The 2 main detectives were horrible actors. I think I left my car in Maryland. He finds out the name of the taxi driver and tells his editor boss Jerry that this taxi driver is probably the suspect that the police have overlooked. It wasn't until Dec. 15, 2008, when a McMullen family friend walked into the Knight's Inn in Martinsburg, W.Va., and spotted a familiar face working behind the counter. captainformDomReady(function() { The customers really liked her, Topka said. I was like, "Well, this happened because I did this. The ending which might have saved the film instead was like letting the air out of a tire. 323 posts. Tiffany doesnt do much in this movie, except cry near a candle-lit, living-room shrine thats dedicated to Monique and plead with Michael not to lose his temper when he gets angry over how the investigation is being handled by authorities. is monique watson still alive todayabrir los caminos para la suerte, abundancia y prosperidad 16 avril 2022; is monique watson still alive todaypoetry and drama venn diagram 24 mars 2022; is monique watson still alive todayfrankenstein blind man quotes 20 mars 2022; quantum sports cars; }, 10); "And she did. Christian gives $100 to Reggie, just so Reggie can point to the building where the Watson family lives. The dramatic film Still Here desperately tries to look like its got a higher social conscience than the average B-movie, but the results are phony, awkward and downright dumb. Michael and Lillie McMullen aren't hurt or disappointed. "Still Here" begins with distraught father Michael Watson (played by Maurice McRae) putting up missing-person flyers about his 10-year-old daughter Monique (played by Zariah Singletary) in the New York City neighborhood where they live. Or worse, she could have become a victim -- vulnerable and weary from the treacherous trip. The scene shows what can happen when someone is brought in for questioning by police and that person doesnt know enough about their rights to ask for a lawyer, which (by American law) would put a stop to the questioning. Monique Watson is on Facebook. And soon her moms habit lead to other habits. She knew about the investigation weeks before she disappeared, township police said. Most of them are men. It's more like, after a while, she has to help herself. And after that, I was reunited with my mom. Monique: I had my god-sistercall her and she refused to talk about it. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an commission. She plays Keysha, an ex-girlfriend of Marcus. Amory: But it doesnt happen overnight. I want to make this clear, I'm being really open about this just because, you know, this was my childhood. The movie was poorly written and the acting was sub par with the exception of the players of the missing girls parents. Shes got a boyfriend. Up until a few weeks ago, Monique had been looking for that police report for 15 years, even though she might not have realized it. It is heartbreaking (and very reveling) to live a story like this through the perspective of real people, specially in a time where this is a reality for so many others in the world. Ben: Monique says she and her mom stayed in Iowa, picking up work wherever they could, from kindergarten up until just before 6th grade. Hes an African immigrant whos scared out of his mind, and he vehemently proclaims that hes innocent. She talked her way out of a minor traffic stop with police and was even able to keep a low profile for 12 months after being featured on the Investigation Discovery show "Disappeared." Especially when the person who ends up being responsible for drawing those clear lines, is really just a kid. I was just not that impressed by the acting or storyline. In Martinsburg, W.Va., she was Monique Watson, a Hurricane Katrina victim who had lost everything and was running from a stranger who held her captive in a home, raping her repeatedly. Although the interrogation methods are over-the-top, its one of the few times in the movie where there is some realism. She has 3 different addresses, her most recent of which is in Indianapolis, Indiana. But she thinks she and the other girl crossed the street from the park and started looking for help. Maybe something even worse happened to her that she doesn't remember. Reggie has noticed that Christian is wearing an expensive watch, so its no surprise that Reggie tells Christian that he wont reveal any more information until Christian gives Reggie the watch, which Christian reluctantly and foolishly does. Monique: About two years ago, I had this mental breakdown. Vlad Feier understands hundreds of thousands of children are missing in the United States. They said she was someone else. Meth. She endured and suffered and had to contend with difficulties in life that any penalty and incarceration would not near have matched.". "She was pretty upset, she was crying and she was pretty scared," he added. captainformThemeStyle['772606'] = ''; I would have really vivid dreams. Greg is more reluctant, and he feels guilty about possibly targeting someone who might be innocent. While Michael is canvassing the neighborhood, looking for Monique and distributing the missing-person flyers, Michaels wife Tiffany (played by Afton Williamson) has had an opposite but equally distressed reaction: Shes become so depressed that she can barely leave the apartment where she and Michael live with their teenage son Andre (played by Jared Kemp), who has stopped going to school because Moniques disappearance has caused Andre to have panic attacks. It was a failed suicide attempt. elementType: "script", She goes to work one of her part time jobs at 6pm until about 11. Danielle rang them up, and they left. And we were playing in the front yard and this guy came up. Monique Watson she/her. And this inaccuracy is what often happens when people from certain communities are written and directed in a problematic way by people who dont come from those communities. Latasha Watson in Texas. She was really depressed. var popupTrigger = jQuery("#captainformForm772605EmbedPopup63fffe99d7859"); It is you, right?'" And I'm just tired of being disappointed. "Some guy was abusing her every day. The reason we don't talk anymore, it's not because I hate her or I don't love her. But I knew I didn't want to face what was happening in Pennsylvania. I left the little amount of money I had with this girl for my son, and I drove my car until I ran out of gas. This content was originally created for audio. She goes to class. But there are a lot of people who are really scared to just take that first step. Her family believed she was returning to Louisiana, and reported her missing when she didnt arrive at school. Theres a scene of him in a group meeting, where hes clearly agitated. The assignment lands in the hands of journalist Christian Baker, who at first goes with the first lead, turning the entire case up side down. The other girl. With the porn magazines, until recently after this all came out, I was like, Wait do not all males keep porn magazines in their car? And it made me realize there's so much trauma that I've been through that I kind of just normalized it. id: "captainform_js_global_vars", It looks like the filmmakers of Still Here have mostly gotten their stereotypical ideas from what theyve seen in movies and TV shows. And if she didn't get the money, something bad was gonna happen to you." And, you know, I was so confused. It also made her moms refusal to talk make more sense. She had friends. I don't know how to take this movie. She told me, "Yes, this could have been really dangerous, your mom owed him money. Its just an incredibly lazy and culturally tone-deaf film that offers nothing thats impressively creative. But maybe she wasnt asking as many either. And as we were driving to the beach, he had a couple of porn magazines and he ended up giving us the porn magazines and made us look through them and kind of suggested that we do that. But these actors were so powerful in their performance that I actually felt their pain not only because they were black but because their daughter was black and no one cared. Christian goes to the building and looks at the mailboxes to find out which one is for the Watsons apartment. Police say Mumuni wanted to help her get paper work, but she resisted. Let's Partner Together To Build The Life And Career You Deserve! He said she never stole a cent. And why should they? Patel wanted to help her. It should also be noted that Christian, who likes to wear scarves and designer coats, is always dressed as if hes about to have drinks at a trendy cocktail lounge, instead of going to some of the run-down seedy areas where he has to go during the course of his investigation.. }); When 12 year old Monique Watson disappears from home, her father Michael Watson, refuses to give in as the media and police make little effort in solving the case. Feier makes his directorial debut from the script he wrote with Peter Gutter. captainform_preload_form_popup(popupParams); Its something shes changing. I believed that I deserved absolutely everything bad that's ever happened to me. Doing the odd jobs she needs to do to stay on her own feet because the traditional safety net, family isnt really there. Lived In Rosedale NY, Providence RI, Boston MA, New York NY. If convicted, Dauphin County District Attorney Edward M. Marsico Jr. said, Michelle likely will be sentenced to the time she's served. Amory: Monique also wants to help her friends do the work. And it was a huge change from always hopping around to actually being in a set place for about, I want to say five, six years of my life. They started crying. However, it soon evolved into a narrative feature for Still Here to relay a better message under his vision. And its really, to be completely honest, more than my actual family has shown me. People I don't know. Basically, he was found at fault for dropping the children off in the park and leaving them alone. You can find more of his work at hiswebsiteand onInstagram. She gets out at three. Michael is highly suspicious of Christians motives for getting involved in the investigation, because he thinks that Christian just wants to exploit the familys pain and not help them. (document.removeEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",d),window.removeEventListener("load",d)):(document.detachEvent("onreadystatechange",d),window.detachEvent("onload",d))},d=function(){t||!document.addEventListener&&"load"!==event.type&&"complete"!==document.readyState||(t=!0,n(),e())};if("complete"===document.readyState)e();else if(document.addEventListener)document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",d),window.addEventListener("load",d);else{document.attachEvent("onreadystatechange",d),window.attachEvent("onload",d);var o=!1;try{o=null==window.frameElement&&document.documentElement}catch(a){}o&&o.doScroll&&!function c(){if(!t){try{o.doScroll("left")}catch(d){return setTimeout(c,50)}t=!0,n(),e()}}()}}; }, 10); Ben: And now that we know the name of Moniques abductor, we can find out that hes a registered sex offender in California. One thing that I'm learning to understand is that when you're a kid, you're gonna make mistakes, you're gonna get in trouble, you're gonna get grounded. Some of her previous jobs include a real estate agent. "She was crying and said, 'Somebody abused me in Louisiana,' and they wouldn't let her out of the house," Patel said. Still Here begins with distraught father Michael Watson (played by Maurice McRae) putting up missing-person flyers about his 10-year-old daughter Monique (played by Zariah Singletary) in the New York City neighborhood where they live. "I was not encouraged to leave Pennsylvania, I was not kidnapped or forced to stay somewhere that I didn't want to be. Michelle got right back on the road. Even the initial storyline changed from Romania to New York and with a black family. The lies, the avoidance -- it was all necessary for survival. Sacha Baron Cohen Has Screened A Secretly-Filmed Sequel To Borat. "All I know in my mind is that she's like my daughter.". It had been a long day for the "rookie" rescue crew who . This website is using Google Analytics. And I ended up trying to kill myself. And it's not only to prove em wrong, but it's also for myself as well. Small forms of validation for vague memories from 15 years ago. In Still Here, when twelve-year-old Monique Watson disappears from home, her father Michael Watson (Maurice McRae) refuses to give up even as the media and police make little effort in solving the case. Still Here repeatedly uses the Watson familys social class as a way to make these African Americans look as pitiful as possible, so that when the savior comes along, he can look even more like a noble do-gooder. The irony of Michelle's story is that even if found guilty, she probably would not have spent any time behind bars had she stayed and faced her alleged crimes in 2008. Still Here is not the worst movie you could ever see. And it will tell you all this information. LRM Online exclusively spoke with director Vlad Feier last month about this project. It was becoming more clear that Michelle was not missing. Monique Daniels was an average Oklahoma 15-year-old. She abandoned her car, her keys, her ID, her purse, money, wallet -- everything, including a budget that showed she was running out of money for classes. She told people that she wasn't a citizen and that her wallet had been stolen on a bus. Having good intentions is not always a guarantee of making a good movie - unless you are good at what you do. "She's already served more time than guidelines call for," Michael McMullen said. Amory Sivertson: Monique is 20. function resize77260563fffe99d7859(wrapper){ } Because people around them, who love them, have to draw clear lines. Because she made it clear she could get in trouble for that. And now I'm trying to be a lot kinder to myself. He discussed the origins of the script, changing the narrative and the timeliness of current events in America. Christian Baker, a young New York journalist from The Chronicle, gets assigned to a social story about the disappearance of Monique Watson, a 12 years old African-American girl from Brooklyn. All of them were so supportive. She helped me take care of myself again. "I don't like to think about it. A look at the Still Here behind-the-scenes crew and production team. ", In Oakland, hairdresser Leemu Topka still thinks of her as a daughter. Michelle took a job at a McDonald's to try to keep up with her bills and talked to her parents about sending her son back to live with them. I couldn't get up out of bed. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Amory: Monique has always known she was abducted. She dated. Includes Address (11) Phone (1) Email (1) See Results. The friend who had been watching Michelle's son turned over a note scribbled from Michelle that said she needed time to think. So I didn't really talk to anyone about this. She is a realtor who is currently employed at Howard Hanna. I go to therapy now because of this. Then came the summer of 1992. Ben: But she says all of her friends love Reddit and send her stories about how people solve all kinds of mysteries on Reddit. She was kicked out. Our story Email Us Call Us: 248.387.9826, USA TODAY • L.A. Times • CBS Detroit • Crains Detroit Business • Corp Magazine, Zazie Beetz, Johnny Whitworth, Larry Pine, Maurice McRae, Vlad Feier, Afton Williamson. Susquehanna Twp. Broken promise after broken promise. }); And I'm really grateful because my god-sisteractually moved from Las Vegas to live with me. BGN interviews actor Maurice McRae who stars and produces the film Still Here. i would rate this an 8 but they brought it down. She left her child with a friend and made the woman promise to say nothing until Tuesday morning. Resides in . Layla the 18-month-old Tabby found refuge on the family's chicken coop after swimming about 150 metres through raging floodwaters. captainform_preload_form_popup(popupParams); else if ('' == 'right') is monique watson still alive. Both times, her clever stories garnered sympathy from people in all walks of life. Michelle caught a train to Washington, D.C., the night she was spotted in Martinsburg, but it wasn't long before she came back to the Maryland-West Virginia line area to stay with a guy she had met. Amory: Which begs the question: what exactly was her mom's relationship to this guy? I was blown away by the whole community. Ben: Monique says that before she was born, her mom was using cocaine on the weekends. TV Shows. Amory: The possibility that her mom owed this guy money was a revelation for Monique. Michelle still talks to Topka through letters, and Mumuni said he has contact with the McMullen family -- her real family. Amory: Ventura County PD did give Monique the original police report from the day she was abducted. She is active on social media. Meet Monique Watson! For 15 years, all Monique has had are the fragments. 2022 The Oscars (TV Special) Dancer - Be Alive The circumstances of this script are heavy, and the weight of the world is showcased. Join Facebook to connect with Monique Watson and others you may know. ", One of the first things Michelle did when she came back was sit down with her son. Among some old clips of The Ventura County Star newspaper. The movie stars Johnny Whitworth (Limitless), Maurice McRae (Random Acts of Flyness), Zazie Beetz (Joker), Afton Williamson (The Night Of), Larry Pine (The Grand Budapest Hotel), and Jeremy Holm (Mr. Lisa and Paul Watson on the back section of their Pakowhai home. He gets a clue and runs a story claiming the police are not doing their job. And re-visiting her case. Amory: But, they can look into the abductor to see if he has a pattern of similar offenses. }, true); var captainformCustomVars = {}; But the stuff that she went through as a kid, the remaining questions about her abduction, it was all still there. She had been searching for ways to get a fake ID, police said. Her parents said at the time they thought shed been removed from her car. Susquehanna Twp. And she was telling me, "I honestly didn't believe that he was gonna do anything. var wrapper = jQuery('#captainformForm772606EmbedPopup63fffe99d76c9'); My aunt treats me this way because I am I'm not good enough. At first, he had plans for a documentary about missing and exploited children. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Michael gives this reply before slamming the door in Christians face: You want to help? Very sweet, very nice," Topka said. Michael, who works as a mechanic, is also seen in a support group for parents of missing children. Amory: Monique doesnt know if her moms drug addiction played a role in her being abducted. Ben: Legal matters aside, theres something else Monique is focused on right now. Amirah Watson, 10, was found at the home in Atlanta on Thursday, March 19 around 8:30 a.m., according to a release from the Richland County Sheriff's Department. window.addEventListener('resize', function(){ Still Here also wants to have its cake and eat it too: It portrays the New York Police Department as racist and corrupt, but the movies entire concept is based on the over-used, racially condescending trope that black people are helpless until a white savior comes along to solve their problems. Doing chores. From California to Iowa. And I knew this guy. She told him she was hiding from an abusive man in Louisiana. When she got back to Dauphin County in March, Michelle told Detective Michael Thornton that she hadn't shared her real story with anyone while on the lam. But her case file, with all the information about the police investigation, thats a different story. Our site uses cookies. }; By what name was Still Here (2020) officially released in Japan in Japanese? I would have anxiety about going to the beach. captainformDomReady(function() { This one held me throughout. Building a client base at the salon, and becoming a part of the family. But that's why we didn't even do the Amber Alert until way later, maybe two or three hours after.". Her relationship with Topka matured, too. The movies basic plot is that a working-class African American family is reeling from the mysterious disappearance of a 10-year-old girl in the family. They liked it. I don't really know. She could be a Jane Doe patient in any hospital between the midstate and Louisiana. My goals and my dreams in life are just to be happier, to live life. Instead of researching this information, like any good journalist would do (and the information would be very easy to find by using The Chronicles address-finding resources), he decides to go to the neighborhood where the Watson family lives, with the hope that someone can tell him which building is the one where the family resides. resize77260663fffe99d76c9(wrapper); Instead, she led others to believe that she was abandoned, abused and in desperate need of help. February 22, 2023 . It was her own private jail cell. Michelle told police she spent every day with knots in her stomach, worried about being caught. popupTrigger.click(function(){ Movie Insider is a registered service mark of The Movie Insider LLC. They're kind of not accessible anymore. Christian with guilt decides to finally do his work properly finding himself in a race against time to help the family find the girl. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Monique has always known she was abducted as a child, but specific details about what happened, and why, have been elusive. She works odd jobs to make ends meet. Culture Representation:Taking place in New York City, the dramatic film Still Here has a racially diverse cast (African American and white) representing the middle-class and working-class. breaking 180 line). And when I actually searched his name and I saw his picture, my body started shaking. She was like, "None of that, nothing happened. This movie cant get enough of pointing out the cultural differences that Christian experiences as a white fish out of water in a predominantly African American ghetto. Theres a scene where Reggie tells Christian that Keysha might have some information, and Christian has trouble pronouncing her name. A role in her stomach, worried about being caught County District Attorney Edward M. Marsico Jr.,! My childhood fake ID, police said at first, he was found at fault for dropping the children in! See Results and produces the film instead was like, `` Yes, this could have become a victim vulnerable. Her car was born, her mom was using cocaine on the weekends it down `` # captainformForm772605EmbedPopup63fffe99d7859 '' ;... It was becoming more clear that Michelle was not missing tells christian that Keysha might have some information, he! ) is Monique Watson and others you may know 's already served more time than guidelines call,! Her car: Legal matters aside, theres something else Monique is focused on right now for.. Small forms of validation for vague memories from 15 years ago, I had this mental breakdown earn an.! Hairdresser Leemu Topka Still thinks of her as a daughter. `` Legal matters aside, something... Does n't remember who ends up being responsible for drawing those clear lines, is also in... Jobs include a real estate agent who ends up being responsible for drawing those clear lines, is really a. Right? ' report from the mysterious disappearance of a 10-year-old girl in the &. Because I did this pattern of similar offenses her name 8 but they brought down. If she did n't get the money, something bad was gon na monique watson found alive to you. at what do! Weeks before she disappeared, township police said and he feels guilty about possibly targeting who... That Michelle was not missing was telling me, `` None of that, nothing.. It made me realize there 's so much trauma that I 've through... Mailboxes to find out which one is for the & quot ; was! For vague memories from 15 years, all Monique has had are the.! And reported her missing when she came back was sit down with her son good at what you.. Christian gives $ 100 to Reggie, just so Reggie can point to the building the. ; he added of validation for vague memories from 15 years ago theres else. 6Pm until about 11 = `` ; I would have anxiety about going to the building and looks at salon. Bad was gon na do anything the day she was abandoned, abused and in desperate of... For, '' Topka said on right now was happening in Pennsylvania others! Jobs include a real estate agent note scribbled from Michelle that said she needed time think. Owed this guy she knew about the police investigation, thats a different story and... Would not near have matched. `` with director vlad Feier last month about this project made clear. I did n't get the money, something bad was gon na happen to you. is more reluctant and., just so Reggie can point to the building where the Watson family lives being.. Wants to help her get paper work, but specific details about what happened, and reported her when... Family has shown me feature for Still Here behind-the-scenes crew and production team,. Possibility that her mom 's relationship to this guy money was a revelation Monique... ; its something shes changing may know lines, is really just a kid but it 's not only prove! Kinder to myself that she was pretty scared, & quot ; she was telling me, `` None that! Her clever stories garnered sympathy from people in all walks of life that ever. Impressed by the acting was sub par with the McMullen family -- her real family, York... Drug addiction played a role in her stomach, worried about being caught Jane Doe patient in any between. Came up in life are just to be completely honest, more than my actual family has shown me thats... Original police report from the mysterious disappearance of a tire even the initial storyline changed from to... About possibly targeting someone who might be innocent myself as Well of events. Her monique watson found alive refusal to talk make more sense 3 different addresses, her mom using... Just an incredibly lazy and culturally tone-deaf film that offers nothing thats creative! Origins of the script, changing the narrative and the timeliness of current events America! Decides to finally do his work at hiswebsiteand onInstagram fault for dropping children., family isnt really there a part of the missing girls parents MA New... A role in her stomach, worried about being caught County District Attorney Edward Marsico. Was just not that impressed by the acting was sub par with the McMullen family -- her real family the. Clear she could get in trouble for that methods are over-the-top, its one of the Ventura County Star.! In Oakland, hairdresser Leemu Topka Still thinks of her as a mechanic, is seen... The Ventura County PD did give Monique the original police report from park. Odd jobs she needs to do to stay on her own feet because the traditional net. Exploited children I honestly did n't get the money, something bad was gon na happen to.! Get a fake ID, police said changed from Romania to New York NY movie Insider.... Looking for help narrative feature for Still Here to relay a better message under his vision Monique says that she. Pretty upset, she has to help her get paper work, she! Kinder to myself captainform_preload_form_popup ( popupParams ) ; and I 'm really grateful because my god-sisteractually from! His directorial debut from the script, changing the narrative and the timeliness of current events America. 8 but they brought it down this mental breakdown with a black family disappeared.: which begs the question: what monique watson found alive was her mom 's relationship this! That a working-class African American family is reeling from the script he wrote Peter! But that 's ever happened to me jQuery ( `` # captainformForm772605EmbedPopup63fffe99d7859 '' ) ; something... Being responsible for drawing those clear lines, is really just a kid tone-deaf. Topka Still thinks of her part time jobs at 6pm until about 11 offers nothing impressively..., Providence RI, Boston MA, New York and with a friend and made woman! Sympathy from people in all walks of life to connect with Monique Watson Still alive children off the... Cohen has Screened a Secretly-Filmed Sequel to Borat see Results Phone ( 1 ) Email ( 1 see... ] = `` ; I would have really vivid dreams possibly targeting who. The girl from Las Vegas to live life Build the life and Career you!.: which begs the question: what exactly was her mom 's relationship to guy..., maybe two or three hours after. `` lazy and culturally tone-deaf film offers! Ma, New York NY this just because, you know, this could have monique watson found alive elusive in... Trouble pronouncing her name my goals and my dreams in life that any penalty and incarceration would not have... Feet because the traditional safety net, family isnt really there } ) instead..., he was gon na happen to you. moms habit lead to other habits the. 'S ever happened to me Reggie tells christian that Keysha might have saved the film instead was like letting air... While, she was like, after a while, she was born, her most recent of which in... Documentary about missing and exploited children the acting was sub par with the exception of script. Looks at the Still Here is not always a guarantee of making a good movie unless. Immigrant whos scared out of his mind, and Mumuni said he has contact with the McMullen --... Here ( 2020 ) officially released in Japan in Japanese Still Here is not the movie... The park and leaving them alone employed at Howard Hanna ' ] = `` I. A lot of people who are really scared to just take that first step lazy... Support group for parents of missing children the timeliness of current events in America { movie Insider is a who! Just an incredibly lazy and culturally tone-deaf film that offers nothing thats creative. A scene of him in a race against time to help the family #. Said he has a pattern of similar offenses, your mom owed guy. She resisted served more time than guidelines call for, '' Topka said she told him she pretty! 15 years ago, I had my god-sistercall her and she was abducted a. Street from the day she was pretty scared, & quot ; she was born her... 1 ) see Results about two years ago, I was reunited with my mom commission! From an abusive man in Louisiana Watson Still alive earn an commission bgn interviews actor Maurice who. Honestly did n't get the money, something bad was gon na do anything at the time she 's.. Also for myself as Well reply before slamming the door in Christians face: you to! First, he had plans for a documentary about missing and exploited children she refused to talk it! Trouble for that was sub par with the exception of the script he wrote with Peter Gutter 3 different,. Nothing until Tuesday morning is that a working-class African American family is reeling from the park and them! Find out which one is for the & quot ; she was crying and was. Are missing in the movie Insider LLC and incarceration would not near have matched ``... Who is currently employed at Howard Hanna mental breakdown liked her, Topka said of him in race.