h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Recently, I was asked to post a little review on my journal. In retrospect, the film was good enough to warrant posting a little review here, as well, where perhaps it might be useful to other people not subscribed to my journal. So, I've C&Ped my entry here.



A couple weeks ago, I went to the theater to catch "Låt den Rätte Komma In" ("Let the Right One In").

It's a sweet Swedish coming of age story about two lonely, outcast pre-adolescent children. One of them is Oskar, a boy whose parents basically ignore him and whose classmates torment him mercilessly. The other is Eli, a beautiful, melancholy girl, who moves in next door and on whom he develops his first crush. Eli also just happens to be a vampire.

I thought the cinematography was outstanding (the Swedish winter nights were gorgeous), the chemistry between the two leads impressive, and the dialog and character development were flawless. The violence, when it was there, was brutal but subdued- underneath it all, Oskar and Eli are just lonely, innocent children. There are no cheesy special effects, no cheap scares, and nothing gratuitous. The things that happen do because they *have* to.

Without spoiling the film for anyone, there were a couple of specific things I thought were brilliant: the man who arrives with Eli at the beginning of the film and provides a glimpse of what Oskar's future with her would be like; and a scene near the end, which takes place in a swimming pool, that made me laugh out loud with my hair standing on end.

I really, really enjoyed the film. So much so, I'm sure I'll want to see it again. Highly recommended (though, in spite of the ages of the children in the film, perhaps not for kids under 13).

I ought to do a Baader-Meinhof Complex review.

I've been reading some reviews and I'm undecided as to whether or not to see it. I looked it up on IMDb and in the very first sentence of the synopsis, someone refers to the RAF as "left-wing terrorists". Not a good sign. I give a very wide berth to media which sets out to portray freedom fighters, or any protest group for that matter, as "terrorists". So- your review might prove helpful.

I agree, one of the best film rentals in quite a while.
It's not a blockbuster, the films pace begins quite gently but before long you are reeled in to this cold but beautiful world.
I was astonished how genuinely original and heartfelt this film was, the relationship between Oskar and Eli is very natural.
You don’t have to be a fan of horror or thrillers (although I don’t think it fits perfectly well in either of those two) and don’t let the fact of subtitles put you off this one...Outstanding.