Tag: Tucker and Dale vs Evil

Spoiler-Free Review of “The Parenting” on Max: Horror Version of Meet the Parents Fails to Find the Fun.

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

“Are you sure there’s nothing I need to know about your parents…”

The Parenting premiered on Max on March 13th 2025. The comedy horror film stars Brandon Flynn, Nik Dodani, Lisa Kudrow, Edie Falco, Parker Posey, Brian Cox, and Dean Norris. It runs for approximately an hour and thirty-four minutes.

Boyfriends Josh and Rohan set up a weekend getaway so that their parents can meet one another, but they soon realize that the place they are renting may be haunted by a dangerous spirit.

Here is the trailer:

The Parenting has a fun premise and cast, but does it do enough to earn a a watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Max

Terrific ensemble.

Honestly, this cast was practically perfection. The dynamic between the families was fun at times and Lisa Kudrow stole the show as always. I wanted a little bit more screen time for some of the other characters, but I thought that everyone put forth their best effort here.

The premise for this one was actually really fun…Meet the Parents, but make it horror. Sounds entertaining, right? It should have been, but unfortunately the idea worked a lot better than the execution…

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Max

Cheesy scares…

I get that it’s not easy delivering a fantastic horror comedy. Films like Shaun of the Dead, Happy Death Day, and Tucker and Dale vs. Evil managed to do so, but I usually appreciate the effort for most horror comedies as long as they can deliver on at least one side of the genre.

Unfortunately, The Parenting was neither funny nor scary. The scares were so ridiculous. I would have been fine with this if it could have delivered from a comedy angle (similar to Scary Movie), but I didn’t really find this film that funny. There were a few moments that got me to chuckle, but most of it felt drawn out, over-exaggerated, and silly.

The final act went way off course and dragged this film down even more, wasting the talent of these great actors.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Max

I’m out on this one…

The Parenting should have been tons of fun with such a spectacular cast, but it failed to deliver as a horror comedy, leaving me wanting so much more. 

This wasn’t the worst film I’ve seen by any means, but there really wasn’t anything that enjoyable about it. I was thoroughly disappointed because I love horror comedies.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The Parenting 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!

**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 “Werewolves Within” on Demand: A Supernatural Murder Mystery

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

“Yeah this town is batshit…”

Werewolves Within originally released on June 25th 2021. The film is currently available to rent on demand. It stars Sam Richardson, Milana Vayntrub, Harvey Guillen, Cheyenne Jackson, Catherine Curtin and Michaela Watkins. It is approximately 90 minutes long.

When a new ranger arrives in a small town, he quickly finds himself thrown into a murder mystery when several residents are trapped together in the local inn after a snowstorm. Everyone is a suspect as they start to realize that they may actually be dealing with a ruthless werewolf.

Here is the trailer:

Werewolves Within has the potential to provide us with horror comedy gold, but does it do enough to earn a watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of IFC Films

The who-dun-it style works.

It seems like a lot of recent films are following the murder mystery approach, but it works in this film. This film gave off vibes of Clue and Knives Out with its own voice as well. The characters are a lot of fun as well and Sam Richardson has great chemistry with Milana Vayntrub which made this an entertaining watch.

Fun horror comedy.

I love horror comedies and I don’t think they are talked about enough, but this film could easily fit right in with Tucker and Dale vs Evil. While I wouldn’t say that all the humor landed, a lot of it just worked effortlessly. 

The Cons:

Images courtesy of IFC Films

Pacing issues.

The majority of the film focuses on the set-up of everything. We spend so much time getting to know the players and watching them interact, but it almost took away from the best part of the movie when everything hits the fan. The ending was great but it took a little too long to get there.

I could have done without the political/social commentary.

While some moments were genuinely hilarious and a lot of fun, others felt really forced. The references were overdone at one point. Sometimes less is more and I think that Werewolves Within was decent, but it could have been better if it had just embraced the simple plot without overthinking things.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of IFC Films

I’m in!

I love horror comedies and I think that this film was entertaining overall and worth a watch. Sam Richardson is truly fantastic and there are some laugh out loud moments. The second half of the film is a lot stronger than the first and there are some rough edges, but there is enough going on in this film to enjoy.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Werewolves Within 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!

**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!