Month: October 2021

Last Night in Soho

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From acclaimed director Edgar Wright comes a new psychological thriller that follows timid Eloise, call her Ellie, (Thomasin McKenzie) as she moves to the big city to embark on her dreams of becoming a fashion designer. Struggling to find her place among her new classmates, Ellie is relieved when she finds an ad for a room to rent by Ms. Collins (Diana Rigg). In this room, Ellie is mysteriously able to enter London in the 1960s where she comes across Sandie (Anya Taylor-Joy). Sandie is beautiful, talented and everything that Ellie is not. Each night, Ellie looks forward to falling asleep to learn more about this woman, but she soon realizes that the glitz and the glamor is not at all what it appears to be.

Last Night in Soho was up there with one of my most anticipated films of the year and it was all because of Anya Taylor-Joy. Her rise to fame has been nothing short of impressive and while her roles have all differed, she is nonetheless phenomenal each and every time. I’ll admit I was nervous going into this, especially because horror is not a genre I’m comfortable in. I really wanted to see it on the big screen though. So, I sucked it up and I am so glad that I did because it really was worth the ride.

Anya Taylor-Joy really did shine as Sandie – she was radiant in every one of her scenes. I was also very pleased with Thomasin McKenzie’s performance. This was my first time seeing her and she matched the rest of the talent flawlessly. Matt Smith, who played Sandie’s friend Jack, was charming and also kind of scary. Other well knowns Terence Stamp, Rita Tushingham and the late Diana Rigg rounded off a great cast.

The soundtrack was brilliant and really helped set the tone of the film. The costumes were to die for and the cinematography was stunning. All the neon and flashing lights used really added that extra element.

Overall, what I enjoyed the most about Last Night in Soho was the journey it took me on. Just when I thought I knew what was going to happen, I was proven to be totally and completely wrong. Twenty four hours later and I’m still reeling from it. It really blurred the lines between reality and perception and I loved that I was left scratching my head. I also appreciated how the topic of mental health was touched upon. This psychological thriller kept me on the edge of my seat and while not everything was tied up in a perfect bow, I was satisfied overall.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Night Teeth

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For one night only, college student Benny (Jorge Lendeborg Jr.) fills in for his brother Jay (Raúl Castillo) as a chauffeur in hopes of making some extra cash. His job is to drive around two women, Blair (Debby Ryan) and Zoe (Lucy Fry), for what he’s been lead to believe, a night of party hopping. What Benny doesn’t bargain for is the real identity of his clients’. Soon Benny is exposed to a world he never knew existed where a war between humans and vampires has been going on for centuries and it is up to him to save Los Angeles before the sun comes up.

When I first saw the trailer for Night Teeth, I couldn’t help but think what a cool concept. Sure vampires are old news these days – I have devoured more than enough stories of them over the years. But for some reason, I have never tired of them. Maybe it’s because there is always something different thrown into the mix. And this time around looked like yet another fresh take on the mythical creatures that I knew I had to watch it immediately.

One of the things that drew me in initially were some of the cast members. I knew most of them: Debby Ryan from Suite Life on Deck, Alfie Allen of Game of Thrones fame, rising star Sydney Sweeney and Megan Fox, who I hadn’t seen around for awhile. While I was disappointed not to have as much of some characters as I would have liked, I have to say that I thought Benny made a great protagonist. He was your average every day college guy just looking to make his way in the world. I also really liked seeing his relationship with his Abuela (Marlene Forte) because it added a humanized element to the otherwise supernatural atmosphere. Despite having seen Jorge Lendeborg Jr. in films before, this was the first time I actually paid attention to him.

I also enjoyed the bits and pieces that were added to enrich the legend of vampires. There were some pieces of information that we knew already (staking the heart, can’t stay out in the sun etc.) however, I appreciated the extra details that gave the story a more modern take. I also thought the war between the humans and the vampires was interesting. I just wish we could have learned more about it.

Unfortunately that’s where the excitement ended for me. Maybe I had too high expectations, I’m not sure. But Night Teeth didn’t pan out exactly the way I had anticipated it would. It had some really great ideas, a pretty good cast and yet I was left wanting more. Some of the time I felt like some scenes were dragged out while others I wanted more. It all just fell a bit flat for me at the end of the day.

Rating: ♥♥

Dune

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Based on the book series of the same name, Dune follows the story of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), a gifted young man who must fulfill his destiny. To make this happen, he must travel to a dangerous planet to secure the life of his family and his people. His journey, however, will not be an easy one as multiple forces hunt for a supply of a unique and special resource that will change the universe forever.

Let’s get this out of the way: I am not a fan of science fiction. Most of the time I end up confused and missing out on half of the story because they are way too intricate for me to comprehend. So, my expectations for this movie weren’t very high. Here I was thinking I would be spending the entire time struggling to keep up. I can gladly say that the opposite happened though and I ended up completely entranced in the story. While it took some time for things to get going, once it did, I was fully immersed and could barely turn my eyes away from the screen.

With such a stacked cast, it was impossible for me not to enjoy the various performances. While I was initially interested in seeing Zendaya and Jason Mamoa, even I have to admit that I wasn’t as bothered by Timothée Chalamet’s portrayal of Paul. He’s not usually a favorite of mine. Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, Dave Bautista and Stellan Skarsgård were all flawless in their roles. Rebecca Ferguson’s role as Lady Jessica was the standout however. She stole every scene she was in.

I think the most impressive part of the film was the world building and the sets. I don’t think I had seen anything quite like it before and I couldn’t get over how realistic it all looked. That is something that I admire most about this genre and Dune was no exception. I felt immediately transported to those places which I greatly appreciated. Additionally, the musical score was beautifully haunting and fit perfectly. Hans Zimmer is a genius. I had chills multiple times throughout.

Overall I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed Dune. It was very well done and I can say that it is worth the hype it has been receiving. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

No Time To Die

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The long awaited next instalment of the James Bond franchise is finally here! No Time To Die picks up right after the events of Spectre. Bond (Daniel Craig) has left active service for a quieter life in Jamaica. However, he is slowly enticed back when old friend Felix (Jeffrey Wright) turns up asking for help. Bond’s mission to save a kidnapped scientist soon leads to something much more complicated especially as villain, Lyutsifer Safin (Rami Malek), with dangerous new technology makes himself known.

I probably should have watched Spectre before checking out this one. For the life of me, I cannot remember anything about it. So, while it took me awhile to gather my bearings, I have to say that I loved every minute this new film. It kept me on the edge of my seat all the way through and despite the two hour and forty minute run time, the events flowed nicely. The fight sequences were top notch and I found it difficult to catch my breath before something else happened.

I was stoked to see some new blood in the Bond universe. Ana De Armas’ Paloma as well as Lashana Lynch’s Nomi were very enjoyable additions that I hope we get more of going forward. I have always loved Q (Ben Whishaw) as he provides some much needed comic relief in otherwise serious situations. My memory of Madeleine (Léa Seydoux) wasn’t strong, but I liked her as Bond’s love interest. And of course there is Moneypenny (Naomie Harris) and M (Ralph Fiennes) who the movie wouldn’t have been complete without. I only wish Rami Malek’s villain had had more of an impact for me. He didn’t seem as menacing as some of the previous bad guys.

No Time To Die was a movie that I had been looking forward to, but was wary of. I just wanted it to live up to my expectations. I definitely think it was a proper send off for Daniel Craig and that is all that I really wanted. He is the one who got me into the James Bond movies to begin with – I remember the first time I watched Casino Royale and how it totally changed my life. I will miss him a lot, but I look forward to seeing who the role will go to next.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥.5

Venom: Let There Be Carnage

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Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) and Venom are back in the sequel to 2018’s Venom. This time around, Brock is trying to adjust to life as host to Venom, an alien species which gives him super human abilities, while attempting to get his career back on track. His best bet? Interviewing infamous serial killer Cletus Kasady (Woody Harrelson) before he is sentenced to death. But when an altercation breaks out between the two men, Kasady becomes the host to Carnage and breaks out of prison. Now it is up to Brock, with the help of ex-fiancee Anne (Michelle Williams) and her new beau Dan (Reid Scott) to save the world from Carnage before it’s too late.

I remember really liking the first Venom movie! It was funny, unique and different. I never understood why it was so underrated or why it wasn’t a part of the MCU (I still don’t. Anybody care to fill me in?) So when news broke about the sequel, I was thrilled. I couldn’t wait to see what shenanigans Brock and Venom found themselves in this time around.

The plot this time around seemed a lot tighter and to the point which I appreciated. I think it helped that the film was a bit on the shorter side because it didn’t allow for much room to go off course. Sometimes I complain that superhero movies are too long, so this was perfect for me! Because everything happened rather quickly, there was no time to waste and I was constantly engaged.

Brock and Venom’s back and forth banter were hilarious and I couldn’t stop laughing. It was also nice to see Brock becoming more familiar with having Venom around. Having Woody Harrelson as the villain was pretty interesting. I’m not used to seeing him in a role like that and I think he did a great job. Similarly, Naomie Harris who played Kasady’s girlfriend Francis added another bad guy into the mix.

Venom: Let There Be Carnage was an utter delight. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it and didn’t want it to end. It looks like they’ve set things up nicely for the story to go forward so fingers crossed we get more of our favorite duo sooner rather than later.

Rating:  ♥♥♥♥