Displaying items by tag: Maika Monroe

REMINDERS OF HIM

US, 2026, 114 minutes, Colour.

Maika Monroe, Tyriq Withers, Zoe Kosovic, Lauren Graham, Rudy Pankow, Jennifer Robertson, Lanie Wilson, Bradley Whitford.

Directed by Vanessa Casswill.

American novelist, Colleen Hoover, has become very popular in recent years. Reminders of Him is the third film from her series of novels.

In looking at the titles, there are clear terms of sadness, but also of looking back in sadness: It Ends with Us, Regretting You, Reminders of Him.

Each of these films focuses on relationships, some harshness in relationships, some violence, deceptions. However, there is more positive hope in Reminders of Him.

We are introduced to Kenna (Maika Monroe), arriving along an open country highway, stopping at an accident sign and removing the memorial notice. She is a loner, not much money, finding some accommodation, doing the rounds of the town trying to find employment. But we soon discover that she also has strong intentions. She has lived in this town before. And, gradually, flashbacks, telling a happy story of love and romance, telling a sad story of a car accident and death, of Kenna and the discovery that she was pregnant, the birth in prison, the immediate taking away of her child, her release and her determination to make contact with her daughter, now looked after by the child’s grandparents, parents of the young man who was killed in the accident.

Already, enough to make the audience feel very sad. And the grandparents, Lauren Graham and Bradley Whitford, have hardened hearts towards Kenna, and protective of their granddaughter.

But, ultimately, this is a film of hope, unlikely as it may seem in the early part of the drama. The key character is the grandparents’ neighbour, best friend of the dead son, Ledger (Tyriq Withers), sports champion with an injury, returning home, running a bar, but become seeing something of a surrogate father/uncle to the little girl, plenty of scenes of their happiness together. A very likeable character.

In our heart of hearts, we know what is going to happen but, of course, there are a great number of difficulties, obstacles, changing relationships, a lot of hurt, but always with the possibilities of understanding, breaking through hard heartedness. And the possibilities also of forgiveness which, over the years, has become unthinkable and therefore impossible.

Tyriq Withers is the sympathetic sports champion, responsible, wonderful with the little girl, encountering Kenna, hostile, seeing her in a different perspective, of course, falling in love, and having to be something of a mediator between Kenna and the grandparents.

Sometimes this kind of material can be dismissed as soap opera (and, sometimes, it is). But, there is a lot of feeling in this storytelling, in the performances, in the issues, some tearful moments for the characters – and for some of us in the audience.

1. Popular romance story? The writings of Colleen Hoover? Film versions? Target audience? The female audience?
2. The settings, middle America, the town, the countryside, the plains, the mountains, the roads? The musical score?
3. The complexity of the plot, the present, Kenna and her story, the return to the town? The importance of the flashbacks? The reminders of him?
4. The focus on Kenna, arriving, out of prison, the town, taking the sign from the road, getting accommodation, the small apartment, no furniture, her trying to get a job, the various helps, her reputation and sentence? Going to the club, the encounter with Ledger, his assistant?
5. Kenna and her establishing herself, going to the house, her daughter, the significance of the flashbacks, her love for Scotty, the lyrical times together, in love, to marry, the drinking, the drive, the crash, her leaving, wandering, trying to get the lift, his still being alive, her arrest, the trial, her pregnancy, manslaughter, the scenes of her giving birth, the taking of the baby, her never seeing or touching it? Her desire to see the baby?
6. At the apartment, the landlady and her reactions, later mellowing and friendship? The daughter, Down syndrome, friendly, at the store, sharing with Kenna? Calling Ledger a jerk?
7. The meetings with Ledger, his antagonism, Scotty as his friend, absent at the time of his death, blaming Kenna? The gradual change of heart, giving her a chance, the work, his friend and support, her relying on the work?
8. Ledger, across the street from the family, friendship with Scotty, sport, his career, injury, return, acting as a kind of foster father to the little girl, the scenes together, his relationship with the grandparents, their looking after the girl? Their animosity towards Kenna?
9. The growing complications, the relationship between Ledger and Kenna, his finding the sign? Falling in love, the difficulties in the relationship with the grandparents? Going to his dream house in the mountains, the grandfather turning up, finding the couple, the reaction?
10. Ledger, the fight with the grandfather, his trying to make the case, the grandmother, her reaching out, visiting Kenna?
11. The beginnings of the reconciliation, allowing Kenna to see the little girl, play with her, Ledger and his presence?
12. The gradual mellowing, the possibilities for the future, the little girl and her immediate response to Kenna, her imagining her mother, the small car, waiting for her to turn up?
13. The happy ending, happy/sad, the message of the film in terms of forgiveness rather than holding on to bitterness and the consequent cruel attitudes?

LONGLEGS

US, 2024, 101 minutes, Colour.

Maika Monroe, Nicholas Cage, Blair Underwood, Alicia Witt, Michelle Choi-Lee.

Directed by Oz Perkins.

Longlegs was an immediate success on its release, very much spurred on by clever marketing, advertising the film starring Nicolas Cage but no images of him. For many bloggers, the marketing and promotion seems to have backfired for them, one not finding Longlegs as striking as hyped and hoped for. But, many, like this reviewer, find Longlegs very effective in what it sets out to do and its effect on its audience.

Basically, this is an FBI investigation film, Maika Mnroe as Lee Harker, a young agent, invited in to investigate the death of a family, the suicide of the father after killing his family. She seems to have some kind of clairvoyant power and is given the files of previous similar murders occurring over some time and is able to make all kinds of connections. She is working with an FBI chief, played by Blair Underwood, who relies on her conclusions.

However, the opening of the film, a car driving through the countryside, a little girl inside a house with a camera, going out to look at the visitor who does not get out of the car, then encountering a strange character tantalising and menacing at the same time. The audience gets a partial glimpse of Longlegs, leaving the full visuals until the second part of the film. Longlegs is played by Nicolas Cage who has played is fair share of manic characters. This one must be near the top of the list.

The screenplay by writer-director, Oz Perkins (son of Anthony Perkins, horror-menace influence) introduces the touch of the supernatural, Longlegs being a Satan worshipper.

Lee Harker is very serious about her role with the FBI and her investigations, her powers enabling her to decode strange letters in messages left by Longlegs, to work out his motivation, to lead to his arrest. But, she has her own difficulties in her relationship with her mother. And this will be integral to the development of the narrative.

While there are some very eerie moments, a sense of menace, the advantage of the screenplay is that there is, eventually, a coherent explanation of each of the characters, their interactions, the influences, leading to a dramatic finale that may or may not bring Longlegs’ activities and influence to a close. (And a recommendation that the film is best seen in the darkened cinema.)

1. The title, the central character? Serial killer? Satan worship? Investigation?
2. The settings, the 1970s to the 1990s, rural America, the American town, the FBI headquarters, homes, the countryside? The musical score?
3. The prologue, the little girl, watching out the window, the car in the countryside, the occupant not getting out, her going out, the confrontation with Longlegs, her mother?
4. Lee Harker, her background, phone calls with her mother, her mother’s erratic responses? As an FBI agent? Present at cases, viewing bodies? Her powers, making connections, being given the range of cases, the files, family deaths, the father killing the families, the letters, the lettering, the signature of Longlegs? The room, her rearranging the files, insights? Deciphering the code? The messages? The focus on the girls’ 9th birthdays on the six days surrounding the birthday? Working out the triangle, the missing date? The mystery of the identity of Longlegs? Speculation about his using an assistant?
5. Agent Carter, working with Lee Harker, his limitations, relying on her, the visits to families, the family and decaying bodies, his reaction? His own family, wife and daughter, friendly with Lee Harker, her visit?
6. The searching the house, the finding of the doll, the mysterious substance and its effect? Lee Harker and the finding of her mother’s photos, identifying Longlegs, his arrest, standing at the bus stop, the visuals of Longlegs, voice, face, white-mask, hair, sinister, satanic? At the bus stop, waiting for the arrest? The interrogation?
7. Longlegs as a dollmaker, in the basement, the gifts for the girls, the doll of Lee Harker?
8. Lee Harker, lonely, in her house, the desk, sinister sense of presence? Her mother’s calls?
9. Longlegs, motivation, behaviour, the killings, the doors of the paper, the murderous father and suicide? Longlegs being uncovered, the issue of an assistant, living downstairs, bashing his head, his death?
10. Lee Harker visiting her mother, with her associate, the mother killing the associate? The doll, its effect on her, her mother as the assistant? Her bargain with Longlegs to do his work, a Faustian pact?
11. The visuals, the mother dressing as a nun, bringing the dolls, received into homes, the deadly effect?
12. Agent Carter, his family, his daughter’s birthday, Lee Harker hurrying, the doll, the little girl attached, the behaviour of Carter, killing his wife in the kitchen, threatening his daughter, Lee Harker’s reaction, saving the little girl?
13. But…? The attempt to shoot the doll, no bullets, the voice singing happy birthday?