There used to be a time , long ago, when a vampire was something to be afraid of. If you ask most kids today how they feel about vampires, they’ll probably go into detail about how hot Robert Pattinson is.

With movies and shows like “Twilight” and “The Vampire Diraries,” the whole concept of vampires has changed from cursed souls with an unquenchable thirst for blood to smug douchebags who just so happen to like their steak a little on the extra rare side-if you know what I mean.

While making my rounds on Netflix a couple of weeks ago, I stumbled across a film entitled “Let the Right One In.” True, this movie is 3 years old, but it’s a foreign film so chances are most people haven’t seen it.

“Let the Right One In” is a 2008 Swedish horror film that is based on the novel of the same name by John Ajvide Lindqvist. I consider the plot to be, in reality, a negative “Twilight.”

It is a love story between a vampire and a non-vampire, but is very dark and disturbing. The film centers around a young boy named Oskar. Oskar isn’t the most popular 12-year-old in school by any means. Plagued by bullies, he struggles to find acceptance and happiness.

This all change once Eli, a “childlike” vampire, moves into the apartment next door. The two quickly develop a bond and spark a tender friendship. Sound like “Twilight?”

This movie has some disturbing plot twists and enough blood to make one think otherwise. Touchy subjects, such as pedophilia, homosexuality and child murder, give this movie a really dark and sinister edge.

Being a horror movie fan, I found this movie to be a breath of fresh air. Not only have vampire movies taken a turn for the worse, but so have most horror movies of recent times.

The average scary movie consists mostly of cheap scares and lame storylines. Take “Saw III – VI” for example. Instead of a thousand “pop-out scares,” “Let the Right One In” disturbed me with the plot and the plot alone. This, to me, is the most powerful way to get a horror movie across.

I also grew attached to the characters, which is also hard to find in most scary movies. Don’t let the subtitles (yes, there are subtitles) frighten you away. If, however, subtitles are absolutely not your thing, there is a fairly new English remake of the film entitled “Let Me In.”

I have yet to watch it, but I’m hoping to very soon. This is a perfect date movie to make the girlfriend watch for forcing you go with her to see “Twilight.”