“Interesting use of a macabre subject to highlight the vulnerability of children and how easily they can be led astray when alienated.”

“It pays to have a good friend.  Chilling, all that snow.  Dared to be different.  Campy and funny!”

“Kudos to Magdalena Johansen for the script.  Nice to see them start their voyage to America to live happily ever after.”

“I loved it.  Very sympathetic kids.”

“A fascinating and mesmerizing take on the vampire legends.  It required true cinematic skill to create such a sensitive, insightful and compassionate story of youth’s awakening while combining a horror movie of truly frightening proportions.  This plays almost as well as ‘PANS LABYRINTH’ without that film’s depth of special effects and wizardry, but it is nonetheless compelling.  It is a tale of survival and growing up in a real/surreal world.  Isn’t that in fact how the world is?  Ask the members of PETA or any victim of terrorism.  If people could view this film with their brains and hearts in addition to their eyes, the will be able to experience a work of art that provides a wealth of subject matter for in depth discussion, reflection and introspection.  This is a damn good movie!”

“It’s bloody amazing what some will do for love.”

“What would Poppy have thought?  (Ed note: the reference is to the main character of Mike Leigh’s HAPPY-GO-LUCKY, seen the week before). Erie, scary!  Very weird!  I thought it was fun.”

“The ending left you out there.”

“Great love story!”

“So blondes have more fun!”

“Given the genre, this was a well directed, shot, acted and produced film, but UGH!  I see no redeeming purpose in this weird movie.  Vampires are just not my vials of blood.”

“This had potential, but all that blood, severed limbs ruined what might have been a good story,”

“Fascinating film.”

“This movie made very good use of landscape.  The off-center camera shots gave this flick a creepy edge.  Overall, a good movie.”

Clever use of the vampire legend as metaphor for the sexual awakening of the two children involved, and how relationships are based in some part on love and some part on need. How’s that phrase go – mutually rewarding neuroses?

“I saw no purpose to this film.  It was not entertaining.”

“Too slow moving for me.  Two lonely souls looking for love and a connection.  A bloody love story!  The discussion raised many interesting points.”

“Bloody and strange!  The color of the movie was very effective.  Shades of Bergman.”

“Where was my guardian vampire when I was bullied at school?”

“Horrific without any redeeming qualities.  It shows a not-nice Swedish society.”

“Fraught with Freudian symbolism (the knives and the egg) contrasted with somber Swedish scenery that goes on forever.  But ultimately a fascinating moral fable on life and love and what we do for love.”

“I’m not a vampire movie fan…however, this was a sensitive, beautiful love story.  I felt such a connection with young Oskar, having been bullied as a child too…except I had the love of my family.  We didn’t feel for any of the victims, for there was no character development.  We wanted Eli to live so Oskar could live, so the depths were almost inconsequential.  The film feels bleak and almost in black and white, which added to the somber loneliness of these two young people.  We see Oskar’s future - her caretaker - which he embraces.”

“I can’t wait for the sequel.”

“A mess with no redeeming value.  What’s the point?  Hateful.”

“The post-movie discussion was infinitely better than the movie!”

“This movie left me speechless!  Definitely a cult film!  The movie highlights the need for love and acceptance for all and how people can rationalize obviously negative behavior.”

“Fantastic!  Mystifying!  Disturbing!  An unforgettable experience!

“Very different take on the Horror Film Genre.  Interesting, but disturbing.  A horror love story that was so sad.  The two young actors were very good and the girl was mesmerizing, especially here eyes.  The wintry, somber scenery added to the mystique of the film.”

“Not really my genre, but I’m glad I didn’t walk out!  This was a very beautiful and well-crafted film. And it was easy to empathize with Oskar and his situation.  His way out of the torturous life around him, however, is heartbreaking.  With the big vision of outside observers we see that his path will lead him to the same fate as Eli’s ‘Dad.’  A limited tragic end, true love not withstanding.”