Tag: twists

Spoiler-Free Review of “The Clearing” on Hulu: Teresa Palmer stars in a Dark and Disturbing Cult Mystery

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

“I’m not supposed to be here…”

The Clearing released on Hulu on May 24th 2023 with two episodes available to stream now. There will be eight episodes in total that will air weekly. The Australian crime drama series (loosely based on a real story) stars Teresa Palmer, Miranda Otto, and Guy Pearce. Each episode runs for approximately 47-49 minutes.

A mother must face her troubled past in order to stop a cult from kidnapping innocent children.

Here is the trailer:

The Clearing is eerie and chilling with a talented cast and a layered mystery that pulls you in. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Hulu

Some solid twists already with a twisted mystery at its core.

I’ve seen my fair share of cult thrillers and mysteries, but this series is already more disturbing to me since it focuses on young children. There have already been a few twists that grabbed my full attention and I’m invested in what happens next. This is not an easy watch at all because of the content, but so far I’ve been given enough pieces of the puzzle to reel me in.

Images courtesy of Hulu

Talented cast.

With Teresa Palmer (A Discovery of Witches), Miranda Otto (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), and Guy Pearce (Memento) on the same show, it seems like a dream come true and it is for the most part.

Teresa Palmer is always so convincing with her wide eyed stares and emotional reactions. She is very believable in this role and the main reason why I tuned in. Miranda Otto is absolutely CHILLING in her role and I can’t wait to see more.

I’m hoping Guy Pearce gets more of a chance to shine as well.

Either way, this cast is bringing a lot to this series and I’m confident they will continue to do so in the remaining episodes.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Hulu

Confusing timelines and sluggish pacing.

The transitions between the different timelines are not as seamless as I’d like them to be. Both timelines are interesting enough, but it also seems like this series is trying to stuff in quite a lot, which can be overwhelming at times.

The pacing needs some improvement, but I think that each episode has done enough to bring me in for more. I just want things to speed up a little bit…

As I mentioned earlier, some of these moments can be emotionally triggering and disturbing so please be mindful of that.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Hulu

I’m in about 75 percent…

This series has some serious potential with an unsettling cult mystery at its core, but it needs to pick up the pace and allow its stars to truly shine. I’m intrigued to find out more; however, and I’m willing to stick around for the remaining episodes.

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

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Scream VI” in Theaters: New Sequel Takes a Killer Bite Out of the Big Apple

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

What’s your favorite scary movie?

Scream VI released in theaters on March 10th 2023. The sixth installment of my favorite franchise of all time brings us close to my home as Ghostface terrorizes New York City. The slasher horror film stars Melissa Barrera, Courtney Cox, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Jenna Ortega, Samara Weaving and Hayden Panettiere.

The Carpenter sisters are trying to start over in New York City, but Ghostface begins targeting those closest to them in this new sequel to the requel.

Here is the trailer:

Scream VI brings us a solid entry to the franchise with inventive kills, fantastic twists, and a few chase scenes to die for. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Uses NYC in an effective way.

I was super excited that Scream was making its way to my state, but was slightly worried about how it would use this setting. Jason Takes Manhattan is one of my favorite slasher films, but Scream VI used NYC in a chilling and effective way, bringing us some edge-of-your-seat moments that were truly fantastic.

More please!

Images courtesy of Paramount Pictures

A cast to die for!

Sure, we were missing our star player, but this cast did such a wonderful job and I actually started to really care about these characters a lot more this time around.

Melissa Barrera was a SCREAM QUEEN and then some! Wow!

Our “legacy” characters really held their own as well and even stole the film at one point…

I don’t think I’ve cheered this much for a bunch of characters since Scream 2…and that had Queen SMG so that’s saying a lot!

The twists and reveals were also well-played and had me guessing! Loved them!

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Paramount Pictures

I don’t really have any…

This should come as no surprise since I adore this franchise, but after thinking about it, I really loved every aspect of this movie. There was enough nostalgia and Easter eggs to keep fans happy while still keeping things fresh and new.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Paramount Pictures

I’m in 100 percent!

Already one of my favorite films of the franchise! Scream VI is bad-ass and beyond entertaining!

It’s safe to say I’ll be re-watching this one again and again!

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

Spoiler-Free Review of “Run Sweetheart Run” on Prime Video: Twisted and Thrilling!

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

“The only thing that matters now is our little game…”

Run Sweetheart Run released on Prime Video on October 28th 2022. The thriller-horror film stars Ella Balinska, Pilou Asbæk, Clark Gregg, Betsy Brandt, and Dayo Okeniyi. It runs for approximately an hour and forty-five minutes.

A single mother attempts to survive the night after her blind date turns violent.

Here is the trailer:

Run Sweetheart Run has non-stop thrills and plenty of twists to keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Prime Video

Fast-paced and unpredictable!

This movie was so entertaining and fast-paced. There was barely any set-up at all. It got right into things and kept the intensity going with every scene. I didn’t see the twists and reveals coming. Some of them were a little insane, but I embraced them and just went with it, which made this so much fun to watch!

Images courtesy of Prime Video

Killer premise with a strong female lead.

I absolutely loved the premise of this movie. In a lot of ways, it reminded me of a mix between Ready or Not and Fresh. Our female lead was incredible and it was very easy to root for her. She was inventive and bad-ass!

I loved our villain as well and there were plenty of other characters with lots of potential too.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Prime Video

Some unanswered questions…

Since we got several twists thrown our way, I was left with a lot of unanswered questions by the time we got to the end. There was just a lot jam-packed into this movie and I think a few things could have been fleshed out more.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Prime Video

I’m in!!!

A pleasant surprise! Twisted and absorbing!!!!

If you’re looking for a quick horror film to enjoy, you’re in the right place! 

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

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Spoiler-Free Review of “The Wilds” Season 2 on Prime Video: “We’re not the only people on this island and we all know it!”

**This is a spoiler-free review for season 2 so feel free to read on!**

“I don’t want to give up…”

The Wilds season 2 premiered on Prime Video on May 6th 2022 with eight episodes available to stream now. The series stars Sarah Pidgeon, Mia Healey, Sophia Ali, Reign Edwards, and Rachel Griffiths. Each episode runs for approximately 50-55 minutes. 

The show is about a group of teenage girls who end up stranded on a deserted island after their plane crashes. After a major discovery in that season 1 finale cliffhanger, the audience discovers that the girls are not alone on the island, which introduces us to a new group of survivors with plenty more twists and reveals along the way.

Here is the trailer:

The Wilds season 1 was such a fantastic surprise. I expected to see a LOST rip-off and instead I was transported into a compelling and intense watch with incredible characters. Season 2 splits its focus between the girls and the boys, but does it still do enough to keep up with the magic of the first season? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Prime Video

Just as addicting as the first season.

It took a little while to get going, but I was completely hooked for season 2 and the reveals were even more extreme this time around. I didn’t think it was possible to top that season 1 finale, but rest assured that you will get plenty more outrageous plot twists to keep you coming back for more. 

Images courtesy of Prime Video

Character relationships flourish.

Part of what made The Wilds so amazing was the incredible characters. These girls had layers and then some. We witnessed some heartwarming and heartbreaking moments between them and season 2 allowed some of the new relationships a chance to grow and change, really bringing these characters together in an unexpected way.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Prime Video

The boys split our focus…

Look, I think the boys got a bad rep. Even though it was a slower start for me, there was some real potential here and some characters who absolutely deserved some screen time. My only issue was that the balance between the two groups never felt that seamless. The boys also had a harder time gaining our affection and attention because we already knew what was happening here…

We didn’t peel back as many layers with the boys and things felt rushed and chaotic at times because there is only so much you can jam-pack into each episode.

That being said, I think that things started to really work together in a more cohesive way once we got to the final episodes…

Oh yeah and another cliffhanger. Let’s not wait 18 months to get season 3 please!

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Prime Video

I’m in!!!

Addicting and intense with layered characters worth our time!

Season 2 may not be as good as season 1, but there is plenty to be excited about, making it worthy of your next binge-watch.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The Wilds 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 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 “American Horror Stories” BA’AL on FX on Hulu: All Hail Billie Lourd!

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

“I guess a little magic couldn’t hurt…”

American Horror Stories released its fifth episode, “BA’AL” on August 5th 2021. The episode is available to watch on FX on Hulu. Episode five stars Billie Lourd, Ronen Rubinstein, Virginia Gardner and Vanessa Williams. The episode runs for approximately 50 minutes.

After Liv and her husband try multiple times to get pregnant to no avail, a young woman at a fertility clinic presents Liv with a magical fertility totem. One year later, Liv has a newborn baby, but things start to go horribly wrong when she suspects that a demon may be after her child.

Here is the trailer:

American Horror Stories: BA’AL channels classics like Rosemary’s Baby while taking things to a new extreme. Is it worth a watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of FX on Hulu

Billie Lourd is magnetic on screen!

The cast is really great in this episode, but I have to give it up for our AHS queen, Billie Lourd. She is so convincing in her roles and she really went all out in this entry. The premise was creepy enough, but her believable reactions really had me on the edge of my seat.

Twists you won’t see coming.

I thought I knew what I was going to get from this episode and then it shattered all of that completely and presented us with something even more horrifying. I am still going through everything in my head because it was that good.

More please!

The Cons:

Images courtesy of FX on Hulu

I don’t have any…

I’ve enjoyed all of the entries to American Horror Stories, but this episode was the strongest by far. It created a different kind of fear and really kept me guessing. I guess my only con is that I want to see Billie Lourd in more AHS episodes because she really is fantastic!

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of FX on Hulu

I’m in 100 percent!

This episode may be the one of the best I have ever witnessed from the entire franchise. It basically could have been a standalone movie. The cast was great, the creepy fear weaving its way through the plot was fantastic, and I still can’t get over those twists! I highly recommend this one!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on American Horror Stories 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 “Behind Her Eyes” on Netflix: What did I just watch?

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

“You can never know everything about a person…”

Behind Her Eyes premiered on Netflix on February 17th 2021 with six episodes available to stream now. The limited series stars Simona Brown, Eve Hewson, and Tom Bateman. Each episode runs for approximately 50 minutes. 

Based on the book of the same name, the series follows a single mother named Louise who meets a handsome stranger at a bar. Later on, she discovers that he is actually her new boss and married. Louise ends up also befriending his wife as this love triangle thriller begins.

Here is the trailer:

Behind Her Eyes initially feels like a typical Lifetime-esque thriller, but it branches out into an unpredictable mystery with many twists and turns. However, is the final reveal worth the wait? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Behind Her Eyes Spoiler Free Review 1

Images courtesy of Netflix

Sympathetic characters.

I’ve seen plenty of thrillers where the crazy woman gets obsessed with a girl or a guy and becomes completely unhinged throughout the movie. While I was initially expecting to get that here, I was surprised at how normal Louise was. Yes, she makes mistakes and continues to do so throughout the series, but you see that she is a good person and is just really lonely.

Adele has her own set of issues and we’re not really quite sure what to make of her just yet, but there is this magnetic quality to her.

Louise’s son, Adam, is my favorite character and actually brought us some warmth and humor along the way. 

David is just…eye candy, but we wouldn’t really have a show without that, would we?

Behind Her Eyes Spoiler Free Review Adele

Images courtesy of Netflix

The suspense builds and those twists…

I couldn’t figure out what was going on in this show and I was initially confused by the trippy dream sequences and some of the connections, but the show did enough to build suspense in each episode to keep you coming back for more.

Netflix was advertising this thriller as having a major twist and they were right about that. I’m still not sure how I feel about either of the twists, but I will admit that they had me stumped and shocked so that’s something noteworthy.

The Cons:

Behind Her Eyes Spoiler Free Review 2

Images courtesy of Netflix

Slow moving at first.

The first three episodes really dragged for me and the episodes felt super long. I stuck around because I was hoping that the reveals would pay off, but I hate it when it feels like a chore to watch something. Even the sex scenes were just kind of meh…

The acting also left something to be desired, but I kind of expected that.

Switching genres with no warning.

There will be no spoilers here, but I honestly thought the change in genre felt jarring and out of place. I’m sure that the book did a much better job of executing this, but I almost felt like I had changed the channel and started watching a different kind of show.

Yeah, there were major twists, which I appreciated, but I’m still not sure if I even liked them…

So am I in or out?

Behind Her Eyes Spoiler Free Review 3

Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m 50/50 on this one…

I am honestly really torn on this show. I feel like I put in a lot of work to get to the reveals and when we got there, I had this moment where I literally said out loud: what did I just watch?

Yes, there are twists and if you are looking for something unexpected, you will get that here. The show kept me invested and once I got to episode four, the pacing was much better and held my interest.

But then after the weird reveal, we also got another reveal on top of that. Was it shocking?

Yes!

Did I like it?

I still don’t know and I think that is why I am so torn on this one. The show effectively created a conversation; however, and many fans are reacting to the ending, which is a good thing, but I just don’t know if I liked the show after putting in all that effort.

Is it worth a watch? I wouldn’t say you need to move this to the top of your list, but it does fulfill that Lifetime thriller guilty pleasure binge-watch while throwing you for a complete loop. 

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Behind Her Eyes 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 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 “Big Sky” on ABC: Highway Thrills and Spills

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

Beware the open road…

Big Sky premiered on ABC on November 17th 2020. The series will feature 10 weekly episodes. It stars Katheryn Winnick, Kylie Bunbury, Ryan Phillippe, and Brian Geraghty.

Based on the novel, “The Highway,” this new David E. Kelley series follows a small town kidnapping mystery, revealing character connections along the way.

Here is the trailer:

Big Sky may be the new roadside thriller we need, but does it do enough to keep us invested? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Big Sky ABC 2

Images courtesy of ABC

Enough twists to keep you coming back for more.

I wouldn’t say that this thriller is delivering anything new, but it’s just what I need right now. I want to know more and the twists grabbed my attention. That will at least have me coming back for two more episodes to see what is going on here.

There are some creepy and intense moments sprinkled in as well, but we need more!

Big Sky ABC 1

Images courtesy of ABC

Supporting characters steal the show.

There are plenty of familiar faces in this series and I was excited to see Ryan Phillippe back on the small screen. I’m a huge fan of Cruel Intentions and I Know What You Did Last Summer, but I really enjoyed his performance in the suspense series, Secrets and Lies that came out a few years ago.

However, I have to give props to some of the minor characters who managed to keep this show alive in the midst of some lacking performances. The potential victims are a lot more interesting than some of the obvious stars and I want to know more about them.

The Cons:

Big Sky ABC 3

Images courtesy of ABC

The sub-plot is lacking…

I mean, really lacking. We jump into these soap-opera-esque cat fights filled with bad dialogue and acting. I was honestly ready to turn the show off during several points because of this. The mystery is enough to keep me invested for now, but that can quickly change.

Weird mentions of the pandemic.

I don’t know if this was meant to be intentional because of the timing of this release, but we get a few misplaced mentions of the pandemic. Only we don’t see anyone wearing masks and there is little context here.

I’m not sure that this was really necessary and it didn’t do the show any favors.

So am I in or out?

Big Sky ABC 4

Images courtesy of ABC

I’m about 50/50 on this one.

The acting and writing is lacking in a lot of areas and it may be enough to make you tune out on this one for good, but if you enjoy guilty-pleasure thrillers, there is enough happening to keep you coming back for more.

I have to admit that the twist at the end of the pilot episode changed my tune and now I want to see what happens next. Either way, I’m in for a little bit more, but I’ve definitely lowered my expectations.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Big Sky 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 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 “We Summon the Darkness” on Netflix: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

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

“There is a lot of evil out there…and you seem like nice girls.”

We Summon the Darkness follows three female friends on a road trip during the 80’s, as they head out to a heavy metal rock fest. The film was released on Netflix on August 8th 2020 and is 90 minutes in length. It stars Alexandra Daddario, Maddie Hasson, Amy Forsyth, and Johnny Knoxville.

The girls meet some male strangers during the metal rock fest and invite them back to their vacation home, but things take an unexpected twist when sadistic intentions are revealed.

Here is the trailer:

We Summon the Darkness takes a shot at nailing the 80’s slasher/thriller vibe and has an attractive and talented cast, but does the film do enough to truly stand out when so many other films and shows are channeling some 80’s nostalgia? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

We Summon the Darkness Netflix 1
Images courtesy of Netflix

Nailed the 80’s vibe!

I love the 80’s and I know that we have been getting quite a bit of programming featuring some nostalgia, but I thought it was done so well in this film. The clothes rocked, the music was on point, and I felt myself being seamlessly transported back to another time.

We Summon The Darkness Netflix 2
Images courtesy of Netflix

Girl power and then some!

The opening of the film immediately gave me some Death Proof vibes and I loved that. We immediately believe that these three girls are friends and are out for some harmless fun. We soon learn that these three ladies are capable of a lot more, but I thought that they all had great chemistry together and I wanted to go along for the ride.

Twists I never saw coming.

You may think that you have seen this type of movie before, but there are actually some really great twists in this one. I was thrown for a loop a few times and I think that the film did a good job of shattering some tropes while keeping us entertained.

The Cons:

We Summon The Darkness Netflix 3
Images courtesy of Netflix

Supporting characters needed to step up.

I loved the girls, but the guys really didn’t hold my attention. Maybe that was the point, but I thought that we could have elevated these performances more and I kept forgetting about their existence to be honest.

A little something missing.

I can’t quite put my finger on it, but this film just needed a little bit more. It was entertaining and a lot of fun, but there was a slight edge I needed and didn’t get. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed this film, but I thought it needed a slight push over to the dark side even more to make it something truly incredible.

So am I in or out?

We Summon The Darkness Netflix 4
Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in about 75 percent on this one.

The movie was a lot of fun and I enjoyed the watch, but I feel like the film was inches away from being something truly brilliant. That being said, this movie fit right in to my weekend lineup and I recommend that you give it a watch for sure.

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

If you enjoyed this film, you may like my book, Dash and Seek! I would love it if you would check it out in the link below. Thank you!

PLAY BY THE RULES…STAY ALIVE…

Main promo smaller

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!

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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! 

Spoiler-Free Review of Harlan Coben’s “The Woods” on Netflix

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

If you thoroughly enjoyed your watches of The Stranger and Safe, Harlan Coben’s latest crime thriller series is out for you to binge-watch now. 

The Woods is a Polish series that premiered on Netflix on June 12th 2020. It features 6 episodes (45-50 minutes in length) and it stars Grzegorz Damiecki, Agnieszka Grochowska, Hubert Milkowski, and Wiktoria Filus. The series is available with subtitles or dubbed in English.

Like the addicting and binge-watch worthy The Stranger and Safe, The Woods is also brought to us from author and creator, Harlan Coben. It is a mystery thriller that centers around Pawel Kopinski. Twenty-five years ago, Pawel’s sister went missing, along with three other teens from their summer camp, but new evidence comes to light, suggesting that the case may not be shut just yet.

This show has the potential to fulfill your craving for a new mystery thriller, but does The Woods measure up to The Stranger and Safe? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

The Woods Netflix 1
Images courtesy of Netflix

A mystery that immediately pulls you in.

Much like with The Stranger and Safe, Harlan Coben is a genius at bringing us into a crime filled world with secrets and reveals at every corner. The mystery surrounding Pawel’s missing sister is a compelling one. It hooks you onto the show and keeps you guessing until the very end, which is what I expect these shows to do.

The Woods Netflix 2
Images courtesy of Netflix

Ship-worthy chemistry.

Don’t get me wrong, the series is a crime thriller mystery, but I absolutely loved the chemistry between Pawel and Laura. They fell in love twenty-five years ago and when they meet up in the present, you could just feel the passion between them once again. Sure, they don’t really have too much time to dwell on this, but it helped me connect with the characters more and I thought their performances were believable and well done.

The Woods Netflix 3
Images courtesy of Netflix

Seamless flashbacks.

It’s not easy pulling off flashbacks that advance the plot, but I thought that they worked extremely well in this particular series. I was actually more interested in the flashbacks than present day events and I thought that they freed us up from the slower pace at times. The character dynamics were great and you really felt the terror and anxiety rushing through each character as secrets were revealed.

The Cons:

The Woods Netflix 4
Images courtesy of Netflix

Slow pace.

The series is only six episodes and each episode isn’t terribly long, but the series had a tendency to drag in many places. The monotonous music and dull lighting didn’t help at times as I had to keep forcing myself to pay attention. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of moments where you will focus on what is going on completely, but I was just hoping for a faster pace like with The Stranger and Safe and I didn’t really get that here.

Too many sub-plots.

If you have read my reviews on The Stranger and Safe, then you know that I often comment on the multiple sub-plots throughout these series. However, they seemed to stick out even more in The Woods because of the slower pace.

We get this present day case that Pawel is working on and I’m not even sure what actually happened with it because it steered off course too much. While many of the sub-plots make sense later on and add to the mystery, they could be extremely overwhelming and unnecessary at times.

So am I in or out?

The Woods Netflix 6
Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m about 50/50 on this one. The series is only six episodes long so it does make a good weekend binge-watch, but I wouldn’t necessarily move it up to the top of your list just yet. 

Perhaps I set my expectations a little bit too high here. I adored both The Stranger and Safe and I was counting the days up until the release of this series. While The Woods does deliver as a compelling mystery that will keep you guessing, it lacks in a lot of other areas and is just kind of OK overall.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The Woods in the comments section below. You can check out my review of The Stranger here!  Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Safe” on Netflix: The Perfect Binge-Watch for fans of “The Stranger”

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

If you thoroughly enjoyed your binge-watch of The Stranger, you might have been endlessly skimming through Netflix recommendations for something to measure up. Well fear not, as Netflix gets it completely right with its latest recommendation…Safe.

Safe actually premiered on Netflix on May 10th 2018, but it has been gaining popularity ever since The Stranger premiered. It features 8 episodes (40-45 minutes in length) and it stars Dexter’s Michael C. Hall, Amy James-Kelly, Amanda Abbington, Marc Warren, and Hannah Arterton.

Like The Stranger, Safe is also brought to us from author and creator, Harlan Coben. It is a mystery thriller that follows Tom Delaney’s search for his missing daughter, Jenny. Once again, dark secrets are exposed as several threads begin to unravel together, leaving us on the edge of our seats with constant twists and turns.

The show has a very similar feel, almost making it seem like part of a thriller anthology series, but does Safe measure up to The Stranger? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Safe Netflix 4
Images courtesy of Netflix

Once again, an amazing cast!

Michael C. Hall was absolutely brilliant as Tom Delaney and as a huge fan of Dexter, I was pleased to see him thrive in another role. The rest of the cast was fantastic as well, making the character dynamics that much more more intriguing.

Safe Netflix 7
Images courtesy of Netflix

Another surprising mystery.

Even though I preferred the approach of an actual stranger exposing dark secrets, I thought that the mystery behind Safe was just as compelling. Once again, I found myself completely invested to see how things would unfold, coming up with my own theories and suspects along the way. The show is far from predictable and each episode leaves you wanting more and more.

The Cons:

Safe Netflix 5
Images courtesy of Netflix

Too many sub-plots.

Much like The Stranger, we ended up lost in several side plots and characters along the way. Some of them connected to the main mystery centered around Tom Delaney and his daughter, but others seemed out of place and strange. That being said, I thought that Safe did a better job with this than The Stranger, connecting as many dots as possible for us without completely overwhelming us.

So am I in or out?

Safe Netflix 6
Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in 100 percent again! After watching The Stranger, I was endlessly searching for something similar to watch and I love that we now get the chance to discover the hidden gem of Safe. I didn’t even know about this show when it premiered, but hopefully more fans of The Stranger will discover it and give it a chance because it can stand on its own as a worthy thriller series.

Even though I think that I enjoyed The Stranger a little bit more, Safe did not disappoint at all. Once again, Netflix delivered with the perfect binge-watch and we can never get enough of Michael C. Hall, so that was an added bonus!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Safe in the comments section below. You can check out my review of The Stranger here!  Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

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**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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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!