at what point did u love the movie

[Doosty]

After viewing the film for the first time I don't think I fully understood what I had just witnessed. I remember sitting in my room for about 2-3 hours after the credits rolled and just sat there, thinking about the film. I can't give you a single scene that I could point out as to when I knew I loved it. I think I knew it was something very special and that I loved it after the second viewing because immediately after it ended I wanted to watch it again. Then I think it hit me that this was my all-time favorite film after watching it like 10 times in 2 weeks. The story is unlike anything I've ever encountered before. The music the best I've ever heard. I've never seen a film (or read a book) that evoked so many emotions from me. Simply amazing.

EDIT: I absolutely lied. After thinking about it a little more I can tell you exactly the two scenes that got me hooked. I don't know what I was thinking up there ^.

The first scene being the rubiks cube scene. The fact that you can hear the hunger inside Eli, the desire to feed upon Oskar audible, yet the curiosity for this boy and the puzzle keeps Eli from doing so. When Eli exhales after Oskar walks away with that pained look...you have no idea (well you do ). It's just an amazing scene.

The second being the pool scene. I can't even describe the emotions that went through my head watching this. Oskar being plunged underwater to potentially his death/disfigurement. The uneasiness of the other bullies as they realize what they're doing. We, the viewers, having to watch Oskar exhale part of his last breath just before a pair of feet are dragged past his face. Then we hear garbled screams coming from above the water and the kicking feet turning to stillness as they are dragged through and out of the pool. I could only imagine what was happening above the surface. As the head/limbs dropped into the pool I felt satisfaction. Satisfaction!?! How did they do this to me? I was actually relieved and happy that 3 children were just brutally murdered. It didn't matter. This film just made me want Oskar and Eli to end up together, no matter what.

[danielma]

For me it was a culmination of these scenes, and the same goes for the book which I had read before seeing the film. These moments were the moments that made me fall in love with this story

The tree branch whipping of Oskar had me welling in eyes (for very personal reasons as once mentioned on this forum, I can immensly relate to that happening). That scene got me welled in eyes and in many ways got me really caring for Oskar. But the scene that made me truthfully fall in love with the story was the scene that followed. The scene where Oskar gives Eli the Morse Code and she asks him about the band aid covering the cut. It's really (from memory) the first scene in the story where there is a real sense of affection and care between them.

That scene is the one in both the book and film, that stands out to me as being the scene that made me fall in love with this story.

[danforth]

I'll probably continue lurking for the most part, but thought I could take part in this thread.

My story certainly isn't as good as most of yours, especially pristidae's..

Probably a boring story, because for me, it wasn't a particular scene. I worked at Blockbuster at the time of its DVD release. One of the (very few) perks of working there was being able to check out the movies a week prior to release. Going through the 'pre-street' movies that week, I came across LTROI. I had never heard of it, but thought that it looked interesting enough to warrant a rental. Took it home, sat down with my then wife, and started watching. We watched around 10-15 minutes of it, then I shut it off. I said, "I can tell that I'm going to love this movie. So instead of watching it now, I'm going to wait until it's officially out and buy it." She thought that I was crazy since we already had it. Why not just finish watching it, then make the purchase if I still feel that it's worth a purchase? But there was just something about the film... that I almost instantly knew. Watched it the night of its release. Not only did it not disappoint, it surpassed my already high expectations.

(And then thanks to Magnet, I had to import the UK version as well. Still don't regret the original purchase, though.)

So to answer the question.. I almost immediately knew that I was going to love it, while I loved it after I had finished it and let it sink in. From its release until the time that I left Blockbuster, it remained my 'employee pick.'

[thestich]

I was very impressed by the whole movie, up until the Oskar peeks at Eli as he changes part.

I had to do a double take, and then another. I could not believe what I had just seen.

Now I new this was something extraordinary that would not see it's like again in a long time.

Then the ending finished me off.

[Richard]

I dare say that this was probably the threat that gave me the courage to step out of lurkdom. I run the risk of mentioning things that have already been covered. If so, apologies in advance. In my humble opinion, a great film asks more questions than it answers. The ending on the train is a primary example. We weren't presented with a gift wrapped, happily ever after ending. Where are they going? Are people after them? Will Oskar become another Reinfel/Hakan -like helper? All of those unanswered questions coupled with the information age usually lead to like minded people such as ourselves convening in a place such as this.

My point is, the movie lingered in my imagination well after the closing credits. The scenes simmered in mind's eye and all the subtle elements marinated themselves in a series of wordless thoughts I am still trying to articulate. I didn't fall in love with this movie as it unfolded. Simply put, my artistic appreciation ego was completely turned off. The entire process for me has been retrospective. The only analogy I can make is when I first heard (revealing my age here!) Revolver, by The Beatles. I remember when the final track played, I was bit numb with the realization that no matter how many times I play this album, I will never be able recreate the experience of listening to a masterpiece unfold for the first time. It's a strangely bittersweet experience.

That's essentially what I have been doing with this film. I have been trying to relive the core moments and pinpoint specific moments of brilliance and articulate those wordless emotions prompted by the film. I have found myself watching the movie several times trying to recreate the experience and in the process, I ended up noticing things I failed to the first time.

I agree with all the observations made in this thread thus far wholeheartedly. If I have to make one (hopefully) original observation that touched me or perhaps infected me...Oskar is not home....Haken is out and about trying to get some fresh blood and we see a lonely Eli sitting up with her hand hovering in front of the wall. She is so close to reaching out to him, but draws her hand back.

How many of us have maybe met someone we liked whether could admit it to ourselves or not and found ourselves sitting there with the phone in our hand, dialing that person's number, but for some reason, we can't complete the call? Perhaps that is a silly analogy, but in that brief moment...I saw a shy, vulnerable, moderately insecure human being in Eli.

In a nutshell, we have seen so many movies of this genre where the vampire pulls in the lowly mortal into their world. Vampires with the supernatural gift of charisma and seduction can intentionally manipulate any sort of relationship. Oskar, by simply being Oskar appears to have unintentionally seduced the dormant humanity in Eli and I felt this particular wordless scene best encapsulated that.

[hillerr]

I didn't love it at first, I liked it. Thought it was cute.

But this movie triggered something internally in me on a level unspoken and of the depth of few experiences of any kind in my lifetime. I couldn't stop thinking about it, could hardly sleep for about two weeks. LTROI bought out past feelings of having being bullied growing up by my family and a little in school. I felt what Oskar felt, the only difference being that my tormentors were under the same roof as I.

I identify with how you needed and perhaps still need, time for reflection. A number of folks have commented on the emotional impact of this movie because in the past they felt the pain of loneliness, rejection and absence of love.

For awhile I was saddened by the movie because Eli represents the close, heart-level friend that all of us need but whom so few find. Oskar and Eli filled that role for each other. Others have felt that sadness too because they don't have their Eli or Oskar. But I hope that the lesson they'll learn from this incredible movie is that to love is to risk, like allowing others to see when you're hurting, as Oskar let Eli see after he was bullied. Eli's sad farewell showed Oskar how deeply she loved him.

Odd that nearly two years after seeing LTROI, that writing about it continues to stir up emotions in me. But good ones as perhaps the greatest truth from this movie is that one can still love and be loved, even in the middle of what appears to be a hopeless circumstance.

[bri29]

I think liked the bit when Oskar gives Eli the hug with his bag of sweets in one hand after she has just been sick.She goes as stiff as a board at first then relaxes and the look on her face is priceless ...so cute awwww

[Harls]

As I've mentioned before on a couple of occasions, the film sat on my Sky+ for a couple of months and there were a couple of times that I came close to deleting it without watching it. On the evening I did watch it, I had a bit of time to kill before going down the pub and switched it on. I remember I wasn't too impressed at the falling snowflakes as I'm the sort of person that prefers films to jump straight into the action. But I thought I'd persevere and see where it went.

The first scene that caught my attention proper is where Connie was picking on Oskar; I'd been bullied at school, not to the degree that Oskar suffered, but enough to make me view every day that I attended a form of purgatory. This ended abruptly one day when my chief tormentor pushed me beyond the limits of my endurance and received a severe mauling in full view of the Principal, who, to my astonishment, turned around and walked away (this was back when you'd receive the cane for squaring up in the playground, much less fighting). Given that my tormentor was a good foot taller than me, I can only assume that the Principal knew exactly what was happening and decided to let justice take its natural course. I've never forgotten that moment and to see the look on Oskar's face when he gets the better of Connie took me right back. I'm older, tougher and wiser now, but I hate to see bullying in any kind of form.

Anyway, back to the film. I watched the best part of it before going out, but even while I as down the pub, my thoughts kept returning to it time and again. I decided that when I got back I'd watch the rest of it, then see it again in full the next day.

The first thing that struck me when I did was the wealth of background noises; I hadn't noticed the door opening and closing as Oskar stabbed the tree; Eli's grumbling stomach at the jungle gym; much less the coins in Håkan's first victim's pocket. I'm kicking myself now for deleting the film from Sky+ for as soon as I ordered the DVD, my player gave up the ghost and at the moment I can only watch it on my PC which has crappy sound quality. These all added to the second viewing. I loved the scene where Eli and Oskar finally formally introduce themselves at the jungle gym after she has solved the Rubik's Cube and you see them, first Eli, then Oskar, sizing each other up.

There are a lot of scenes which are memorable, but the one that does it for me, and I have to agree with Bri on this, is - and I don't know if it was a case of Lina desperately trying not to look into the camera, but the way her eyes travelled upwards after Oskar hugged her made my heart melt - I remember thinking at the time 'Oh you poor, dear, little SWEETHEART!!' She does almost the same thing again when she asks 'Would you like me anyway?'



Coincidentally, during one of the interviews at the Empire Awards, Lina pulls almost the same expression and it made me smile to see it:



Also, full marks for their English - I know they're taught it from an early age, but it must have been so much more difficult for them to get across their thoughts, especially in a live interview.

As I write, I'm going to try to abstain from watching this beautiful film again for at least a month, so I can approach it with a fresh eye. That said, I'll probably find more gems to rave about when I do.

Regards

[N.R. Gasan]

I dare say that this was probably the thread that gave me the courage to step out of lurkdom. I run the risk of mentioning things that have already been covered. If so, apologies in advance.

No apologies necessary, Richard. I would say to you and to everyone: Speak your mind! Look at all the posts this site has at this point. If nobody posted anything else from this time on for fear of repeating someone else, nobody would EVER post on this forum again. Odd as it might seem for me to say, originality is not the most important quality for a post. What is important is each person's individual passion for the work and for the story. LTROI speaks to something deep within each of us; that's why we're here at "We, The Infected." In the real world, in a conversation, when people repeat each other it isn't considered redundant...it's considered sharing. So please, feel free to share away. We're all listening. :)

[gattoparde59]

There are a lot of scenes which are memorable, but the one that does it for me, and I have to agree with Bri on this, is, and I don't know if it was a case of Lina desperately trying not to look into the camera, but the way her eyes travelled upwards after Oskar hugged her made my heart melt - I remember thinking at the time 'Oh you poor, dear, little SWEETHEART!!' She does almost the same thing again when she asks 'Would you like me anyway?'

With the eyes and the body language you may have spotted one of the reasons I identify so strongly with these characters, especially with Eli.