graveyards and gravity

The way the stones press down onto rigid bodies reminds me of those who lost the fight of conventionality and were prejudged to drown, soon to also be rigid and bloated with water, aided generously by the extra weight of the rocks tethered to their feet, pulling them down, keeping them below ground level, unable to rise to the surface for help.

The stones of the dead are only ever seen by the living
The gorgeous monuments masking so much decay.

The permanence of stone honoring the impermanence of flesh, the disappearing dust, the fleeting remnants of a beloved body will still rot away.

Let The Right One In

While every other vampire-aholic was obsessing about this week's release of the film version of "Twilight," I was holding out for the underground, ethereal, supremely creepy and beautiful Let The Right One In.

I caught it with a group of 13, of varying backgrounds and cultures who were all eagerly anticipating this Swedish import. The sold out Landmark Theater proved once again that if given a quality film, people are willing to work with subtitles. Honestly, I enjoy subtitled movies, but I know the very mention of a subtitled work drives some people away, but the mark of a good movie, which this is, is that after the first couple of minutes you are so transfixed that you can't tear your eyes away from reading the dialogue, let alone be bothered that you have to do so.

On a political note, I would have simply chosen this title over Twilight because of the latter having affiliations with the Mormon church, which has become difficult to support in the wake of the recent passing of Prop 8 in California, and their overwhelming support and fundraising to assure marriage rights are taken away from the LGBT community.

But back the movie. Eli and Oskar make an interesting pair. The oft-bullied Oskar warms to the brusk Eli who tries to keep her distance from inquisitive Oskar, but her need for companionship and a deeper connection with the boy bring them together like magnets.

Let The Right One In gives a more "human" reading of vampires than any adult-centric vampire tale has managed to thus far. It also avoids being overly graphic and gratuitous, despite the multiple deaths and maulings, despite most involving bright red blood running against fresh white snow.