusive wellness retreat with extreme measures. As they all come searching for “transformation” and a wellness of sorts, they quickly learn that they are signing up for a lot more with their eccentric guru, Masha (Kidman), who may be hiding a few secrets as well.

Here is the trailer:

Nine Perfect Strangers has an amazing cast and an interesting premise, but does it do enough to hold our attention? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Hulu

A cast to be excited about.

I’m always thrilled to see Nicole Kidman in pretty much anything, but wow this cast is truly fantastic. I am a huge fan of Samara Weaving and I love how she always immerses herself completely in whatever role comes her way. While I have mostly seen her in horror films, she has quite a bit of range and I almost didn’t recognize her at first because this character was so different.

Melissa McCarthy is so funny and while her films are usually hit or miss for me, I am finding her to be the best part of the show right now and she is helping balance out a lot of the heavy emotional parts.

The rest of the cast is very talented and I’m interested to explore each character more (including the staff at the Wellness retreat).

A plot that draws you in.

There is a lot left to be revealed here, but I already have so many questions and theories and that’s usually what happens whenever I watch a David E. Kelley show. There are a lot of secrets embedded within the walls of this wellness retreat and I want to know more about Nicole Kidman’s character and what her true motivation is.

The show is doing a good job at bringing me back for more and I’m excited to find out where it’s going to lead us.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Hulu

Not my favorite role for Nicole Kidman.

Nicole Kidman is so talented, but I’m not really feeling this new role for her. Some of the other characters are a lot more interesting, but she does have a lot of mystery surrounding her own character.

I think my biggest issue is her Russian accent. I’m not really buying it and it’s throwing me off a little. I think her character is serving as more of a plot device right now, which is slightly disappointing but I’m hoping that we can explore some more layers soon.

Wavering in its identity.

After watching the first three episodes, I’m not really sure what this show wants to be. Is it an emotional drama? Is it a show about self-discovery? Is it a mystery? I’m not really sure and it’s starting to go off in many directions.

That being said, it’s still reeling me in enough with each episode to keep me coming back for more and I tend to always feel slightly unsure of David E. Kelley’s shows initially, but once all of the reveals begin to unravel, things get a lot more interesting.

I’m hoping that happens here too because I would hate to see this show get lost in the void especially since it has such an amazing cast.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Hulu

I’m in about 75 percent…

I’m intrigued by this show and I think that it has a lot of potential. I’m already reading a lot of comparisons to The White Lotus (I still have to watch this) which makes the timing of this release seem slightly problematic.

That being said, I think that the cast is really wonderful and there is a great dynamic between all of the characters. There is a lot left to discover and I think the show has done enough to keep me invested. I’m confident that the reveals will be worth it, but I hope we start to learn more about the mystery behind everything in the next few episodes.

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

PLAY BY THE RULES…STAY ALIVE…

A harmless night of fun turns deadly for six college friends but the game has only just begun. Take a mystery thrill ride right from your own living room. Dash and Seek is out now! I hope you enjoy!

READ IF YOU DARE…

Dash and Seek 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!