I love Guillermo del Torro, so I was justifiably excited about his Cabinet of Curiosities on Netflix. What should have been a weird and horrific anthology turned out to be less of a cabinet and more of a junk drawer. The series is a disappointing collection of uninspired and uninteresting stories that were mostly a waste of time.
The series does have its moments, but it suffers from the same affliction most of these horror anthologies do; not all of the stories are interesting. I would argue that the first two episodes hold up the best, but considering the quality of the rest of the show, it isn’t saying much. I would have published this review sooner, but it was a struggle to finish this series. I had to take multiple breaks in order to finish because I kept losing interest. I’ll be honest, I almost gave up, but I powered through and remember some of it. There are episodes in this series that didn’t leave any impression on me, so I can’t bother to remember any specifics.
It is always difficult to recommend horror anthologies because the quality between episodes is never consistent. While some episodes might stand out, the writing and acting aren’t always there for the whole series. Cabinet of Curiosities continues to prove this theory. If you are looking for quality horror set in the mind of Guillermo Del Torro, look elsewhere. Ultimately, this series holds nothing to be curious about, so don’t bother. But to the nonbelievers, you can stream it on Netflix.
Now as a shameless plug, let me tell you about my new partnership with Canva. Canva is an online photo and video editing tool that is easy to use. I have been using Canva since before my partnership, and I would have recommended it regardless. It is free to use, but there is a subscription service that unlocks additional features. I use the free version and find it is perfect for my needs. If you aren’t very creative, Canva has a vast selection of templates to help you create your next poster, logo, banner, and more. Go check out Canva today!
Series Review: The Midnight Club
The Midnight Club is a huge waste of time. Even if you enjoy horror anthologies and mysteries, this is a very weak entry into either genre. I wouldn’t bother with this series even for the morbid curiosity.
The Midnight Club is a collection of poorly written and acted ghost stories that exist within a mystery. In a hospice designed for teens with terminal diseases, a club was formed to help cope with the ever-looming death around them. The teens gather every night to tell ghost stories and blow off steam. But there is something sinister is afoot. The teens see ghosts and hear voices that aren’t there. There is something about a cult, but I honestly stopped caring pretty early on.
The acting is bad, and somehow the writing is worse. Scenes that exist outside of the ghost stories fair a little better, but barely. The biggest issue I have with this series is with the ghost stories. The stories are generic, and often parodies of better horror stories or movies. This would be fine if the intention was to parody, but it isn’t. This is a serious attempt at horror with very little value. Each story comes with an overbearing and poorly read narration that kills any tension the story could have. Some of the stories recap events that have occurred in the series, making this a redundant and uninteresting mess.
I wouldn’t mind if this show was a horror anthology if there wasn’t so much narration. I wouldn’t mind the stories if they didn’t take away from the overarching mystery. This series feels like several different shows, and none of it is cohesive. I often forgot there was a mystery tying the series together. I can’t tell you how many times I almost gave up on this series because nothing of note ever happens. This series has ghosts, tragic backstories, cults, death, and none of it matters.
The pacing is terrible. There is a lot of filler in this series. Most of it comes from the ghost stories, but there is a fair amount of self-service. The ghost stories are often interrupted by snide remarks or criticism from the other characters, and it kills any suspense the stories have. There are minutes dedicated after the stories to remark on how great the story and storyteller are. The main character won’t go an episode without talking about how smart and talented she is. It is infuriating how pretentious these characters can be.
The series does have a few interesting moments. I liked how the kids dealt with their mortality and talked about their illnesses. There are some interesting conversations about the social struggles they face due to their illness, but there isn’t enough to make it worth your time. Other than their illnesses, the characters have no depth to them.
Don’t watch this show because it is bad. The characters are flat, the plot doesn’t matter, and the acting isn’t even good. But if you don’t believe me, check it out on Netflix.
Now as a shameless plug, let me tell you about Atlas VPN. If you need a VPN that is safe, easy, and affordable, consider Atlas VPN. I am affiliated with the service, and I do get a little money if you choose to use the service.
If you enjoy my content and want to help me out, lease consider supporting what I do by checking out my affiliate links:
| Start your free trial at Game |
| Try Amazon Prime Free |
| Buy a new TV, or a sound bar |
| Check out AVG Anti Virus |
| You can always just buy me a coffee |