Let the Right One In (Låt den rätte komma in) in Cinemas Now.

I’ve been looking forward to seeing this film for ages, it has consistently had amazing reviews and something different was promised than the usual vampire movie I’m pleased to report that I wasn’t disappointed.

This film centres around a lonely 12 year old by Oskar who begins a friendship with newly moved in neighbour, Eli a girl who looks 12 but is in fact a much older vampire.

This film is so much more than the very short synopsis that I have written. It is a film that deals with many deep issues; isolation, love, romance, bullying, fear, hate, murder, theft and even grooming (this occurs in a completely unexpected way). In fact all of the themes in this film are given a twist and presented in a way that makes you look at the issues in a totally different light.

The friendship and budding romance between Oskar and Eli is handled sensitively and with tenderness, in this film a brush of a hand speaks volumes in the silent snow covered backdrop. Oskar’s has an innocent unquestioning acceptance of Eli’s strange behaviour; she insists that she’s not a girl she’s ‘something else’ and she appears at windows that are several floors up and then states ‘I flew’ and he doesn’t even ask ‘how?’ This relationship is vital to the film as these fragile and damaged characters slowly bond and begin to need each other (the young actors are amazing).

This is a film that visually is isolated and stark, the setting is a snow covered Swedish housing complex in the 1980’s, grim, drab, rundown, ugly and neutral. The snow visually creates a blank canvas in which the two central characters exist. This is also a film that is shot through with visceral red and the pain of Oskar’s struggle to be accepted at school, images that will stay with me for some time.

Go and see it before Hollywood remakes it.

Director: Tomas Alfredson
Oskar - Kåre Hedebrant
Eli - Lina Leandersson

Adapted from the book – Let the Right One In by John-Aivide Lindqvist
ISBN-13: 978-1847241696

http://www.lettherightoneinmovie.com/

Cronos - On DVD

A film from the archives of the new ‘King’ of spinning of adult twisted fairy tales Del Toro’s early film Cronos doesn’t disappoint, and shows all of the imagination, thought and psyche that brought us Pan’s Labyrinth and the soon to be (but not soon enough) The Hobbit.

A short introduction shows us an alchemist in the 1500’s who invents the key to eternal life; the Cronos device. The story then switches to modern times when Jesus Gris (Luppi) a dealer in antiques accidentally uncovers the Cronos deivce. Gris lives with his younger wife and devoted granddaughter Aurora (Shanath). Gris accidentally activates the Cronos, which changes the course of his life forever, not least because the wealthy De la Guardia (Brook) and his psychotic hench-man and nephew Angel (Perlman) are after the Cronos, and its secrets, as well.

I saw Mark Kermode recently blog about vampire movies, due to the recent Twilight, True Blood and Halloween spate of films. books and television programmes about our blood-sucking friends. He recommended two films, one of which I had seen – Let The Right One In (which is reviewed here) and the other was Cronos, which although I love Del Toros work I had never seen. A fact, of course, you can see I have rectified.

The film is moody and atmospheric; the story is simple, and yet not so simple; there is a rich, powerful, sickly, man who desires eternal life he’s read the secrets he knows what he needs to do but he cannot find the Cronos that he needs. On the other hand there is the innocent that stumbles onto the Cronos and accidentally unleashes its power.

Del Toro yet again puts a spin on a familiar story – that of the vampire. Its not sexy, its not desire lead it’s a quest for deep thirst done in a controlled and restrained way, and that makes it different from a lot of other genre blood sucking films. Guis is a family man, devoted and loved, confused and yet still in control of himself despite the changes he undertakes. More strikingly for me was the silent brooding and scary Aurora, a girl who accepts, colludes and bares mute witness to all of the horror that surrounds her. She is devoted to her grandfather no matter what – it’s a great twist to an accepted story line.

Although defined as low budget, this film doesn’t look like it, it is sometimes sparse but it’s in keeping with the feel and mood of the movie. Its well worth watching, it gives a different spin on the vampire mythology and although I love the traditional stuff there’s always room for something else, especially something of this quality.

Director – Guillermo Del Toro

Cast:

Federico Luppi – Jesus Gris
Ron Perlman – Angel de la Guardia
Claudio Brook – De la Guardia
Maragarita Isabel – Mercedes
Tamara Shanath – Aurora

Let the Right One In

A future film Im looking forward to is ‘Let the Right One In’ a low budget Swedish vampire movie with a trailer that’s scarier that anything Ive seen in a long long time – I hope it lives up to expectations. Its supposed to deliver new twists on old mythology. The trailer reminds me of the spooky Shining (the original) or Ringu … bring it on I want to be scared!

http://www.lettherightoneinmovie.com/

44 Inch Chest on DVD now

44 Inch Chest follows Colin Diamond (Winston) trying to come to terms with his wife, Liz (Whalley) leaving him. Well that’s the film in its simplest version, in this film Colin’s quest for revenge and justice is aided by his gang of friends who kidnap the man Liz is having an affair with and let Colin decide his fate.

Ok, it’s a sterling cast, and on paper there isn’t a weak link amongst them, which is why I feel disappointed that the film didn’t deliver for me. Noyce has chosen to present the film as if it is a stage play, depending on the strengths of the actors alone, this would be ok but theres something not quite right about the script, it doesn’t flow smoothly its too ‘staged’ not like conversation – not even like movie conversations. The film is riddled with swearing – and believe me Im not a prude when it comes to bad language  - I rate Goodfellas as one of my all time favourite movies, but hear it just doesn’t sound right. Its not like a lot of gangsters talking its more like a bunch of 10 year olds having a conversation where they fit in as much swearing as humanly possible – it just doesn’t flow.

I also thought that there was a lack tension in the film which is at odds with the films content. Surely the tension is supposed to be constantly cranked up as Colin builds up to his decision, egged on by his friends. I found myself not caring for any of the characters, except for maybe the unnamed ‘loverboy’ who does nothing except sit on a chair and look rather pathetic for most of the film.  Overall it’s a weird film, for me it didn’t flow at all, although I did find the approach interesting but it reality it fell somewhat short of the mark.

Director: Phillip Noyce
Cast:
Ray Winstone           Colin Diamond
Ian McShane             Meredith
John Hurt                   Old Man Peanut
Tom Wilkinson          Archie
Stephen Dillane        Mal
Joanne Whalley        Liz Diamond

Let the Right One In - New Trailer

Theres a new trailer poster and a release date - April 10th

http://www.lettherightoneinmovie.com/

I will be off to see the Watchmen this weekend which Im very excited about - review to follow.

Ruby Rokococo