TROLL 2 on Netflix is the sequel to the 2022 hit movie from Norway. I’ll admit I wasn’t too hopeful it would work a second time. However, I found the plot of this one to work almost even better, so I watched it with a huge smile on my face. Well, when it wasn’t too scary or sad. Read our full review of the Troll 2 Netflix movie here!

TROLL 2 is on Netflix worldwide exactly three years after the first movie was released. In this sequel, we follow many of the same characters, so it feels very familiar right off the bat. Well, the characters that survived are still here, anyway. Of course, we have flashbacks, so most can be included that way.

Also, fair warning, don’t expect everyone to make it out alive this time around either. Yes, this movie will end in a huge fight, which usually means not everyone can survive. Still, this one was a brutal blow, I must say. For the record, my exact rating is closer to 3½, but since we don’t do halves, I’m rounding it up to 4 out of 5.

Continue reading our Troll 2 Netflix movie review below. Find it on Netflix from December 1, 2025.

None the wiser

In Troll 2, a dangerous new troll has been awakened. So, not unlike the events of the previous movie, and yet many appear to be none the wiser. They still think they can use modern technology to contain or control this ancient being made of and by nature.

As a result, this new troll will be unleashing devastation across Norway. Again!

Of course, those who did appear somewhat smarter the first time around are still ready to fight smarter in this sequel. This mostly means the adventurers Nora and Andreas, who try to understand instead of “just” fighting. Also, there’s Captain Kris (who is now a major, but that doesn’t have quite the same ring), and he is still quick to use brawn over brain.

An unexpected hero… or two?!

Don’t worry, I won’t be doing spoilers for Troll 2, but I have to highlight that I loved the unexpected heroes of the story. One is “Beautiful”, and the other is not as surprising, but plays a much bigger role than I expected.

As someone from Scandinavia, this whole troll universe isn’t new to me, and maybe that’s why I expected something else or more from the first movie. However, in this sequel, I feel like the small stuff that didn’t work too well for me comes together much better in Troll 2.

I especially loved how parts of the solution to the rampage of the troll meant looking back at the ancient history of Norway. Figuring out how trolls were treated, and what changed from when they lived in a world alongside human beings. From religion to monarchy, this fantasy universe touches on all the stuff that our countries have been built on over centuries.

In the main cast, we still have Ine Maria Wilmann as Nora Tidemann, Kim Falck as Andreas, Mads Sjøgård Pettersen as “Captain Kris” with Sara Khorami (Post Mortem) as Marion. It’s not a huge cast, but it is very good!

Watch Troll 2 on Netflix

Roar Uthaug is once again the director of the Netflix sequel, just as he was on the first movie. Also, Roar Uthaug wrote the story for Troll 2, while Espen Aukan is the script writer. Basically, this movie was made with exactly the same constellation as the first one.

With a runtime of just over 100 minutes (1 hour and 42 minutes, to be exact), it doesn’t run for too long for its storyline. As a rule, I think it’s fair to say that anyone who enjoyed the first movie will like this one.

Do not switch Troll 2 off too quickly. There is an end-credit scene, which very much teases a third movie. One I will gladly watch after this solid sequel.

Troll 2 premieres globally on Netflix on December 1, 2025.

Details

Director: Roar Uthaug
Story: Roar Uthaug
Script: Espen Aukan
Cast: Ine Maria Wilmann, Sara Khorami, Mads Sjøgård Pettersen, Kim Falck

Plot

When a dangerous new troll unleashes devastation across their homeland, Nora, Andreas and Major Kris embark on their most perilous mission yet.

THE FORBIDDEN LANDS is an Italian folk horror movie (org. title: Le Terre Incolte). I was surprised that it was more fantasy-laced than I expected, so that threw me off a little. However, I absolutely respected the choices and the use of practical effects. Read our The Forbidden Lands movie review here!

THE FORBIDDEN LANDS is a folk horror movie from Italy (org. title: Le Terre Incolte), which threw me for quite a loop. There were elements of it that worked really well, and then other parts that did not work for me at all.

As a result, I’m probably at around a 2½ out of 5, but I am ending on a 2 because I just wasn’t happy with the plot. Specifically, the storytelling needed a stronger sense of direction for me to be satisfied. That’s a personal preference, I recognize that, but here we are.

Continue reading our The Forbidden Lands movie review below.

Superstition in a village

The Forbidden Lands plays out in a small Italian town. When exactly is very difficult to say. The people in the village look like they could be living in two different centuries, if you go by their clothes or the tools they use for their work. Honestly, I never did feel certain whether this was an intentional choice or just the props that were available and/or looked good.

To me, this breaks the illusion very early on, and that is never to the advantage of the movie or story.

Very quickly, it becomes a story of superstition in the Italian village, and I can relate to that. Fear spreads like wildfire after several mysterious deaths in the nearby forest. The villagers are quick to label a young woman as a witch and blame her. Then two strange men arrive, claiming to be messengers of the Lord, and the townspeople see them as saviors.

Classic, right? Blame the strange woman, believe the unknown men.

Fantasy Folk Horror from Italy

Of course, not everyone trusts the men, and women will end up being the saviors in many ways. It begins with one woman, who joins forces with a free-spirited girl and an outcast accused of witchcraft (yep, the “witch”), and together they focus on finding answers instead of making strange offerings to strangers claiming to be sent by God.

Admittedly, The Forbidden Lands was challenged by the previous Italian genre movie I watched. It was called The Holy Boy, and I absolutely loved it. While I recognize this one is very different, I was hoping it would surprise me in positive ways too, and it could not live up to that great expectation.

Mostly, the fantasy elements, which included numerous gorgeous practical effects (always points for that), were not my favorite.

The core plot was very intriguing, but the storytelling itself did not work for me. From the acting to the pacing of it all, I was not a happy camper, so I struggled with that from the end of the first act.

The Forbidden Lands is screening at Film Festivals

Mattia De Pascali is the writer and director of The Forbidden Lands (org. title: Le Terre Incolte), and as an Italian independent filmmaker, he is working with a limited budget. I feel he gets a lot out of what he has to work with. For me, the quality of the production is impressive. The story itself, however, is not so much.

Having said that, I truly believe there’s a type of genre film fan that will adore its vibe. I mean, this could be a little cult picture for some genre fans, while others will end up like me: Strangely confused by the plot and not entirely sold on the acting or the choices in directing.

This genre hybrid of a movie recently premiered in the U.S. during the Los Angeles Fantasia Fest (on November 20, 2025). It was also nominated as one of the ten nominees for Best Horror / Thriller Feature Film. Also, it received an Honorable Mention from the Washington Underground Film Festival, so it’s just getting started.

The Forbidden Lands is screening at film festivals now, but it will be out on VOD (and physical media) later.

Details

Director: Mattia De Pascali
Writer: Mattia De Pascali
Stars: Andrea Cananiello, Denise Cimino, Fabrizio La Monica, Paola Medici, Ivan Raganato, Donatella Reverchon, Alessandro Stajano, Giorgio Recchia, Gianni Rizzo

Plot

In a remote Southern Italian village, fear spreads after a series of mysterious disappearances in the nearby woods. When two strangers arrive claiming to be messengers of the Lord, the desperate townspeople see them as saviors — except for one woman, who, with the help of a free-spirited girl and an outcast accused of witchcraft, uncovers a darker truth that lies beyond the edge of the known world.

THE THINGS YOU KILL is a new revenge thriller with a few unexpected twists along the way. It all plays out in Turkey, but the story is universal in many brutal ways. Also, this is Canada’s Oscar bid for 2026. Yes, I do mean Canada. Read our full The Things You Kill movie review here!

THE THINGS YOU KILL is a movie that I probably expected more from, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a good movie. It’s just that I knew, before watching it, that this is the Oscar bid from Canada for the 2026 Best Foreign Film award. This made for some expectations that the movie didn’t deliver on.

Having said that, I still highly recommend watching this movie. However, I have to highlight that you need to go in with an open mind and pay attention. The premise is fairly simple as far as revenge stories go, but the storytelling style chosen for this thriller does challenge its audience.

Continue reading our The Things You Kill movie review below. Find it in select theaters from November 14, 2025.

Revenge or forgiveness?

With The Things You Kill, we see family members struggle with the choice between revenge and forgiveness. When dealing with trauma, this will often seem like the only two choices. If you want to move on, you must either forgive or react. Forgetting is rarely an option – and never the healthy one.

It all begins with a son, Ali, questioning the suspicious death of his mother. Very quickly, he suspects that his father had a hand in his mother’s accidental death. Ali is a university professor who has returned to his native Turkey after spending more than a decade in the USA.

Why he left is part of the story, so I won’t get into that. However, he returned to be closer to his family and wants to start a family and build a garden on a plot of land. To help with the latter, an enigmatic gardener plays a role. Appearing out of nowhere, he is ready to help Ali with whatever he needs.

Before long, thoughts of revenge take over, and family secrets will surface to reveal painful truths. Can Ali hold back the darkness that has been building up inside, or will he give in and let it out?

Up for a possible Oscar nomination

As already mentioned, The Things You Kill is the Oscar bid from Canada for the 2026 Best Foreign Language Film award. The director of this movie is an Iranian-Canadian filmmaker, and the story is in Turkish and takes place in Turkey.

I can’t say anything against this, as the amazing Under the Shadow became a nominee for the UK, and Holy Spider was a nominee for my own native Denmark. It’s all about following the filmmaker and, especially, the money. Who produced the movie? That’s where you discover the connection to which country will be the potential Oscar recipient.

Anyway, I also had Incendies in the back of my mind. Simply due to it being from a Canadian director, taking place in the Middle East, and also being nominated for an Oscar for Canada. The breathtaking 2010 movie was by Denis Villeneuve, and I truly cannot recommend it enough.

Incendies didn’t win the Oscar, because that went to my native Denmark for Susanne Bier‘s In A Better World. As proud as I am of that, I personally feel Incendies has a stronger story.

Anyway, my point is simply that I expected something that The Things You Kill never promised, and yet it did impact my overall experience with watching it. Fairly? Not at all, but here we are.

Watch The Things You Kill when you can

The Things You Kill was written & directed by Alireza Khatami. Despite not having watched anything by this Iranian-Canadian filmmaker before, I am very excited to see what he does next. The core story of this movie is heartbreaking yet offers hope. And yet, this is also a dark revenge story that involves choices you can never undo.

The movie has already won the 2025 Sundance Directing Award in the “World Cinema Dramatic” category. This alone makes it an obvious choice to send to the Oscars as well. That’s probably a good part of the reason for making The Things You Kill Canada’s official selection for the 98th Academy Awards.

It’s possible that I would’ve ended a rating higher on another day, but no more than that. The reason is the storytelling choices. It’s a strong story, but it does expect a lot from its audience before setting the stage and presenting the premise ideally. To this movie-watcher, anyway.

The Things You Kill opens in New York on November 14, 2025, before expanding to Los Angeles and additional markets on November 21, 2025. 

Details

Director: Alireza Khatami
Script: Alireza Khatami
Cast: Ekin Koç, Erkan Kolçak Köstendil, Hazar Ergüçlü, Ercan Kesal, Serhat Nalbantoğlu, Aysan Sümercan, Selen Kurtaran

Plot

Questioning the suspicious death of his mother, a university professor and his enigmatic gardener descend into a hypnotic maze of mirrors and memories. As family secrets surface and painful truths emerge, they spiral toward a devastating reckoning with the darkness lurking within us all.

THE CRYSTAL CUCKOO on Netflix is a new crime thriller series from Spain (org. title: El cuco de cristal). It features a serial killer story spanning many decades in just six strong episodes. Read our full review of The Crystal Cuckoo series here!

THE CRYSTAL CUCKOO is a new Netflix series with a crime thriller plot. It’s a serial killer mystery where you will get all the answers before the end of episode six. In fact, episode 5 is quite a game-changer as it goes back and shows us what has happened.

With a total of six episodes, this Spanish series (org. title: El cuco de cristal) packs quite the punch. It comes from the same author as The Snow Girl, which has two seasons out on Netflix. All six episodes were watched for this review – because it’s a great show!

Continue reading our review of The Crystal Cuckoo series below. Find it on Netflix from November 14, 2025.

From heart attack to murder mystery

The Crystal Cuckoo begins with Clara Merlo (Catalina Sopelana) suffering a massive heart attack. Fortunately, she’s at work as a first-year medical resident, so she couldn’t have a heart attack in a better place.

Once she wakes up, a month has passed, and she now has a new heart. Having been kept alive by machines, she was fortunate enough to get a second chance. As Clara is finding her way back to life, she can’t help but wonder about the donor.

No, not because she’s getting strange visions or has foreign memories suddenly. Those plot elements have been used for several horror movies. Even very efficiently. However, this is not a horror story; it’s a crime thriller mystery, which indirectly involves her donor.

No, that’s not a spoiler, but simply to say that many strange disappearances have happened in the small town, where Clara’s heart donor, Carlos, lived.

Anyway, Clara decides to visit his family.

A picturesque town with secrets

Sometimes, a crime thriller mystery like The Crystal Cuckoo will play out in a town that suddenly feels like something out of The Hills Have Eyes. This is not that kind of small town. Instead, it’s a picturesque and enigmatic small town full of kind people.

And yet, the town also seems to have had more disappearances than could be expected. Sure, some people up and leave their families, and others run away as teenagers, but this goes beyond that.

For Carlos, the man who previously had Clara’s new heart, it was his father who disappeared. Now, Clara is staying in the family’s house, where the mother is still grieving her son’s death (and dealing with her husband’s disappearance decades earlier).

One family tragedy after another

Carlos’s own dad, Miguel Ferrer, was a police officer and an overall good guy, who also had experienced loss; His own sister disappeared years earlier. In fact, Miguel was still searching for answers when he disappeared. Could it all be connected?

Well, yes, and in ways that are even more sinister than you’ll likely imagine after the first few episodes of The Crystal Cuckoo.

There are many time jumps in this Netflix series as we follow the present (or near present) and then go back 20 years. It’s all made very obvious by telling us what year we’re in. Also, you can tell by the aging of the characters.

Watch The Crystal Cuckoo series on Netflix

The new Netflix miniseries The Crystal Cuckoo (org. title: El cuco de cristal) is a new adaptation of a Javier Castillo novel. He also wrote the novel that was made into the Netflix series The Snow Girl, and now another one of his best-selling novels is being adapted.

This Netflix adaptation comes from Jesús Mesas and Javier Andrés Roig (The Snow Girl), and the episodes are directed by Laura Alvea (Animas) and Juan Miguel del Castillo (The Gypsy Bride).

The cast of The Crystal Cuckoo also features several familiar faces for fans of Spanish production. These include star Catalina Sopelana (The Gardener), Alex García (Unknown Origins), Itziar Ituño (Money Heist), Alfons Nieto (Burning Body, Elite), Tomás del Estal (Gangs of Galicia), and Iván Massagué (The Platform).

If you’re in the mood for a strong crime thriller mystery, then you do not want to miss out on The Crystal Cuckoo. It features an insanely sinister and eerily realistic serial killer story that feels like something you could just as easily have come across on the evening news.

All 6 episodes of The Crystal Cuckoo will premiere on November 14, 2025.

Details

Directors: Laura Alvea, Miguel del Castillo
Script: Jesús Mesas, Javier Andrés Roig
Stars: Catalina Sopelana, Alex García, Itziar Ituño, Iván Massagué, Alfons Nieto, Tomás del Estal

Plot

Hoping to learn more about her heart donor, a young doctor arrives in a mountain town where decades of mysterious tragedies plague the small community.

HAD I NOT SEEN THE SUN on Netflix is a new crime thriller series about a serial killer, but it also has a romance plot. It’s not a hybrid I am a fan of, but the plot does work as a whole. If you’re into this genre combination, obviously. Read our Had I Not Seen the Sun Part 1 review here!

HAD I NOT SEEN THE SUN is a new Netflix series with 10 hour-long episodes. And that’s just in part 1. So, yeah, we’re getting close to a soap opera feeling with this many episodes. The same has to be said for the intro, which is very romance-fueled with both its visuals and choice of music.

It’s a serial killer story, where we follow a documentary production trying to get to know the incarcerated man. At its core, this is exactly the kind of plot I’d go for. However, then you add the element of romance, and I’m not too sure anymore. Also, there are many flashbacks that are there for a reason, but this character-driven series is just very slow.

Continue reading our part 1 review of Had I Not Seen the Sun Part below. Find it on Netflix now.

A moth and a butterfly

Had I Not Seen The Sun is the story of the 25-year-old Li Jen-yao. He turns himself in for a series of grisly and cold-blooded murders, which means he also admits to being the serial killer known as “The Rainstorm Killer”.

However, despite admitting to these heinous acts, he never offers any motive. That’s why all reporters and documentary filmmakers are dying to talk to him. Finally, he agrees to do his first-ever interview with the young woman, Chou Pin-yu.

As she gets closer to the convicted serial killer, she starts having unsettling dreams of both the killer and a mysterious girl in uniform. And yes, this Netflix series does have a supernatural and ghostly element as well. Not least with dreams and reality getting mixed up as secrets involving love, hatred, guilt, and redemption come to the surface.

Officially, this series is described as “Blending high-school trauma, forbidden love, and chilling revenge”, which isn’t wrong. It just isn’t nearly as well executed as it could have been, either.

I can see this same core story made into an 8-episode series as a South Korean or Spanish production, and it would be a much darker production. One I know I would’ve enjoyed more.

The light and fluffy elements of the story in Had I Not Seen The Sun are just too cutesy. They are in a jarring contrast to the darker elements of the story, and as a result, both stories suffer.

Do we need to romanticize this?

From the trailer, the story of a moth and a butterfly is at the center. It’s a whole fairytale about how one lives under sunlight while the other is drawn to the moonlight. It’s all very romantic and tragic, which would be fine for a romantic drama, but combining it with this story about a serial killer and his long-lost love is not my thing.

Really, I just am not a fan of the whole serial-killer-romance hybrid.

Without giving away any spoilers, I don’t think we need to romanticize anyone in prison for murder. They already get plenty of attention from women who want to save them and men who can somehow relate to them. No need to add a whole new set of groupies in the form of documentary production workers falling for their charm.

Whether innocent or guilty, it’s not a good look from the get-go.

Watch part 1 of Had I Not Seen The Sun on Netflix now

This new Netflix series comes from the award-winning creators behind Someday or One Day. Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Chiang Chi-Cheng and Golden Bell winner Chien Chi-Feng, and written by screenwriters Chien Chi-feng and Lin Hsin-huei. It’s described as a “dark mystery romance series”, which I don’t know if I think is entirely right.

The serial killer element in the opening is dark and intense, but much of the romance is quite light.

Had I Not Seen The Sun is a Netflix series from Taiwan (org. title: Ru Guo Wo Bu Ceng Jian Guo Tai Yang), and while I was hoping for a style similar to a South Korean production, this is much slower than that. I know I’ve already mentioned this, but it bears repeating.

WANT A STRONG GENRE PRODUCTION FROM TAIWAN?

Be sure to check out The Resurrected on Netflix >

The new series from Taiwan is released in two parts. If you’re hooked on this series, then part 2 is coming your way on December 11, 2025. You won’t have to wait long, and with 10 episodes in part 1, you can even make them last quite a while.

Had I Not Seen The Sun premieres with Part 1 on Netflix on November 13, 2025.

Details

Directors: Chiang Chi-cheng, Chien Chi-feng
Screenwriters: Chien Chi-feng, Lin Hsin-huei
Cast: Tseng Jing-hua, Moon Lee, Lyan Chen, Chiang Chi, Umin Boya, Yao Chun-yao, Nic Chiang, Biubiu Chen, Ann Lee, Chris Lung, Shih Chih-tian, Jake Hsu, Roy Chang, Leo Huang, Xie Zhang-ying, Tan Shan-chien, Yuliya Tsai, Chi Chen, Sonia Yuan, Pipi Yao,Vega Tsai, Chu Te-kang

Plot

When a notorious serial killer gets interviewed by a young woman for a film, his past reveals a deep web of trauma and heartbreak tied to his first love.

LAST SAMURAI STANDING on Netflix combines elements of the South Korean hit series into a Japanese series. Think Kingdom meets Squid Game, but with a focus on the human need for revenge and survival. Read our Last Samurai Standing series review here!

LAST SAMURAI STANDING is a new Netflix series from Japan (org. title: Ikusagami). As the title reveals, this is a series set in a distant past, featuring samurai. It’s character-driven, but the story moves fairly fast, and the production is visually stunning.

The genres are everything from period drama to action, martial arts, thriller, and (of course) the classic catch-all “drama”. We get six episodes in season 1, all around an hour long.

Continue reading our Last Samurai Standing series review below. Start watching on Netflix on November 13, 2025.

From Kyoto to Tokyo

The story of Last Samurai Standing begins in Kyoto, where 292 warriors gather at Tenryuji Temple. They all arrive to enter a competition for a huge financial prize, but they’re not quite sure what they’ll have to do to win.

Once they arrive, each is handed a wooden tag, and a few rules are listed. Then they’re thrust into a brutal contest where they win or die.

To survive and make it to the next step in the game, they must steal their rivals’ tags. If you lose your tag, you will die. By default, the person you steal a tag from will also die, even if you don’t kill them yourself.

The final destination is Tokyo, where the winner can claim a massive cash prize. On the way there, there will be many obstacles. During the competition, outside challenges also arrive.

Including arrows coming from afar, which reminded me of Alice in Borderland season 3.

A Japanese Kingdom meets Squid Game

No, there are no zombies in Last Samurai Standing (which was a core plot in the Kingdom universe), but this is also a period piece. And the “games” in this Japanese series are very different from those in Squid Game, but the consequences are the same: Win or die!

And yes, I recognize that I’m comparing South Korean series to this new Japanese Netflix series, but those are also two of the most popular series Netflix has made, so I feel it’s worth mentioning.

This new series from Japan is based on a novel, so I’m not saying Netflix created a hybrid of two previous hit series from another Asian country. What I am saying is that I understand why the choice was made to turn Last Samurai Standing into a Netflix series.

Looking at those past hit series, Last Samurai Standing should attract enough viewers to check it out, which is often the first hurdle. Hopefully, they’ll also fall for the fast-paced first episode, which sets the stage right from the get-go.

Watch Last Samurai Standing season 1 on Netflix

The new Netflix series is based on the widely praised “Ikusagami” series of novels by Shogo Imamura, winning the 166th Naoki Prize in 2021. In this book series, the life-and-death games of samurai are vividly depicted.

Directors of the six episodes in this season are Michihito Fujii (The Parades), Kento Yamaguchi, and Toru Yamamoto. The first two also wrote on the screenplay alongside Risa Yashiro.

The lead actor is Junichi Okada (portraying Shujiro Saga), who also serves as producer. Another key cast member is Hiroshi Abe as the character of Gentosai Okabe. He’s impossible not to notice with his towering presence and long white hair.

As fascinating and impressive a production as this is, I was really hoping we’d get another season of House of Ninjas instead of a new story from Japan. Obviously, the two are very different, and fans of House of Ninjas should absolutely check this one out.

Last Samurai Standing season 1 is out on Netflix globally from November 13, 2025.

Details

Directors: Michihito Fujii, Kento Yamaguchi, Toru Yamamoto
Screenplay: Michihito Fujii, Kento Yamaguchi, Risa Yashiro
Based on: Novel Ikusagami, written by Shogo Imamura
Cast: Junichi Okada, Junichi Okada, Yumia Fujisaki, Kaya Kiyohara, Masahiro Higashide, Shota Sometani, Taichi Saotome, Yuya Endo, Yasushi Fuchikami, Jyo Kairi, Takayuki Yamada, Wataru Ichinose, Riho Yoshioka, Kazunari Ninomiya, Hiroshi Tamaki, Hideaki Ito

Plot

In post-samurai era Japan, 1878, 292 fallen samurais are lured into a survival game where the last competitor standing claims 100 billion yen. The battleground begins at Tenryuji Temple in Kyoto, a historical hub and spiritual sanctuary, and ends in Tokyo. Only one survivor will come out of this mysterious and deadly game.

ELOÁ THE HOSTAGE: LIVE ON TV on Netflix is a new true crime documentary about a grotesque hostage situation with a fatal outcome. Actually, the entire situation leading up to that moment is also wild – as is the aftermath. Read our Eloá the Hostage: Live on TV documentary review here!

ELOÁ THE HOSTAGE: LIVE ON TV is a new Netflix documentary about a kidnapping that took place in October 2008 in Brazil. It turns into a hostage situation lasting more than 100 hours.

It also includes the kidnapper being live on TV doing interviews during negotiations with the police. As a true crime documentary, this isn’t a particularly strong production as it seems to expect a prior familiarity with the crime. That’s never a good starting point.

Continue reading our Eloá the Hostage: Live on TV documentary review below. Find it on Netflix now.

Media frenzy meets police incompetence

The kidnapping of 15-year-old Eloá led to a huge media frenzy. Of course, the fact that she was kidnapped by her 22-year-old ex-boyfriend, Lindemberg Alves, who was friends with Eloá’s brother, only added to the drama og it all.

It all happened in the city of Santo André, São Paulo, and had the nation in a vice grip, with it being broadcast live across multiple television channels. Negotiations with the police were happening simultaneously, but the police did not come out of this well.

With the Eloá the Hostage documentary, we get unreleased excerpts from the diary of teenager Eloá Pimentel. This is one way to allow her to speak, but these words also come from a time in her life when she had no way of knowing how it would evolve.

And ultimately end.

Had she known, I can imagine she would have had some additional commentary that would have been better. Also, while we hear from her family members (parents and two brothers), we never hear from her friend Nayara.

She was the only one present during the final moments of Eloá’s life. She stayed by her side and tried to help, and was then “rewarded” with the police calling her a liar. Something she fought back against.

Grooming and abuse

There are many things that go awry during this true crime case. Mostly, the role of the media and the awful decisions by the police are highlighted.

However, the fact that this all begins when a 20-year-old man takes an interest in a 12-year-old girl years earlier isn’t much of a focus. I feel it should have been.

To me, the fact that it isn’t a big part of this documentary highlights a core problem.

Instead, we hear excerpts from the diary of the victim, who dreams of being engaged to her would-be murderer. A clear sign that she had been groomed into thinking this man was her future, when he would in fact become her end.

At the very least, much of the aftermath ought to have been about this age difference.

Watch Eloá the Hostage: Live on TV on Netflix now

Cris Ghattas is the director of this Netflix documentary, and the runtime of 84 minutes is good. However, it’s definitely best if you know about the case before watching it. Check out details on Wikipedia here.

If you want to really get angry, prepare for the sentencing and how it has changed over the years. Including the update on where the murderer, Lindemberg Alves, is currently being “punished”.

The case may have shaken Brazil when it happened, but they clearly need to be shaken up yet again and demand actual justice for Eloá.

Eloá the Hostage: Live on TV is on Netflix globally on November 12, 2025.

Details

Director: Cris Ghattas
Screenplay: Tainá Muhringer, Ricky Hiraoka

Plot

This gripping documentary explores the case of a teenage girl who was kidnapped by her ex-boyfriend in one of Brazil’s most shocking hostage situations.

HEWELIUSZ on Netflix is a limited series about a catastrophic ferry disaster. It has five episodes and is based on a true story. It’s both heartbreaking and extremely angering to watch. Read our Heweliusz series review!

HEWELIUSZ on Netflix is a limited series about a catastrophic ferry disaster that happened in 1993. With just five episodes, it is a fairly quick watch. However, it is also a brutal story about pain, suffering, and corruption.

Also, the episodes tend to be around one hour long, with the fifth and final episode close to feature film-length at 80 minutes. If you’re curious about history and want a character-driven story to help set the stage, then this is ideal.

Continue reading our Heweliusz series review below. Find it on Netflix from November 5, 2025.

A catastrophe with many moving parts

With the Heweliusz series on Netflix, many painful elements need to be covered. Not least, how those in power were quick to blame the captain of the ferry for this terrible and fatal catastrophe.

I can’t speak to how much of what is told in this series is accurate. However, it is obvious that many elements played a part in the tragedy. The captain, as the person in charge of the ferry, played a part, but just one part, not the only.

While German port authorities warned of hurricane-level winds, it seems the Heweliusz ferry was given the all-clear to leave port. And yet, shortly after leaving port, they were in a ferocious storm that they should have been warned about.

Also, the ferry itself had clearly seen better days, as “repairs” years earlier had left it in pretty bad shape. To put it mildly.

The aftermath of a tragedy

It all began on January 13, 1993, when the ferry Heweliusz departed from Świnoujście in Poland and sailed towards Ystad in Sweden. However, in this Netflix series, we also see what happened in the hours before the ferry took off.

And we especially follow the actual tragedy and the aftermath of it all. Without giving away any wild spoilers, I can say that not many survived. It’s not unlike the situation with the Titanic, except this tragedy happened for different reasons.

We see people in a desperate fight for survival, and the rescue mission is made nearly impossible by the terrible weather conditions. Back on land, word gets out about the ferry capsizing before authorities know much.

Obviously, as the news comes out, we see devastated families trying to make sense of it all. And, of course, they are desperate to know if their loved ones are among the few survivors.

Also, those who do survive tend to struggle with feelings of guilt – or are forced to go along with explanations, they don’t necessarily believe are accurate.

Watch the Heweliusz series on Netflix now

The director of Heweliusz on Netflix is Jan Holoubek, and the writer of the series is Kasper Bajon. The two also worked together on the Netflix series The Mire and High Water.

Overall, this is powerful storytelling that breaks hearts and should anger you. Not least thanks to powerful portrayals by familiar faces. Including Borys Szyc (Detective Forst), Jacek Koman (Soulcatcher), Mirosław Zbrojewicz, Magdalena Różczka, and Konrad Eleryk.

By telling the story with flashbacks and moving back and forth in the timeline several times, it does require the full attention of its viewers. You will know when we go back in time, so that part is easy enough to follow.

However, I wasn’t crazy about the way some cliffhangers at the end of episodes were not followed up on. That’s why our rating isn’t higher. Personally, I felt stranded right alongside those family members at times.

Maybe this was the point?!

Heweliusz is out on Netflix from November 5, 2025.

Details

Director: Jan Holoubek
Writer: Kasper Bajon
Cast: Jan Englert, Borys Szyc, Magdalena Zawadzka, Jacek Koman, Mirosław Zbrojewicz, Magdalena Różczka, Andrzej Konopka, Justyna Wasilewska, Tomasz Schuchardt, Michał Żurawski, Łukasz Lewandowski, Dariusz Chojnacki, Jacek Beler, Michał Pawlik, Konrad Eleryk, Mia Goti, Marcin Jan Januszkiewicz

Plot

Shortly after leaving port, the ferry Heweliusz is drawn into the heart of a ferocious storm. As the crew and passengers fight for their lives at sea, their devastated families on land try to uncover the truth behind the disaster.

THE VALLECAS FILES on HBO is a docuseries exploring the famous case that inspired the Netflix horror movie Verónica. With three episodes, it’s not a long documentary series, but it isn’t a great one either. Read our The Vallecas Files series review here!

THE VALLECAS FILES on HBO is a true crime documentary series. Or rather, it’s more of a supernatural or paranormal event than a crime… or is it?! That’s part of what needs to be examined and what this docuseries explores.

The case covered in this HBO Original is the very same one that inspired the Netflix horror movie Verónica. This docuseries has just three episodes. It’s off to a somewhat rocky start, I found, but it does cover the case well overall.

Continue reading our The Vallecas Files series review below. Find it on HBO Max from November 7, 2025.

This is why I don’t mess with Ouija boards

The Vallecas Files documentary series explores the most famous (and infamous) poltergeist case from Spain. A 17-year-old girl died very suddenly and with no apparent cause of death, which sparked an investigation into the cause.

This led to the belief that a paranormal phenomenon was the root of the problem. One that began after a few teenagers played around with an Ouija board.

With this HBO Documentary, it’s now 30 years later, and the family relives the events that made the lives of the Gutiérrez Lázaro family members a nightmare. 

As a horror fan, I follow the rules made famous by horror movies. I am not about to repeat the name Candyman, I wouldn’t say “Let’s split up” or “I’ll be right back” in a sticky situation, and I would never mess around with Ouija boards.

Well, apparently, other people are more adventurous than me. Unsurprisingly, teenagers are even more ready to play with danger. For the record, I didn’t mess around with this stuff as a teenager either.

I’ve always watched horror movies, so I know to be smart about this stuff.

Which horror movie is based on The Vallecas Files case?

The Netflix release from 2018, Veronica, is based on the case from The Vallecas Files. Just like The Enfield Poltergeist was the case featured in The Conjuring 2.

For me and many others, Verónica was a horror movie that hit hard. It was very efficient and became a huge success. So much so that a prequel came out in 2023 with Sister Death.

Obviously, the parts of these true stories that are used in movies can differ quite a lot from the reality of the events. Still, the facts revealed in The Vallecas Files docuseries are very brutal. Different, in some ways, but extremely scary.

Watch The Vallecas Files docuseries on HBO Max

This original documentary series was directed by Noemí Redondo and created by Irene del Cerro and Jorge Pérez Vega. Produced by Buendía Estudios for HBO Max, this is a docuseries that audiences worldwide should want to watch.

Yes, especially due to the success of the Netflix horror movie Veronica. It feels like a shame that Netflix didn’t make its own documentary, but HBO has always been good at documentaries as well.

I have to admit that the true story told in The Vallecas Files was an absolute nightmare. Of course, it was also a case where manipulation played a much bigger role than the kids in the family had a chance of recognizing back then.

This is a three-part documentary that allows the now-adult children of the family to tell the story. A story of what they experienced and how they understand, as adults, what was all very confusing as children.

The Vallecas Files docuseries is on HBO Max on November 7, 2025.

Plot

Three decades after the mysterious death of a 17-year-old girl, her family relives the traumatic events in Spain’s most infamous paranormal case.

THE ASSET on Netflix is a Danish Crime Thriller series (org. title: Legenden) with a character-driven story about being undercover. This one could very easily be remade in any other country, as the story is very universal. A strong new Netflix production. Read our full The Asset series review here!

THE ASSET is a new Netflix series from Denmark (org. title: Legenden). The new crime thriller series has just six 45-minute episodes, so it’s a fairly quick watch. The character-driven story moves at a nice pace throughout, which makes for a very binge-worthy new Netflix production.

If you’ve watched any Danish Netflix movies or series in the past, you know what to expect, and this new series is one of the stronger productions. The casting is spot-on, and I really liked the main characters and the actors portraying them, which is always a great starting point.

Continue reading our season 1 review of The Asset below. Find all six episodes on Netflix from October 27, 2025.

Going undercover with a fresh face

When The Asset begins, we meet Tea (Clara Dessau) in the middle of her Police Academy training. She’s already overcome a tough period of her life and is a recovering addict, but wants to turn her life around. Her background is exactly what makes her perfect for an undercover role in a huge operation.

Tea is essentially thrown out of the police academy, so she can be “picked up” by the intelligence service, which recently lost its undercover agent. That particular scene is quite brutal, but in a simple and intelligent way, so forget all about some huge shoot-out.

Anyway, Tea doesn’t have much choice and is obviously intrigued by this offer, so she accepts the challenge of becoming a new intelligence service agent. Her job will be to befriend Ashley (Maria Cordsen), the girlfriend of a criminal mastermind, who constantly evades justice.

Tea is the perfect choice for this job precisely because she’s already lived in this environment, and she’s a fresh face because she never finished the police academy, so no one knows her as a cop yet.

Great characters, excellent casting

With a story about someone going undercover, we see Clara Dessau essentially playing two characters. One is Tea, the undercover agent, and the other is Sara, the asset, who needs to get close to the crime boss, Miran (Afshin Firouzi). All to help the police catch him red-handed.

“Sara” is a young and successful woman who recently returned from Dubai to open an exclusive jewelry store in the center of Copenhagen. Knowing that Ashley, the girlfriend of Miran, loves jewelry, this was an obvious way to get close to her.

We see the duality and conflicts of Tea as she manages to get closer to Ashley. A young mother, who has been with her boyfriend for a long time, is controlled by Miran as much as any of the minions working for him.

Good and bad vs. right and wrong

However, what works extremely well for The Asset is also showing the relationship between Miran and Ashley. One that is also good. Mostly because Miran is a loving and involved father to their young daughter. A real cutie, who shows the human side of this otherwise calculated criminal mastermind.

In fact, there are times when those working for the police seem a lot more cruel and calculated than the criminals. With actor Nicolas Bro (Riders of Justice) as Tea’s boss, we have a strong character actor in the role. One who can handle the nuances of that particular role.

Of course, Tea (as Sara) will have to make some tough choices. In particular, her loyalty will be questioned as she is reminded of her mission when she wants to help Ashley and her young daughter to a safer life as well.

Clara Dessau does an excellent job of portraying both Tea and Sara, with all the conflicts and challenges this poses.

Watch The Asset on Netflix

The new Netflix series The Asset was created by Adam August (Darkland, Valhalla: The Legend of Thor). He also serves as head writer along with Frederik Ringtved (Hooligan) and Samanou Acheche Sahlstrøm. Also writing are episode writers Johanne Algren, Astrid Øye, and Oscar Giese.

The Asset is helmed by one of the head writers, Samanou Acheche Sahlstrøm (In Your Arms) as Conceptual Director, alongside episode director Kasper Barfoed. Viewers of Nordic Netflix series will recognize the name Kasper Barfoed from La Palma, The Nurse, and The Chestnut Man.

The Netflix series is produced by Jacob Jarek and Marta Mleczek for Copenhagen-based production house Profile Pictures. They are known for internationally successful productions, including The Apprentice (2024), Holy Spider (2022), and Speak No Evil (2022).

While season 1 of The Asset (org. title: Legenden) is a complete story with a nice resolution in the end, the ending of episode six does leave an opening for more. Will we get a season 2 of The Asset? Well, based on this first season, I really hope so.

Check it out, and see if you don’t feel the same. Hopefully, viewers will love it and watch it quickly, so Netflix can start The Asset season 2 production ASAP.

The Asset is out on Netflix globally from October 27, 2025.

Details

Directors: Samanou Acheche, Kasper Barfoed
Writers: Frederik Ringtved, Adam August
Cast: Clara Dessau, Maria Cordsen, Afshin Firouzi, Nicolas Bro, Soheil Bavi, Arian Kashef

Plot

A young agent goes undercover to befriend a drug smuggler’s wife. But the closer she gets to her target, the more complicated her mission becomes.