Last Night in Soho (2021)

Last Night in Soho is a horror movie, surprisingly. It's also directed by Edgar Wright. Is this a dream? Someone, please make sense to me how this got made.

Written and directed by Edgar Wright, Soho is about a fashion designer who without spoiling the film starts to uncover a murder mystery from the 1960s and has to make sense of it all. It has everything you want from Wright's transitions and self-references but missing the comedy of his previous films. I feel like this movie was made on a dare much in the same way American Graffiti was made.

Thomasin McKenzie has really developed as an actress both in her ability to convey emotion but also with how she loses herself in the role. The last time I saw her was in Jojo Rabbit and True History of the Kelly Gang and I look forward to The Power of the Dog later this year. She plays the main character and does a wonderful job with her accent too. I can't go into detail about what happens to her without spoiling the film but she's certainly an actress to be on the lookout for from now on and carries this film. It would not be the same without her.

Anya Taylor-Joy has been great in so many films that it's easy to see her in this role as a 1960's aspiring singer. You might know her from The Queen's Gambit, but I know her from The Witch and Split. She's been in so much and yet she's so young and people don't give her enough credit. I can't wait to see her take on the role of Furiosa.

The film has a lot of themes and in a way is a feminist movie but written and directed by a man. The character does things that fly in the face of what a man would do in the same situation which might be the help from the screenplay writer Krysty Wilson-Cairns and I'm curious how much she changed from Wright's original story. That might sound scary calling this horror film a feminist movie but it's not in your face or shaming the audience in a way that many other films have in recent history. I'm looking at you Birds of Prey. It takes a tactful approach towards handling the mistreatment of women, especially in 1960's London.

There's no other film like it to compare it to and my closest feelings on it lie somewhere between Red Sparrow (2018) and Ex Machina (2015) both of which earned an A- in my book. I can say this is a great film with only one minor flaw in the convoluted way the movie ended.

Comments

Agent Zero (2026)

Agent Zero is an attempt to deliver a female-led espionage action thriller, but unfortunately it comes across as boring and intentionally slow in an effort to make the action sequences feel more impactful. The problem is that the action is so poorly delivered that none of the payoff feels rewarding. Guillaume de Fontenay does a good job framing his scenes, but everything has the appearance of a first take, lacking the polish and energy needed to make the slower pacing work. The film spends so much time building toward its action that when it finally arrives, it rarely feels worth the wait. Marine Vacth plays her own version of Salt or Jason Bourne , portraying a highly capable operative who maintains a consistently quiet demeanor. Unfortunately, the character's attitude comes across as bitter rather than cool or mysterious. Vacth commits to the role, but the performance is restrained to the point of becoming monotonous, making it difficult to connect with the character or care ...

Ice Cream Man (2026)

Ice Cream Man is written and directed by Eli Roth , and while there is a decent story underneath everything, the execution leaves a lot to be desired. The film does have a twist ending, although it's one most viewers will probably see coming well in advance. The biggest problem is the CGI, which is frequently distracting and looks noticeably cheap. Roth has even acknowledged using ai to help "bring his vision for the film to life," and unfortunately, that decision is difficult to ignore when looking at the finished product. There are so many strange creative choices throughout the movie that I repeatedly found myself wondering what the writers were thinking. Charlie Zeltzer is tasked with carrying much of the film as one of the few children who manages to avoid being captured by the Ice Cream Man. He does a respectable job considering how much responsibility is placed on him, and he provides much of the emotional center of the story. It's not an easy role for a youn...

Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie is another cookie-cutter entry in the Paw Patrol franchise, so there isn't much to say about the story itself. This time, the focus is on Marshall, the team's resident firefighter, or perhaps "firedog" in this case. The movie is wholesome and delivers exactly what you'd expect from a Paw Patrol film, even if it doesn't do much to distinguish itself from the previous entries. Mckenna Grace voices Skye, although you would never know it from the performance. Her voice is so normal for the character that Grace's usual presence is virtually unrecognizable. Terry Crews , on the other hand, voices Alistair Stonewall, and you can definitely tell it's him. His recognizable voice and personality come through clearly and make the character more memorable. Snoop Dogg also makes a fun cameo as Dave, the owner of a yacht who enjoys fishing. It's a small role, but his recognizable voice and personality make it a welcome surprise. T...

Movies, Film, and Chili

Search This Blog