What is the best recent movie you’ve seen.

[Johnny test]

Since all of those movies are lost it's really hard to know what's right and what's urban legend but Nosferatu was not the 1st vampire movie but the 1st (well maybe not the 1st apparently ) Dracula adaptation and since they didn't have the right to the novel they titled it Nosferatu, even if Murnau's version is different from the book, some characters are clearly inspired by the book. Never been a big fan of the book in fact

 

[Lunaseraphim]

Yes it's also so highly referenced in pop culture that it gets old, but I actually really enjoyed Nosferatu. It's very aesthetically pleasing too. But honestly I've always been a fan of movies set in different eras. One very interesting movie I saw a couple years ago is called Benedetta, it's set in the 17th century and also a horror film

 

[Johnny test]

It is really the same story

Not exactly, The Coppola movie from the 90s is probably the closest adaptation of the book, (that may explain the title of the movie), others are slightly or completely different, the Hammer movies for example are miles away from the original book. But that's probably the coolest fact, every movie brought something new to the whole myth.
I'm probably biased on this cause i watched them when i was a kid but Christopher Lee is still the ultimate Dracula in my mind.

 

[Meta not Meta]

Hammer, did someone mention Hammer!

It's not in the schedule yet, but later in the year CineClub Film Society is putting on a 16 mm screening of Taste the Blood of Dracula at a local church. The movie itself is partly set in an abandoned church so it's kinda appropriate, I guess.

Sacrilege, I know ... but my favorite Hammer Dracula has always been the second one, the one Lee's not in, but it does have Cushing, The Brides of Dracula. Probably for Terence Fisher's direction and its many now iconic scenes. An underrated gem is Kiss of the Vampire from a few years later.

Of more recent vampire films my favorite is undoubtedly the unusually affecting, quasi-realist Let the Right One In ... even it's American remake, Let Me In, is pretty good. I'm also rather partial to the highly heterodox Only Lovers Left Alive.

The Cinémathèque Québécoise here in Montreal did a fairly comprehensive survey of the history of horror two summers ago, with about a hundred screenings, including several vampire films. We're so lucky to have CQ .... in fact they just did a 35 mm screening of Silence of the Lambs on Saturday, a copy rescued from a dumpster in England, would you believe it.

 

[Workingman]

I went to see the new Nosferatu. 2.5 hours flew by and it didn't feel like it. Definitely worth seeing on the big screen if you're gonna see it.

 

[EagerBeaver]

The only Dracula or Vampire movies which interested me were the ones which tackled the actual science of Vampirism. The one I recall liking most, the name of which escapes me, focused on a Dracula which needed human blood as sustenance and grew increasingly weak without it. This Dracula was portrayed more as a heroin addict- he didn't like having to kill, but did so to sustain himself as he grew weaker and weaker. You kind of felt sorry for him.

What disappoints me is that none of these movies grapple with finding a solution for the Vampirism problem, other than killing the Vampire. There is no need to kill the Vampire if an alternate to blood is discovered that will sustain the vampire. It is possible to distill the nutrients in the blood, so that the vampire can be nourished without having to kill anyone. Yet the movies do not look into these practical, non-violent and non-dramatic methods of solving the problem.

 

[Workingman]

The only Dracula or Vampire movies which interested me were the ones which tackled the actual science of Vampirism. The one I recall liking most, the name of which escapes me, focused on a Dracula which needed human blood as sustenance and grew increasingly weak without it. This Dracula was portrayed more as a heroin addict- he didn't like having to kill, but did so to sustain himself as he grew weaker and weaker. You kind of felt sorry for him.

What disappoints me is that none of these movies grapple with finding a solution for the Vampirism problem, other than killing the Vampire. There is no need to kill the Vampire if an alternate to blood is discovered that will sustain the vampire. It is possible to distill the nutrients in the blood, so that the vampire can be nourished without having to kill anyone. Yet the movies do not look into these practical, non-violent and non-dramatic methods of solving the problem.

You should watch Thirst made by Park Chan-wook. It's Korean and it's an amazing vampire flick.

 

[Meta not Meta]

You should watch Thirst made by Park Chan-wook. It's Korean and it's an amazing vampire flick.

Yes! Park is maybe, along with Lee Chang-dong, my favorite contemporary filmmaker. Especially love Park's Decision to Leave and The Handmaiden ... and Lee's Burning ... but it's all great work from both of them.

 

[Lunaseraphim]

The only Dracula or Vampire movies which interested me were the ones which tackled the actual science of Vampirism. The one I recall liking most, the name of which escapes me, focused on a Dracula which needed human blood as sustenance and grew increasingly weak without it. This Dracula was portrayed more as a heroin addict- he didn't like having to kill, but did so to sustain himself as he grew weaker and weaker. You kind of felt sorry for him.

What disappoints me is that none of these movies grapple with finding a solution for the Vampirism problem, other than killing the Vampire. There is no need to kill the Vampire if an alternate to blood is discovered that will sustain the vampire. It is possible to distill the nutrients in the blood, so that the vampire can be nourished without having to kill anyone. Yet the movies do not look into these practical, non-violent and non-dramatic methods of solving the problem.

I know what you mean hehe

 

[Lunaseraphim]

You should watch Thirst made by Park Chan-wook. It's Korean and it's an amazing vampire flick.

Every park chan wook movie is amazing

 

[Meta not Meta]

A few of my favorite horror films of recent years:

• The Girl With the Needle (Magnus von Horn, Denmark) *
• Alien: Romulus (Fede Álvarez, United States)
• Titane (Julia Ducournau, France) +
• Midsommar (Ari Aster, Sweden/United States)
• Suspiria (Luca Guadagnino, Italy)
• Hereditary (Ari Aster, United States)

* not 'supernatural or sci-fi horror', but structured as such and definitely 'horrifying'
+ Cronenbergian borderline horror

 

[Johnny test]

Suspiria (Luca Guadagnino, Italy)

Haven't watched the remake but i read that some mentioned it was weaker then the original, i'll give it a try at some point

 

[Meta not Meta]

Haven't watched the remake but i read that some mentioned it was weaker then the original, i'll give it a try at some point

Yeah, that's the consensus opinion, I think. It's also very long. Guadagnino's not really a horror director [though Bones & All was also pretty good], his Suspiria is mostly an open homage to the original Agento, but without the vibrant color and iconic music. And it especially references the time in which the Argento was made.

Guadagnino just makes good movies, like his most recent, Queer. He set his Suspiria in '77 Berlin, the year of the original, but it has a kind of dour, dissolute, punk quality that would turn off some. What with it's Nazi past and Baader-Meinhoff '77 present, the dread is profound throughout. I really liked it. Saw it twice. If there were allusions to Bowie & Iggy I missed them ...

 

[Doc Holliday]

This past weekend i watched three new movies that i enjoyed very much: Heretic, Speak No Evil & Ad Vitam.

Heretic (2024)
Horror/thriller starring Hugh Grant. Kindly old man who lets two young missionary girls looking to inform & recruit new members in their church (Mormons) discover that he’s not as normal & kind as he appears to be. I really enjoyed this movie. I give it 4/5 stars & recommemd it.

Speak No Evil (2024)
Psychological/thriller/horror movie starring James McVavoy as a charmimgly eccentric family man who invites a family he meets during an italian vacation to spend a few days with his own family with them in England. Soon after arriving the American couple realize that the longer they stay the more likely their lives will become a nightmare. Loved it! I give it 4/5 stars. By the way it’s a remake of a Danish movie from 2022 that has the same name. I recommend it!

Ad Vitam (2025)
This movie surprised me at how much i enjoyed it! It’s a French action thriller directed by Rodolphe Lauga & starring Guillaume Canet. It’s a movie that begins with a man & pregnant woman being attacked by a special forces-type team im regards to something that the main character may have done in his past while working for such a team. The movie has many flashbacks which explain how things got to be how they are in the present. Tons of action, loved the story, i love french movies so this one made my day! Very well made & i recommend it. I give it 4/5 stars. I’d definitely watch it again!

 

[Lunaseraphim]

A few of my favorite horror films of recent years:

• The Girl With the Needle (Magnus von Horn, Denmark) *
• Alien: Romulus (Fede Álvarez, United States)
• Titane (Julia Ducournau, France) +
• Midsommar (Ari Aster, Sweden/United States)
• Suspiria (Luca Guadagnino, Italy)
• Hereditary (Ari Aster, United States)

* not 'supernatural or sci-fi horror', but structured as such and definitely 'horrifying'
+ Cronenbergian borderline horror

I haven't seen all of these but I really like Ari Aster, and I was impressed by Titane.. This movie caused a lot of controversy! I haven't seen the remake of Suspiria but I really should.

This past weekend i watched three new movies that i enjoyed very much: Heretic, Speak No Evil & Ad Vitam.

Speak No Evil (2024)
Psychological/thriller/horror movie starring James McVavoy as a charmimgly eccentric family man who invites a family he meets during an italian vacation to spend a few days with his own family with them in England. Soon after arriving the American couple realize that the longer they stay the more likely their lives will become a nightmare. Loved it! I give it 4/5 stars. By the way it’s a remake of a Danish movie from 2022 that has the same name. I recommend it!

I saw the Danish version of this movie and it is TERRIFYING. Highly recommended

 

[Doc Holliday]

I haven't seen all of these but I really like Ari Aster, and I was impressed by Titane.. This movie caused a lot of controversy! I haven't seen the remake of Suspiria but I really should.

I saw the Danish version of this movie and it is TERRIFYING. Highly recommended

I’ll watch Titane the first chance i’ll get. By the way is the Danish version of Speak No Evil available anywhere for streaming?

 

[charmer_]

You should watch Thirst made by Park Chan-wook. It's Korean and it's an amazing vampire flick.

Park Chan-wook is an awesome director (Oldboy, The Handmaiden, etc). I'll have to check that one out!

 

[charmer_]

Yes! Park is maybe, along with Lee Chang-dong, my favorite contemporary filmmaker. Especially love Park's Decision to Leave and The Handmaiden ... and Lee's Burning ... but it's all great work from both of them.

Bong Joon-ho is pretty good too. Loved Parasite, Memories of Murder, Snowpiercer, etc.

 

[Meta not Meta]

Bong Joon-ho is pretty good too. Loved Parasite, Memories of Murder, Snowpiercer, etc.

Yeah, for sure! Lee, Park and Bong ... the holy triumverate of South Korean cinema.

I first saw Memories of Murder as a blind walk-in twenty years ago at Fantasia. Knew nothing about it. But it blew me away. Still does. It was at Cinema Moderne here in Montreal for several screenings at around the time of its Criterion double-disc release a few years back. Also played Parc recently.

I'm absolutely convinced Fincher was using the Bong film as inspiration for his equally great Zodiac, which was made a couple of years afterwards. Not just in the similarity of real-life subject matter. But in the psychologically damaging, obsessive effect suffered by characters attempting to find a serial killer who ultimately remains elusive.

To this end, both films are very philosophical in that they leave the viewer pondering just what it is we think we know, and not just about the serial killer of each film, but about anything, ourselves included.

I guess at some level all knowledge is provisional ...

And that epilogue, so hauntingly beautiful in all its ambiguity ...

 

[Lunaseraphim]

I’ll watch Titane the first chance i’ll get. By the way is the Danish version of Speak No Evil available anywhere for streaming?

I torrented it!