Habit

I was pleasantly surprised by how good this film was despite it's serious lack of budget. The film follows the trail of an alcoholic restaurant manager, emotionally distraught over the recent death of his Hemingway-esque father and a break up with a girlfriend. He succumbs to an innocent-looking yet mysterious woman at a party and his "downward spiral" begins. There are a few flaws I saw in this movie, namely that if one is going for the "is this real or all in his head?" angle perhaps more should have been developed for the vampire girl. Was she really a vampire or wasn't she? It seems fairly obvious in some scenes that she was but it could be argued that the lead character's shaky hold on sanity made him imagine some of this. A tighter script could have helped. Good sex scenes, which one rarely finds in a horror film, and some better-than-average acting make this film really enjoyable despite some of the script's flaws.

Fascinating movie! Apparently Larry Fessenden is someone to keep an eye on, as his past work (some short films) has been critically acclaimed at Cannes. I don't know how Habit was received, but it is awesome. It takes a familiar theme (vampire/sex/etc.) and completely distorts it into an unexpected, unparalleled cinematic treat. Sort of like a grown up Lost Boys, without the cheesiness. The performances are mesmerizing (Larry himself play the David Yow look-a-like lead alcoholic), the camera work is intriguing, the overall creepy-yet realistic mood all work together to make this a must-see movie for anyone who hates mundane, mainstream fluff.

This film isn't for people who want wooden stake sticking action. A lot of people will find it very slow. But I found it to be one of the most interesting films that I have ever seen. It vampirism is mostly a sub-plot here. Mainly it is about this guy, Sam, who works at a bar, and who meets this girl after recently breaking up from his girlfriend. The movie talks about lust, betrayal, love, seduction, and frienship. It is filmed with great cinematography. I am not talking about sweeping landscapes, but I am talking about how things around you can look like they are collapsing on you when you start getting paranoid that you have this weird illness. A very good quality picture. I loved it, and I highly recommend it to people who want to see real characters will some real problems.

A very good, kind of disturbing modern vampire story. Its hero is a guy on the rebound who has a circle of friends, a small inheritance, and no direction in life. He meets an alluring woman who seduces him into sado-masochistic sex addiction, and the film continues to play with the concepts essential to Vampirism and modern life. Good performances from all, particularly Fessenden (also the director) and Aaron Beall as his hypocritical friend. Chilling atmosphere on a very low budget. Some obvious writing, but well executed style pulls it off. Particularly memorable is Fessenden's desperate meat fix, where he licks the drainings out of the bottom of a supermarket meat container. Fans of vampire movies of quality should definately check this out.

The cover box tricked me. Ebert liked it. The director/actor/writer won a "One to Watch" Spirit Award. Many have voted positively on this film. I don't understand. This low budget movie looks like a student film but lacks the passion or integrity any mid-level college project possesses. Don't see this film. If you do -- don't blame me -- I warned you.