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Film reviews

LongLegs Review

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LongLegs will terrify its audience. LongLegs will make moments of horror flash simultaneously in the heads of its audience. Nicolas Cage is LongLegs. He plays a sadistic killer with a mental health disorder of many. His performance is stellar, surreal, and breathtaking. LongLegs is a cult of scary moving parts that made me ache in fear. I was mesmerized by what was making me scared with LongLegs.

As one who loves investigative movies and TV shows, LongLegs takes the direction of killings and clues to a level with context. With a secluded setting where roads have no destination to go for miles, there are murders to happen. Writer and director Oz Perkins uses imagery (in many moments) to heighten the scare factor of LongLegs. There are moments when it feels like a strobe light attack. The audience feeling an impact is the definition of monumental with LongLegs.

The time frame around this horror flick is the 1990s. Filming was around Canada, British Columbia, and the United States. Its main character (the one put up to face the evidence of LongLegs) is Agent Lee Harker (played by Maika Monroe). Lee absorbs her head into all the crime scenes assigned to her. Lee is persistent and mentally compelled to solve the murders that have been happening in unexplained patterns. Her assistant is Agent Carter (played by Blair Underwood). Carter is a tenure agent who is just working to get paid. Lee takes on the case much more than Carter.

Lee’s discoveries are the first portion of the sparkling world of a cult in LongLegs. With killings happening at different times, they leave the symbol with the name LongLegs listed. There is also the added layer of killings that have occurred with items from inside the victim’s homes. Many questions are for LongLegs. Why is he killing families in a pattern that is like a triangle? Why is he killing people with items that do not belong to him? What motivates him? Who is next on the list? Time is of the essence as events happen unpredictably. The events will chill its audience to the bone.

It is not only the tactic of Cage’s terror that makes LongLegs spellbinding. There is also the mental health of Monroe’s performance as the detective in the case. In her role as Lee, Lee has a mixed dynamic with her mother for various reasons. Her childhood troubles fuel her rage and persistence in solving the puzzle. Her mother is Ruth Harker (played by Alicia Witt). Ruth has moments that are uncomfortable in many sequences of LongLegs. It is along the lines of questioning based on her characteristics. Could her characteristics correlate to the troubles of the puzzle with the disturbances of LongLegs? There is a treat at every door, in every character, and in every aspect of this phenomenon from Perkins.

I was in fear with LongLegs. There is a moment when Lee is asked by her mother, “Do you still say your prayers?” With that question, I knew there was more than what I was getting into with LongLegs. I felt I was seeing ghosts. LongLegs is a knockout in its sequences to horrify. It is a trail of clues, events, and characteristics that keeps on its invigoration. It is one of the best horror flicks of 2024. My rating is four out of four stars for LongLegs.

Film reviews

Babes Review

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The subject of pregnancy is not for everyone and is awkward for many. Pamela Adlon handles this “awkwardness” superbly in Babes. Adlon’s style of directing has no filter which brings out the best in satirical humor.  Babes is a one-of-a-kind comedyin which what should be commonsense does not always seem normal. This movie tackles a variety of difficult subject matter with heart.

The film takes place in New York City. The focus is on two best friends, Eden (played by Ilana Glazer) and Dawn (played by Michelle Buteau). Eden becomes pregnant after a one-night stand. She also suffers with some mental struggles. Eden expects Dawn to always be there for her given her unexpected condition.  Eden’s pregnancy is the overwhelming factor prompting her to keep her friendship with Dawn so close. However, Dawn is busy living her life with her own family and does not always have time for Eden. Still when they are together, they are like high-school besties. 

The art of friendship is portrayed honestly due to Adlon’s direction. There is a sense of disconnect that adults do not want to feel but impacts the relationship between Eden and Dawn. Pregnancy causes challenges which limit the joy in Eden’s life. The story provides a vivid portrait of Eden’s emotional condition and a clear understanding of why she may desire some form of escape. 

Glazer (who plays Eden) is also one of the co-writers of the film. Her character’s personality drives the frequent humor in Babes. Her persistent attitude and quirky coolness keep the awesome jams in Babes rolling. Eden is dealing not only with a major personal struggle, but also with trying to keep a friend in this tumultuous environment. Her vantage point is written and seen thoroughly throughout the film.

Despite some of the film’s peculiar moments, it is poetic. There are some gags that are repulsive and disastrous, but they do add some value in buffering some drastic scenarios. Between a pregnancy and a friendship, Babes paints a clear picture of the acceptance required in a true friendship. Does Eden want this baby? Does Dawn want to tolerate Eden’s nonsense? Are Eden and Dawn mentally prepared to deal with the changes evolving in their separate lives?  Babes explores some hard-hitting aspects of friendship that are very relatable.  

The complicated picture in this story is one where the paint does not dry quickly. The dynamics between Dawn and Eden get messy before they get pretty. There are rapidly flying colors of clever madness where frustration creates an unsettling atmosphere in this story of a fierce friendship. Adlon knows how to push the envelope when it comes to tough subjects. Her unique vision and directorial talent are on full display in this unique comedy.

What is more important? Is it friendship? Is it pregnancy? Is it the concept of adulting? All these dilemmas are questioned as the complexity of life plays out in this film. It is a bizarre comedy with class that is heartfelt and authentic. Three-and-a-half out of four stars for Babes.

Film reviews

Chicago Critics Film Festival 2024: Cuckoo Review

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Cuckoo provides a change of scenery along with a nightmare that made my head spin. The film is written and directed by Tilman Singer, a German filmmaker who takes his audience on a journey in Germany. This is a diverse thriller that is experimental when it comes to fear and how awry a situation can go. With Hunter Schafer as the lead, her performance is as vocal as her character from HBO’s Euphoria. In Cuckoo, she plays a teenager with attitude who wants answers so she can put puzzle pieces together. This may be her most memorable project yet.

Schafer’s character, Gretchen, moves from the United States to Europe to live with her father, Luis (played by Marton Csokas). Luis lives in a resort in the German Alps with his new family. Luis’s boss, Mr. Konig (played by Dan Stevens), is odd and makes observations about Gretchen’s half-sister Alma (played by Mila Lieu), who is mute. The dynamics are obscure in Gretchen’s new home life are. In this new element, her mind is consumed with sound effects and shocking visions, and there are more concerns that are life-threatening. Gretchen is known to be rebellious; no one listens to her. 

Cuckoo is a mind-boggling ride that generates terror. The film’s writing has effective shock value. The movie is about a rebellious teen fighting for her life in a bizarre setting with no straight answers. Cuckoo is spellbinding and creatively classy. Three out of four stars.