Tag: Whodunnit mystery

Spoiler-Free Review of “A Murder at the End of the World” on Hulu: Your Next Whodunnit Obsession Has Arrived!

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

“I spent a lot of time around dead bodies…”

A Murder at the End of the World premiered on FX on Hulu on November 14th 2023 with its first two episodes. There will be seven episodes in total that will air weekly. The mystery limited series stars Emma Corrin, Clive Owen, Brit Marling, Harris Dickinson, and Alice Braga. Each episode runs for approximately 60-62 minutes.

A tech savvy amateur sleuth and true crime author, Darby Hart, gets invited to an exclusive retreat in a dazzling remote location by a billionaire, but things go horribly wrong for the invited guests when one of them ends up dead.

Here is the trailer:

A Murder at the End of the World is engrossing with a solid whodunnit mystery at its core. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of FX on Hulu

Meet your new favorite amateur sleuth!

Darby reminds me of Lisbeth Salander from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo in a lot of ways. She’s a little offbeat and has some hacker skills, but she still has a sizzling charm to her that lights up the screen. We’re getting a lot of character layers right off the bat and I’m confident that she’ll continue to show off her sleuth skills as the episodes continue.

The rest of the cast is fun as well and it’s always great seeing Clive Owen.

Images courtesy of FX on Hulu

A fantastic location with lots of potential!

I’m not sure that I would sign up for a remote retreat in the middle of nowhere, but the hotel the guests are staying at is absolutely breathtaking and filled with unique technological advances. This modernizes the whodunnit approach in a clever way.

So far I’m really enjoying the mystery involved in both the past and the present and I can’t wait to unlock more.

I really love the whodunnit genre because it allows viewers to become active participants. With this series, I already have plenty of suspects and theories, but I can’t wait to see what Darby discovers next.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of FX on Hulu

The episodes are on the long side…

This isn’t a major con at all, but you need to be prepared to devote a lot of time to this one. This is one of those shows where a minor detail can come into play later so be prepared to pay attention. There’s some excess fluff to sift through, but it’s not disrupting the pacing at all for me just yet.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of FX on Hulu

I’m in 100 percent!!!

A modern whodunnit mystery with a captivating lead and a spectacular setting!

This series is everything I hoped for so far and I’m excited to continue my watch. If you enjoy whodunnit mysteries, I highly recommend checking this one out.

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

IN THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS, HER NIGHT FROM HELL HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN…

After working the night shift, Ashley becomes entangled in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse with a local street gang, forcing her to come up with a plan to survive the night by turning the tables on them.

Ashley must fight for her life and take them out one by one if she wants to make it to morning…

My young adult revenge thriller comes out November 30th 2023! I hope you enjoy!

Make it Through the Night is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “You” Season 4: Part 1 on Netflix: A New Setting does wonders for Joe

*This is a spoiler-free review for season 4 (part 1) so feel free to read on!*

“It’s you…or nothing…”

You season 4 (part one) released on February 9th 2023 on Netflix with the first five episodes available to stream now. The remaining five episodes in part two will be available to stream on March 9th 2023. The thriller-drama series stars Penn Badgley, Tati Gabrielle, Charlotte Ritchie, Tilly Keeper, and Lukas Gage. Each episode runs for approximately 45-50 minutes.

Joe Goldberg attempts to make a fresh start as Jonathan Moore in London, but he winds up caught in the middle of a dangerous whodunnit mystery.

Here is the trailer:

You (season 4, part 1) is off to an entertaining start, luring us into Joe’s twisted world once again with a few new twists to liven things up. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

You season 4 part 1 no spoilers 1

Images courtesy of Netflix

Sometimes change is good!

After the explosive season three ending, Joe left the US to start over, but can he really leave his past behind? Well, probably not and it will most likely continue to haunt him, but he’s got a new gig working as a professor in London and a new identity. There are still some ghosts lingering from his past; however, and we’ll have to see what else emerges once part two releases, but I absolutely love some of the changes to the show already.

The setting works for the most part and we have a brand new bunch of characters that all have a secret or two. Joe is transforming more into an “anti-hero” this time around, playing the role of the amateur detective. I have to say that Joe’s voice-over narration has been so incredibly funny and entertaining. I used to find him a little whiny when he obsessed over someone, but change looks good on him so far and I was actually laughing out loud quite a few times.

I also absolutely LOVE that the writers decided to turn the tables on him in season four. It’s genius! It’s really allowing Joe to shine and it’s preventing things from feeling too repetitive.

Fantastic pacing!

I got through all five episodes in one day and it was a binge-watcher’s dream! I thought each episode did just enough at the end to lure us in for more. This was always such an entertaining show, but I’m loving all of the tweaks and improvements in this department. I never felt like I had to sit through too much fluff, which was great.

The Cons:

You season 4 part 1 no spoilers 2

Images courtesy of Netflix

We have to wait for the rest of the episodes!

I really don’t have many cons at all. I’m not a fan of some of the new characters, but overall I thoroughly enjoyed my watch and I can’t wait for the rest of the episodes to drop. This season is checking off all the boxes and then some!

So am I in or out?

You season 4 part 1 no spoilers 3

Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in 100 percent!

You (season 4 part 1) is addictive in all the right ways with some clever new improvements.

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 You (season 4, part 1) 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 “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” in Theaters: An Entertaining Mystery

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

“I need a great case…”

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery released in theaters on November 23rd 2022 and will be available to stream on Netflix on December 23rd 2022. The whodunnit mystery film stars Daniel Craig, Kate Hudson, Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, Dave Bautista, and Leslie Odom Jr. It runs for approximately two hours and nineteen minutes.

Detective Benoit Blanc returns when he gets mysteriously invited to a billionaire’s private murder mystery party on a remote island in Greece. 

Here is the trailer:

Glass Onion is a delightful sequel with the perfect blend of humor and mystery to keep you entertained until the very end. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Glass Onion no spoilers 1

Images courtesy of Netflix

Talented cast.

The first Knives Out film had an all-star cast and the sequel does not disappoint in this department. I loved all of the characters and I thought the performances were top-notch. Kate Hudson was a scene-stealer!

Daniel Craig was fantastic as always as the quirky Benoit Blanc and Janelle Monáe was absolutely incredible in this. 

Glass Onion no spoilers 2

Images courtesy of Netflix

Perfect balance of humor and mystery.

I loved the quirky dynamic between the group, which added to the humor. This was such a clever and entertaining mystery with an Agatha Christie feel. The sequel felt different from the original film, but that actually worked in its favor. The sequel was fresh and fun, even though some reveals were slightly predictable.

There were also plenty of well-placed twists to throw you off your detective game so you may not have it all figured out…

The Cons:

Glass Onion no spoilers 3

Images courtesy of Netflix

Takes a little while to get going…

I get that we needed some set-up to get to know each of our suspects, but I would have liked for everyone to have gathered at the island a little bit sooner. That being said, I still enjoyed all of the extra fluff.

So am I in or out?

Glass Onion no spoilers 4

Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in!!!

A captivating mystery stuffed with entertaining moments.

Mystery fans will thoroughly enjoy the sequel, which cleverly finds a voice of its own, separating itself from the original film in the best way possible.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery 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 “Who Killed Sara?” Season 3 on Netflix: Goes off the deep end, but still a fun binge-watch!

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

“Very few of us are what we seem to be…”

Who Killed Sara? season three premiered on Netflix on May 18th 2022 with seven episodes available to stream now. The series stars Manola Cardona, Alejandro Nones, Carolina Miranda, Ximena Lamadrid and Eugenio Siller. Each episode runs for approximately 40-45 minutes.

Season three of the Mexican crime series, ¿Quién mató a Sara? still centers around Alex’s journey of revenge, as he gets closer and closer to the truth about what really happened to Sara in this action-packed conclusion.

Here is the trailer:

Who Killed Sara? is one of the most addicting series I have ever watched, but does it give fans the satisfying ending they have been craving? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Netflix

We learn the truth about what really happened to Sara…

There will be no spoilers in this review, but the final season does a solid job of answering all of our questions. It fills in the blanks and reveals every sliver of detail relating to Sara and what actually happened to her. This series is infamous for its crazy cliffhangers and you will get plenty of those throughout the episodes, but once you get to the end, you’ll finally know the truth.

Plenty of action and crazy reveals.

I watched all seven episodes in one day! I could not stop watching and I had to know what happened. Season three keeps up the fast pace and gives us plenty of shocking moments along with lots of action too. It did a good job of toning down some of the unnecessary sub-plots as well so that we could really focus on the main mystery at the core of the series.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Goes off the deep end with a conspiracy filled plot I’m not sure I needed…

The magic of this series lies within the whodunnit mystery approach. Just when you think you have everything figured out, another curve ball is thrown your way. Season three ditches the whodunnit mystery approach (although the mystery will still be solved) and focuses more on this outrageous conspiracy plot that didn’t land as well. I think this series tried too hard to stretch past season two and perhaps things could have been wrapped up before then…

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in!

Season three may get a little bit crazy, but it was still really fun to binge-watch and there were plenty of reveals that were shocking and exciting. It was certainly a fun ride watching this series and this show will forever be known as the binge-watcher’s dream for me.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Who Killed Sara? 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…

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 “Scream” (2022) in Theaters: Fans have something to be excited about!

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

It’s always someone you know…

Scream (2022) released in theaters on January 14th 2022. The fifth installment of my favorite franchise of all time brings us back to Woodsboro as a killer dressed as Ghostface threatens the town once again. The slasher horror film stars Neve Campbell, David Arquette, Courtney Cox, Melissa Barrera, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Dylan Minnette, Jack Quaid, Jenna Ortega and Marley Shelton.

Sidney Prescott thought that she was done with Ghostface for good, but a new killer emerges twenty-five years later, targeting a group of teens in this new “requel.”

Here is the trailer:

Scream (2022) brings together our favorite characters from the original film while introducing a new generation to Ghostface, making us fear answering the phone once again. Does the new film deliver with gory whodunnit goodness? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Paramount Pictures

For the fans.

The fifth film gives fans of the original plenty to be really excited about. We have returning characters, some welcomed surprises, and lots of nods to some of our favorite moments in the films. I thought the film did an excellent job with this nostalgia without overdoing it.

It just worked effortlessly and I loved all of the Easter eggs along the way. Scream is my favorite movie of all time and this film honored that in an effective way.

I also thought that there was a seamless balance between the original story and the new one. Everything connected and just worked, making this film really entertaining.

Images courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Not afraid to make fun of itself.

I really loved the well placed humor sprinkled into the film and I loved that it didn’t take itself too seriously. It recognized its place in the franchise and gave us plenty of laugh-out-loud moments to appreciate.

Images courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Welcomed new characters keep you guessing.

I really thought that some of the new characters did an excellent job fitting in and some of them were scene-stealers for sure.

Stand-out performances: Jenna Ortega as Tara and Jasmin Savoy Brown as Mindy.

This made me like the film even more because I didn’t need Sidney to be on screen in every scene to be entertained. A lot of the new characters really held their own.

I thought that the film embraced its whodunnit mystery and kept the audience guessing for the most part. The kills had a different feel to them, but it still kept the vibe from the original going, which is important.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Some performances were lacking…

I thought that the cast did a great job for the most part, but there were some performances stronger than others. While I loved a lot of the new characters introduced to us, a lot of other characters felt mostly filler and I didn’t really care if they made it out or not.

I also thought there were a few plot holes and some unnecessary tangents as well, but overall I was thoroughly entertained.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Paramount Pictures

I’m in 100 percent!

I absolutely adored this film and I thought it did a great job of keeping the audience entertained. The film honored its fans with lots of nostalgia while giving us plenty of gory kills and surprises to be excited about!

A worthy entry to the franchise!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Scream (2022) 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 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 “Anxious People” on Netflix: Whodunnit Mystery with Heart

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

“Appearances can be deceptive…”

Anxious People released on December 29th 2021 on Netflix. The Swedish dramedy mystery series stars Alfred Svensson, Dan Ekborg, Carla Sehn, Marika Lagercrantz and Sascha Zacharias. The limited series features six episodes available to stream now. Each episode is approximately 25-30 minutes long.

A bank robber holds a group of strangers hostage at an open house event and then vanishes from the scene, as a father and son cop duo try to figure out what really happened.

Here is the trailer:

Anxious People has a quirky charm creating an interesting mashup of Only Murders in the Building and Nine Perfect Strangers, but is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Good balance of humor and drama.

It’s not easy nailing a dramedy and somehow Anxious People makes it look easy. There is a lot of emotional and heartfelt content here, but there is also a really fun mystery and tons of light humor similar to Hot Fuzz in a lot of ways to keep things light. I personally loved the balance and I was surprised by how much I actually liked this show.

Short episodes.

If you are looking for something quick to binge-watch, you’re in the right place. Each episode is just under a half hour and the pacing works really well. We focus on a different witness in each episode, weaving the pieces of the mystery together for us in a compelling way.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Takes a little while to get going…

Even though I was entertained during the first two episodes, I was also really confused and I think that the series was attempting to find its way. I wasn’t really sure what type of show I was watching, but once I got to episode three, I felt right at home and I thought the show found its groove, reeling me in for more and more.

Since there were only six episodes, I would have liked to have been brought in right from the start, but I think it managed to find its way in the end.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in!

This show really had a great balance and presented us with a fun mystery at its core, but it was also about the characters and their interactions, which made this such a heartwarming watch. I genuinely loved the vibe and I thought that it had a satisfactory conclusion, making it an easy binge-watch to enjoy!

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