Displaying items by tag: Nicolas Cage

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?

SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL

US, 2023, 90 minutes, Colour.

Nicolas Cage, Joel Kinnaman, Alexis Zellicoffer, Burns Burns.

Directed by Yuval Adler.

Not a variation on the Rolling Stones.

This is a Nicolas Cage film, one of those maniacal performances, maniacal in look, maniacal in sound, sometimes controlled, sometimes beyond control.

The film opens like a thriller, Joel Kinnaman taking his wife to the hospital to give birth, Cage intruding and demanding that he drive him to a destination, holding a gun to the driver. What emerges is a story of changed identity, crime in the past, desire for revenge.

Along the way, which is mainly filmed inside the car, there is a stopover when the driver speeds and a policeman pulls him up, a Nicolas Cage tantalising conversation with the policeman and then shooting him. There are car crashes, and dramatic scene and threats in a diner, more menace.

The film seems something like a short story. It has been directed by Yuval Adler, Israeli director of the spy film, The Operative.

1. The title? It use? And which character here is devilish?
2. Nick Cage fans, his presence, the red hair, menacing, psychotic, over the top, maniacal in sound and look?
3. The opening situation, the driver, his family, the child, his pregnant wife, driving to the hospital, sense of urgency, the phone calls with the hospital?
4. Trying to park, the shock of the passenger, getting in, menacing, the gun, the driver and his urgency for his wife, no explanations, insistence, menace?
5. The drama of the drive, the alleged destination for the mother in hospital, the driver’s uneasiness, nervous, tension? The confidence of the passenger, sneering, mockery? The bulk of the film with the audience identifying, distancing from the characters?
6. The conversation, the threats, the gun, speeding, the police, the passenger and his mock interrogation about questions and rights, shooting the policeman?
7. The issue of identity, the passenger insinuating the driver’s previous identity, Boston, giving the details about the company, the accountant, the violence, the death of the passenger’s wife?
8. The attempted crash, confrontation, shooting, the fights?
9. The diner, the waitress, the details of the menu, no substitution, the passenger and his tantrum about cheese? The truck driver, observing, the passenger pulling the gun, the trucker fleeing, shot, the foot on his neck? The mother and child fleeing? The cook, attempting to run, shot, getting out of the diner, the later encounter with the passenger, left to die? The waitress, the discussions about the menu, her hiding and fears, let go?
10. The buildup to the truth, admission, psychological warfare, menace? The crashing of the car, the passenger and his injuries, the driver escaping, his foot on the passenger’s neck, death, going to the hospital? His future?

DREAM SCENARIO

US, 2023, 102 minutes, Colour.

Nicolas Cage, Julianne Nicholson, all The Lily Bird, Jessica Clement, Michael Cera, Tim Meadows, Dylan Baker.

Directed by Kristoffer Borgli.

Dream scenario

Social Media scenario

Celebrity scenario

Fame never asked for scenario

Trauma scenario

Paranoia conspiracy

Conspiracy Theory scenario

Reputation scenario

Persecution scenario

Lynching scenario

Faustian pact scenario

Collective Unconscious scenario

Mediocrity scenario

Inceptionistic scenario

Capitalistic exploitation scenario

Notoriety scenario

All of the above, dramatised quite strikingly by Swedish writer-director, Kristoffer Borgli (Worst Person in the World, Skin I’m In). This film is clever, initially humorous, deadly serious (often literally), satirical, moralising, and allegory of how we live in the social media age of the 21^st-century and where it might lead us.

Praise to Nicholas Cage for his different performance, although for 40 years he has shown a great variety of talent, even if in more recent times he has opted for slam bang action shows. Here he is a quiet Prof at a small university, teaching evolutionary biology, two teenage daughters, with their problems, and are taken for granted wife, Julianne Nicholson.

Promotion of the film means that most of us know that he starts appearing in other people’s dreams, much to his surprise, feeling very uncomfortable, then discovering comfort in being something of a celebrity. But, this is the social media age, this is a paranoia here are, we live in a world of conspiracy theories – and the quiet Professor becomes a nightmare aggressor, real-life target and victim.

The narrative doesn’t go entirely in the way that is predictable. Rather, it dramatises all the scenarios mentioned above, the Prof’s life changed, his dream of a book on biology transformed into a sensationalised pop-seller on the celebrity of notoriety.

Dreams have always been popular staple of cinema. Nightmares is well – and the Prof is likened to Freddy Krueger, slasher she is attached for a photo shoot. And, just as we might have been distracting ourselves from the paranoid shenanigans, wondering about the Collective Unconscious and what card you might have made of Dream Scenario, he does get a mention. Which means that the drama is a clever play on the Collective Unconscious, at its worst.

And, Inception? Layers of dreams, people entering the different layers, dream shaping the characters – and, while it is treated as something of a hoot, part of the climax of capturing Scenario is an enterprising youngster creating a means for anyone to attach a product to their wrists and wish themselves into other people’s dreams.

A lot to interest, a lot to entertain, a lot to question – in the hope that the film has a dream run!

1. The title? Dreams? Tradition of dreams in films? Reality? Fantasy? Happy dreams? Not nightmares? Real characters in dreams?
2. References to the Collective Unconscious, Carl Jung? A sinister interpretation of the Collective Unconscious?
3. The use of the word scenario? The range of scenarios throughout the film, dreams, celebrity, nightmares, persecution, a Faustian pact with commercialism, fame and failure?
4. The Swedish director, perspective, right, humour?
5. Nicolas Cage, a different performance, more restrained? His appearance, bald, the beard? Quietly spoken, academic? Problems with the two daughters? Taken for granted support of his wife? The lectures, evolutionary biology, the students talking, is using the metaphor? His friendship with the Dean? An ordinary life?
6. The initial dreams, his daughters, friends, his presence, passing by, situations, not intervening?
7. The various encounters, people recognising him at restaurants, in the street? The huge number of people dreaming? The lecture, the crowds, the various stories? His becoming famous, throughout the world, social media, celebrity, the interviews, his wanting to write his biology book? The company, “Thoughts Thoughts”, the young Chairman, the talent scouts, the meeting, the commercial talk and jargon, Paul misunderstanding?
8. The change in tone, his aggression in dreams, fears, students not coming, frightened? The Freddy Krueger references? His becoming a hate figure?
9. The consequences at home, his wife and the celebrity, initial wariness, support, the daughters and their reactions?
10. Conspiracy theories, messages online, his becoming a hate-figure? The incident in the diner, hostile response, spitting in his meal? People in the street? His daughters and school, the authorities and not wanting him present, at the performance, his going, wanting to get in, the struggle with the teacher, the violence, the accident, everybody turning on him?
11. Separation from his wife, going to Paris, the Thoughts Thoughts Chairman, the book launch, in the basement, the pop book on his being a nightmare?
12. The young inventor, the brace on the arm, being able to enter other people’s dreams? A variation on Inception?
13. A variation on: What does it profit to gain the whole world and lose one’s soul?

JOE

US, 2013, 117 minutes, Colour.

Nicolas Cage, Tye Sheridan, Gary Poulter, Ronnie Jean Blevins, Adrienne Mishler, Sue Rock.

Directed by David Gordon Green.

Nicolas Cage has made well over 100 films, sometimes many in the one-year, all kinds of films. He made a name for himself (omitting his surname Coppola because of the associations) during the 1980s, winning an Oscar in 1995 for Leaving Las Vegas.

Joe stands well as one of his better films. It was directed by David Gordon Green who began his career with small budget dramas, moving at this time into comedies like Pineapple Express, in later years making a Halloween trilogy and a sequel to The Exorcist.

The setting is the back blocks of Texas, Joe having served time in prison for assault, making his way with a troop poisoning trees that need to be got rid of, living alone, frequenting the brothel, some women friends, and a pet dog. Into his life comes Gary, an early performance by Tye Sheridan who was to have a significant subsequent career. He is 15, is brutalised by his father, asking for a job, bonds with Joe, Joe compassionate for Gary and his troubles, becoming a father figure. It is not easy, the brutality of Gary’s father, a long-time thug enemy shooting at Joe, the search for his dog, allowing Gary to buy his truck from him…

The film builds up to a dramatic and violent conclusion, confrontations, and Joe trying to do his best for Gary.

Before the film was released, Gary Poulter, a local vagrant who was employed by the director to act as Gary’s father – with some critics highly praising the performance as an embodiment of alcoholic brutality – was found dead, drowned in a shallow pool.

Direction, writing and performances make this film better than might have been anticipated.

1. Acclaim for the film? Awards?
2. The career of Nicolas Cage, this film standing out, performance, themes, issues?
3. The Texas settings, the back blocks, the town, streets and shops, homes, the brothel, the bridge, the woods and the trees? The musical score?
4. The title, the focus on Joe? The introduction, his job, poisoning the trees, his team and collaboration, living alone, the visits to the brothel, the women as his friends, in trouble, his temper, clashes with Willy Russell, Russell shooting him, his treatment of his wound, getting out the bullet, the black tape for bandage? The revelation of his 29 months in prison, his anger?
5. Gary, Tye Sheridan in an early role, his award, 15, the opening and the scene with his father, speaking directly to his father, his father hitting him, father walking away, the brawl? Home life, financial support, his mother, Dorothy, her not talking (and intimations of her being sexually abused)? His needing a job? Approaching Joe, making a good impression with his answers, conscientious, the work, the payment? Bringing his father, his father and the other men, drinking their water, not working well, their being fired? Gary and the brutal treatment by his father? Gary encountering Willy Russell, asking for the lift, the taunt about Dorothy, his bashing Willy Russell?
6. Gary, approaching Joe, admiring him, getting the job back, getting money, wanting to buy Joe’s truck? Joe agreeable? Testing out the driving with Joe? Joe and his response to Gary, an innate goodness, a father figure, Gary’s response?
7. The confrontations with Wade, Wade at home, brutal, demanding money, bashing his son? Wade and the vagrant, following him, talking friendly, bashing him, taking his money and drink? The confrontation at home and Gary desperate?
8. Joe and his dog, the dog with the brothel, the confrontation, bringing his own dog, the dog fight and Joe’s dog winning, going off, asking Gary to help him find the dog, their driving around, finding him?
9. The new truck, Gary and Joe going to the dealers, giving Gary the keys to the truck, his father taking it? Catching up with his father, in the truck, Joe threatening him, being ousted?
10. Joe, driving his truck, the confrontation with the police, arrested, his friend advising him to keep his nose clean? The policeman pursuing Joe, Joe confronting him?
11. The buildup to the climax, Willy Russell and his friend, bargaining with Wade, the money for Dorothy, Joe arriving, the confrontation, the guns, the accomplice shooting Joe, shooting Willy by accident? Joe wounded, shooting the accomplice, shooting Willy? Stumbling towards Wade, the confrontation, Joe and his collapse, Wade throwing himself over the bridge?
12. The arrival of Gary and the police, Gary embracing Joe, father figure? Joe dying? Gary looking over the bridge and seeing his father’s body?
13. Later, Gary with Joe’s dog, driving the truck, continuing the work?

THE OLD WAY

US, 2023, 95 minutes, Colour.

Nicolas Cage, Ryan Keira Armstrong, Noah Le Gros, Nick Searcy, Kerry Kruppe, Clint Howard.

Directed by Brett Donowho.

Westerns seem to have found their place on television rather than on the big screen in the 21^st-century. However, as the title suggests, here is a Western that reminds us of the old days, the old ways, including beautiful scenery in Montana, a musical score that is reminiscent of the classic scores of films like The Big Country.

The film opens with a lynching, a wealthy man accusing the victim of non-payment, townspeople crowding around, the son of the victim standing watching. But, also watching is a rather grim character, Briggs, played by Nicolas Cage. And the shooting starts, releasing the accused, the wealthy man shot, Nicolas Cage then taking money from the dead man, shooting those attacking him, shooting dead the father in front of his son.

Then a transition to 20 years later, Briggs now running a store, law and order in the town. He is married and has a young daughter, Brooke (a very strong performance on screen presence by Ryan Keira Armstrong). When a group of gunfighters arrive, we can guess that this is the son grown up and that he is bent on revenge, has served a prison sentence, has rounded up a group of associates, quite ruthless – confronting Briggs’s wife who puts up resistance, her horse killed from under her, her death.

As expected, the film turns into a vengeance pursuit, more complex because of the arrival of the sheriff and his associates, warning Briggs about the law, then caught in an ambush by the criminals and finally left by Briggs in the desert.

Of interest is the relationship between the gunfighter and his daughter (some commentators linking this theme with True Grit). As Briggs explains himself to his daughter, a harsh upbringing, minimal emotions, what we might call aspects of being on the spectrum. The scene of his explanations to his daughter as well as the daughter, very similar to her father, not crying, no grief… Is good strong drama.

And the film has its moments of suspense as to how Briggs will confront his enemies, the role that his daughter will play, and something of a high noon situation in the centre of the town. Not quite the ending we might have expected.

An interesting sequel would be to show what happens to Brooke when she is grown up.

1. The title and expectations? A Western? Old stories? Old-style storytelling? For the 21^st-century?
2. Harsh West, hanging, gunfighters, the law, the changing West, more orderly, legislation, sheriffs? Revenge themes? The musical score, reminiscent of Elmer Burnstein et cetera? The beautiful backgrounds of Montana?
3. The opening, the hanging, the taunting of the accused man, the wealthy accuser, the crowd, the little boy watching his father, the gunfighters, the accused cut down, the wealthy man shot?
4. The presence of Briggs, silent, unemotional, the shootings, taking the money, being owed? The shooting of the father, the close-up of his son?
5. 20 years later, Briggs, quiet, married, the relationship with Ruth, the relationship with Brooke, unemotional, walking his daughter to school, the teacher absent, her going to the store, his work, the long story about the outhouse from the customer (and Brooke later repeating it), stealing the jellybeans, her cleaning them and putting them in separate jars?
6. Ruth, putting out the washing, the riders, the confrontation, her resistance, the attack, the house, the barn, riding out on the horse, the horse being shot, their taking her, killing her?
7. The audience realising that the leader was the boy grown up, his accomplices, prison, their careers, robberies? The old man, Eustice, and the treatment? The young man and his relationship with the leader? They’re riding off?
8. Briggs, walking home with Brooke, the discovery? The sheriff, his posse? Briggs and his not weeping? Brooke and her not weeping, the conversation with the sheriff about her sadness? Briggs burying his wife? The sheriff warning him against vengeance?
9. Briggs, packing up, the temptation to kill Brooke, her looking at him? Giving her the rifle, the clothes, the horse, the pursuit, stops, short sleeps, getting water? Hearing the shots?
10. The gang, the ambush for the sheriff and his men, the shooting? Briggs arriving, tying up the men, the sheriff and his warnings about the law? His tending to the bullet wound? Taking the horse, promising to leave it, not a horse thief?
11. The gang, going to the town, in the saloon, Maria and looking after them? Placing each at the entry, the old man going to sleep, the boss’s treatment of him? the money, to spend it in Mexico? The packages with newspaper?
12. Briggs and the plan, the long sequences of the father and daughter talking, insight into their characters, Briggs and his story, at home, emotionless, his way of surviving? A modern analysis – on the spectrum? His career, telling his daughter the truth, the encounter with Ruth, changing him, the store? Feelings of love? Brooke, the same, unable to weep, her father trying to coach her how to weep? Sending her into the town?
13. The boss apprehending her, the group on the lookout for Briggs entering, the shooting? The discussions between the boss and Brooke, comparing fathers and fates?
14. The buildup to the confrontation, a high noon in the street, the boss and holding Maria, the guns? The talk, the memories of what happened in the past? Briggs quick on the draw, Brooke and her quick action? Wounded, his daughter attending him? The death of the boss?
15. The ways of the old west? Changing times? An interesting possibility for a sequel of Brooke in 10 years time…?