Film: Let the Right One In (Låt den rätte komma in), 2008, dir. Tomas Alfredson — the original Swedish version, not the American remake

Oscar as the kid who fell through every crack in the social safety net — absent parents, unchecked bullying, zero adult intervention

The film's place in the Nordic noir tradition alongside The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo — horror as a lens on the failures of Scandinavian social democracy

Eli as an ageless predator disguised as a child — the anti-romantic vampire, feeding scenes played as animal attacks rather than seduction

The castration subplot: the book, the brief film moment, and how it connects to the history of the castrati and the "monstrous trans" trope in horror (Silence of the Lambs, Sleepaway Camp)

That pool scene — one of the top 10 horror scenes ever committed to film, don't @ us

The grooming debate: Is the ending a love story or a tragedy on repeat? (Spoiler: it's the second one)

Top 3 vampire films: Let the Right One In, Coppola's Dracula, The Lost Boys (According to Johnathon)

What We've Been Watching: 28 Years Later, Abraham's Boys, The Thing, The Abominable Snowman, The Shining, Together

Coming Soon: Scream 7, Undertone (A24)

Next Month: True Detective Season 1 with the Baldwin Boys!