Spoiler-Free Review of “The Curse of the Necklace” on Demand: Nothing New Here…

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

“I think you’ll really like this…”

The Curse of the Necklace released on Demand on October 1st 2024. The supernatural horror film stars Sarah Lind, Violet McGraw, Madeleine McGraw, Henry Thomas, Roma Maffia, and Felix Solis. It runs for approximately an hour and forty minutes.

Set in the 1960’s, a mother tries to cope with separating from her husband, but when he gives her a cursed necklace that her daughter tries on for fun, a spirit wreaks havoc on her entire family.

Here is the trailer:

The Curse of the Necklace has an eerie enough premise and a recognizable cast, but does it do enough to earn a watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

The McGraw sisters have potential!

The McGraw sisters have been giving us some solid performances in horror so far. Madeleine starred in The Black Phone and Violet was recently in M3GAN. It was great seeing them appear together in a horror film. Obviously it made them more believable as sisters, but I think they have a lot of talent and a real future in this genre.

Also, Nip Tuck’s Roma Maffia was a scene stealer and prevented this movie from being a total dud.

The Cons:

A movie I’ve seen a million times before.

Family trauma mixed with some kind of supernatural evil presence. It’s a formula I’ve seen over and over again and this film fell right into that trap, giving in too easily to tropes and presenting us with watered down scares. There were a few genuinely creepy and disturbing moments, but I had to really search for them.

The dialogue wasn’t great (even though we had a great cast) and the plot felt like it was slapped together last minute. Everything just felt very predictable and ultimately forgettable. This movie borrowed too much from other films and never really found its own way, which was disappointing.

So am I in or out?

Unfortunately I’m out on this one…

The Curse of the Necklace had some glimmers of creepy potential, but it relied too much on watered down scares and a trope heavy plot.

The McGraw girls need to be in more horror films, however!

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

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!

Play if you dare…

Dash and Seek is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “One of Us Is Lying” on Peacock: Everyone is a Suspect

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

“Everybody has secrets…right?”

One of Us Is Lying is a new teen mystery drama series based on the best-selling book of the same name. It premiered on October 7th 2021, featuring six episodes available to stream now on Peacock (approximately 45-48 minutes in length). The remaining two episodes will air on October 21st 2021. The show stars Marianly Tejada, Cooper van Grootel, Annalisa Cochrane, Chibuikem Uche, and Mark McKenna.

One of Us Is Lying introduces us to five teens who wind up with detention, but things get interesting when one of them doesn’t make it out alive, involving them all within the mystery surrounding the death. The remaining characters try to cope with the aftermath, as we soon learn that they all have motives to murder their classmate, but who is the killer?

Here is the trailer:

One of Us Is Lying is very much Gossip Girl meets Pretty Little Liars, but does it do enough to step away from the teenage clichés it wants to comment on? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Peacock

A solid mystery to keep you coming back for more.

Sure, I’ve seen this type of show before and I actually recently read this book as well, but I do think this mystery is decent enough to keep you hitting play on the next episode. It keeps you guessing and it reels the audience in that much more to keep you invested from start to finish.

Uses the gossip app in a more strategic way than some of its predecessors.

I was pretty disappointed with the Gossip Girl reboot and it’s hard to be relevant and original when so many of these shows overlap with similar premises, but I actually thought that this show used the gossip app more effectively.

The secrets that were exposed added to the mystery and I liked that we knew the author of the app immediately to prevent things from feeling too much like the original Gossip Girl.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Peacock

Fits neatly into the tropes it comments on…

The narrator in the opening episode talks about the clicks and clichés in your typical high school setting, but the show doesn’t actually do anything to set itself apart from this. Making a comment on it is not enough for me.

All of the characters fit neatly into tropes we have seen before in these types of high school mysteries and while the characters have some redeeming qualities, I wanted something a little bit deeper here.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Peacock

I’m in about 75 percent…

I like this type of show and I enjoyed the book for the most part. So far I am invested during my watch and I think that the mystery is good enough to keep you coming back for more. I would have liked to see this show take a few more risks and step out of its comfort zone so that it doesn’t get lost in the shuffle of other teen mystery dramas, but it still is entertaining enough and the quick release of the episodes makes it easy to binge-watch.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on One of Us Is Lying 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!

Spoiler-Free Review of “Kung Fu” on The CW: Meet Nicky Shen

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

“You make the path that you live…”

Kung Fu premiered on The CW on April 7th 2021 and it will feature episodes that air weekly. The series stars Olivia Liang, Shannon Dang, Gavin Stenhouse, and Tzi Ma. Each episode runs for approximately 42 minutes.

Inspired by the 1972 series of the same name, The CW’s Kung Fu introduces us to Nicky Shen, who ends up running away from her family to become a Shaolin monk. After her mentor is killed and a mysterious sword is stolen, Nicky returns home and encounters several new threats along the way while trying to make things right with her family.

Here is the trailer:

Kung Fu has a lot to offer and its female heroine is likable enough, but there is a lot going on in the pilot episode which has me wondering about the true direction of this series. However, is it worth the watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

A female heroine to root for.

Olivia Liang portrays our main character, Nicky Shen and she is already doing an incredible job. Nicky Shen is extremely likable and I’m all for a female lead who can kick some serious ass!

I also really like that our main character doesn’t have any special/magical abilities. She doesn’t find herself embedded in a forced upon destiny. Rather, she makes her own decisions and tries to do what is right while still piecing together who she is and making mistakes along the way, which makes her feel like someone you can easily relate to.

Good balance of family & action.

While The CW’s Walker failed to meet this balance in my opinion, I think that Kung Fu is already doing a better job of giving us enough fight scenes and action while still focusing on Nicky’s own personal journey. The scenes with her family are relevant and really paint a picture of who Nicky is and where she comes from without overdoing it.

Plus, I enjoyed a lot of the scenes filled with some humor and pop music as well so that the show didn’t feel heavy and overwhelming. It really was a nice touch.

The Cons:

A lot going on…

The pilot episode is really busy with set-up, love possibilities, family issues, and a journey of self-discovery with some awesome fight scenes sprinkled in. I liked everything going on, but I was a little bit overwhelmed and I think that as long as the show doesn’t sacrifice character development to further a busy plot, it can find its true path without losing its audience in the process.

Watch out for tropes.

I wasn’t a fan of the voice-over narration, but I can live with it. I also think that the show needs to be careful about its supporting characters falling easily into many tropes we often see especially with some of the DC shows on The CW’s line-up.

Again, there is enough content going on and really enjoyable characters, but we need to allow each one to give us layers so that we become invested in them.

So am I in or out?

I’m in about 75 percent…

I actually really enjoyed the show and I really want to root for Nicky Shen. I think the show has a lot of redeeming qualities and it can really become a part of my regular line-up, but it needs to make a few tweaks over the next few episodes to keep my interest.

As long as the show can lean on character development more than a busy plot and avoid relying on tropes, I think it can actually do really well and I’m looking forward to watching more episodes.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Kung Fu 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 new 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 “Fate: The Winx Saga” on Netflix: Seems oddly familiar

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

“Magic can be dangerous…”

Fate: The Winx Saga premiered on Netflix on January 22nd 2021 with all six episodes available to stream now. The series stars Abigail Cowen, Hannah van der Westhuysen, Precious Mustapha, and Danny Griffin. Each episode runs for approximately 48-50 minutes.

The series is based on the comic series, Winx Club by Iginio Straffi. Bloom (Cowen) enrolls in a school for fairies after she discovers her own abilities in the mortal world. Each of her classmates have unique powers of their own, as they deal with growing up and facing some scary monsters known as the Burned Ones.

Here is the trailer:

Fate: The Winx Saga may seem very similar to shows like The Order and Legacies…except it is with fairies. While the show could easily fall into The CW’s lineup, does it do anything truly original to make it stand out? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Netflix

The plot is entertaining enough to keep you invested.

While I wouldn’t say that anything truly unique or spectacular was going on, there was enough happening in each episode to keep me coming back for more. The mystery behind Bloom’s identity, the violent monsters, and the abilities of the fairies helped carry along the pace of this show even though a lot of teen melodrama got in the way, but I expected that to happen.

Likable characters.

I actually really liked many of the characters, but I do feel like there were way too many of them for only six episodes. While Bloom may have easily found herself in the key to everything trope, she was layered enough and had some serious fire power.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Check your tropes off here…

From the obvious love triangle to the slighted friend to the mean girl vs. the new loner…honestly I could go on and on. However, this formula does work and I do watch many of the shows that fit this bill, but I wanted a little bit more from this one. I thought it had the potential to tap into some serious darkness, but that quickly fizzled out.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in about 75 percent…

This show was not bad at all and I actually finished it up pretty quickly because of the pacing. While it was basically your typical vampire teenage angst show but with fairies, I still thought that it did enough to serve as a quick binge-watch. However, it failed to present us with anything truly new or different and I’m afraid it may become quite forgettable when other shows premiere. I wouldn’t rush this to the top of your watch-list, but it’s decent if you enjoy shows like The Vampire Diaries, The Order, and Legacies.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Fate: The Winx Saga 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 new 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 “Ju-On: Origins” on Netflix: Stomach-Turning Terror

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

If you thoroughly enjoy the horror film franchise, Ju-On or The Grudge, you may have been counting the days until the release of the streaming television series, Ju-On: Origins.

Ju-On: Origins is a Japanese horror series that premiered on Netflix on July 3rd 2020. It features 6 episodes (28-30 minutes in length). The series is available with subtitles or dubbed in English.

It’s difficult to present fans with something truly unique and different when coming from such an extensive franchise, but the series manages to bring us back to the beginning. We witness several timelines involving a house with unexplainable connections to horrific acts of violence and murder, as a paranormal investigator tries to obtain as much information as he can to get to the truth.

This show has the potential to truly terrify you with a satisfying binge-watch, but does Ju-On: Origins do enough to step out from the shadows of the films? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Ju On Origins Netflix 1 — Images courtesy of Netflix

The anthology style works.

Since there are only six episodes and each one is actually pretty short, the anthology style works well. We learn about several different characters who have all entered the house in question throughout the late eighties and into the nineties, presenting us with connections and a real mystery.

The series is supposed to represent the true events that actually inspired the franchise and this particular style allows Ju-On: Origins to branch out and form its own identity.

Moves away from jump scares/tropes.

I don’t know about you, but there are several moments from The Grudge movies that still don’t sit well with me. I’m constantly checking under the covers and that sound still haunts me to this day.

The series takes a different approach and moves away from the jump scares that we are all accustomed to. Rather, it leans more on some disturbing scenes of gore and a slow burn approach, revealing that sometimes cruel and unthinkable acts of humanity may actually be more terrifying in the end, which gives the audience something to truly think about.

While the show didn’t really scare me, there were some moments that really made my stomach turn. Seriously, I skipped breakfast today just because of it.

The Cons:

Ju Origins Netflix 2 — Images courtesy of Netflix

Slow moving at first.

There are only six episodes, but things really didn’t pick up for me until episode 4. Once the mystery started unraveling more and more, I became more invested and I was actually really interested in some of the character connections and the reveals.

It would have been great if the show had this same feel from the very start, but there are moments in each episode that have that shock value to grab your attention.

Not for the faint of heart.

As I mentioned earlier, there are some real disturbing moments of gore featured in the series. However, there are also some scenes that are extremely difficult to watch and I hope that Netflix considers adding a few advisories to these particular episodes that show a violent sexual assault and an extremely disturbing scene involving a pregnant woman.

As of right now, Netflix codes the show as being for mature audiences, featuring violence. However, I think that extra advisories should be added for episodes 1 and 4. Please be aware of these scenes during your watch.

So am I in or out?

Ju On Origins Netflix 3 — Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m about 50/50 on this one. I think that true fans of this franchise will thoroughly enjoy the series. If you are a horror fan looking for something quick to binge-watch, it only takes about three hours to get through all of the episodes.

The show does have some interesting qualities and I really did become more invested during episode 4, but I think we could have captured this feel from the very beginning and some of that was missed with the slower pace.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Ju-On: Origins 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…

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!

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!

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