filmbore pick of the week - Run Lola Run

Run Lola Run

Director: Tom Tykwer
Screenplay: Tom Tykwer
Starring: Franka Potente, Moritz Bleibtreu, Herbert Knaup
Year: 1998
Language: German
UK rental release: December 1999

IMDb
LoveFilm
Rotten Tomatoes

As you know, world cinema is a big deal on filmbore. And over the years, there are times when foreign films seep into the western cultural mainstream, as a fashionable interest in something unique and alternative wets the taste buds of the movie going masses. As fleeting as this moment can be, it's usually thanks to one or two pictures at that present time that open the flood gates to the borders outside of English speaking territories, and in 1998 there was such a film...Run Lola Run.

Hyper-frenzied, nitro-red haired Lola (Franka Potente, The Princess And The Warrior, The Bourne Identity) receives a stressful phone call. Her boyfriend, Manni (Moritz Bleibtreu, The Baader Meinhof Complex, Das Experiment) is charged up, clearly upset by her lack of presence when he needed her the most. She didn't make it on time for an important meet up with him, and her unexpected lateness has really put him on the spot.

After an initially successful diamond smuggling attempt, on his journey back home, Manni misplaces a bag full of cash, the payment for the couriered jewels on a subway train. And now he owes a lot of money to some dangerous people. If he can't pay up, he's knows he's a dead man.

Lola's lateness to the rendezvous was out of her hands though, through an unfortunate situation regarding her mode of transport. While popping into a tobacconist to pick up some cigarettes, somebody zipped by swiftly and stole her moped. If she still had her bike, she would have met him on time and taken him home with no trouble.

So, without her trusty moped and a heapful of cash to locate in just 20 minutes, Lola must think quickly. In hardly no time at all, Lola has to find 100,000 Deutsche Marks. And if she doesn't get to Manni sooner, he may even rob a nearby supermarket to get hold of the readies. She has no choice...but to run!

Lola darts across the city, disregarding all obstacles in her path, desperately begging her bank managing father (Herbert Knaup, The Lives Of Others, In Darkness) to help. Wound up in an affair with another woman to her mother, Lola catches him with her, already feeding tension into the her following plea. Unwilling to assist her in her plight, he leads her out of the bank and leaves her with some startling news about her family.

Now broken, penniless and fired up more than before, she takes to sprint once more, seeking out Manni to try and save him and prevent him from committing armed robbery. But, her fate leads her to a shocking upheaval...and as we zoom into her shocked expression she utters "Stop!...

...Suddenly we're whisked back to her apartment, post- phone call with Manni again, right back where we started. She has 20 minutes to find 100,000 Deutsche Marks in order to save Manni. Can she save him this time around?

The big selling point of this film is, of course, the tri-chapter method of telling the same story but with different finales. The leading animation vignette at the start of her journey become the segue into each segment, as the clock is turned back for another attempt. 

As we follow her down the spiral staircase, into the streets of the city we're engulfed with a chunky soundtrack. The music, hedonistic and progressive, heightens the tension and excites the viewer. Also, here's a bit of trivia for you - the core theme is an evolving track spliced amidst the scenes, where the key vocal is sung by none other than our lead, Franka Potente.

Franka is striking in this film. This isn't just due to her fiery hair either, as her natural screen presence is as effervescent as ever. Without words, she commands attention, while every bead of sweat pouring down her brow, delivered from her cardio-based transportation, is 1% water, 99% charisma. She was still young when this was made and in the early trail of her performing career, making Run Lola Run a wonderful platform for her, leading her to bigger films thereafter.

The same can be said for Moritz Bleibtreu, who's great as a supporting lead. He truly has a face for film, where only a subtle facial tweak or a brief glance tells a thousand stories. Such a visage allows drama to fuel his scenario while also lending to a more comical approach when required.

And there's no ignoring the laughs here. There's great humour to be found, including one of the greatest screams ever captured on celluloid...there are a few thrown out there by Franka but it's the last one she gifts us with in the casino that really shakes the windows! The fact that this movie doesn't take itself too seriously makes it far more approachable to audiences that usually turn away from foreign films.

Another aid in popularising this picture is its overall aura. It definitely has a pulp vibe, which I think has really helped it to reach more of a mainstream audience. It paints itself with the airs of a comic book, inviting you in to its exuberant art and vivid colouring. Filming moves from colour to black-and-white, from high quality to poor, adding extra layers to an already intense package. 

Not only does the lens flip in its look, but in motion too. The camera work is frantic and over emphasised, fusing the tale with a fantasy feel. What has really solidified this piece, however, is the choice to shoot it on location in Berlin. The story is never referred to as based in the German capital, instead opting to an anonymous European metropolis as the stage for Lola's experiences. Yet, we still get to experience some of the startling and unusually retro architecture of this vibrant city, which is taking advantage of by the cinematography of Frank Griebe, a regular of our director and screenwriter, Tom Tykwer.

Tykwer decision to run the film loosely in real time is perfect, drawing you in to the action unfolding. This method brings real pace to the story, absorbing you from beginning to end, beginning to end and, finally, beginning to end! From the off, you're on a hectic adventure with Lola, where every second and every step are a vital part to her success or failure.

This brings me neatly back to the structure of Run Lola Run. The repetition of the dilemma, transformed by the smallest of circumstance opens some interesting thematic angles. It's laced throughout with spirals, not only in the opening cartoon staircase, but in imagery at poignant moments in the tale. The perpetual nature of this geometric presence lends to the ebb and flow of decisions made and the all encompassing thread of the universe; how we are all intrinsically linked through the smallest of acts and where whatever you try and achieve you are always lead right back to where you start.

It forces you to consider the power of luck and chance, and if grasped head on, ponder whether fate will pay you dividend. More scientifically, you could argue that there is further strength in the chaotic patters of cause-and-effect at play here, where conscious or unconscious actions take consequence on your next steps.

These themes are examined on a microcosmic scale through some of her encounters. These are my favourite elements of the film. Lola will brush pass a woman, and then we're treated to snapshots of the next events of the passer-by's life. Later, when she passes her again in the next chapter, in a slightly different manner, we are presented with the same idea but the path taken by the bystander is different. This subtlety feeds to such drastically different perspectives and outcomes from the slightest of encounters at different times, in different places.

In this, it riffs on Krystof Kieślowski's "Blind Chance", where the slightest alteration to a core event sets off a chain reaction of fateful actions, wholly finalising in a different outcome each time. But it's not so much the early changes, or the alternate finale of each segment that's most interesting, but the journey taking from start to end. Represented by Lola's determination to succeed each time through the medium of the title's need to run, the pace of the scenarios in their congealed form is where you see the true beauty in this masterfully original piece.

Run Lola Run is one of the more renowned pieces of world cinema around the time of its release. Even so, sometimes intriguing pieces such as this need to re-earthed for further viewing and re-honoured in an attempt to reach out to those of you who have not partaken in its charms. If you are still new to the hidden gems of foreign film, this is a great place to start, for humour, drama, intensity, startling camera work and digestible tale that have you running for the remote for a re-watch.

Don't forget to leave comments below, tweet me @filmbore or post on my Facebook page here. 

Alternatively, you could contact me directly about this film or my other reviews on pickoftheweek@filmbore.co.uk

filmbore pick of the week - The Imposter

The Imposter

Director: Bart Layton

Starring: Frédéric Bourdin (himself), Adam O'Brian, Carey Gibson (herself), Nancy Fisher (herself), Charlie Parker (himself)

Year: 2012

Language: English

UK rental release: January 2013

IMDb
LoveFilm

Rotten Tomatoes

This week, following the end of my horror season, I wanted to get some normality back into filmbore. And what better way to do that than review a documentary film. Yet, this story is astonishing you'll hardly believe it normal, as we delve into the crazy world of one man's adventure into the power of stealing identity with The Imposter.

Back in 1994, Nicholas Barclay, from San Antonio, Texas, disappeared aged just 13. This tragic disappearance of a loved young boy cracked the rigidity of his family, as they longed for his return. Over 3 years pass and there's a phone call made to the US authorities...from Spain! A couple who are touring the country chance upon a scared kid, claiming to be from America. Upset and frightened, they want to help and their contact with the US begins a chain reaction of bizarre events.

But who is this sixteen year old? A stranger. A pretender. Even cloaking himself in false adolescence to be someone else; someone younger than him. When local Spanish police officers locate him at a phone booth he acts in just the right way to fool them. He elicits certain responses from them by his chosen mannerisms, all meticulously planned out. As he's not a teenager at all - his name is Frédéric Bourdin and he is 23 years old!

Unloved as a child, he craves the care another child would have experienced. Taken into a nearby orphanage, he stays as quiet as he can, so as not to give the game away. He only wants shelter and to be cared for. But when he is forced to give the orphanage details of his identity,or face jail time, he manufactures an opportunity for himself so as to create a persona for protection.

With the excuse of US to Spanish time zones, meaning the orphanage will have to wait until morning to make further contact, he convinces them to let him stay in their office overnight. Here is where he plans to build a profile, discovering details on a young Texan boy called Nicholas Barclay, missing for three years, and he takes the necessary action to place himself directly in his shoes. 

The FBI get involved to bring "Nicholas" to the US and to the family. Nicholas Barclay's sister, Cary Gibson, flies to Spain to get him. While she is en route, he changes his image to be more convincing, dying his hair and getting tattooed. And when she arrives she is so overcome she's adamant he is her brother. Carey has no idea that she's travelling with a stranger.

His reward for changing his identity - to be reborn. He keeps getting lucky, taking little steps each time, yet he gets in so deep he can't escape. Can he not foresee the further pain he would cause this family? And once he's crossed this line, can he ever go back?

Part documentary, part filmed, The Imposter is a unique piece. Throughout, it's not always filmed with the standard docu-style, making it very filmic. In it's scenes of re-enactment it is dramatically shot, even allowing the cutting in of old TV footage in parts to add extra character to the overall picture.

In fact. you're never really sure what's real or what's not even in some moments, including the "talking heads" moments. This was intentional. Interviews are flipped from voxpops style to voice overs of acted footage, while mimed by our lead amidst the events for an interactive feel. This technique is very effective, holding great impact on screen.

 

How Bart Layton has built this film is bordering on genius. We experience the events and learn the facts as the individuals do, involving you in the unravelling mystery in a manner chronologically mirrored to how it truly happened. Every interview and newly found fact turned over new rocks, leading Layton and his producer, Dimitri Doganis, to return on a number of occasions to uncover more. As we watch, we feel what they felt while making this docu-film, which is a binding necessary to take you on this ride.

One hidden motor that drives this film is the family's blindness and/or motives. You may find yourself questioning certain views and actions, especially as you venture further into their situation. It's a window into the pain and confusion felt by a family who has lost someone but without answers, paired with their elation at the chance of reunion. How would you react if you were in their place? Emotions, fatigue and desperation can alter your perception; twist what you see to what you believe you want to see. This is realised in this film in such a fascinating way, be it dark and peculiar.

It also highlights the old complication of when lies go too far. When such aspersions grow beyond your control you have to get more complex and ridiculous, making the incredible credible. The evolving case that Frédéric puts forward to the authorities to explain his abduction is so extravagant it has to be believed. The more unreal, the more real it seems...this is what all successful con men do.

 

It's interesting what actions you can take to steal an identity, as Frédéric demonstrates. As exorbitant as the story is, you find yourself engulfed by it; to be awed by the staggering success of Frédéric's lies. A lot of this is down to both the compelling chances he took and his enigmatic portrayal and delivery of the events. He truly is an intriguing character and it's absolutely fascinating to try and figure out what goes on in his warped mind.

As a master of manipulation, you feel a part of his con, initially buying into his sympathetic manner. Yet, through his selfish drive, there's a coldness to his actions - methodical, automated. Learning of his upbringing may add gravitas and motive to his actions, while clearly not justifying them, but it's perplexing how a human being can have so much mental stamina, applying it to deceiving a grieving family and in doing so defying the simple natural instinct of recognition and longing? This is unbelievably realised further when, through maybe believing his own hype, he takes the bold step in speaking to the media, building further absurdity and risk. Is he doing this to try and convince himself that he is Nicholas Barclay?

The fallout from Bourdin's actions is both uncomfortable and astounding. Even more wondrous is the appearance of one particular man's instinct (private detective Charlie Parker). His part in the tale begins to unravel the embellishment, and his actions play a huge role in in the finale of this truly breathtaking true story...of a man who could be the world's finest actor.

He fooled the Spanish police, the US embassy, the FBI and, even more shockingly, Nicholas Barclay's family. He may have even fooled himself. But when it's over , you'll be overwhelmed by what he's achieved. Yet, when you cast your mind over the film you've just allowed to penetrate your belief in humanity, at it's heart it's just a tale of a man who wants to be loved and a family who need to love someone.

Don't forget to leave comments below, tweet me @filmbore or post on my Facebook page here. 

Alternatively, you could contact me directly about this film or my other reviews on pickoftheweek@filmbore.co.uk

Top 10 Zombie Killers!

Oh, and you thought the horror season was over?!

So, I've completed six reviews as pick-of-the-weeks of the scary, gory and dark variety, along with a combined horror-Easter list with Top 10 Scary Rabbits but I couldn't leave without doing another one. Also, through the last six weeks I've covered a number of sub-genres of horror but failed to include my favourite of them all...the Zombie movie! What better way to pay homage to zombiedom than mentioning not just one, but ten brain craving pictures of gory delight.

Below, I pay tribute to mad kings of bat swing, to lords of the chainsaw, to hot thumbs on the shotgun, with filmbore's Top 10 Zombie Killers!

The criteria:

• We're after characters from zombie films, not the film names themselves. This is about the acts of the individual, not the plot of a movie.
• Sorry Walking Dead fans...it has to be zombie killers from films only (this is filmbore after all!), so we cannot include Rick Grimes, Daryl or Michonne in this list.
• And, it's people killing zombies, not zombies killing people, which does mean (unfortunately) that there will be no appearances from everybody's favourite household ghoul, Bub from Day Of The Dead. Pity...
• Most importantly, NO EVIL DEAD! I love the films, but the beings in the trilogy ARE NOT ZOMBIES! They are people possessed by evil spirits to become Deadites, and can still return to normal form.
• And finally, if you want to suggest someone who isn't here but you think deserves to be do the usual and add your input into the comments box at the bottom of the article...except this time I expect you to back up your claim with at least one example of their awesome kills.

WARNING! Mild spoilers and rotting brains are just ahead!

10. Ben (Duane Jones) from Night Of The Living Dead (1968)

What better way to begin but with the man who started it all. He was the first person to not be scared of the creeping horde, and the first to pick up a weapon and strike back against them. His actions couldn't prevent the inevitable but they did begin a train of fellow bravado-filled defenders of humanity, and for this Ben, we salute you!

9. Shaun (Simon Pegg) from Shaun Of The Dead (2004)

Edgar Wright's rom-zom-com was successful for many justified reasons, but it's the central character of Shaun that let us enter into the comical yet starkly real world of zombie aping, ghoul raving, beer craving, queen song bashing goodness. Cricket bat or pool cue, Shaun's relentless in dispatching the neighbourhood rotters to save the girl he loves and get to the pub he loves more!

8. Selena (Naomie Harris) in 28 Days Later (2002)

So zombies can run now?! We better step up our game then! Enter Selena, who spares no thought to slaying these ghouls with the coolness of a puma and survival instinct of a shark. Even when one of her friends receives the slightest of scratches she pauses ever so briefly to contemplate her next action...severing her still-human pal's arm with her machete, then finishing him off. Take no chances...

7.  The Biker Gang in Dawn Of The Dead (1978)

I couldn't be specific to one biker here, as the entire mob that infiltrate our heroes' shopping mall utopia act as one overbearing force in Romero's 10 year follow up to Night Of... Led by the enigmatic make-up effects genius Tom Savini (who some of you know as Sex Machine in From Dusk Till Dawn) they lighten up the movie bringing both fear and comedy to the mix.

6. Vegard (Lasse Valdal) in Dead Snow (2009)

Nazi zombies in Norway. Genius! There are some crazy kills throughout this comical picture from all of the characters involved. But the prize in this Scandinavian hidden gem goes to the craziness of Vegard, for blending vehicle and weapon by mounting a high-calibre machine gun to a snowmobile. Now that is a ghoul slaying car if I have ever seen one!

5. Cherry Darling (Rose McGowan) in Planet Terror (2007)

Oh, but welding a gun to a snowmobile is nothing. How about we have it grafted to the stumpy remains of my leg instead? Never has film been some blasé in its self mocking as Rodriguez's answer to Grindhouse, as Cherry turns her disability into a zombie massacring machine. She even uses her new firepower to propel herself at inhuman heights just to get over walls. Now she wanna kill some zombie!

4. El Wray (Freddy Rodríguez) in Planet Terror (2007)

But even with a gun-toting limb, Cheery is nothing compared to her mysterious ex-boyfriend, El Wray. This realised at its best when Wray has to enter a hospital chock full of zombies and their victims to rescue Cherry. And how does he get by a swarm of flesh rotting critters? With just two knives and plenty of skill!

3. Alice (Milla Jovovich) in the Resident Evil series (2002 - present)

Yes, these movies may not be up to much, but you cannot dispute the powerhouse of zombie -slaying super hero Alice from the ongoing Resident Evil series. For over 12 years now she's been dispatching ghouls in the hundreds in more ridiculously over the top ways, including one where she unloads on a horde, then when out of ammo drops the magazine out of her gun and kicks it into a zombie's face! Boom!

2. Lionel Cosgrove (Timothy Balme) in Braindead/Dead Alive (1992)

This list wouldn't be complete without including the goriest film of all time. One of Peter Jackson hilarious early films, Braindead still stands out to this very day. And yes, I love the Father McGruder "kicking arse for the lord" but it's Lionel's infamous slaughter of gatecrashing ghouls with his trusty lawnmower that puts him firmly in the runner up spot. I can still hear the crunching of bones against mower blade...ueeuurrghh!

And the winner is...

1. Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson) in Zombieland (2009)

Okay, he may not hold the level of body count of Lionel's mowingly blood-spattering attempt in Braindead, or exude the near super human skills of Alice or El Wray, but there is more style in Tallahassee's bat-swinging little finger than any of our other walker slayers.

Tallahassee isn't just good at what he does...he enjoys it! He takes out ghouls purely for sport, laughing as he does so, even going out of his way to make some kills more complicated just to so they'll be that little bit more appealing. He'll ring a shop bell to summon the walker, only to be waiting to the side of the entrance as the confused beast runs past him so he can shoot it "on the burst"...

...all in the name of trying to achieve the zombie kill of the week.

Hell, he even takes one out with a banjo. Eat that Lionel Cosgrove! A BANJO! Such inventive ways to dispatch the invaders not only brings humour to the film but an air of humanity. After a while, surely some people will bored of the standard weening of the rotten, and start to tamper with the system with unusual weapons in strange scenarios. Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg) may be our narrator, as a normal young man, confused in this new world, but we connect more with the wildness and ferocity of the Twinkie-craving fool who just wants to forget the past and take out the dead in intriguingly different methods.

Speaking of events gone, most touching about his character is the reveal of his inner turmoil, with the loss of his son (earlier, believed to be a puppy). His vulnerability takes you deeper into his longing and helps us to understand how lost he truly is. His defence is his cocky manner and his ability to smash some undead scum and all of this is achieved effortlessly by Harrelson. This role was made for Woody. It's the part he was always meant to play, allowing him to showboat his swagger and charisma in a role that you could easily have hated if played by some else. Instead, he infuses Tallahassee with vim and balls, making actor and character one and the same.

If I survived the first few days of a zombie holocaust, and needed to turn to one of the above assassins, come hell or high bloodied water I'd make sure that Tallahassee was at my side. You can rely on him for his weapon stash, relentless aggression, daily entertainment but mostly...

...Cos he kills 'em like a boss! 

Just Missed Out: Ray (Cockneys Vs Zombies), 

Cholo  (Land Of The Dead), 

Burt (Return Of The Living Dead), 

Martin (Dead Snow), 

Roger (Dawn Of The Dead)

If you disagree, and have other suggestions, please post comments at the bottom of the post. Or, email me directly on topten@filmbore.co.uk.

And don't forget, you can tweet me @filmbore or post on my Facebook page here.

filmbore pick of the week - Let The Right One In

Let The Right One In

Director: Tomas Alfredson
Screenplay: John Ajvide Lindqvist
Starring: Kåre Hedebrant, Lina Leandersson, Patrik Rydmark, Per Ragnar
Year: 2008
Language: Swedish
UK rental release: August 2009

IMDb
LoveFilm
Rotten Tomatoes

And so, we enter the final part of my horror season. But what sub-genre will I tap into in the last round? Well, this isn't strictly a sub-genre, but a category of great importance...

Some of you may remember the article I wrote back in August on like-for-like remakes here. And today, we are still continually reminded of the lack of originality in the Hollywood machine thanks to their constant stream of re-do's, including some awful reworkings of incredible world cinema. One of the biggest of these tragedies comes in the form of an incredible Swedish horror directed by Tomas Alfredson, Let The Right One In.

Oskar (newcomer Kåre Hedebrant) is an insular child and doesn't fit in with other kids. He's an awkward, eccentric lad who nobody seems to understand. Due to his mother regularly working nights he's left at home nearly every night to fend for himself. His parents are separated, the segregation possibly feeding his distance from those around him.

He's getting bullied at school for being so different, so unique. In particular, a gang of boys pick on Oskar frequently, led by head bully, Conny (newcomer Patrik Rydmark).

Eli (newcomer Lina Leandersson) is a sickly looking girl who's just moved into the area. On her first night in her new home she ventures into the park outside and encounters Oskar. She seems other-worldly and older than her years, holding a lifetime in her eyes. She stresses to Oskar that, although they are neighbours, they can never be friends.

Maybe this is due to the actions of Eli's father/guardian, Håkan (Per Ragnar, Storm, Fire-Eater). At night, he is chloroforming & kidnapping local folk. Unclear as we are of his motive, we bear witness as he drains his hanging victims of their blood, like slaughtered cattle. He is clinical and calculated in his methods.

After a little time Eli starts to befriend Oskar. She slowly realises that she understands him and finds his reluctantly aloof persona endearing. She wants to protect him; to help him fight back against Conny and the others. As they grow closer, Oskar sees some peculiar sides to Eli's that interest him too: she doesn't feel the cold when outside in the icy night air, on occasion she moves with an ethereal quality, and when he feeds her sweets she can't seem to keep them down, regurgitating them moments after eating them. She's clearly unlike anyone he's ever met.

As their relationship flourishes, Oskar discovers Eli's link to the horrendous killings in the area. Yet, when Eli's relents to disclose her secret, it fuels more intrigue and mystery. Oskar is entranced as Eli allows him to enter her bizarre and dark world.

 

Adapted from the novel of the same name by its own author, John Ajvide Lindqvist, Let The Right One In is an enigmatic piece that slowly draws you in right from it's snow-filled opening sequence. We're welcome by an emotional and hefty score that continues to penetrate at subtle points throughout the story. It's tones bring a stark air, emphasising Oskar's loneliness, Eli's pining for friendship and both of their needs for acceptance. 

Full of hope, the score intently contradicts the horror element of this movie. Softly chilling like the icy air of the wintry weather, it seeps into your core, ready to shock you in it's poignant ferocity. (Slight spoiler alert!) The first vampiric kill is a brutal, animalistic moment, contrasting against the feeling of conflicted anti-heroine, Eli. It illustrates the crucially natural, if calmly barbaric, vein of the whole picture, imbuing it with a cool edge.

There are aspects of symbolism demonstrating this conflict in other parts of the film, such as the distinct vibrancy of fresh blood post-kill, soaking into the harsh blankness of the constant settled snow. There's no disputing the gruesomeness of Eli's actions but due to the careful hand that Alfredson applies to Lindqvist's tale you're left feeling both pity and fondness for her character, especially through the resilience that she starts to reveal in Oskar. Through the grim undertones there are touching moments between the two as they grow closer.

It's also a conduit into the minds of misunderstood, bullied children, and how far they and their friends are willing to go to stop the unrighteousness of their oppressors. Through your own experiences in life, you're bound to feel some familiarity with their cause, which is thankfully assisted by this wonderful pair of young, enlightening performers.  

As Oskar, Kåre Hedebrant is quirky and reclusive, played deftly with an adorably secluded quality. Lina Leandersson is haunting and infallible, portraying the role of Eli with grace and wisdom; unfathomably astute for someone her age. They both, through fondness, obscurity and awkwardness reveal an enchanting chemistry that holds the film through each moment, whether paced, tender or intense.

 

Along for the ride, the frosty Swedish neighbourhood becomes a character of its own. As the backdrop to the pair's companionship it behaves like a kind of matchmaker for adolescent friendship. This richness has been successfully achieved thanks to how the local environment has been captured. Along with cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema (who since has been DOP on such films as The Fighter and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy), Tomas Alfredson created a method he refers to as "spray lighting", where distant lighting, mainly overhead, creates a diffused look on the lens, and helps to create dulled illumination on what were originally bright surroundings and softening facial contours and eyes in close ups. 

Combining this technique with a array of jaunty angles, purposeful soft focusing and slow-to-sudden pans, it's a Swedish smörgåsbord of filmic delights. Drawing attention to one scene in particular, the penultimate shots in the swimming pool have become some of the finest and most memorable of modern cinema, capping off an already beautifully filmed picture.

With this distinctive look, combined with delightful performances and deep, meaningful thematics, Let The Right One In tries to be many things: a drama, a thriller and, obviously, a horror. But inside its blood-soaked heart and through its scarlet drenched eyes it's purely an alternative love story.

Winning over 40 awards worldwide should have made Let The Right One In successful enough. Instead, through making mainstream producer's eyes roll with dollar signs, somehow it merited another copycat remake of world cinema with Let Me In. Hopefully, I can convince you to tap into the original and best instead. And if so, you'll be greeted with a genuine modern classic. 

A horror disguised as a sweet romance, or a romance disguised as a bitter horror; either way, its combination of genres makes it stand alone next to other films of its ilk, or any other picture for that matter.

Don't forget to leave comments below, tweet me @filmbore or post on my Facebook page here. 

Alternatively, you could contact me directly about this film or my other reviews on pickoftheweek@filmbore.co.uk

April Overview

One season ends, another begins...

And I'm not talking about the weather! In the UK, we've been wrestling with the strain of working out what season we are supposed to be in, with snow, hail, sun, rain, wind, more sun, some rain - you get the picture. I can only hope that those of you across international waters have been more fortunate. Nevertheless, while barometers sweat, meteorologists ponder and ground hogs debate the benefits of surfacing when it's tipping it down, filmbore keeps it simple.

In April, we saw the tail end of the awards season on the site, while welcoming the darkness of the horror season straight after...no confusion, no fickleness. If only the skies could behave the same!

So, in a busy month you got the usual honest reviews on the lesser known cinema, an unusual Top 10 combining Easter and horror, and had to say goodbye to a legendary film journalist. Let's recap...

Pick of the week - Recap 

Capping off my awards awareness season was Michael Haneke's beautiful tale of love & dependance, Amour. Blitzing the awards, including taking the Oscar for Best Foreign Film, this endearing but brutal drama is unmissable for Haneke's deft attention to detail and astounding performances from Jean-Louis Trintignant and Emmanuelle Riva.

And so, to start my horror season...beginning with something with a little depth I looked at Peter Strickland abstract stab at the genre, Berberian Sound Studio. With some great references to giallo films and a real art-house approach to horror, this will both disturb and perplex you. Plus Toby Jones is on form, as usual.

Hitting a lighter note but staying in the "lair of scare" is horror comedy, Grabbers. Following the formulae of "alien visitors terrorise local town" it doesn't try and act like something it's not; expressing it's open humour, great jump moments and some special effects that look excellent for such a low budget. It's in danger of slipping under the radar, so do yourself a favour and rent this baby out.

The third film in my horror-fest, taking us to the halfway point, is controversial, new wave slasher, Switchblade Romance. This courageous, French chiller has received some serious flack over the years, unfortunately tainting the promotional edge it needs to get out there. Form your own view on this alternative horror by getting hold of a copy and dare to watch until its shocking finale.

A Top 10 with a twist (what else?!) 

Missing out of publishing a top 10 on the Easter Bunny due to time constraints came as a blessing in disguise, as by blending the idea with my horror season gave birth to a bizarre list...the Top 10 scariest rabbits in cinema!

Fluffy tailed, soft-toe-thumping, cute hopping bunny wabbits...

...doused in blood, fang-tastically attacking our victims in gore soaked ambushes, nightmarish visions of the future or just flat out petrifying in a stew! Mwahhahhahh hhaaah haaahhh!


Never will you see such a disturbing, alarming and freaky collection of conies as this.

But if you think any have been missed out, then please comment at the bottom of the Top 10 blog post with your submissions, and I will consider them.

In memory of Roger Ebert

Few film critics have sparked more response to their views than the acid tongued, no-holds-barred of who I consider to be a lyricist in his own right.

Sometimes jarring public opinion with his honesty, Roger Ebert was never ashamed of flaunting his perspective on cinematic outputs big and small, and has become a renowned expert of his field. Many, like myself, attempt to emulate his poetic approach to reviewing but pale into insignificance when comparing to the great man, who we lost to cancer on the 4th April.

In this article, I summarise on the rise of one of the most famous film critics of all time, while reminding us why he was so loved/hated by including some of his brilliant comments on Hollywood's biggest films of the time.

From a fledgling critic to an epic one...I salute you Roger.

Roger Ebert (1942 - 2013) R.I.P.

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