(For Day 11 of NaPoWriMo, the prompt was for a monostich, or one-line poem, which often relies on its title for full context. I figured this laconic form could lend itself to some creepiness.)

Ignorance Is Bliss

I try not to think that, wherever I am, somebody has died there.

_________________________

MPA rating:  R (for language, sex, and bloody violence, more of a medium-level R)

I consider myself picky when it comes to the horror genre, and the hackneyed slashers or gorefests have little interest for me. But every now and then a scary movie stands out by breaking the mold with its superior quality. Last Night in Soho may have been a disappointment at the box office, thanks mainly to COVID, but Edgar Wright’s psychological timebender has a special blend of cast and craft that deserved far better.

Aspiring fashion designer and lover of 1960s culture Eloise (Thomasin McKenzie) moves from her grandmother’s rural home to the bustling metropolis of London, and, after having enough of college dorm life, she opts to rent a room near campus. While sleeping, Ellie finds herself seemingly transported back to the ‘60s and living the glamorous life of Sandie (Anya Taylor-Joy), a singer who is wooed by her would-be manager Jack (Matt Smith). It’s literally a dream come true, yet the more Ellie delves into this vicarious other life, the more she becomes haunted by frightening visions from the past.

First off, Last Night in Soho looks fantastic, conjuring the neon-lit enchantment of 1966, and as with Wright’s previous film Baby Driver, his butter-smooth camerawork is a joy to watch. The soundtrack is likewise perfectly chosen, replete with the best of Cilla Black, James Ray, and the Kinks, immersing Ellie and the audience further into the Swinging Sixties. It’s a crying shame that the film got zero Oscar attention when its cinematography, sound, and production design could easily have stood with the best that year.

As for the story, the film is a masterclass in gradual genre shifting, as it starts out as a fantasy with wide-eyed Eloise marveling at her chance to see a decade that has fascinated her with its fashion and music. McKenzie is a perfect ingenue, further proving her talent after Leave No Trace and Jojo Rabbit, while Taylor-Joy excels as her yesteryear counterpart, also proving her singing chops by contributing to the soundtrack. The way mirrors were employed to juxtapose the two was fascinating, and I loved a dance sequence where they seamlessly trade places. Eventually, though, the scares kick in as the dream falls apart. While some of them could be trimmed, Wright nails those disturbing moments as well, putting a nightmarish filter on misogyny and abuse. And though some consider the end to fall apart, I thought it made for a unique subversion of expectation, forcing the audience to question their own sympathies.

Last Night in Soho has its brutal and uncomfortable moments, but it’s a cut above the typical scarefest, boasting more visual flair and originality than any number of slasher sequels. With its rising-star actresses and confidently elegant direction from Wright, it’s the kind of film that I hope will only grow in reputation with time.

Best line: (Ellie) “Has a woman ever died in my room?”   (Ms. Collins) “This is London. Someone has died in every room in every building and on every street corner in the city.”

Rank:  List Runner-Up

© 2024 S.G. Liput
792 Followers and Counting

(For Day 19 of NaPoWriMo, the prompt was to write about a childhood scare, like a monster. While a lion is not a personal boogeyman for me, this creature feature seemed to fit the bill.)

It’s lurking where you cannot see,
Blocking where you cannot flee,
Looming in the liminal of known and too afraid to know.
Do not breathe and do not stir.
That’s a growl and not a purr,
Growing louder by the second, growing sick of lying low.
Save your scream; it knows you’re there,
Not a dream and no nightmare.
Something hungry this way comes, and you have nowhere else to go.
____________________________

MPA rating: R (nothing overly gruesome that I recall)

Idris Elba is good in just about anything. Whether he’s playing an immortal djinn in a bathrobe or an Asgardian gatekeeper, his natural gravitas just enhances every role he takes on. That goes for the more pedestrian efforts as well. Beast can be summed up pretty easily: man vs. lion. Elba plays Dr. Nate Samuels, who takes his daughters on a South Africa safari to reconnect after the death of their mother but is forced to defend them against a rogue lion on a killing spree.

As a survival thriller, Beast is a solid entry, elevated by Elba’s lead performance and Baltasar Kormákur’s rather artsy direction, such as some outstanding tracking shots that I love so much. Yet the occasionally dumb plot is cookie-cutter standard for the genre and unlikely to surprise anyone. The plot armor of the climax even becomes a little laughable when Elba fights the beast barehanded and lasts far longer than other characters it killed within seconds. Beast is all too familiar, doing for lions what Jaws did for sharks, but its African setting and intimidating feline make it unique enough to be worth a casual watch.

Rank: Honorable Mention

© 2023 S.G. Liput
784 Followers and Counting