MOVIE REVIEW: LONGLEGS

 

FBI Agent Lee Harker is assigned to an unsolved serial killer case that takes an unexpected turn, revealing evidence of the occult. Harker discovers a personal connection to the killer and must stop him before he strikes again.

Director: Oz Perkins

Cast: Maika Monroe, Nicolas Cage, Alicia Witt, Blair Underwood, Kiernan Shipka

Release Date: July 12, 2024

Genre: Crime, Horror, Thriller

Rated R for bloody violence, disturbing images and some language.

Runtime: 1h 41m

Review:

Oz Perkins' latest film, Longlegs, is an atmospheric amalgam of The Silence of the Lambs and Se7en lead by a strong, tortured turn from Maika Monroe and utterly unrestrained performance from Nicolas Cage.  Perkins film is beautifully shot with each sequence carefully constructed so as to illicit a foreboding sense of dread and unease even during the most mundane moments.  He again displays his innate ability to create a consistent and almost oppressive sense of tension throughout his films which he does in spades here.  The tension builds at a steady rate with only a few missteps here and there, less Nicolas Cage would have served the film better, to break the overall mood.  Cage is effectively creepy when he pops up, aided by heavy make up and prosthetics, and it’s clear that Perkins gave him carte blanche to do whatever he wants.  The result is a mixed bag since there are moments that take you out of the overall mood when Cage's unrestrained nuttiness is unleashed for tad too long.  This is a perfect case of less is more especially as the film spends so much time establishing a pervasive, uncomfortable mood as it delivers a series of nightmarish images that are sure to linger after the film ends.  Maika Monroe guides us through it all with an impressive, understated performance that might be one of the best of her career.  Her character is a tortured savant with barely functioning people skills that is like a mix of Clarice Starling and Dustin Hoffman's Rain Man.  It’s a nuanced measured turn that makes her the most interesting performer onscreen for the majority of the film.  The moments she shares with Alicia Witt, who's just as creepy as Cage but more measured, are just as disquieting as anything the film throws at you.  Blair Underwood is solid in a supporting role as Harker's boss and Kiernan Shipka leaves a noticeable impression in a small role.  Those looking for logical story progression might be left a little frustrated since it doesn't hold up on closer inspection and it doesn't provide any surprises that aren't telegraphed beforehand.  They are minor issues but enough to keep Longlegs from being something truly special.   

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: GRETA

Frances finds a handbag on the New York subway and promptly returns it to Greta, an eccentric French piano teacher who loves tea and classical music. Having recently lost her mother, young Frances strikes up a seemingly harmless friendship with the lonely and kindly widow who enjoys her company. But when Greta's behavior becomes increasingly erratic and obsessive, Frances does whatever it takes to end the toxic relationship before things spirals out of control.

Director: Neil Jordan

Cast: Isabelle Huppert, Chloë Grace Moretz, Maika Monroe, Colm Feore, Stephen Rea

Release Date: March 1, 2019

Genres: Drama, Horror, Mystery

Rated R for some violence and disturbing images

Runtime: 1h 38 min

Review:

Greta is one of those odd ball thrillers that pulls you in because of the talent assembled but never provides anything new or groundbreaking.  Neil Jordan’s film is wonderfully shot which makes it look far better than it deserves.  So it has a nice glossy veneer that elevates the subject matter even when it’s at its most ridiculous.  Isabelle Huppert is a decorated actress fully capable of playing this role in her sleep and she makes the entire thing run even if you do wonder why such an acclaimed actress is slumming it in such routine Fatal Attraction/Single White Female knock off. Chloë Grace Moretz is solid overall even though her and Huppert’s characters are so thinly written that there’s very little depth to either of them.  Maika Monroe makes the most of her supporting role even making more nuanced as the film moves around.  Ultimately, Greta is one of those films that pops up on cable down the road and is just interesting enough to keep you from changing the channel.         

C+

MOVIE REVIEW: IT FOLLOWS

A sexually transmitted haunting plagues a Detroit teenager in this stylized horror film from director David Robert Mitchell (The Myth of the American Sleepover). In the wake of sleeping with a handsome stranger, Jay (Maika Monroe) quickly learns that she has inherited a most unusual curse: wherever she goes, lumbering, half-naked phantoms follow, and their singular goal is to see her dead. Desperate, Jay turns to her younger sister and loyal circle of friends to for help. In time, however, Jay learns that her only hope for escaping death is to sleep with someone else, and pass the curse on. But the pursuing phantoms are invisible to Jay's friends and it soon becomes apparent that her time is running out. Now, with death closing in, the terrified young woman will be forced to make a difficult decision if she hopes to survive her terrifying ordeal. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: David Robert Mitchell    

Cast: Maika Monroe, Keir Gilchrist, Daniel Zovatto

Release Date: Mar 13, 2015    

Rated: R for graphic Nudity, Disturbing Violent Content, Disturbing Sexual Content and Language    

Runtime: 1 hr. 40 min.    

Genres: Drama, Horror, Suspense/Thriller    

Review:

The horror genre is a virtual wasteland of garbage littered with cheaply made lazy films.  If you’re a fan of the genre you really have to run through a lot of garbage to find a few gems here and there.  It Follows is one of those gem that hits all the right notes while turning some of the genre’s tropes on it’s head.  David Robert Mitchell’s film a tightly wound ball of tension with only an occasional splat of blood here and there.  Its DNA is laced with Carpenter’s Halloween, Craven’s original Nightmare on Elm Street and even a bit of Kubrick’s The Shining.  While there’s a clear linage on screen, the film works very well on its own merits building up a pervading sense of dread for the majority of the film.  It’s a dense film that’s got plenty of to say about budding sexuality, adolescence and self identity with an impressive level of authenticity, thanks in large part to a wonderful cast, that makes the film even better.

A