Hey ghouls! I hope everyone is having a creepy and scary October so far. I finally put up my Halloween/fall decorations this week, which has definitely helped with the spooky vibes! Thank goodness for that because this week’s books,tv shows and movies were all over the place. I watched 5 movies and finished 1 series and 1 book. Let’s jump into this mess!

There’s Someone Inside Your House (2021)

Rating: 1/5

There’s Someone Inside Your House is your typical teen-slasher flick. We’re in the small town of Osborne, Nebraska where teens are getting picked off one by one because of their dirty little secrets. This is a Netflix original based on a YA book that I haven’t read yet, but I’m planning on it because I have to see if the source material is as terrible as this movie was. I don’t really know where to start with this one. I mean the storyline is very basic and the acting is subpar at best, but that’s most Netflix movies these days. I guess I was just annoyed by the characters. Everyone seemed like a caricature of the person/group they represent. I couldn’t take anyone seriously, especially the killer. This is gonna spoil who the killer is, so skip down if you must. Okay, so the killer is picking people off because of their secrets that range from the benign to straight up dangerous. However, the killer has a whole Nazi memorobillia collection in their home! Like sir, how the hell do you have a leg to stand on? Also, one of the characters that died just had a drug problem. Instead of murking them, why not get them some help? I don’t know how this one got the green light, but I’m hoping that the book isn’t nearly as cartoonish as this movie was. 

VHS 94 (2021)

Rating: 1/5 

VHS 94 is an anthology film following a group of police officers during a drug raid. During this raid, they find 4 different disturbing tapes that these suspects seem to be dealing in. I’m honestly not that confident in this synopsis because I’m not really sure what the main storyline was. Usually the VHS setup plays an important part in bringing the different segments together. This one was just super muddy and confusing. For context, I love anthology horror and I really enjoyed the majority of the VHS franchise (VHS: Viral is just not it). I was super excited to watch the newest installment of the VHS universe and it was the main reason why I kept my Shudder subscription. Unfortunately, I found VHS 94 super boring. I even watched this with my family who likes goofy movies, but none of us were vibing with this one. I hope that the VHS franchise continues, because I have faith that we can do better than that.

The Guilty (2021) 

Rating: 2/5 

The Guilty is a very bland cop thriller following Officer Joe Baylor who is trying to save Emily, a woman who placed a 911 call claiming to have been abducted. The Guilty feels like a podcast for a few reasons: 1. We’re trapped at the police station alongside Joe, 2. Everything that happens in this film is over the phone, and 3. The other people on the phone are never seen. I think this feeling could have really made this movie intriguing if the main character wasn’t such a douche. I was so tired of seeing Joe’s face the entire time. It was hard to empathize with him during the emotional scenes and sometimes his motivations seemed a little muddy. I think this had an interesting premise, just poor execution. I learned that this is actually a remake of the Danish film also named The Guilty , which a lot of people seem to enjoy. I might have to check that one out! Overall, I wouldn’t recommend this one unless you love Jake Gyllenhaal. 

Squid Game (2021)

Rating: 4/5

I know I mentioned this one in my last post, but I finally finished it! This show has been hyped up, but I think for good reason. It really is that good! I know some people were lukewarm about the ending, but I think it leaves things open just enough for there to be more seasons or for this to be the definite ending. I think it ends the way most people would expect, but there are a few interesting aspects that I’m hoping will be explored in the future. If this is the ending, I really did enjoy the ride and the games that were played. I would love to see what else comes out of the brain of Hwang Dong-hyuk in the future. Everyone who doesn’t mind violence should check this one out! 

They Never Learn by Layne Fargo (2020)

Rating: 3.5/5

They Never Learn is told in two perspectives at the same school: Scarlett, an English professor and Carly, a freshman. Scarlett likes to kill deserving men in her spare time, while Carly is trying to adjust to her new life at college. I really liked this book! It gave me Dexter vibes when it comes to Scarlett and her storyline was really fun to read (for the most part). The only issue I had was the way her story wrapped up. I feel like things got resolved too easily and too happy, like it was just missing a “And They Lived Happily Ever After” at the end. I also liked Carly’s storyline as well, it was just hard to read sometimes. This book does deal in manners of assault, so make sure you read up on the trigger warnings before going into it. Overall, I really did enjoy this thriller and I think the way the story was told was intriguing. Highly recommend! 

I know this one is uploaded at a weird time, but ya girl has been in a creative slump. I was really excited for this spooky season, but right now I’m not really feeling it. Maybe if I find some better movies, my mood will shift. Wish me luck witches!