Review: Jim Jarmusch's 'Only Lovers Left Alive' Starring Tom Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton

Only Lovers Left Alive is exactly the type of vampire movie one would expect from Jim Jarmusch. The eclectic and weird have always been his bailiwick, and he gets to indulge in both while paying reverence to the artistic misfits and outsiders he's always felt such a deep kinship. That the film is also slow moving and seemingly never-ending can be forgiven because of the director's signature cool, surrealist style and the performances by Tom Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton that are never less than intriguing.

We've never seen a vampire movie quite like this before, and that reason alone makes Only Lovers Left Alive worth the experience. Adam (Hiddleston) and Eve (Swinton) are centuries-long vampire lovers, separated at the beginning of the film for unknown reasons. Adam is an underground rocker of some renown, living rather ironically in the heart of Motown; Detroit the birthplace of soul music occupied by the literally soulless. The eons of existence have worn Adam down to the point of depression; so much that not even his vintage guitars can pull him out of it. Meanwhile, Eve is in Tangier hanging out with her old friend Christopher Marlowe (John Hurt, and yes it's the Marlowe you think it is) who can get his hands on the purest blood in the world. Sensing her mate's despair, Eve hurries to his side under the cover of night in hopes of pulling him out of the vampire dumps.

Droll yet visually intoxicating, the film is merely a chance for Jarmusch to luxuriate in everything from classic rock, to art, and architecture. Adam harps on the presence of zombies (a derogatory term for humans) who have no respect for the past, while Eve indulges in her return to America. One scene has them visiting the home of musician Jack White, with Adam telling a tale of the rocker's ascendence to greatness. Truthfully, there isn't much of a story here at all other than Jarmusch's usual musings. That is until Mia Wasikowska turns up as Eve's frollicking, meddlesome sister Ava, who turns their world upside down. She's not around long, but she gives the story a much needed injection of danger and mischief. All of the high-minded references and name-drops will strike some as pretentious, but to those who are up on what Jarmusch is laying down, they'll be worth a knowing chuckle or two.

Jarmusch may take his sweet time getting around to it, but ultimately Only Lovers Left Alive is about the strain of eternal love and the value of our shared artistic history. It may not be for everyone, but this is a vampire film that at least has some blood coursing through its veins.

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New Trailer for Jim Jarmusch's 'Only Lovers Left Alive'

Jim Jarmusch's vampire romance Only Lovers Left Alive has been hitting practically every festival since last year, and it'll be heading to SXSW next. The film stars Tom Hiddleston, Tilda Swinton, Anton Yelchin, Mia Wasikowska, Jeffrey Wright, John Hurt, and centers on an artistic, reclusive vampire couple reunited just as her sister arrives and turns things upside down. While that sounds interesting on its own, especially with that cast, it's just a different packaging for Jarmusch to explore the topics he frequently covers: music, art, and technology. A new trailer has been released giving us one more look at what should be the coolest vampire movie this year. Sorry, Vampire Academy fans.

Only Lovers Left Alive opens April 11th.

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New Teaser for Jim Jarmusch's 'Only Lovers Left Alive'

Not every film headed to Sundance in a couple of days is a premiere, or one looking for distribution. Some have been already made the rounds and have release dates firmly in place, such as Jim Jarmusch's vampire romance, Only Lovers Left Alive. Debuting at Cannes last year it's been met with enthusiastic response, especially for stars Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston, and could be something of a sleeper when it opens in a couple of months.

A brief UK teaser has been released before it hits the snowy climes of Park City, and besides the fangs and blood, there seems to be a pretty introspective look at a number of different subjects dear to Jarmusch's heart. Hiddleston and Swinton play long-lived vampire lovers reunited after years apart, only to have their reunion interrupted by the arrival of her sister, played by Mia Wasikowska.

Co-starring Anton Yelchin, Jeffrey Wright, and John Hurt, Only Lovers Left Alive opens in the UK on February 21st, and here in the U.S. on April 11th.

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Sundance Reveals Spotlight and Midnight 2014 Line-Up

So what's up? Was yesterday's impressive line-up of films for the 2014 Sundance Film Festival not enough to get you to book that plane ticket? Then perhaps the Spotlight and Park City at Midnight slate will do the trick.

The Spotlight section will highlight a good number of films that have already played at festivals around the world. Jim Jarmusch's vampire love story Only Lovers Left Alive; Richard Ayoade's The Double with Jesse Eisenberg and Mia Wasikowska; The Lunchbox with Irrfan Khan; and Tom Hardy's real-time thriller Locke will all be looking to draw some attention.  The Midnight category mostly features world premieres of far out horrors and comedies, or in some cases horror-comedies. Expect to see Tommy Wirkola's Dead Snow sequel, Dead Snow: Red vs. Dead; Cooties written by Leigh Whannell (Insidious) and starring Elijah Wood, Alison Pill, and Rainn Wilson; The Signal starring Laurence Fishburne; and The Guest with Downton Abbey's Dan Stevens.

Check out the full list of features in both categories below, plus the Sundance Kids and Frontiers sections. The Sundance Film Festival runs January 16-26 2014.

SPOTLIGHT

Blue Ruin / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Jeremy Saulnier) — A mysterious outsider’s quiet life turns upside down when he returns to his childhood home to carry out an act of vengeance. Proving to be an amateur assassin, he winds up in a brutal fight to protect his estranged family.Cast: Macon Blair, Amy Hargreaves, Sidné Anderson, Devin Ratray, Kevin Kolack.

The Double / United Kingdom (Director: Richard Ayoade, Screenwriter: Avi Korine) — Jesse Eisenberg plays Simon, a timid and isolated man who is overlooked at work. When James, a new coworker arrives, he upsets the balance because he is both Simon's physical double and his opposite: confident and good with women. Then James slowly starts taking over Simon's life. Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Mia Wasikowska, Wallace Shawn, Noah Taylor, Cathy Moriarty, James Fox.

Ida / Poland (Director: Pawel Pawlikowski, Screenwriters: Pawel Pawlikowski, Rebecca Lenkiewicz) — Anna, a young novitiate nun in 1960s Poland, is on the verge of taking her vows when she discovers a dark family secret dating back to the years of the Nazi occupation. Cast: Agata Kulesza, Agata Trzebuchowska, Dawid Ogrodnik.

Locke / United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Steven Knight) — Locke is a feat of dynamic storytelling from Academy Award–nominated writer/director Steven Knight, anchored by Tom Hardy's fantastic performance. Unfolding in real time, the film is a gripping story of choices, consequences, and a man who risks everything he holds dear to do the right thing. Cast: Tom Hardy, Ruth Wilson, Olivia Colman, Andrew Scott, Tom Holland, Bill Milner.

The Lunchbox / India, France, Germany (Director and screenwriter: Ritesh Batra) — A mistake made by the dabbawallahs, Mumbai's famously efficient lunchbox delivery system, connects a young housewife to a stranger in the dusk of his life. Through notes in the lunchbox, the two build a fantasy world that gradually threatens to overwhelm their reality. Cast: Irrfan Khan, Nimrat Kaur, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Denzil Smith, Bharati Achrekar, Nakul Vaid Nakul Vaid.

Only Lovers Left Alive / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Jim Jarmusch) — Set against the desolation of Detroit and Tangier, an underground musician, depressed by the direction the world is taking, reunites with his lover. Their love story has endured for centuries, but the woman's uncontrollable sister disrupts their idyll. Can these wise outsiders continue to survive as the world collapses around them? Cast: Tom Hiddleston, Tilda Swinton, Mia Wasikowska, John Hurt, Anton Yelchin, Jeffrey Wright.

R100 / Japan (Director and screenwriter: Hitoshi Matsumoto) — A mild-mannered family man with a secret taste for S&M finds himself pursued by a gang of ruthless dominatrices—each with a unique talent—in this hilarious and bizarre take on the sex comedy from Japanese comic mastermind Hitoshi Matsumoto. Cast: Nao Ohmori, Lindsay Kay Hayward, Hairi Katagiri.

Stranger by the Lake / France (Director and screenwriter: Alain Guiraudie) — Frank spends his summer searching for companionship at a lake in France. He meets Michel, an attractive, mysterious man and falls blindly in love. When a death occurs, Frank and Michel become the primary suspects. Stranger by the Lake is an erotic thriller testing the limits of sexual desire. Cast: Pierre Deladonchamps, Christophe Paou, Patrick d'Assumçao.


PARK CITY AT MIDNIGHT

The Babadook / Australia (Director and screenwriter: Jennifer Kent) — A single mother, plagued by the violent death of her husband, battles with her son's fear of a monster lurking in the house, but soon discovers a sinister presence all around her. Cast: Essie Davis, Noah Wiseman, Daniel Henshall, Hayley McElhinney, Barbara West, Ben Winspear.

Cooties / U.S.A. (Directors: Jonathan Millott, Cary Murnion, Screenwriters: Leigh Whannell, Ian Brennan) — A mysterious virus hits an isolated elementary school and transforms the students into a feral swarm of mass savages; then an unlikely hero must lead a motley band of teachers in the fight of their lives. Cast: Elijah Wood, Rainn Wilson, Alison Pill, Jack McBrayer, Leigh Whannell, Nasim Pedrad.

Dead Snow; Red vs. Dead / Norway (Director: Tommy Wirkola, Screenwriters: Tommy Wirkola, Stig Frode Henriksen, Vegar Hoel) — The gruesome Nazi Zombies are back to finish their mission, but our hero is not willing to die. He is gathering his own army to give them a final fight. Cast: Vegar Hoel, Stig Frode Henriksen, Martin Starr, Ørjan Gamst, Monica Haas, Jocelyn DeBoer.

The Guest / U.S.A. (Director: Adam Wingard, Screenwriter: Simon Barrett) — A soldier on leave befriends the family of a fallen comrade. He soon becomes a threat to everyone around him when it's revealed he's not who he says he is. Cast: Dan Stevens, Maika Monroe, Leland Orser, Lance Reddick, Chase Williamson, Brendan Meyer.

Killers / Japan, Indonesia (Directors: The Mo Brothers, Screenwriters: Timo Tjahjanto, Takuji Ushiyama) — Two serial killers post their violent crimes online in a psychotic battle for notoriety. It soon becomes clear that they will square off with one another face to face. Cast: Kazuki Kitamura, Oka Antara, Rin Takanashi, Luna Maya, Ray Sahetapy.

The Signal / U.S.A. (Director: William Eubank, Screenwriters: William Eubank, Carlyle Eubank, David Frigerio) — Three college students disappear under mysterious circumstances while tracking a computer hacker through the Southwest. Cast: Laurence Fishburne, Brenton Thwaites, Olivia Cooke, Beau Knapp.

Under the Electric Sky (EDC 2013) / U.S.A. (Directors: Dan Cutforth, Jane Lipsitz) — This 3-D film chronicles the love, community, and life of festivalgoers during Electric Daisy Carnival Las Vegas, the largest music festival in the U.S. Behind-the-scenes footage and exclusive interviews with Insomniac's Pasquale Rotella reveal the magic that makes this three-night, 345,000-person event a global phenomenon.

What We Do in the Shadows / New Zealand, U.S.A. (Directors and screenwriters: Taika Waititi, Jemaine Clement) — This mockumentary follows the struggles of a group of New Zealand–based vampires to understand modern society and adapt to the ever-changing world around them. Cast: Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi, Jonny Brugh, Cori Gonzales-Macuer, Stu Rutherford.


SUNDANCE KIDS


Ernest and Celestine / France, Belgium, Luxembourg (Directors: Benjamin Renner, Stéphane Aubier, Vincent Patar, Screenwriter: Daniel Pennac) — Unlike her fellow mice, Celestine is an artist and a dreamer. When she nearly ends up as breakfast for a bear named Ernest, the two form an unlikely bond that is quickly challenged by their respective communities. Cast: Forest Whitaker, Mackenzie Foy, Lauren Bacall, Paul Giamatti, William H. Macy, Megan Mullally. World Premiere (English version)

Zip & Zap and the Marble Gang / Spain (Director: Oskar Santos, Screenwriters: Francisco Roncal, Jorge Lara, Oskar Santos) — Zip and Zap are punished by being sent to a re-education center. Guided by intelligence, they uncover a mysterious secret hidden deep within the school and end up having the most exciting adventure of their lives. Cast: Javier Gutiérrez, Daniel Cerezo, Raúl Rivas, Claudia Vega, Marcos Ruiz, Fran García. U.S. Premiere

NEW FRONTIER FILMS

The Better Angels / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: A.J. Edwards) — Set in the harsh wilderness of Indiana, this is the story of Abraham Lincoln’s youth. It tells of the hardships that shaped him, the tragedy that marked him forever, and the two women who guided him to immortality. Cast: Jason Clarke, Diane Kruger, Brit Marling, Wes Bentley. World Premiere

The Girl from Nagasaki / Germany, U.S.A., Japan, Italy (Director: Michel Comte, Screenwriters: Anne-Marie Mackay, Ayako Yoshida, Michel Comte) — This 3D feature film production of the classic Puccini opera Madame Butterfly is directed by world-renowned photographer Michel Comte. It's a modern-day tale that starts with the young madame emerging from the ashes of the atomic bomb in Nagasaki. Cast: Christopher Lee, Sasha Alexander, Michael Wincott, Michael Nyqvist, Robert Evans, Polina Semionova. International Premiere

HIT RECORD ON TV / U.S.A.(Director: Joseph Gordon-Levitt) — HIT RECORD ON TV is a new kind of variety show with host Joseph Gordon-Levitt directing a global online community of artists as they create short films, music, animation, and more. Anybody with an Internet connection is invited to contribute, and each episode focuses on a different theme. World Premiere

Living Stars / Argentina (Directors: Mariano Cohn, Gastón Duprat) — Argentinians open their homes to the public and perform dance numbers they normally only do alone, in front of a mirror. The directors portray them in their houses, with improvised sets, revealing a collection of urban curiosities. World Premiere

Through a Lens Darkly: Black Photographers and the Emergence of a People / U.S.A. (Director: Thomas Allen Harris, Screenwriters: Thomas Allen Harris, Don Perry, Paul Carter Harrison) — Through a Lens Darkly is an epic film that moves poetically between the present and the past through the work of contemporary photographers and artists. Their pictures and stories seek to reconcile legacies of pride and shame while giving a voice to images long suppressed, forgotten, or hidden from sight. World Premiere

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Trailer for Jim Jarmusch's Vampire Romance 'Only Lovers Left Alive' with Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston

In the works forever, Jim Jarmusch's unconventional vampire romance Only Lovers Left Alive finally hit the festival circuit this year and the response has been incredibly strong. After the questionable, confounding The Limits of Control, some are saying this may be Jarmusch's best film in years, and now the first trailer has arrived so the rest of us can see what all the fuss is about.

Starring Tom Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton as vampires Adam and Eve, the film centers on the long-lived lovers' reunion. But just as they're beginning to enjoy one another's company after living on opposite ends of the world, Eve's sister Ava (Mia Wasikowska) shows up and ruins everything. Jarmusch's cool, languid approach is on full display here, which works nicely with the inherent sexiness of his cast. Other than the occasional flash of fangs you'd barely know this was a vampire movie, but that's always been one of Jarmusch's trademarks using genre as a cover to tackle whatever subjects he finds most interesting.

Also starring Anton Yelchin, John Hurt, and Jeffrey Wright, Only Lovers Left Alive still doesn't have a release date. Will it ever get one? I'm starting to have doubts.

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New clips from 'Before Midnight', 'Frances Ha', and 'Only Lovers Left Alive'

One is the continuation of a 20-year cinematic romance; the other is the jubilant story of a flighty 20-something New Yorker; and the other follows the romantic entanglements of a pair of vampires. Suffice it to say, fans of independent cinema are going to have a lot of options to choose from over the next few weeks, and now clips have been released for Before Midnight, Frances Ha, and Jim Jarmusch's Only Lovers Left Alive to provide a hint of what's to come.

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