The Things We Cannot Change

Director - Joshua Nelson (Triaphilia, 12 Slices of Life)

Starring - David Reyez Adamez (Lounge Lizards, Thoughts and Feelings), Ziad Alezabi (SEAL Team, Scenic Route), and Jay Barson (Fear and Salvation)

Release Date - 2022

Genre - Horror

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I was a huge fan of vampire flicks when I was growing up. Movies like The Lost Boys, Fright Night, My Best Friend is a Vampire, Once Bitten, Children of the Night, and so on were movies that I would often revisit. I’d watch the absolute fuck out these films to the point that the tape would stop playing. In fact, my VHS of Fright Night and Return of the Living Dead was played so much that the actual tape wore out and many of the scenes were extremely distorted from years of viewing. By the way, I know RotLD is not a vampire film. I was just stating it was one of two films that I couldn’t stop watching. Anyway, as much as vampire flicks were apart of my childhood, they are not as common as they once were. Personally, I blame the Twilight Saga for this. I’m not going to bash the Twilight films but I think filmmakers are afraid to tackle vampires in a horror sense due to how they were romanticized and turned into a pop culture staple. That’s why I agreed to review The Things We Cannot Change when I received the email for it. I still have a soft spot for vampire flicks and this one is one of the most unique vampire films I have ever seen. 

      The film follows a group of people who have an unusual addiction. They are addicted to murdering people and drinking their blood. While some want to live a normal and peaceful life where they are not a danger to those around them but there is some who want to embrace their inner beast. 

      The Things We Cannot Change is not a horror movie in a traditional sense. However, it works very well for whatever it is. We have a story that is not what you would expect along with some decent performances and unexpected gore. This is the kind of indie production that I like to watch late at night with a few beers. It’s not the best film you will see this year, but it is a solid flick that has a story that is a bit different from others in the subgenre. The acting in this one is a bit awkward at times and at times it feels forced but I actually enjoyed it. I liked the characters, the energy the cast brought to the scenes, and the way in which they interacted with one another. The cast showed their inexperience but at the end of the day I still enjoyed their performances. The story for this one is a very interesting take on vampires especially in a post-Twilight world. There has been other films that approached vampirism like an addiction. Films like The Addiction and The Hunger (to a lesser extent) approach vampirism this way. However, what sets this film apart from the others is how the film was edited together while depicting both sides of the disease which is those that want to live a normal life and those that embrace vampirism. It does feel a little dorky at times and some of the awkward scenes makes it feel a bit dorky at times but if you stick with it and let the story progress you will find yourself enjoying it. Finally, this film really surprised me with the blood and gore. I was expecting some blood considering it was a vampire film but the gore in some of the scenes caught me off guard. The practical effects look good for the most part but there was a scene with a fake arm or leg that really cheapened the film in my opinion. Overall, The Things We Cannot Change is a different take on vampire mythology. It has a story that does stand out from other films in the sub-genre though the editing and story development did take a questionable approach. Regardless, I highly recommend checking this one out.