Your busted tired dance moves are no match for my security protocol

Monsters vs. Aliens (Letterman and Vernon, 2009)

A mish-mash of recycled sci-fi films, MVA could have been a feast for film geeks and kids alike. While it's fun to see new life breathed into old characters, there's not much else about the film that captured my attention. Even the film references got tiring at times: I definitely rolled my eyes at the "that would be a very convenient truth" line. Though the characters were interesting in theory, and the actors voicing them fairly talented, they just didn't come to life as I'd hoped. Seth Rogen carries the bunch as B.O.B., and the few humorous moments in the film stem from his delivery. Most of the film, however, isn't that funny or engaging, and all too often it feels like it's trying to be. At several points it was clear that we were meant to be laughing, and the silence in the theater was palpable and awkward. Overall, the film was cute enough, but felt like it was trying too hard to do more, making its shortcomings stand out, and a few fancy 3D effects weren't enough to make up for lackluster writing.

What happens if you walk in anyway?

Let the Right One In (Alfredson, 2008)

With just the right mix of sympathetic identification with the vampire and grotesque (though not overly gory) horror, Let the Right One In is one of the best vampire movies I've ever seen. Certainly, Eli--the vampire trapped in a twelve-year-old body--is among the greatest vampiric characters of all time. She demonstrates the compulsory hint of remorse for her actions ("I do it because I have to"), but the film still makes clear that she has a choice and has chosen to be a vicious killer. Of course, she's also a loyal friend to Oskar, a twelve-year-old boy who is plagued by bullies and prone to escaping into violent fantasies. Their friendship makes the film work quite well as a coming-of-age story, and it largely avoids most of the by now cliche relationship issues common to vampire films. That is, Eli is not over-sexualized (quite the opposite), nor does Oskar overly romanticize her vampirism and long to become a creature of the night himself. Solidly acted, with dark and alluring cinematography, Let the Right One In is both terrifying and beautiful.

Rating: 4.5/5