victoria pedretti time travel movie

Upon its release, the episode received acclaim for its performances, atmosphere, musical score, emotional depth, and the chemistry set between Dylan O'Brien and Victoria Pedretti .

• 3.1 Starring
• 3.2 Co-Starring
• 4.1 To Evelyn
• 4.2 To Jake

Synopsis [ ]

While restoring an old Iowa farmhouse, Sam discovers a time portal in the storm cellar that transports him to 1919.

The Taylor brothers arrive at an old Iowa farmhouse they are being paid to restore to its original glory. Upon entering, Jake is optimistic about the space's potential, while Sam is skeptical. He swipes through a dating app as he walks through the house with Jake. The brothers discover the house doesn't have power, deciding to check the breaker in the cellar. While Sam swipes on his phone, Jake discovers a barometer on the wall. He notes that it probably came out in the turn of the century. As Jake taps on it, Sam matches with a girl who wants to make plans for that night.

Sam meets with Francesca at the bar, though he's late for their date. He blames his brother for making him late, as Jake has adopted a baby recently so he's been a tyrant at work. He shows Francesca a picture of his niece, Alice, who is in a photo with Jake and his husband Roger. He claims to be a good "Uncle Sam."

Francesca drops Sam off at the Iowa farmhouse the next morning. Jake points out Sam's inside out shirt. He then asks if Sam has considered his idea of changing their company name from "Taylor Construction" to "Taylor Brothers Construction", since they could make a lot more money in the future. Sam isn't thrilled as that is his brother's dream, not his. Jake brings up an eight year old Sam dragging him to yard sales to look for a rare baseball card. He notes that Sam is always searching, which isn't a bad thing, but if the life isn't for him than Sam needs to stop wasting both their times and go find what is for him.

The brothers get to work tearing down cabinets, ripping out carpets, and moving beams. Sam moves a pillar and finds a secret compartment in the fireplace. He removes the lid to find a box of Fig Newtons hidden inside. In the box is a box of matches that has "cabbage" written on the inner flap. There is also a photograph of a woman in a wedding dress. Sam is taken with her but doesn't know why. Suddenly, they hear storm alarms and rush outside to bring their gear in from the rain. They work to hang blankets over the windows when the breaker trips.

Sam heads to the cellar and to the breaker. Suddenly, he is crippled by high pitched ringing and vibrating. The barometer trembles. He falls to the ground. When he regains his balance, his surroundings are different. He runs upstairs to find the house in pristine old condition as if he's been transported to another time. He hears music playing coupled with beautiful singing. In one room is a woman, wearing 20th century garb, singing while playing the piano. The woman is the same one from the photograph - Evelyn Porter . She sees him in the reflection of a vase and whirls around. She warns him to stay back. He tries to explain who he is but she believes he's from the bank. He assures her that he isn't from the bank and won't hurt her, but he also doesn't know what is going on.

He runs upstairs searching for Jake but all the rooms are similar in their condition, with no sign of his brother ever having been there. The woman cocks a rifle as she threatens to shoot him if he doesn't state his business in five seconds. Panicked, he says that isn't necessary, trying to get her to listen. When she doesn't, he runs downstairs as the woman threatens that her mother is coming and is meaner than a snake. She threatens him to leave so he runs out the back door quickly. Paula Porter enters, greeting her daughter with an engagement gift from William.

Sam walks out front to see a horse drawn carriage, a field of farm where the busy road used to be, and a quaint farmers market in place of the bustling small town streets. He sees cars from 1919 puttering down the street. He examines a sign that say a bar has been closed for breaking prohibition laws.

Evelyn is in her family home when she plays the phonograph. She lip-synchs to the sultry song when her mother comes down, scolding her for listening. She demands that phonographs as they have to maintain a certain image as ladies. Evelyn cites it was Emmett's favorite, but Paula reminds her that Emmett is dead and buried. She won't allow Evelyn to ruin her engagement to William with the perverse music. Evelyn reluctantly hands the music over. Sam, from the basement stairs, claims they were his as he lent them to Emmett. Paula asks if the pair practiced together, but Evelyn quickly states they were classmates from medical school - Sam is a doctor. Paula is happy to meet a friend of Emmett's and gives Sam the records. She invites him to join the engagement party that evening. He claims he's only passing through and she's sure he can find his way out.

When Paula leaves, Sam hands the records back to Evelyn, who is grateful for his kind act. He tells her not to mention it as he searches for a trap door or some way to get back to his home. She is deeply confused as to what he is doing. He knows she won't believe him but she asks him to give her the chance. He caves and admits he's from the future - the year 2019, which makes her laugh. She calls him her very own time traveler. He wants to show her his phone as proof but must have dropped it at some point. Instead, he shows her the photograph he found in the house in 2019. She claims it's impossible as she's never had her photo taken. He scoffs that he knew she wouldn't believe him. He wonders if there's a trick to the house or anything special about it. Her grandfather built it forty years ago, so Sam asks to talk with him, but she states it's not a good time as everyone's busy with the engagement party. Sam realizes he just got invited to it and, despite some back and forth of her say no and him saying yes, he reminds her that she has a debt of gratitude to pay. He's not asking her to believe him just to help him. She may have something he can wear since his current clothes aren't suitable.

That night, Sam dons a fancy white suit as she takes him to meet her grandfather. She introduces Sam to Grandfather Warren who built the farmhouse. Sam launches into a series of questions that Warren struggles to answer. The man next to him, Henry Barrett , explains the ringing in Sam's ears was caused by the storm, as the pressure in the air drops during those times. Before he can elaborate, the party is called to a silence by William. His wife died last year of influenza, but they are fortunate to have found someone wonderful in Evelyn Porter.

Evelyn joins William by the stairs as the ragtime music plays. William reveals that he's planned a surprise photograph of Evelyn in her wedding dress for their announcement. This surprises her as she looks to Sam, which prompts William to ask about the young doctor. William's youngest daughter tells Sam she needs someone to dance with, but he doesn't know the turkey trot. She offers to teach him and leads him to the dance floor. As Sam attempts to dance, he dips the little girl, Mildred, at the end of the song. William thanks Sam for entertaining his daughter, who has to go to bed now. When William walks away, Evelyn tells Sam he was right about the photograph. He wants to speak with the man, Henry Barrett more, but he just left. She invites him for a walk instead.

As they walk the streets, she asks what the future is like. He admits it can be anything she wants. He reveals she can get food delivered to the house instead of cooking - any type of food, Italian, Chinese, Indian. He tells her about music and how she can have music everywhere all the time through speakers. She wants all of that. The arrive at a place called The Compound which allegedly has a speakeasy below it. She would shoot off her left pinkie to get in there. They decide to try it out.

Sam asks for a drink, something with a little cabbage, and the man behind the counter recognizes the word. He leads them to a fake wall which opens to reveal a staircase. The staircase leads to an underground area that holds a speakeasy with jazz music, filled with people and music. Evelyn orders liquor from the bartender, while Sam asks for a gin and tonic with two squeezes of lime. The total is two bits, so Sam gives the man a ten dollar bill. The bartender is confused by the cash so Evelyn quickly says she'll cover it, exchanging the ten for a few coins. Sam sees a bowl full of match sticks and takes one. They toast to the future as she sways to the music, watching a man sing. Sam invites her to dance which she happily agrees too. They dance together until the song ends. He tells Evelyn to sing but she tells him to eat a cup of dirt. They decide to flip a coin for it - heads, he'll go outside to eat a literal cup of dirt or tails, she sings a song. The coin lands on tails.

She asks the man to play "After You're Gone". Sam nods vigorously to her as she begins to sing. He then gives her a thumbs up as she sings. The partygoers being to dance together as Sam watcher her, mesmerized by her talent.

They leave the place as she gushes over her nervous thrill that she had. He states she was born to sing on that stage, as the crowd was smitten by her. She admits she wasn't looking at the crowd, standing only inches from him. She hears Paula's voice calling her and the two separate. Sam tries to take the blame by pretending he needed something from the pharmacy, but Paula knows what the place is. Evelyn justifies her presence at this being somewhere would go. However, Paula states Emmett was a doctor while she is a young lady who is engaged. Sam tries to interject but Paula cuts him of. The women start to leave, when Sam calls after them, as she doesn't have to go with her mother. Evelyn states he knows nothing. They walk away as he looks after her.

The next morning, Sam visits Henry to ask about the air pressure. He shows Sam a barometer as the needle drops when the storm is nearing. Sam states the one he saw, the needle dropped off the dial. Henry knows that would be a derecho - a really bad storm that lasts a week or two. Henry wagers it would drop the pressure again. Sam asks to borrow the barometer, but Henry isn't in the business of giving things away. Sam offers a trade - the barometer in exchange for Sam fixing his barn doors.

Evelyn is packing her things in a rush when Sam enters her room. She plans to go anywhere but where she is. He thinks he knows how they can get back to 2019, which surprises her as she's included in the sentiment. He thinks she deserves to be free and happy - to be who she wants to be and choose who she wants to be with. It doesn't have to be him, but she can have all of those things if she comes with him. He knows she doesn't belong here. He shows her the barometer which is the same one he found in the farmhouse in 2019, which means this might have always happened. Maybe she was meant to come back with him. He knows it sounds crazy. She interrupts him with a kiss. The wedding is in ten days so they have until then to leave. The storm is already there, they just have to wait for it to get worse. Now happy, the pair kiss once again.

Sam hangs the barometer in the cellar as Evelyn works to pack things they might need. They head upstairs together. Evelyn tries to act normal by having dinner with William, while Sam works on repairing the barn doors. The storm clouds seem to darken overtime. By nightfall one day, they run out of the farmhouse together as Sam happily says the day will be soon. They kiss before he leaves in a hurry. William pulls up and sees Sam running out. Later, Evelyn tries on her wedding dress. She listens to music and the pair meet in the cellar with a kiss.

William works on the barn doors as Henry compliments his work. He invites Sam to stay for dinner. Evelyn poses for her portrait as William encourages her to smile so she'll be remembered as young and beautiful. The photograph is taken just as thunder being to rumble in. She excuses herself under the guise being lightheaded. She runs happily in the rain to meet Sam at the farmhouse. The rush to the cellar as they happily wait for the moment to arrive. William and his men arrive angrily, as he found out about their affair. He calls Evelyn a common whore while she scolds back that their marriage is about money and nothing else. Sam holds her back as she shouts. The men attack as they tear Evelyn from Sam, punching him repeatedly. Evelyn is taken away by the men. Now alone, Sam begins to have the ringing sensation in his ears again. The room vibrates as he is taken back to 2019. He rushes upstairs in a panic but finds Jake instead of the men who took Evelyn.

Once outside, Sam tries to convince Jake that he traveled back in time, but his brother doesn't believe him. Sam insists it was real. Jake thinks Evelyn was a piece of history that was lodged in his brain, but whoever she was, she's long gone now. He wants to pack up and get home before Alice goes to bed. Sam stands at the porch but can't go. He has to find a way back to her. Jake wants to go eat empanadas, smoke a bowl, and maybe eat some more. However, Sam needs Jake's phone, a lightning rod, and the blanket from the back of the truck. He needs to stay and figure it out.

Sam looks up the 1919 derecho that was a disastrous event. Those pronounced dead or missing included Evelyn Porter. He cries over the revelation. Sam sits on the porch, depressed, while Jake brings equipment inside. Same listens to a podcast about the derecho's. The derecho they are in right now is called a super derecho, and is extremely destructive but also rare. The last one was around a hundred years ago. The next one, due to global warming, will be in ten or fifteen years. Sam can't wait that long.

He paces the house as he searches the pressures, tracking the storms. He looks out at the rain when Jake joins him. Jake invites him to dinner as Alice misses him. Sam can't leave as he has to stay. The siren wails and Sam rushes downstairs to find the barometer.

Sure enough, he is taken somewhere in time. But this time, the house is slightly different and a cake celebrating a fifth birthday is there. He runs up the stairs as he hears a woman singing. On a portrait is Evelyn Porter, with the year 2034 written below her, as she is an esteemed singer. He follows the singing to find Evelyn tucking a little boy into bed. She says goodnight to Sam, whishing him a happy birthday. From the hall, Sam silently sobs as he watches. He runs back downstairs but knocks down a toy on his way. He hurries to the cellar and is taken back to the modern day

Sam is frantic as he wonders what Jake did differently in the cellar. He sees a wine cabinet added, which changes the pressure. That's why he went to the future instead of the pat. He tries to tear it down but Jake stops him as he's babbling. Sam emotionally reveals that he saw the beautiful little boy they had but none of it can happen if he can't get back to her. He agrees to see a doctor if Jake helps him get everything out. When they finish, Sam locks the door behind him to avoid Jake. He rushes to the barometer and grabs it. He is suddenly taken to another place where the basement is flooding.

He rushes upstairs in search of Evelyn but can't find her anywhere. He runs to a home where he knocks on the window. She sees it's him and they run to the farmhouse together, hand-in-hand. By the time they get down to the cellar the water has risen to create an unsafe environment. He promises they'll be okay but they have to leave now. A beam collapses on Sam's leg, pinning him. They try to wrench the beam free to no avail. He stops fighting as he realizes this was meant to happen. He tells her about the son she has in the future. How he saw her singing to the little boy. She is happy they have a son, gripping his face happily. Sam tearfully reveals that she has a son, not them. He believes this was always meant to happen. She was supposed to make it and not him. She doesn't want that life without him, but he knows it's right. She was meant to live in 2019 even if it wasn't with him. Sam asks her to tell his brother he loves him, as Jake will look after Evelyn. She refuses to accept this and tries to lift the beam to no avail. She slips and is almost taken into the vortex of water, but grabs Sam's hand. He tells her that it's okay, he loves her, but she has to let go now. Their hands slip apart as she falls into the water.

Jake bangs on the door to the cellar looking for Sam. Evelyn yanks the door open and stumbles out, much to Jake's shock. When she looks to the basement everything is different. She's arrived in 2019 without Sam.

Evelyn sits downstairs as Jake joins her with food. She is still quiet but he brought her a change of clothes in the hopes they will fit. She recalls Sam's promise that there would be music in every room. Jake states that Sam really loved her and told him all about her. It wasn't what he said but how he said it. He'd never heard Sam talk like that before. He told Jake all about her singing and record collection. She corrects they were her brother's. She hid them from her mother, but Sam saved them for her the day they met. Jake remarks that the walls are originals. They pry apart the walls to find two letters stashed inside - they're from Sam. She realizes happily that he made it. Jake states in amazement that Sam is in 1919.

Evelyn opens her letter to learn Sam didn't die in the storm. He was saved by Henry and Grandfather Warren. He waited a year to get back to her but no storm came. He found the record collection in the walls. He was told another storm wouldn't come but hoped one would. He walks the streets as he watches a "votes for women" protest in the streets, smiling as they march. As much as she belongs in the future, this is where he belongs. He found where his place, and has a life at last. He came from a place with too many choices, while she had none. Now, Sam puts everything in the tin, placing it in the fireplace. He puts the pieces in place for their future to take hold.

Jake opens his letter to find a simple line saying "time to build your own home". Inside, is a Honus Wagner baseball card in mint condition, worth at least a million dollars.

Sam puts the letters into the wall, knowing Evelyn would find it, as they both look for each other. He tells her to stop looking as it's her turn now. Her life is waiting so she has to go out there and get it. She holds the letter close as she cries.

Evelyn emerges from the house in modern clothing, holding the letter as she does. She smiles in amazement at the world in front of her.

Sam loads up a cart and puts on a hat. He climbs into a "Sam Taylor Construction" truck, driving off into the fields. In the sky above, a storm begins to brew.

In 2034, little Sam asks his mother Evelyn if someone is there but she states no one is inside. She assure him everything is fine. She leaves the room to look over the balcony, but Sam isn't there. She turns around, placing her hands over her heart.

Starring [ ]

• Dylan O'Brien as Sam Taylor
• Victoria Pedretti as Evelyn Porter
• Micah Stock as Jake Taylor
• Sasha Alexander as Paula Porter
• Gabriel Olds as William
• Cullen Douglas as Henry Barrett

Co-Starring [ ]

• Nandy Martin as Francesca
• Brian Matney as Grandfather Warren
• Michaela Russell as Mildred
• Garret Kruithof as Shopkeeper
• Luke Speakman as Little Sam
• O'Bryan Neely as Bartender at Speakeasy
• Daryn Kahn as Photographer

Sam's Letters [ ]

To evelyn [ ], to jake [ ], gallery [ ].

• 2 The Cellar
• 3 Dynoman and the Volt

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Amazing Stories: The Cellar episode

• Credits 
• Trailers  [1]
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All images are copyrighted by their respective copyright holders and/or producers/distributors.

• "A romantic time travel story designed to ease viewers into the show rather than take them to uncharted territory.  Steve Greene : IndieWire
• "'Amazing Stories' feels a little less amazing in a 'Black Mirror' world (...) a fairly conventional trip into the vaguely supernatural"  Brian Lowry : CNN
• "Judging by this first episode, it’s clear that Spielberg and friends are interested in maintaining the heart and soul of what made Amazing Stories‘ initial run so memorable for so many"  Rob Hunter : Film School Rejects
• "Feeling underbaked even with all the resources of Apple and of Spielberg, 'Amazing Stories’s' first hour doesn’t make a case for viewers to stay tuned."  Daniel D'Addario : Variety
• "Given the entire story feels like it came out of a time capsule from 1987, it shouldn’t be surprising that the execution is as outdated as the material"  Alex McLevy : AV Club
• "The entire endeavor often feels as forgettable and bland as a network television drama and as melodramatic as something you’d expect from a stereotypical Lifetime TV movie"  Gregory Ellwood : The Playlist
• "An Outlander-esque time-travelling love story that’s as compact and well made as you could hope (...) Rating: ★★★ (out of 5)"  Lucy Mangan : The Guardian

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‘Amazing Stories’ Review: Reboot Premiere ‘The Cellar’ Is a Safe, Inoffensive Time Travel Tale

Steve greene.

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There’s almost no way to talk about “ Amazing Stories ” without invoking “The Twilight Zone.” Both shows, with initial seasons released less than a year apart, are reworkings of TV anthologies of decades past, executive produced by household name filmmakers, and exist as a gambit to cement another corner of a potential subscriber base for a streaming service.

Both also launched with a single entry, intended to kickstart a place in the cultural consciousness. For “Amazing Stories,” that opening is “The Cellar,” a romantic time travel story designed to ease viewers into the show rather than take them to uncharted territory.

“The Cellar” cribs generously from time-travel rom-com premises — most recognizably the 1980 Jane Seymour-Christopher Reeve gem “Somewhere in Time” — perhaps for the sake of simplicity. Boy joins his brother on a fixer-upper house-flipping gig. Boy gets trapped in a storm cellar during a once-in-three-generations storm. Boy hurtles back a century. Boy meets girl (he once saw in a photograph). Classic story.

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Dylan O’Brien and Victoria Pedretti star as Sam and Evelyn, the era-scrambled pair trying to make sense of how they came into each other’s lives. “A Simple Favor” writer Jessica Sharzer and director Chris Long follow a template that does away with nearly all the nuance that a time-travel romance could incorporate.

That extends to fashioning the 1919 that Sam ends up traveling to, a town with all necessary and expected period signifiers in place. There are superficial discussions of rigid gender roles, posters touting the institution of Prohibition, jokes centered on the limitations of past technology, and a bustling speakeasy to boot. Because this town does more light evoking of the early early 20th century than actually immersing a stranger within its ranks, most of the burden of generating wonder within the episode seems put squarely on O’Brien’s shoulders. And Sam gets accustomed to his new environment pretty quickly.

It’s part of an overall sense of comfort that undercuts most of the episode. Where “The Twilight Zone” 2019 — for all its social relevancy misfires — did succeed was drenching each of its episodes in the kind of anxiety that felt required for a modern-day update. Some that tension felt grafted on to certain episodes in increasingly clumsy ways while other installments built that more organically. The result was something that had all the trappings of nailbiting sci-fi even if the tales themselves never filled in the necessary gaps.

On Apple TV+, “Amazing Stories” seems to be striving for something with the same level of affect, only at a different pitch. Not that time travel stories are mandated by law to engage with the psychological and moral ripples of being granted a window into life 100 years in the past, but “The Cellar” seems content to skirt any sense of real threat or danger. This is an episode designed to draw in the kind of audience that’s accustomed to a particular strain of conflict-light network drama and holiday-themed programming.

At just over 50 minutes, “The Cellar” is trapped in a bizarre runtime grey area. It’s padded out enough to start constructing some sense of this town beyond the confines of the property line Yet outside of one or two sentence-length childhood anecdotes, a proficiency in woodworking, and an enjoyment of the company of a woman with a lovely singing voice, Sam is an empty vehicle for a story that’s ticking off the decades-hopping boxes as it goes.

Even still, that love story, telegraphed as it is, still lets the episode find what sweet spot it does have. The way Sam and Evelyn’s romance crests— and what the episode does with it after — is one of the few points that feel close to surprising choices. In turn, those mostly emphasize the ways the rest of the episode’s runtime feels underutilized.

Fluffy and safe, it’s not the strongest endorsement of what the rest of the series might bring. (At the time of this writing, no additional episodes were made available to press.) If that’s the overall plan for “Amazing Stories” going forward, to lull audiences into a sense of familiarity before one final zig, it’s a curious model. Let’s see if future installments follow suit.

New episodes of “Amazing Stories” will be available Fridays on Apple TV+.

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Apple’s ‘Amazing Stories’ Bosses on Why They Needed Victoria Pedretti to Open Their Reboot

Eddy Kitsis and Adam Horowitz tell TheWrap about rebooting “something very precious” to Steven Spielberg — under the watchful eye of Steven Spielberg

Apple’s long-gestating reboot of Steven Spielberg’s “Amazing Stories” finally launched its series premiere Friday, inviting both fans of the original anthology and a new generation of viewers to see what’s so amazing about showrunners Eddy Kitsis and Adam Horowitz’s modern take on the iconic ’80s series. One very obvious answer to that question is Victoria Pedretti.

Titled “The Cellar,” the debut episode of the “Once Upon a Time” duo’s Apple TV+ show follows Sam (Dylan O’Brien), a man who discovers a time portal in the storm cellar of a house he’s restoring in Iowa. That portal takes him back to 1919, where he meets Evelyn (Pedretti), a young woman with a beautiful singing voice.

Now here’s where we stop short of spoiling anything and just let Eddy and Adam explain why it was crucial Pedretti, who played fan-favorite character Nellie Crain on Netflix’s “The Haunting of Hill House” and Love Quinn on “You” Season 2, take the role of their leading lady in the opening episode of Apple’s “Amazing Stories,” which consists of five installments.

“We were obsessed with her on ‘Hill House’ and the benefit of working with Amblin is, ‘Can you get this to Victoria?’ — and they did,” Kitsis told TheWrap, drawing the connection between Spielberg’s Amblin Television producing both Netflix’s “Haunting” anthology and Apple’s “Amazing Stories.”

“And then it was literally like, ‘We want Nellie Crain to do this role. No one else but Nellie Crain can do the role,’” he added. “And they’re like, ‘We’ll pitch it to her!’ And then she agreed to do it. And we were so excited about that. And of course Dylan O’Brien is amazing too.”

Now, more on why Pedretti is so amazing in this particular amazing story.

“Are you kidding? That scene where she’s singing alone is, like, so magical,” Kitsis told us. “We would just watch that scene in editing and it was like — everything about the character, she just did in that one scene. It was amazing her talent.”

“She’s a special talent,” Horowitz added.

Another very special talent involved in Apple’s “Amazing Stories” is the IP’s creator himself, Spielberg, who Kitsis and Horowitz were simultaneously delighted and terrified to work with.

“When ‘Once Upon a Time’ ended after seven seasons in 2018, Adam and I looked at each other and said, ‘We need time off, we’re not taking the first call that comes in,’” Kitsis said. “Well, the first call was Amblin asking if we’d be interested in ‘Amazing Stories.’ So we looked at each other and said yes, because not only is ‘Amazing Stories’ a beloved show in our lives, but the reason we’re in this business is because of Steven Spielberg. It’s because we looked up and said, ‘Oh my God, you can make an entire career out of imagination. I wanna do that.’”

But the “Amazing Stories” reboot was in the works long before Horowitz and Kitsis got that amazing call and accepted that amazing offer.

Bryan Fuller had been attached to the project since October 2015, before it shifted from NBC (the broadcaster behind the original series) to Apple in 2017. Fuller, who was set as the showrunner on the new “Amazing Stories,” exited the series over “creative differences” in February 2018 . Kitsis and Horowitz were hired as his replacements in May of that same year.

Kitsis and Horowitz told us they didn’t see any of Fuller’s work and started from scratch when they took over the challenge of rebooting Spielberg’s show. And during that process they had one very important asset: direct access to the iconic series’ mastermind himself.

“Every story, every cut, we got to go to Steven with everything,” Kitsis said. “So it was a great opportunity to kind of bring this to life. And for us, it was a bucket list drop because our dream was to meet Steven, we never thought we would actually get to work with him.”

Kitsis says that he and Horowitz sat with Spielberg for hours “talking about stories.”

“And this method is beyond what anyone would expect — and you wouldn’t expect a lot in terms of how much time he can make and how much energy he has,” Kitsis said. “Every time I leave Steven, I’m so inspired because he just loves to tell stories… And so when he’s sitting down, it doesn’t feel like work, it feels like we’re getting to do our dream  job, which is to say, ‘What do you think about this? And what about this?’ And for us it was a great partnership because we got to collaborate and learn from the greatest of all time. And of course working with Steven was frightening for us, because he was our hero.”

Horowitz says that their working relationship with Spielberg “was a collaboration, while at the same time always acknowledging this is Steven’s thing.”

“So we understood when we took this job that Steven was trusting us with something very precious,” he said. “This is an idea he conceived 30-some years ago that has a special place in pop culture and we took this responsibility very seriously. And so what the relationship was was incredible, from our perspective, which was we got to run the show, but work very closely with Steven.”

“Amazing Stories” premieres Friday on Apple TV+ with new episodes rolling out weekly.

‘Amazing Stories’ Episode 1 Review: ‘The Cellar’ blends romance and time travel but ends with a big yawn

Spoiler Alert for 'Amazing Stories' Episode 1 — 'The Cellar'

Just like you can't judge a book by its cover, you cannot judge an anthology series by its first episode. 'Amazing Stories' sets a difficult task at hand as it hopes to transport the audience to a world of wonder. Sadly, the first episode doesn't manage to strike the right chord. 

A reimagining of the original anthology series from the 1980s, the first episode, 'The Cellar', stars Dylan O’Brien, Victoria Pedretti and Sasha Alexander. With Steven Spielberg's name attached to the high-profile project, the first hour-long drama doesn't spill brilliance as expected. In the typical "ordinary-meets-extraordinary" style, the fantasy drama attempts to uncloak the hidden aspects of technological marvel and time travel.

The hourlong tale begins with two brothers, Sam (Dylan O'Brien) and Jake (Micah Stock), who get set to restore a house destroyed by a fierce storm. As they enter the antique house, Jake seems to be pretty impressed with the place, but Sam is busy left-swiping and right-swiping on Tinder. He stumbles upon an old box with peculiar memorabilia, especially a gorgeous woman's photograph. His brother jokes, "You know you can't swipe such things." 

As they continue to work around the house, they find an old barometer. It can make you travel in time. How convenient was it to bring a device that "somehow" makes a sound in Sam's ears and he travels through time to enter another dimension? Wow! Guess we all just need a good old barometer to fix mistakes from our past and catch a glimpse of the future.

He reaches an old era. It is the year 1919. He finds the same girl from the vintage photograph playing the piano. Once there, he looks at the regressive state of society. Whether it is her interest in music or marrying her choice of man — Evelyn Porter (Victoria Pedretti) apparently can't move a finger without approval. "William will not understand your perverse taste in music," Paula Porter (Sasha Alexander) tells her. Isn't that how women were shut out from following their own passions or honing their talents in olden times? Perhaps, this is the only junction where the story makes a little sense. 

It is odd how Sam becomes such a huge influence in her life in just one day. From saving her vinyl records to making her realize her real potential when she sings 'After You've Gone' on stage — he is indeed her very own time traveler. And no surprises, it is he who tells her how she deserves to be free, to be happy... as if she didn't know on her own. Yawn! And in a matter of minutes, the two fall in love. 

Why are romantic movies so clichéd? None of the dialogues mint magic. The couple mumbles what we've heard and read in countless love stories. In the middle of the episode, you can't help but wonder, what's new?

The two start staying together and wait until her wedding day. Like time travel is a joke! Gah! The plot leads to the same old boy-meets-girl drama where the pair tries to run off and the other lover turns up like a villain. Exactly at that moment, his ears start ringing again. He goes back into the present time. Not able to forget her, he tries to use the barometer again. "Come on," he mutters to the barometer and it works. Magic words, indeed! This time, he enters the future and Evelyn seems to have achieved her dreams of becoming a singer. She sings a lullaby and kisses goodnight to put her son Sam to sleep.

A tear drops from Sam's eye and he makes his mind to "save" her from the 1919 era. After a difficult ordeal, he lets her escape and stays back instead of her. Of course, he has to be the self-sacrificing prince charming. When Jake comes looking for Sam, he finds Evelyn instead. He realizes Sam sacrificed himself to save her. A few days later, Evelyn and Jake find letters beneath the wooden shaft. Sam pens down: "As much as you belong in the future, I belong in the past. I found my place. All thanks to you. I have a life." 

While O'Brien manages to give a good performance, Pedretti's over-acting is a downer in several scenes. Sasha Alexander too brings a powerful performance in the few scenes she acts. However, it is the story that disappoints. What could be an interesting concept seems like a dull, drowsy saga with no head or tail. Sadly, the episode only deserves a generous two stars. Time will tell if the Spielberg-produced series manages to make up for the half-witted science fiction in its pilot, or turns out to be a bummer.

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All 19 Nicolas Cage Movies From The 1990s, Ranked

Paul mescal gets glowing praise from denzel washington as gladiator 2 trailer date confirmed, one obi-wan kenobi line set up the rise of skywalker's palpatine twist 36 years earlier.

Victoria Pedretti has been taking the film and television world by storm over the past few years. When drama and horror fans think of the truly captivating actors gaining popularity today, Victoria almost immediately comes to mind.

RELATED: 10 Saddest Moments In The Haunting Of Bly Manor

Her breakout role in the incredibly popular The  Haunting Of Hill House series was an amazing start to what continues to be an illustrious career filled with spine-chilling performances. On IMDb, the hard work she does for every role has received the appropriate credit and rating.

"Katherine" in Shirley (2020) - 6.1

Shirley is a quasi-biography about horror and mystery writer Shirley Jackson whose writing process is thrown off when a newlywed couple comes to stay with her and her literary critic husband. It stars Elizabeth Moss in the titular role.

Although Victoria's role in the film isn't a large one, she brings vivacious energy to the screen in every scene she's in. Her being in the film is also a nod to fans of Hill House , as it's one of many film adaptations of Shirley Jackson's story . Katherine is a sort of temptress, appearing laughing with friends and dancing in dream sequences with intense eye contact with the main character, Rose.

"Evelyn Porter" in Amazing Stories (2020) - 6.3

Amazing Stories is a very interesting anthology series detailing miracles and supernatural events. In Victoria's episode, titled "The Cellar," Sam discovers that the cellar of the old mansion he's fixing up transports people back in time during intense storms.

In the year 1919, Sam meets Victoria's character, Evelyn. who longs for a life where she can be herself and enjoy music, which her family disapproves of. She wants to go to the future with Sam but the two are separated, with her in the future and Sam in the past. Victoria is a timeless actor and fits into any epic and accurate period drama. She seamlessly molds to both the past and future settings and gives an amazing performance as a wide-eyed and passionate music lover.

"Heist Girl 1" in Star-Crossed: The Film (2021) - 6.5

There is truly no role too small or too odd for Victoria and she brings her fiery energy to every set - including the set of Kacey Musgraves' music. Like many other music artists, Kacey Musgraves turned her album into a movie, and Victoria starred in it.

RELATED: 10 Best Music Videos About Mental Health

She's featured in the "simple times" segment and is a popular girl with Kacey and their friends, complete with a frosted pink metallic mini skirt and pink fuzzy crop top. As a group, they don masks and nun-chucks and rob a mall and bridal shop. It's such a fun and different role for Victoria, and viewers can tell she really enjoyed her time filming.

"Edie" in Uncovering Eden (2014) - 7.0

Even though Victoria has booked series and film leads, she started her career with several short film roles.  Uncovering Eden is a short about Edie, a 16-year-old who is bullied into shaking off her Jewish identity to fit in with her crush and his friends and is a powerful film on the topic of race relations.

The story sheds light on the cruel and sometimes overtly racist and judgmental nature of teenagers, and how being blinded by teen romance can cause people to overlook that sort of behavior. Although some of the insults are a little on-the-nose, Victoria shows off her ability to communicate complex emotions through simple facial expressions and glances. For one of her earlier projects, her star quality already shines through.

"Girl" in Sole (2014) - 7.4

In another one of her first film appearances, Victoria starred in the visualization of the poem "Sole" by Anna Rosati. Victoria is both visually represented in the short film and narrates the poem through a voiceover. Her role in  Sole is much different from other films fans may know her from.

Victoria's acting is almost primal and aggressive, as she scratches at her dirt-covered skin and crawls naked through sharp branches in the forest. This love and appreciation of poetry is reminiscent of the now popular Dickinson,  which features the poetry of Emily Dickinson in many similar ways, like voice-over and abstract scenes. The short is available on Vimeo for anyone interested in seeing one of Victoria's first moving performances.

"Dani Clayton" in The Haunting Of Bly Manor (2020) - 7.4

Victoria's role in the second season in the  Haunting anthological series was a fan-favorite. Dani Clayton is a teacher who leaves her troubled past behind to teach a pair of traumatized children at Bly Manor in England.

Dani is a beloved character and fans were rooting for her happiness throughout the series. Many viewers thought Dani's character deserved a better ending , wanting her to be able to be happy with Jamie. Dani maintains her cheery optimism to the end, giving everything she could to prevent more tragedy.

"Lulu" in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (2019) - 7.6

Once Upon A Time In Hollywood is a reimagining of the tragic Manson family murder spree that killed Sharon Tate. The subplot of the film follows Brad Pitt's character, Cliff, being exposed to Charles Manson's cult following and commune.

RELATED: 8 Ways The Once Upon A Time In Hollywood Book Differed From The Movie

Victoria plays Lulu, a member of the Manson family commune, though her time onscreen isn't extensive, this role was a big deal for her. The movie had a star-studded cast including Leo DiCaprio, Margot Robbie, Brad Pitt, and Kurt Russell - just to name a few. It won two Academy Awards, an American Film Institute award, four Critics' Choice awards, three Golden Globes, and many more.

"Love Quinn" in You (2019) - 7.7

Victoria's most recent television role has been Joe Goldberg's love interest on the hit Netflix series,  You . Everyone's favorite stalker finally found his perfect match in Love Quinn, a deceptively innocent chef-turned-murderer and mother of his child.

Victoria's range really shows in Love. Not only can she be charming, but she can also be afraid, angry, and diabolical. Victoria has the unique ability to make audiences empathize with and cheer for her character, when Love is technically the biggest villain in season 3 . Her ability to still be likable while murdering anyone that gives her husband a second glance is truly a gift.

"Nell Crain" in The Haunting Of Hill House (2018) - 8.6

Nell Crain is Victoria's most well-known role and the one that kicked her acting career into overdrive. Her heartbreaking performance was a highlight of the immensely popular horror series. Adding the gut-wrenching emotional aspect to the horror genre by focusing on the kids' inner turmoil is part of what makes the show so riveting.

Nell has one of the saddest arcs in the series and Victoria brings it to life perfectly. The intense emotions she is able to communicate add a layer of horrifying realism to her story. Viewers can practically feel Nell's anguish and fear-induced paralysis through Victoria's incredible performance.

NEXT: The 10 Saddest Moments In The Haunting Of Hill House

TV & Movies

The actor has two Haunting projects on her resume.

It’s spooky season, and there are plenty of TV shows and movies to watch during your next night in. One of those shows is YOU , which is now on its third season. Judging by recent reviews , there’s no shortage of jaw-dropping moments in the series’ latest installment, and many of those instances come from Love Quinn, Joe Goldberg’s wife/literal partner-in-crime, played by Victoria Pedretti. Pedretti’s scene-stealing moments in YOU propelled the Philadelphia native into mainstream stardom, but the rest of the actor’s resume deserves equal attention.

Apart from YOU , she’s starred in other thrillers, including two seasons of a haunting Netflix anthology series and a time-traveling episode from a Steven Spielberg-produced TV show. In fact, her roles have carried such heavy themes that she says she uses marijuana to “just get dumb for a second.”

On the lighter side of her filmography, Pedretti’s also starred in an Academy Award-nominated Quentin Tarantino movie. “That was bizarre,” she recalled to GQ about booking the latter , adding, “I would never f*cking agree to be in a movie under most circumstances having not read the script. That shows you the power of Tarantino.” But out of all her roles, here are the best Victoria Pedretti movies and TV shows.

The Haunting of Hill House

Pedretti turned heads in the Netflix miniseries The Haunting of Hill House a year before doing the same in Season 2 of You . Mike Flanagan ( Oculus , Gerald’s Game ) created and directed the show adapted from Shirley Jackson’s 1959 book . It revolves around the Crain family and the terrifying events they experience in the “most famous haunted house in America,” Hill House. Pedretti is one of the youngest Crain family members, Eleanor “Nell” Crain, who’s haunted from childhood into adulthood by the “bent-neck lady.”

In an interview for BUILD , Pedretti said The Haunting of Hill House was her first on-camera job. Thanks to the gig, she learned how to conserve her energy, find her marks, how to cry on cue, and other necessary skills every actor must master. “I felt myself while I was doing Haunting , slowly getting better at mustering up certain qualities or emotions as I was going. I really saw my [acting] muscle getting stronger,” she added.

The Haunting of Bly Manor

As the second installment in the anthology series, The Haunting of Bly Manor followed The Haunting of Hill House . In Bly Manor , Pedretti returns to the Haunting universe as a different character , American au pair Dani Clayton, who inhabits another cursed home. According to Pedretti, the scares are “somewhat fairytale-like” compared to the ominous frights in Hill House . Still, the startling scenes in the gothic romance will make you want to hide under your bedsheets.

Shirley premiered in 2020 after the debut of YOU Season 2. The movie is loosely based on the real-life The Haunting of Hill House novelist , Shirley Jackson. The late horror and mystery author, famously known for other works such as The Lottery and The Bird’s Nest , is portrayed by Elisabeth Moss in the biographical drama. Pedretti stars as Katherine, whose character is described in Dance magazine as “something of a temptress .” Her dream sequence dance is among the more memorable scenes of Shirley .

Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood

The 2019 movie about an actor and his stuntman’s fading careers is jam-packed with A-list talent. Alongside Brad Pitt , Leonardo DiCaprio , and Margot Robbie , Pedretti plays Lulu in the Quentin Tarantino comedy-drama. Her role is smaller than the main trio’s, but she’s still memorable as the 19-year-old convicted murderer, also known as Leslie Van Houten .

Amazing Stories

Pedretti starred in an episode of Apple TV’s sci-fi anthology series Amazing Stories titled “The Cellar.” In the show, she plays a character named Evelyn Porter, who lives in 1919 and falls in love with Sam Taylor (Dylan O’Brien), a man who finds himself transported to her world from 2019. In a featurette, Pedretti calls the series “so cinematic and epic .” Amazing Stories is both a reboot of Steven Spielberg’s 1980s series and executive produced by the renowned director.

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Victoria Pedretti

Birth Place: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

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Amazing Stories review: Steven Spielberg's show for Apple TV Plus bets on nostalgia

Spielberg's reimagining of the anthology series is equal parts reminiscence and fairy tale.

Victoria Pedretti and Dylan O'Brien in Amazing Stories.

Unlike Amazing Stories Executive Producer Steven Spielberg , I didn't read the Amazing Stories magazine . I didn't watch the 1985 TV adaptation with two episodes directed by him. I barely remember the original The Twilight Zone . My first clear reference of an anthology series with a science fiction twist and completely independent episodes was the highly sophisticated and mostly perturbing Black Mirror . 

The Cellar, the episode of Amazing Stories available for review that debuts on Apple TV Plus March 6, is no Black Mirror.

Amazing Stories was developed by Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz , creators of the ABC show Once Upon a Time . While it's hard to gauge the entire series having seen just one of its five episodes, judging by The Cellar, Amazing Stories seems to share a few ingredients with it. It feels like the kind of wholesome fare more common in network TV -- sex happens off-screen, language is clean, and there are clear good characters and villains. The Cellar also has an almost fairy tale quality to it.

Dylan O'Brien in Amazing Stories.

With only 52 minutes of running time, The Cellar feels like a TV movie condensed to the length of a TV episode. Its characters are painted in wide brush strokes. We learn Sam (Dylan O'Brien) is a 2019 "cliched millennial" prone to using dating apps and hooking up with strangers. His brother Jacob (Micah Stock) describes him that way in case viewers didn't reach the same conclusion.

Nothing in The Cellar is subtle. Everything is explained with the kind of audiovisual techniques I associate with network dramas and shows conceived before the golden age of TV.

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"William will not understand your perverse taste in music," Mrs. Porter (Sasha Alexander) tells her music-loving daughter, Evelyn (Victoria Pedretti), about the well-heeled fiancé she's found for her. With that single line, you know William is bad news. There's not much space or time for the nuances of flawed characters in an episode that works with clear contrasts. The Cellar needs to tell a tale in a limited amount of time.

Bear in mind the episode also has to also cram in exposition regarding the science fiction elements. I won't go into details, but by the end of The Cellar you'll have your doubts about the logic in its somewhat elaborate mythology. That doesn't necessarily mean you won't enjoy the completely fantastical premise.

Victoria Pedretti in Amazing Stories.

From its title sequence, with a theme song composed by frequent Spielberg collaborator John Williams for the original show , Amazing Stories aims to transport the viewer to an era of nostalgia reminiscent of Close Encounters of the Third Kind or E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial . Yet The Cellar is set in a 2019 with so much cell phone usage you wonder if Apple should have taken it a bit easier with the plus-sized iPhone product placement.

I'm intrigued to see the premises of the other episodes. With anthology series, you can absolutely dislike one story, or its tone, but fall in love with the next. 

Right now, the show lacks the narrative complexity we've gotten used to with recent science fiction series like Westworld , Sense8 , Orphan Black or Stranger Things . That being said, I didn't expect the formulaic case-of-the-week The Mandalorian would satisfy 2019 viewers. I was sure it wouldn't find a space in the highly competitive world of peak TV, and I was wrong. 

It could be that people are wanting for a show that resembles more what TV used to be: a good way to unplug your brain and escape for an hour. In other words, if you want some nostalgic TV to enjoy with the whole family, Amazing Stories could be what you are looking for. If you want your science fiction to make you think obsessively and ponder about the terrors of technology, you might prefer to wait until the next season of Black Mirror. 

2019 TV shows you can't miss

Disclosure: Patricia Puentes' husband works for Health at Apple.

Steven Spielberg's 'Amazing Stories' Is a Reboot From the '80s for Apple TV

Updated March 5 2020, 5:08 p.m. ET

Those who love The Twilight Zone and Black Mirror will definitely want to pay attention to Apple TV 's newest offering. Sci-fi fans and devoted admirers of the work of Steven Spielberg will be excited to learn that Amazing Stories is launching on the streaming platform on March 6. The anthology series centers around five stories (one for each episode) that include favorite sci-fi elements, like time travel.

With a reported budget of $5 million per episode, the theatrics in Amazing Stories might break new ground for TV.  

Confirmed stars in the series include Dylan O'Brien, Victoria Pedretti (from Netflix's You and The Haunting of Hill House ), Ed Burns, Sasha Alexander, Kerry Bishe, and Austin Stowell. 

The show is highly anticipated, but it's not the first time that Amazing Stories has been on the air. 

Amazing Stories had an original run in the '80s, and it has heavily influenced the reboot. Read on to find out all the details about the original show. 

'Amazing Stories' originally ran in the '80s and it had a star-studded cast.

The anthology series first ran on NBC for two seasons between 1985 and 1987. An avid fan of sci-fi, Spielberg created the series before he ever worked on some of his most well-known movies, including Jurassic Park, Schindler's List, and Catch Me If You Can. 

The show experienced breakout success and was nominated for 12 Emmy Awards during the two years that it was on the air. Unfortunately, its critical success didn't match its viewer numbers and it was canceled after a two year contract expired.  

Interestingly, there was one story that was pitched for the show that Spielberg thought would be better for a film. That idea eventually became the basis for the 1987 movie Batteries Not Included , which starred Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn .

One of the most beloved episodes of the series was "The Mission" (Season 1, Episode 5). The plot centered around a cartoonist who got trapped in a WWII bomber. The episode had a star-studded cast, including Kevin Costner, J.J. Cohen, and Kiefer Sutherland. 

Another highly rated episode was Season 2's "Thanksgiving," which featured a stepfather (David Carradine) and stepdaughter (Kyra Sedgwick) finding a community of mole people. 

Other actors who had guest roles in the series included Christopher Lloyd, "Weird Al" Yankovic, Danny DeVito, Rhea Perlman, James Avery, Sam Waterston, Lukas Haas, Tim Robbins, Forest Whitaker, and Beau Bridges. 

Here's what we know about the 'Amazing Stories' reboot.

Spielberg announced in March of 2019 that he was going to reboot the series for Apple TV because he wanted to expose a new generation of viewers to the sci-fi show. The first episode, which is entitled "The Cellar" stars Dylan O'Brien and Victoria Pedretti and it centers around two brothers who make a living by fixing up houses. The older brother is stable, while the younger brother (Dylan) is restless. Oh, and he can time travel. 

View this post on Instagram Five tales. Infinite imagination. Watch #AmazingStories March 6 on the Apple TV app with an Apple TV+ subscription. A post shared by Apple TV (@appletv) on Feb 17, 2020 at 9:08am PST

During one of his time travel expeditions, he meets Evelyn (Victoria Pedretti) and the two begin to fall in love. The plots of the other episodes have been kept under wraps.

Amazing Stories drops on Apple TV on March 5. The first season will consist of five hour-long episodes. 

The original Amazing Stories episodes can be streamed on NBC.com.

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The Haunting of Bly Manor

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After an au pair’s tragic death, Henry hires a young American nanny to care for his orphaned niece and nephew who reside at Bly Manor with the chef Owen, groundskeeper Jamie and housekeeper,... Read all After an au pair’s tragic death, Henry hires a young American nanny to care for his orphaned niece and nephew who reside at Bly Manor with the chef Owen, groundskeeper Jamie and housekeeper, Mrs. Grose. After an au pair’s tragic death, Henry hires a young American nanny to care for his orphaned niece and nephew who reside at Bly Manor with the chef Owen, groundskeeper Jamie and housekeeper, Mrs. Grose.

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• 2.2K User reviews
• 101 Critic reviews
• 3 wins & 23 nominations total

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Did you know

• Trivia This is the 35th adaptation for film/TV of the Henry James novella The Turn of the Screw. A movie remake telling a modern version of the tale called The Turning (2020) was released in theaters a few months before this series premiered.
• Goofs Bly Manor has North American early 20th century push button light switches and sockets throughout the building despite being set somewhere in Essex, England. Buildings electrified in early 20th century England would have had toggle switches and round two pin sockets. By the 1980s, when the series is set, there would have been modern UK sockets and switches if the building had ever been rewired. Henry's office and Peter's flat have the correct UK switches.
• Connections Featured in Chris Stuckmann Movie Reviews: The Haunting of Bly Manor (2020)

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• October 9, 2020 (United States)
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• Amblin Television
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• Runtime 55 minutes
• Dolby Atmos
• Dolby Digital

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