Swedish vampire horror movies are not normally the stuff of legend. This is, however, not a Swedish vampire movie, nor is it a horror movie. What it is is a story about a bullied boy which just happens to contain a vampire. The movie is compelling. Visually it's beautifully grimy; this is not the glitzy 70s Sweden of Abba and bright clothing. The actors are utterly magnetic - the boy in particular is unsettlingly ambiguous. The blood-spattered scenes are well-paced. In the end what made it for me was the realisation, towards the end, of a deeply dark depiction of children, manipulation and the transience of love. Not ideal when you're getting married I suppose...
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Let the right one in
Swedish vampire horror movies are not normally the stuff of legend. This is, however, not a Swedish vampire movie, nor is it a horror movie. What it is is a story about a bullied boy which just happens to contain a vampire. The movie is compelling. Visually it's beautifully grimy; this is not the glitzy 70s Sweden of Abba and bright clothing. The actors are utterly magnetic - the boy in particular is unsettlingly ambiguous. The blood-spattered scenes are well-paced. In the end what made it for me was the realisation, towards the end, of a deeply dark depiction of children, manipulation and the transience of love. Not ideal when you're getting married I suppose...
Friday, March 20, 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
In the Valley of Elah
So, last night we watched In the Valley of Elah. It was a Sofa Cinema special - had been hanging around the house almost sent back until we bit the bullet and watched it. Very glad that we did now.
As a study of the impact of war on the young men who fight it and what happens to them afterwards it was good. What was better were the performances of the leads and the fact that this was a very human story. There was a passable detective story with some good detecting and the old trope of grizzled veteran detective changing the life of a young detective before she surrendered to cynicism.
Not quite 5 stars for me. I thought Tommy Lee Jones was brilliant - he is fast becoming a world-weary Morgan Freeman. If TLJ played god in a movie he would be tempted to give up because of the sorrow of it all.
Anyway: Bruce says 4 stars and Elaine says 5 stars. She loved it.
As a study of the impact of war on the young men who fight it and what happens to them afterwards it was good. What was better were the performances of the leads and the fact that this was a very human story. There was a passable detective story with some good detecting and the old trope of grizzled veteran detective changing the life of a young detective before she surrendered to cynicism.
Not quite 5 stars for me. I thought Tommy Lee Jones was brilliant - he is fast becoming a world-weary Morgan Freeman. If TLJ played god in a movie he would be tempted to give up because of the sorrow of it all.
Anyway: Bruce says 4 stars and Elaine says 5 stars. She loved it.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Sunday, November 16, 2008
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