by Jim Yoho
Let The Right One In (Låt den rätte komma in)
EFTI – 2008
Written by: John Ajvide Lindqvist
Starring: Kare Hedebrandt, Lina Leandersson
Director: Tomas Alfredson
Words cannot describe exactly how amazing I found this film to be.
Please – forget about Twilight. (in fairness, I’ve neither seen the film nor read the novels) Put aside Anita Blake. Move beyond True Blood. Think outside the Buffy mileau. And let’s not mention Anne Rice.
This Swedish film has style, substance and story. A haunting tale of friendship, romance, sacrifice – Let The Right One In is such a refreshing and unique vampire story, let alone film, that I am so very happy that I sat through the trailers before Chocolate otherwise I would never have rented this film based on the DVD box.
The story focuses on Oskar, a 12 year old boy who is picked on at school and lives with his distant and unattentive mother. He meets a strange girl one night, someone his age who has moved into the same apartment complex. The bond that develops between them, especially after he learns what she is, can only be described as supernatural.
I struggle to think of a story that has similar elements, regarding the friendship and love of the two main characters. Elfin Lied, a little bit, mixed with Lost In Translation and a dash of Bridge to Terabithia – all combined with some vampire horror.
If you have any taste for an almost Romeo & Juliet style story (focus on the young love and forget the rival families), if you enjoy well made and artistic foreign films, or you are a connoisseur of vampire media, you most definitely should check it out!
Jim Yoho is the owner of In Genre, Wausau Comics, and JAY Entertainment and he maintains the site as well as adding the occasional article or review of his own. He often goes by Merin online, from way back in the BBS days of dial-up modems even.
Having enjoyed writing reviews and postings for other sites he decided to start his own where he combined his creative urges to write and create web comics (such as Episode Fun and Alistair & Arthur) with his long-held desire to bring together and organize talented people for joint projects. The end result is that you get the Wausau Comics site - articles and reviews of genre entertainment at In Genre plus some web comics and links to the works of other Contributors, too! 
Merin on 
Yes, yes, yes! This was one of the most surprising, riveting and touching movies I have seen in a long, long time. The acting is spot-on, even though they are kids. The mood is creepy and yet somehow involving. I can only concur with you, this movie should be seen by everybody!