Midnight Son

This played at the 2011 Minneapolis/St. Paul Film Festival as one of the "Late Night" offerings, and its labeling as a "vampire" movie probably discouraged some potential viewers. Let's face it, vampire movies have been done to death with all the creative juices long since having been drained out of them -- right? Writer-director Scott Leberecht, however, has somehow found a way to approach this material in such a way that, almost without your realizing it, and without resorting to any of the usual gimmicks, he's created a small, quiet movie that slowly gets under your skin and haunts the corners of your mind. The final image, resembling a Mayan frieze, will burn into your memory. Praise goes to lead actors Zak Kilberg and Maya Parish with a special nod to Jo D. Jonz as the worker in a hospital blood lab. While not as good as last year's "The Revenant," this can at least be mentioned in the same breath and that's high praise indeed.

Got to see this at the Toronto After Dark Film Festival. Wasn't really expecting a whole lot, as these are generally low budget movies. Except, this film ended up being the type that transcends the need for a large budget.

Can a movie about Vampires feel plausible? This one can. Everything was done with subtlety and grace, there was no need for suspension of disbelief. There were no unbelievable premises, sparkles or holy water.

Ultimately, there are lots of issues that could be applied allegorically to this particular brand of vampirism. It could have been a story about AIDS, Drug Addiction or Religious Zealots. Any condition, communicable, debilitating and ostracizing.

The casting was great, characters seemed organic and multifaceted. Everyone has their flaws and they are better for it. This is a gritty, raw film which never treats the audience like idiots. Never causes one to ask why, or shake their head in idle disbelief. It is smart and honest, authentic and unyielding.

A great first full length effort which will hopefully propel the careers of all involved.

Jacob works a night shift as a security guard in a building in Los Angeles. He has a rare skin condition, preventing him from being able to be out in the daylight. He develops a need for blood, which he satisfies at first, by getting it from a butcher. His body soon rejects the animal source and he finds a way to buy the human variety from a street hustler. He meets Mary, a strange girl selling candy and cigarettes outside a club. They begin an offbeat romance of sorts, and the first time they try to have sex, Jake's eyes turn cat like, and Mary leaves. When she returns and sees paintings of sunsets, she asks to take one home. An art gallery is shown the work, and Mary convinces him to let her try to sell them at a show. In the meantime, the vampire artist/security guard, struggles to obtain fresh blood. The romance is on again, off again, as the odd couple dance around the truth. The story is a standard one with two very good performances by Zak Kilberg and Maya Parish. They have chemistry, and made me want to see them make it and survive their troubles. It is certainly a step above the Twilight series of Stephenie Meyer.

An excellent, atmospheric and brooding horror film with a soul. This is not a cheap and tacky gore fest, it is a sharply written and engaging story of a young man who develops a condition that utterly changes his life.

The lead actor, Zac Killberg, inhabits his role totally. He is surely a massive name in the making, the other parts are all solid and convincing. The director, Scott Leberecht is now on my film stalker list. I'll hunt down his next film eagerly.

It is appalling that a film like this is barely heard of while utter drivel like "Transformers" rakes in the millions.

It deserves to be widely seen, so see it.

First part of the movie is slow. I was watching it thinking is it actually going to be any good or maybe it's another cheap try on very popular recently subject. It looks cheap but not ridiculous thanks to a very decent acting (especially from Jo D. Jonz). The movie eventually is gripping you and the second part is very good and some shots are just brilliant. There are few details/mistakes that slipped or points that could have been resolved in a more logical way but they don't spoil the movie. I was expecting certain mood and atmosphere in this film and watching it in a cinema really helped. It seems to be inspired by "Addiction" by Abel Ferrara. The director shows lots of potential and I can't wait for another one to see if he can prove it.