Let the Right One In

Vampire mythology in film has evolved over the years with interesting, thought provoking and frightening entries. Movies like Bram Stoker's Dracula, Interview with a Vampire, The Hunger, and the lovable but cheesy Twilight. Every film tries its best to add a new facet to the legend of the undead.

The swedish import, Let the Right One In, is a breath of fresh air. It is violent tale with a touch of warmth and a fascinating irony.

Oskar (Kare Hedebrant) is a shy, frail boy who is constantly tormented by bullies at school. One night he is befriended by his new neighbor, a young girl named Eli (Lena Leandersson). A strong relationship is born between the two youths but Oskar begins to realize that his new girlfriend has a insatiable thirst for blood.

The film takes its time but is superbly directed and very well written with one the best endings I've seen in a very long time. My Grade: A

Monsters Vs Aliens - 3D

Dreamworks animation studios has tried really hard to create memorable, original, and funny movies. They have succeeded a few times within the past 10 years. Movies like Shrek, Shrek 2, and Kung Fu Panda. Sadly, they have made many mediocre to lame movies more so than great ones. Yet, the bad movies are still pretty big hits. I suppose for anyone starved for entertainment or those waiting for the next big Pixar flick, these Dreamworks crap family films tie them over.

It's unfortunate that I am going to have to include Monsters vs Aliens in the list of the lame batch. I went into this movie with high hopes and ready to be entertained. What I got was tired jokes, lazy dialogue, and bland storytelling. I was sitting in a full audience that barely chuckled at some of these jokes. Beyond the humor being attempted here, the voice work from actors like Stephen Colbert and Will Arnett falls flat. Given, they have very little to work with so they can't be blamed.

The surprising thing is this movie is essentially the story of Susan i.e. Ginormica played by Reese Witherspoon. I didn't gather that from the trailers but it was a nice surprise. Her story works but its not given any real respect by the writers. They are trying to setup her journey fast enough to get to the lame jokes.

The animation is extremely well done. The destruction sequences and action scenes are thrilling. To be honest, If it wasn't for the animation and 3D effects, I would have been utterly bored. This premise offers so many opportunities that its sad to see what it became. My grade: C-