Omg can you believe it’s December already….so of course it’s time for a recap of my monthly watches and reviews, so here’s what I’ve watched last month in November. The shows that I will be reviewing are: American Horror Story: Double Feature (Season 10), Locke & Key (Season 2), The Chestnut Man, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Only Murders In The Building, and Nine Perfect Strangers. And these are the movies I will be reviewing: The Harder They Fall, Eternals, Madres, The Manor, Night Teeth, Red Notice, Passing, Prey, Black Island, Hypnotic, and Ghostbusters: Afterlife. Keep on reading to check out November’s monthly reviews.
TV Shows
American Horror Story: Double Feature – Season 10 (2021) – Rating: 3/5
American Horror Story’s tenth season, Double Feature, is split into two parts: Red Tide and Death Valley. Red Tide takes place “by the sea” and Death Valley takes place “by the land”. Some returning cast members are in this season and there are some new cast members as well. The acting was also decent throughout the season. So in Red Tide we are dealing with vampires and in Death Valley we are dealing with aliens. I do have mixed feelings about this season. I enjoyed Red Tide although I did not care too much for the sixth episode/finale of Part 1 and Death Valley was underwhelming. Maybe the two parts should’ve had their own full seasons so it could be more developed. Overall this season was pretty good, I feel like Red Tide saved this season. If you do want to watch this season you might be more interested in Red Tide versus Death Valley.
Streaming On: Hulu
Locke & Key – Season 2 (2021) – Rating: 5/5
Season two of Locke & Key is here and let me tell you that it is an awesome follow up to season one. For one thing we have more discovery of keys this season, some are fun, interesting, and dangerous. Of course the main actors who play the Locke family are in this season along with some returning characters and some new ones. Some of my favorite characters are Bode, Nina, and Duncan. We got some flashback scenes to some of the Locke’s family history, which was great to see. Speaking of Locke’s I did feel that Kinsey and Tyler acted pretty carelessly this season and sometimes I think Bode is more responsible than the both of them lol. This season brought more adventure, more twists and turns, and surprises, especially when it came to the characters. The final episode is quite the cliffhanger and I am so ready for season 3. Season 2 of Locke & Key is fun, mysterious, magical, a binge worthy show with a unique concept and I definitely recommend watching this if this sounds like your kind of show.
Streaming On: Netflix
The Chestnut Man – Season 1 (2021) – Rating: 5/5
A figurine made of chestnuts is found at the scene of a grisly murder; from this creepy clue, two detectives hunt for a killer linked to a politician’s missing child. The Chestnut Man is a Danish crime series and I’m so glad I finally gave it a watch because I loved it ! The acting in this show is so good and the cast portrayed their characters really well. This series checks off all those aspects of what makes a crime series great. This show is mysterious from beginning to end especially when it came to the killer and the link between the victims, crimes and the chestnut figurines. The suspense in this series had me on the edge of my seat and the last episode had my heart racing because of course it’s the reveal of the killer and it is surprising. The Chestnut Man is mysterious, gripping, has twists, addicting and if you like crime shows then you should definitely watch this one.
Streaming On: Netflix
I Know What You Did Last Summer – Season 1 (2021) – Rating: 3.5/5
Teenagers are stalked by a mysterious killer a year after a fatal accident on the night of their graduation. So the series is a modern take on the original novel and the 1997 film adaptation while still creating something of its own. With a young and fresh cast I thought the acting was pretty decent although some of the main characters are unlikable. The thing I really liked about the series is the mystery behind the killer, because my mind went to one specific person and then it kept changing lol. The kills in the show are brutal although some kills are shown off screen. This series had some pretty good twists, which I think kept me hooked to the show. The reveal of the killer/who did it was disappointing and unexpected. Overall I liked the series although it has an anticlimactic ending. I Know What You Did Last Summer is fun, suspenseful, entertaining and I think it’s worth giving it a chance.
Streaming On: Prime Video
Only Murders In The Building – Season 1 (2021) – Rating: 5/5
Three strangers who share an obsession with true crime suddenly find themselves caught up in one. This series stars Martin Short, Steve Martin, and Selena Gomez as well as a few famous faces. Martin, Steve, and Selena play Oliver, Charles, and Mabel and all three make a great trio and have incredible chemistry. This show is a vibe – From the location setting in New York to the apartment building to the characters – I loved it. This series really executes the murder mystery aspect so well. This mystery keeps you engage and it does it without being too serious or too silly. The build up to the reveals are so good, and they just kept coming, leaving you surprised. So who killed Tim Kono and why ? Only Murders In The Building is fresh, entertaining with twists, fun, has humor and is definitely a must watch if you love murder mysteries, I know I loved it. I’m so ready for Season 2.
Streaming On: Hulu
Nine Perfect Strangers – Season 1 (2021) – Rating: 4.5/5
Nine stressed city dwellers try to get on a path to a better way of living. Watching over them during this 10-day retreat is the resort’s director, Masha, a woman on a mission to reinvigorate their tired minds and bodies. However, these nine “perfect” strangers have no idea what is about to hit them. One of the first things that drew me to this show was the ensemble cast, who all gave strong and memorable performances. The characters are all fascinating and are broken in different ways where you get pretty invested in them. Watching this show you don’t know how it will play out; does this retreat entails something sinister, innocent or will everything be fine. Nine Perfect Strangers is a well acted, engaging, binge worthy, and fun mystery thriller with an intriguing plot and is an interesting ride. Now I gotta read the book lol.
Streaming On: Hulu
Movies
The Harder They Fall (2021) – Rating: 4/5
Gunning for revenge, outlaw Nat Love (Jonathan Majors) saddles up with his gang to take down enemy Rufus Buck (Idris Elba), a ruthless crime boss who just got sprung from prison. I thought the characters being based on real people makes the film more interesting. This movie has an ensemble cast of black actors that are fantastic in their roles. The actors bring a certain swagger, charm, and coolness to these characters. I laughed a few times because they were funny especially RJ Cyler as Jim Beckwourth. This movie is a suave, modern western with an engaging plot, great cinematography and soundtrack, plus the action is amazing. The Harder They Fall is a fun, stylish, entertaining, western that is an enjoyable watch.
Streaming On: Netflix
Eternals (2021) – Rating: 5/5
My most anticipated movie of last year and this year is finally here and I am so excited. Okay can we get into this ensemble and diverse cast, because it’s one of the reasons why I was pumped for this movie, as much as I want to list out this amazing cast, I’m not since I can’t just mention a few without mentioning them all, the cast was excellent. The Eternals are new to the MCU and to have these immortals apart of it is exciting. Plus their powers are amazing like some of the best powers I’ve seen in the MCU. And although I haven’t read the comics, I feel like this cast really embody these Eternals and they are perfectly cast. While I love all of the Eternals my favorite is Makkari, I think she’s an awesome character with a cool power to match. Also who doesn’t love super-speed. And I just love her and Druig’s relationship (Team Drukkari) , they’re so cute together ! (My new favorite Marvel couple) I may be one of the few but I enjoyed the time jumps in regards to the character’s backstory being that they’re immortals and ancient lol so this is one of the best ways to show these characters especially their past and what they’ve been doing over the hundreds/thousands of years. I also enjoyed the storytelling and the mythology of these characters which I found interesting, and the few twists the movie has are unexpected, nice and a bit heartbreaking for me lol. Chloe Zhao did an incredible job directing this film. She shot on location for this movie which I think was a great idea and it pays off because this movie is visually stunning with beautiful cinematography, and the world building is amazing. I enjoyed the action in this film and seeing the Eternals using their powers/abilities because as I mentioned above it’s exciting to see, and so cool. The movie’s runtime is 2 hrs. 37 mins. which didn’t bother me, I actually didn’t want the movie to end because I fell in love with these characters lol. And of course you know the mid credit scene and post credit scene is surprising and will leave you excited for what’s to come. I loved this film and it’s one of my favorites of the year. Eternals is immersive, refreshing, beautiful, moving, a unique addition to the MCU and I cannot wait to see more of the Eternals.
Watch in theaters
Madres (2021) – Rating: 3/5
Expecting their first child, a Mexican-American couple move to a migrant farming community in 1970’s California where strange symptoms and terrifying visions threaten their new family. I wasn’t sure what the movie would be about, but I suspected something twisted. While the film’s runtime is 93 minutes the pacing is a bit slower but the pacing builds up the suspense. There’s pesticides, ghosts, curses, and strange things going on at the clinic, so there are quite a few things that could explain what’s happening in the film. But it’s not until we get to the end of the movie where we see what’s been going on that is also real horrific issues that have been happening in the country. I would describe this film as an investigative thriller with some horror aspects. Madres is mysterious, suspenseful, intriguing and it’s worth a watch.
Streaming On: Prime Video
The Manor (2021) – Rating: 3/5
After suffering a mild stroke, Judith Albright reluctantly moves into a historic nursing home where she becomes convinced a supernatural force is killing the residents. The lead actress Barbara Hershey does a good job. I also liked the relationship Judith and her grandson had, it was nice to see that onscreen. When Judith gets there, there are a few red flags about the nursing home that makes you think something strange is going on, like the residents aren’t allowed to have their cell phones and that the staff are pretty aggressive with the residents. Just like Judith, the audience knows that something is happening but not sure what it is, but we can suspect that the supernatural is involved. I liked the few twists in this film and overall I thought it was pretty good, I just wasn’t too happy with the ending lol. The Manor is suspenseful, mysterious, and I think it’s worth a watch.
Streaming On: Prime Video
Night Teeth (2021) – Rating: 3/5
A college student moonlighting as a chauffeur picks up two mysterious women for a night of party-hopping across LA. However, when he uncovers their bloodthirsty intentions and their dangerous, shadowy underworld, he must fight to stay alive. So I liked this movie for what it was. It didn’t blow me away, but it kept my attention. The acting was good, and I thought the vampires in this movie were interesting it’s like their similar to what we normally see in vampire lore/movies but they’re also different too. This movie reminded me a bit of Collateral since Benny was driving them around to multiple stops/places and was also in dangerous situations. There’s a moderate amount of action, the cinematography and music is great, and works well for the movie. While the movie isn’t nothing too special, Night Teeth is a fun and entertaining vampire thriller.
Streaming On: Netflix
Red Notice (2021) – Rating: 3/5
An Interpol-issued Red Notice is a global alert to hunt and capture the world’s most wanted. But when a daring heist brings together the FBI’s top profiler and two rival criminals, there’s no telling what will happen. This movie stars The Rock, Gal Gadot, and Ryan Reynolds and I thought they were great and brought their charm to these roles. Just like I expected The Rock and Ryan Reynolds have great chemistry. I thought the banter, jokes/comebacks between the two were funny. Gal Godot had some funny lines as well. Since the characters went to different international locations it was like going on a little adventure lol which I loved. Also the movie had a surprising twist and the ending will most likely result in a sequel or two lol. Overall I liked Red Notice it was fun, action packed, entertaining and is a nice Friday/weekend flick to watch.
Streaming On: Netflix
Passing (2021) – Rating: 4/5
In 1920s New York City, a Black woman Irene (Tessa Thompson) finds her world upended when her life becomes intertwined with a former childhood friend Clare (Ruth Negga) who’s passing as white. The cast does a great job and I feel like Tessa and Ruth are both marvelous in their roles, but it’s Ruth who gives a memorable performance. These two have amazing chemistry and they complement each other because of their character’s personalities. I love the black and white aesthetic of the film, which is flawless and it matches the movie’s theme. This film examines race, identity, sexuality, class and more. It is an adaptation of Nella Larsen’s novel of the same name which now I want to read. Passing is compelling, unforgettable, poignant and is a must watch.
Streaming On: Netflix
Prey (2021) – Rating: 3/5
Roman, his brother Albert, and their friends go on a hiking trip into the wild. The group soon find themselves in a desperate bid for survival when they realize that they have fallen prey to a mysterious shooter. Prey is a German thriller with a straightforward and simple plot but it still surprised me, especially the reveal of the shooter. The reasoning for why the shooter is killing doesn’t make much sense to the audience… I mean you get it but it doesn’t make it right. I don’t wanna say too much about the film because even though the film isn’t nothing spectacular, unexpectedness can sometimes be good lol. Some of the characters are unlikable so just like survival movies you watch you have some characters you want to survive. Overall Prey isn’t a bad movie, although I’m not a fan of the ending. It’s entertaining, surprising, has some thrills and is a decent movie to watch on a Friday night.
Streaming On: Netflix
Black Island (2021) – Rating: 2.5/5
The dark secrets of a seemingly peaceful island threaten to swallow up an orphaned student when he grows close to a mysterious new teacher. Black Island is a German thriller that can also be described as an erotic thriller at times. Obviously the teacher is up to no good but you’re not sure what she has planned, but there are a few characters that thinks the teacher is hiding something and hope to find out. When we do get the reveal of why the teacher came to the island I honestly felt like the reasoning for why she arrived and her plan was absurd plus she was pretty bold when she did certain things (ahem the library scene). Yeah there were a few surprises but the film also lacked thrills. Overall the film is okay and its ending is lackluster. Black Island is mysterious, not too exciting, but is a movie to watch to pass the time.
Streaming On: Netflix
Hypnotic (2021) – Rating: 3/5
A young woman (Kate Siegel) seeking self-improvement enlists the help of a renowned hypnotherapist. But after a handful of intense sessions, she discovers unexpected and deadly consequences. I thought Kate Siegel was good in this role and worked with what she could. The therapist abusing hypnotherapy with his patients is insane and scary, and to guess what was real and what wasn’t throughout the film held my interest. I’m glad that Katie Siegel’s character wasn’t alone with dealing with this whole crazed therapist/hypnotherapy ordeal and the ending was pretty satisfying. Overall this is a straightforward film and while it didn’t wow me it kept my attention. Hypnotic is an engaging, interesting thriller and another one of those movies to watch on a Friday night.
Streaming On: Netflix
Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021) – Rating: 4.5/5
We haven’t had a Ghostbusters movie since the 2016 film, and now five years later Ghostbusters: Afterlife is here and whew it was great. Let’s talk about the cast. We have some new cast members to the franchise: Carrie Coon, Paul Rudd, McKenna Grace, Finn Wolfhard, Logan Kim, Celeste O’ Connor, and Bokeem Woodbine. And for returning cast members there’s Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts, and Sigourney Weaver. While everyone does a great job in this film, Paul Rudd, McKenna Grace and Logan Kim were my favorites and I just really enjoyed their characters and they played them so perfectly. Now as someone who hasn’t watched the first two Ghostbusters films I had no problems following along with this movie and didn’t feel lost… I enjoyed watching it. The story/plot line and the references to the original Ghostbusters films were great and I really felt like fans enjoyed it. Seeing the ghost and supernatural creatures were awesome and the visual effects were amazing. The ending did have my eyes tearing up a bit which I was not expecting to happen lol. Also stay tuned for two credit scenes that fans of the franchise will love. Ghostbusters: Afterlife is fun, entertaining, funny, has heart and is a film that Ghostbusters fans will love.
Watch in theaters
5/5: Love It, Must Watch
4.5/5: Amazing
4/5: Great
3.5/5: Very Good
3/5: Good
2.5/5: Pretty Good
2/5: Meh (Not Impressive)
1.5/5: Bad
1/5: Horrible
This wraps up my November movie and show reviews. Have you watched any of these films or shows ? Let me know in the comments below. As always thanks for reading and I’ll see you for my December round of monthly watches, which I will be sharing next year in January 😉
Flamingo Lifestyle 
Well, you’ve definitely given me some movies to add to my watch list, especially “Prey” cause the synopsis really sounds like it’ll have u on the edge of your seat.
I enjoyed “Only Murders in the Building”, more than I thought I would. I wasn’t feeling it at first but as the episodes progressed I loved it more and more and I cannot wait for season 2! (and of course, they had to end it on a cliffhanger 😭)
Passing was also pretty great, especially due to the discussions about race and other topics although there are a lot of unanswered questions.
Also, I’ve been debating on watching The Chestnut Man, but I’ll check it out given your review. It sounds like a thrilling crime-filled story. 🙌🏾
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I’m so glad to hear that ! 😃
Prey was a surprising watch lol.
And I definitely cannot wait for S2 of Only Murders and yesss what a cliffhanger ?! 😄
Passing left me with some unanswered questions too ! 😲
The Chestnut Man was really good, very thrilling and suspenseful… had my heart racing at times ! 😅
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Have you seen Archive 81 on Netflix yet ? It was so good I binged the whole thing.
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Yes I binged watched it a few weeks ago, it was really good !
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I’m super excited for a season 2
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Me too !
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