Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)

Two centuries old vampires are married but she (Tilda Swinton) lives in North Africa and he (Tom Hiddleston) lives in Detroit, Michigan. They no longer feed off humans (who they call zombies) directly but depend on blood suppliers. The husband has become withdrawn and suicidal and his wife rushes to his side but the appearance of her reckless kid sister (Mia Wasikowska) threatens to expose them. Written and directed by Jim Jarmusch, the film is unique in that while it is a film about vampires, it's not a horror film but a romance. It's stylish and captivating and full of cultural reference that probably go over the head of most filmgoers. For example, when traveling from the U.S. to Spain, Swinton and Hiddleston's passports use the names of Daisy Buchanan (the heroine of THE GREAT GATSBY) and Stephen Dedalus (Joyce's PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS A YOUNG MAN). The film received excellent reviews and while I liked it quite a bit, too much of it seemed a bit precious though I appreciated the slices of humor which offset the darker aspects of the film. There's no doubt that the film is unique in its telling, there's never been another "vampire" movie like it. The performances are first rate across the board. With John Hurt, Jeffrey Wright and Anton Yelchin.