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RE: Let The Right One In - 20/4/2009 8:27:09 PM

wgamador

Posts: 20320
Joined: 17/1/2006
From: A polluted womb...

Okay, Im no huge vampire or wolfman film fan, so the Empire review definately persuaded me to check this out. This weekend I went to my fave viddi store and saw that they had the blu-ray and rented it.

Well i must say that the film's visuals are truly excellent. And those shot of the snow in the dark were really hypnotising.
The entire film is hypnotising with rich colors, etc.....
Ill write a mini-review soon and share my thoughts. Im giving it 4/5 for now.
The girl Eli, reminded me of the character of the 'boy' in my script adaptation of 'The Rose' by the Brothers' Grimm in the Script Challenge I titled 'Reaper's Blossom'. That was cool.

Anyhow, Ill mini-review this when i can.

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Post #: 91

RE: Deserves to sweep the Oscars next years!! - 21/4/2009 9:27:00 AM

Goodfella

Posts: 15032
Joined: 30/9/2005
From: North Devon

Wow. I don't think I can justify in words just how much I loved this film. It has argued, with relative ease might I add, it's way into my top ten films of all time.

It is quite possibly the most gripping film I have seen in years. I left the cinema so totally absorbed by it and the feelings it left me with, which I found very interesting as it's essentially a film about vampires and therefore emotional reaction most likely wouldn't be at the top of the list. It's such a bittersweet film though, and the acting, especially that of Oskar and Eli, is of the highest standard. The way it was filmed reminded me of 'Hunger' a bit, it was very bleak but yet at the same time kind of uplifting. No wonder this has made such a quick impact, don't miss out if you haven't seen it already, I know I'll go and see it again.

Oh, and it should not only win the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar but everything else avaliable as well!

Mind you, it's scooped 43 awards hasn't it already?

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Post #: 92

RE: Deserves to sweep the Oscars next years!! - 21/4/2009 9:34:21 AM

elab49

Posts: 51590
Joined: 1/10/2005

quote:

ORIGINAL: Goodfella

Oh, and it should not only win the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar but everything else avaliable as well! Mind you, it's scooped 43 awards hasn't it already?

The one award I don't think it can be nominated for again, can it? It lost out last year.

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Post #: 93

RE: Deserves to sweep the Oscars next years!! - 21/4/2009 9:36:16 AM

Goodfella

Posts: 15032
Joined: 30/9/2005
From: North Devon

Ah, I didn't know it had been in the nominations then, how the long has the film been out in it's homeland Sweden then?

I think if I get a chance to do a case study for my dissertation I will definitely be considering this.

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Post #: 94

RE: Deserves to sweep the Oscars next years!! - 21/4/2009 9:50:05 AM

elab49

Posts: 51590
Joined: 1/10/2005

I'm pretty sure the DVD came out late last year, although Imdb suggests a late year release date as well, which is odd. Maybe it will be an option - Sweden submitted Everlasting Moments last year. But the US it had a limited release last year, and the only other US date is the DVD release. Not sure whether that means it can't be chosen for the main nominations this.

I really should reread the rules!

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Films watched 2012

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Post #: 95

RE: Deserves to sweep the Oscars next years!! - 21/4/2009 9:51:31 AM

Goodfella

Posts: 15032
Joined: 30/9/2005
From: North Devon

Well that's nice and simple isn't it!?

If it's avaliable on regional-free DVD this week, I am most certainly buying it!

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Post #: 96

RE: Deserves to sweep the Oscars next years!! - 21/4/2009 10:03:59 AM

elab49

Posts: 51590
Joined: 1/10/2005

I'm pretty sure tftrman said the Blu Ray was region free. If you check the online DVD shops thread in DVD discussion there is information on how you can get the R2 Swedish release as well.

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Films watched 2012

What are your top 10/25 films of 2012? Vote in the forum Annual Poll now! Deadline is Sunday.

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Post #: 97

RE: Deserves to sweep the Oscars next years!! - 21/4/2009 10:08:17 AM

Goodfella

Posts: 15032
Joined: 30/9/2005
From: North Devon

Cool, cheers elab.

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Post #: 98

RE: Deserves to sweep the Oscars next years!! - 21/4/2009 10:27:22 AM

tftrman

Posts: 3192
Joined: 15/11/2005

quote:

ORIGINAL: elab49

I'm pretty sure tftrman said the Blu Ray was region free. If you check the online DVD shops thread in DVD discussion there is information on how you can get the R2 Swedish release as well.

Goodfella, see my post in "why Vampires aren't cool anymore" in Movie Musing. The same website is selling the dvd as well but can't remember the price of that.

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Post #: 99

RE: Deserves to sweep the Oscars next years!! - 21/4/2009 12:18:42 PM

rawlinson

Posts: 40184
Joined: 13/6/2008
From: Timbuktu. Chinese or Fictional.

quote:

ORIGINAL: elab49

I'm pretty sure the DVD came out late last year, although Imdb suggests a late year release date as well, which is odd. Maybe it will be an option - Sweden submitted Everlasting Moments last year. But the US it had a limited release last year, and the only other US date is the DVD release. Not sure whether that means it can't be chosen for the main nominations this.

I really should reread the rules!

To be eligible

quote:

All eligible motion pictures, unless otherwise noted (see Paragraph 9, below), must be:
a. feature length (defined as over 40 minutes),
b. publicly exhibited by means of 35mm or 70mm film, or in a 24- or 48-frame progressive scan Digital Cinema format with a minimum projector resolution of 2048 by 1080 pixels, source image format conforming to SMPTE 428-1-2006 D-Cinema � Image Characteristics; image compression (if used) conforming to ISO/IEC 15444-1 (JPEG 2000), and image and sound file formats suitable for exhibition in commercial Digital Cinema sites,
c. for paid admission in a commercial motion picture theater in Los Angeles County,
d. for a run of at least seven consecutive days,
e. advertised and exploited during their Los Angeles run in a manner considered normal and customary to the industry, and
f. within the Awards year deadlines specified in Rule Three.

So unless it's had a qualifying run in L.A. between January 1st and December 31st this year it won't be eligible.

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ORIGINAL: matty_b

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Post #: 100

Fantastic - 21/4/2009 2:01:56 PM

Speedwagon Roll!

Posts: 50
Joined: 25/5/2008
From: London

Can't really add anything to the main review, although I would have liked to learn more about Eli's background, which is apparently in the book (and might explain a deeply disturbing cutaway when Oskar glimpses her getting changed. Also, all great fims have crap moments, and in this it's the moment with the (not very convincing) cats; pure Monty Python.

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Post #: 101

RE: Fantastic - 21/4/2009 2:15:02 PM

wgamador

Posts: 20320
Joined: 17/1/2006
From: A polluted womb...

quote:

ORIGINAL: Speedwagon Roll!

Can't really add anything to the main review, although I would have liked to learn more about Eli's background, which is apparently in the book (and might explain a deeply disturbing cutaway when Oskar glimpses her getting changed. Also, all great fims have crap moments, and in this it's the moment with the (not very convincing) cats; pure Monty Python.

Hahahha....yeah i forgot about that cat scene. Damn nearly ruined the film for myself. I was like, "oh boy, here is where they began to run out of budget"....but was happy to see that it was just a brief moment. The Eli transformations were so subtle that they were truly creepy.

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Post #: 102

RE: Fantastic - 22/4/2009 5:17:31 AM

livila

Posts: 1296
Joined: 30/9/2005

Bugger! Just watched the region one version on dvd. Turns out some turnip did the subtitles. I thought the script was a bit "minimal". I've been avoiding reading anything about it so I didn't spoil it for myself. Looks like I'll be waiting for the region two version to properly see this film. I did really like it though. It was very touching, Eli and Oskar were brilliant in their roles. So, when's it out on dvd in the UK?

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Post #: 103

Good, but not great - 23/4/2009 10:16:36 AM

Oriainarama

Posts: 365
Joined: 10/3/2009

Good film but overall i felt a bit let down. It really didn't live up to all the hype. It doesn't really generate any sort of horror or atmosphere, and overall not a lot actaully happens in this film. A love story about 2 12 year olds, *SMALL SPOILER* also contains one really disturbing scene when Oskar peeks a view of Eli getting changes, i really don't see the need for showing a 12 year olds vagina*

I also don't understand Empire's review where they say it stands toe-to-toe with Pan's Labyrinth. Firstly Pan's Labyrinth is the superior film and secondly they have nothing in common. Not even the same Genre. You might as well say it stands toe-to-toe with Titanic, which would actually be more accurate as its about a love story between 2 people who are very different to each other.

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Post #: 104

LET THIS ONE IN!!! - 24/4/2009 4:01:24 PM

ROTGUT

Posts: 291
Joined: 14/7/2008

A Swedish vampire film? I was completely convinced that this was going to be a complete waste of time and money. But how wrong can you be? This is one of those very rare occasions when all the plaudits are truly deserved. Not great - but certainly one of the best films of the year.....go see!!!

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Post #: 105

Fang-tastic (Har, Har) - 28/4/2009 3:13:50 PM

EricL

Posts: 689
Joined: 10/9/2008

I thought it was brilliant. The acting, music, camerawork were all excellent. My favourite film so far this year and i'd be suprised if it was bettered.

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Post #: 106

RE: Fang-tastic (Har, Har) - 29/4/2009 10:14:49 AM

Posts: 33
Joined: 21/1/2008

Wow..just Wow..I must have been watching a totally different film than everyone else. I thought it was pant wettingly bad and hysterically funny in places. As good as Pans Lab? I don't fucking think so. The acting from the main 2 leads was good...everyone else was appalling! The other kids, especially the bullies were so bad...the whole film had a very dated 70's slasher look to it not to mention is was painfully funny at times where it should not have been. The cat scene was hilarious...I was in a room with 5 other people watching this tosh..all on the strength of Empires review and we were pissing ourselves. The one decent scene was the ending in the pool but seriously..this was utter shite.

This doesn't even get close to john Carpenters vampires, let alone Interview with a Vampire...>Empire, I watched this to give you one last chance as your reviews have been going down the shitter for ages now...now I know I can simply NEVER trust you again.

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Post #: 107

RE: Fang-tastic (Har, Har) - 29/4/2009 2:30:08 PM

wgamador

Posts: 20320
Joined: 17/1/2006
From: A polluted womb...

quote:

ORIGINAL: C3

Wow..just Wow..I must have been watching a totally different film than everyone else. I thought it was pant wettingly bad and hysterically funny in places. As good as Pans Lab? I don't fucking think so. The acting from the main 2 leads was good...everyone else was appalling! The other kids, especially the bullies were so bad...the whole film had a very dated 70's slasher look to it not to mention is was painfully funny at times where it should not have been. The cat scene was hilarious...I was in a room with 5 other people watching this tosh..all on the strength of Empires review and we were pissing ourselves. The one decent scene was the ending in the pool but seriously..this was utter shite.

This doesn't even get close to john Carpenters vampires, let alone Interview with a Vampire...>Empire, I watched this to give you one last chance as your reviews have been going down the shitter for ages now...now I know I can simply NEVER trust you again.

not trusting Empire, now I wouldnt go that far. Ive read positive reviews and negative ones for movies I like all the time....i.e., Funny Games.

I do agree with you 10,000%.....it was NOT better than Pan's Labyrinth no way Jose.
I did think the bullies were bullshit too. But since the film takes place in Sweden, i figured thats the Swedish way to bully someone.
I did like the production design theme of the 70's-80's, I had no issue with that, its when they do it over-the top-70's-disco shit that I cant stand.

If you read my first post, I did say i give it 4/5 for now......after a few days of sorting the film out, I give it 3/5.....since I can only really recall three or four scenes that stood out.

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Post #: 108

Best film of 2009 - 29/4/2009 6:48:49 PM

Kev2012

Posts: 39
Joined: 10/4/2006

Forget your Star Trek, Transformers, Terminators and everything else. Let The Right One In will be the best movie released this year. It is haunting, disturbing emotional and scary too.

With last years Rec, and The Orphanage, Let The Right One In proves that for now, Europe is leading the way in horror.

Don't miss this!

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Post #: 109

RE: Best film of 2009 - 4/5/2009 5:44:38 PM

DJ Rob C: Mark II!

Posts: 34808
Joined: 30/9/2005
From: Christmas town

Absolutely terrific, both touching and chilling...

5/5

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Post #: 110

RE: Good, but not great - 4/5/2009 5:49:20 PM

Neth

Posts: 4750
Joined: 3/10/2005

quote:

ORIGINAL: Oriainarama

*SMALL SPOILER* also contains one really disturbing scene when Oskar peeks a view of Eli getting changes, i really don't see the need for showing a 12 year olds vagina*

I think you may have missed a subtle plot point here.

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Post #: 111

RE: Good, but not great - 4/5/2009 7:14:53 PM

wgamador

Posts: 20320
Joined: 17/1/2006
From: A polluted womb...

quote:

ORIGINAL: Neth

quote:

ORIGINAL: Oriainarama

*SMALL SPOILER* also contains one really disturbing scene when Oskar peeks a view of Eli getting changes, i really don't see the need for showing a 12 year olds vagina*

I think you may have missed a subtle plot point here.

Damn. That confirms im no pedophile (not implying you are Oriania....), I missed that scene or maybe I just wasnt looking (Im sure thats a good thing in this case).

You know im getting uncomfy talking about this.

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"And as he, who with laboring breath has escaped from the deep
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Post #: 112

RE: Let The Right One In - 5/5/2009 2:11:42 PM

Gazdance

Posts: 1237
Joined: 3/10/2005
From: Southampton

My friend: "What did you think of the film?"

Me: "Not much."

I'm not hear to slate the film. It's been getting very good reviews and a lot of people are enjoying it. It's not that I didn't like it it's just that it left me feeling totally indifferent.

It started off well enough, introducing characters and setting and plot points to be explored during the film. The trouble is, I felt that the film had no forward momentum and did very little to develop much in the way of dramatic tension. I felt that lots of scenes just had no relation to each other.

I felt that there should have been more mystery around the killings carried out by Eli's 'father'. He's an inept killer that you certainly wonder how no one notices him given that Gosta just happens upon Eli murdering Jocke. The murders seem to have little impact on the community.

Oskar being bullied is a subplot that could have been developed a bit more effectively and I felt that the conclusion to that particular storyline was unnecessary but like the other murders in the film, they seemed to be of no real concequence. There was never a sense of the authorities closing in and that being the driving point behind Oskar and Eli's departure.

The implication that Eli's 'father' was once another Oskar and that's exactly how Oskar would end up was a disturbing point that was nicely subtle and just one of many good perfomances in the film.

The sound design was also disturbingly effective; you got a good sense of Eli's hunger.

For a film that was full of plenty of good ideas it's a shame that I found it so unengaging. Quite disappointed.

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Post #: 113

RE: Let The Right One In - 5/5/2009 2:21:30 PM

wgamador

Posts: 20320
Joined: 17/1/2006
From: A polluted womb...

quote:

ORIGINAL: Gazdance

I felt that there should have been more mystery around the killings carried out by Eli's 'father'. He's an inept killer that you certainly wonder how no one notices him given that Gosta just happens upon Eli murdering Jocke. The murders seem to have little impact on the community.

Excellent point(s) ....
I want to read more of your opinions because you narrowed down exactly why I was torn between really liking this film or just thinking it was 'okay'.

_____________________________

"And as he, who with laboring breath has escaped from the deep
to the shore, turns to the perilous waters and gazes..."

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Post #: 114

RE: Let The Right One In - 6/5/2009 5:58:01 PM

Gazdance

Posts: 1237
Joined: 3/10/2005
From: Southampton

quote:

ORIGINAL: wgamador

quote:

ORIGINAL: Gazdance

I felt that there should have been more mystery around the killings carried out by Eli's 'father'. He's an inept killer that you certainly wonder how no one notices him given that Gosta just happens upon Eli murdering Jocke. The murders seem to have little impact on the community.

Excellent point(s) ....
I want to read more of your opinions because you narrowed down exactly why I was torn between really liking this film or just thinking it was 'okay'.

Cheers. I don't really have that much more to say about it though as I've almost forgotten about it.

I suppose you could say that the film felt a bit flat. For me there were no ups or downs in the story. Despite it clearly being a story that was concerned with the relationship between Eli and Oskar, I felt it was also meant to be a horror story of sorts. At no point did I feel any tension, dread or fear over what may happen.

Beyond that, it's all as I've set out above.

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Post #: 115

* SPOILERS AHOY* - 6/5/2009 11:12:33 PM

avisie

Posts: 5
Joined: 17/7/2008

I really enjoyed the whole thing. Beautifully shot and great performances all round. One thing that I have not seen mentioned is the dark humour throught the movie. Maybe I have a sick sense of humour but if that is so I was joined by the rest of the audience in the cinema. There were many sniggers when Oskar finally retaliated to the bullies taunts and the swimming pool scene almost had a slapstick quality. I felt the film combined subtlety and gratuitouness, if intentional, I applaud fully. It is tempting to jump on the arty-farty foreign film band wagon but its loses a star for the CGI pussy cats. I loved the awkward scene when Oskars fathers 'friend' joined their private evening. Overall it was a different cinematic experience and I enjoyed fully.......apart from the cats!

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Post #: 116

RE: * SPOILERS AHOY* - 15/5/2009 11:35:07 PM

scary_ice

Posts: 170
Joined: 11/1/2007
From: Meath, Ireland

I absolutely adored this movie. I wouldn't classify it as a horror really as I think that sets up an expectation of "jumps" or "scares" that this film really doesn't go for. It is a slow-burning atmospheric, gorgeous arthouse movie first in my opinion which leaves a lot of things unsaid crediting it's audience with the intelligence to make up their own minds and will provoke discussion.

I haven't read the book and obviously fans of the book will be unhappy with changes made and simplifying the story - but I would say that this film worked absolutely and totally as a film without any knowledge of the book. I think the whole thing about Eli's gender is kind of irrelevant really and I think "that shot" should have been left out as it does nothing for the movie. Eli saying "I'm not a girl" could be interpreted different ways by different people and anyway Oskar doesn't actually seem bothered by these statements or what he sees and doesn't pursue the matter. Neither did I feel a need to explore Eli's backstory. In a book you can obviously do these kind of things but this is a film not a book and I think a flashback to medieval times (or whenever) would have jarred seriously with the tone of the film.

So yeah, in short I loved it and think it's one of the best films I've seen in years

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Post #: 117

RE: * SPOILERS AHOY* - 18/5/2009 1:47:05 AM

MartyW

Posts: 204
Joined: 3/1/2006
From: Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom

Best. Vampire. Film. In. Years.

Id even say it was miles better than 30 days of night and that is also a very fine example of the vampire horror genre i think.

I was just gripped and on the edge of my seat from begining to end with this one though... That scene where she walks into the boy's house uninvited and starts shaking and bleeding from every single part of her body is some fucked up scary shit..... i love it!

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Post #: 118

- 28/6/2009 11:33:54 AM

TheGodfather

Posts: 5099
Joined: 21/10/2005
From: Sin City

It says with big letters on the cover of the blu-ray "Best.Vampire.Movie.Ever!". A bit of misguiding text. It`s not really a vampire story. It`s more a romantic drama in wich the emphasis lies on the drama part, that is being poured into a horror/fantasy jacket. This makes it into original film, where the cheap scare effects and the usual scary horror music is left out. This as well makes it that the emphasis is on the drama part. The direction is calmly and tastefully photographed.
The young cast is terrific, especially the little Kåre Hedebrant as Oskar gives a fantastic performance.
An absolute brilliant film, one of the best horror/fantasy films of the past years.

9,0/10

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Post #: 119

Outstanding - 13/7/2009 7:48:52 PM

bennyblanco

Posts: 13
Joined: 27/6/2007

Quite simply one of the best films I have ever seen. Tagging this as just a horror does this beautiful, tense, emotion filled movie absolutely no justice at all. I pray to god that Platinum Dunes do not get their hands on it, or hollywood in general for that matter.

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Post #: 120