DAYDREAMERS
Starring: Tran Ngoc Vang, Thuan Nguyen, Chi Pu, and Trinh Thao
Director: Timothy Linh Bui
KATIE
Daydreamers is a refreshingly bold, stylish take on the vampire genre. It uses the loneliness and angst of vampirism to explore the protagonist Nhat’s (Trang Ngoc Vang) struggle to find a sense of belonging and freedom, blending rural aesthetics with the urban neon-lit city. The CGI effects are the film's weakest aspect, but that doesn’t overshadow the stylish cinematography, vibrant colours, gorgeous lighting, and fantastic performances. At times, it almost looks like a pastiche of 1960s technicolour melodrama. I don’t think I’ve seen any Vietnamese films, but Daydreamers has inspired me to seek them out.
NICK
Although Daydreamers isn’t going to be the vampire film people are most talking about this month, it’s not without its charms. The biggest charm being the vibrancy of the dynamic colour palette, which really gives the film a style that stands out. Besides its appearance, however, there’s just not much here. The effects are subpar while the story (though conceptually interesting) struggles to stay engaging. The latter especially is a shame because it's a take on vampires we haven’t really seen before. Unfortunately, the poor story structure, as well as the dialogue heavy subtitles, hindered my ability to fully get sucked into this world.
