Monthly Archives: June 2026

Jun 26 2026

My Top 25 Vampire Films

Vampires are my favourite subgenre of horror. I have seen so many and have at least liked almost all of them (a vampire movie has to be really bad for me to hate it). There are still a lot that I haven’t seen though. I haven’t seen any of the Hammer vampire movies, nor the French erotic ones. There’s also a few notable ones that by all accounts I really should have seen by now. Only Lovers Left Alive, Byzantium, Sinners, Thirst (2009), The Invitation, and Doctor Sleep have all been on my watch-list for what feels like forever and I just never got around to them. So who knows, maybe this list will change once I’ve seen those. But for now, here are my top 25 favourite vampire movies!

Number 25

Title: Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat
Year: 1989
Plot: Reclusive vampires lounge in a lonely American town. They wear sunscreen to protect themselves. A descendant of Van Helsing arrives with hilarious consequences.
Starring: David Carradine, Bruce Campbell, Morgan Brittany, Jim Metzler, Deborah Foreman, Maxwell Caulfield, M Emmet Walsh, Dana Ashbrook
Directed by: Anthony Hickox
Based on: An original screenplay written by Anthony Hickox and John Burgess.
Notes: I generally don’t like comedies (not cause I don’t like to laugh, I’m just real picky), but this one is completely charming.

Number 24

Title: Twilight series
Year: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
Plot: Human Bella falls in love with vampire Edward while her best friend, the werewolf Jacob, is in love with her.
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Peter Facinelli, Billy Burke, Elizabeth Reaser, Ashley Greene, Jackson Rathbone, Nikki Reed, Kellan Lutz, Michael Sheen, Jamie Campbell Bower, Rachelle Lefevre, Bryce Dallas Howard, Cam Gigandet, Lee Pace, Anna Kendrick, Michael Welch, Casey LaBow, Dakota Fanning
Directed by: Catherine Hardwicke, Chris Weitz, David Slade, Bill Condon
Based on: The Twilight series of books by Stephanie Meyer (Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn).
Notes: I know, I know. But you know, Meyer tried something different. Some of it landed, some of it didn’t, but I respect what she tried to do. I enjoyed these films for what they were, light, popcorn fluff.

Number 23

Title: Salem’s Lot
Year: 2004
Plot: Writer Ben Mears returns to his childhood home of Jerusalem’s Lot and discovers that it is being terrorized by vampires.
Starring: Rob Lowe, Andre Braugher, Donald Sutherland, Samantha Mathis, Robert Mammone, Dan Byrd, Rutger Hauer, James Cromwell, Andy Anderson
Directed by: Mikael Salomon
Based on: The book Salem’s Lot by Stephen King.
Notes: The book is so very good that it got made into 3 movies, 1979, 2004, and 2024. Only this one was any good. And not only because Rob Lowe is a cutie.

Number 22

Title: Priest
Year: 2011
Plot: A warrior priest disobeys church law to track down a pack of vampires who have kidnapped his niece.
Starring: Paul Bettany, Cam Gigandet, Maggie Q, Karl Urban, Lily Collins, Brad Dourif, Stephen Moyer, Christopher Plummer, Alan Dale, Mädchen Amick
Directed by: Scott Stewart
Based on: The Korean comic series Priest, created by Hyung Min-woo. The book, in turn, was heavily inspired by the video game Blood by Monolith Productions.
Notes: I honestly don’t remember much about this film except the fact that I loved it and that Karl Urban as a vampire is almost too sexy. That alone should give it its spot on the list.

Number 21

Title: Innocent Blood
Year: 1992
Plot: Marie is a vampire with a thirst for bad guys. When she fails to properly dispose of one of her victims, a violent mob boss, she teams up (and falls in love) with the cop trying to put him away.
Starring: Anne Parillaud, Anthony LaPaglia, Robert Loggia, David Proval, Rocco Sisto, Chazz Palminteri, Tony Sirico, Kim Coates, Angela Bassett, Luis Guzmán, Don Rickles
Directed by: John Landis
Based on: An original screenplay written by Michael Wolk.
Notes: I generally don’t like mob movies, but add a vampire in and I guess that’s all it takes to win me over. This one is funny, sexy, and bloody all at once and I’m here for it.

Number 20

Title: Dracula
Year: 1979
Plot: In 1913, the charming, seductive and sinister vampire Count Dracula travels to England in search of an immortal bride.
Starring: Frank Langella, Laurence Olivier, Kate Nelligan, Donald Pleasence, Trevor Eve, Jan Francis, Janine Duvitski, Tony Haygarth, Sylvester McCoy
Directed by: John Badham
Based on: The book Dracula by Bram Stoker.
Notes: This was the first introduction I had to Dracula way back when I was a little one. I haven’t watched it in literal decades, so the details are fuzzy, but I used to watch it over and over so that cements its place in the list.

Number 19

Title: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Year: 1992
Plot: Ditzy teenager Buffy discovers she’s part of a long line of vampire slayers and with the help of her new mentor, the Watcher Merrick, she takes on a master vampire, Lothos, and his minions.
Starring: Kristy Swanson, Donald Sutherland, Luke Perry, Rutger Hauer, Paul Reubens, Michele Abrams, Hilary Swank, David Arquette, Paris Vaughan, Candy Clark
Directed by: Fran Rubel Kuzui
Based on: An original screenplay written by Joss Whedon.
Notes: This movie is nowhere near as good as the tv show that followed it, but it set the stage nicely. It’s hilariously campy and great fun. Paul Reubins is absolutely hilarious.

Number 18

Title: John Carpenter’s Vampires
Year: 1998
Plot: Recovering from an ambush that killed his entire team, a vengeful vampire slayer must retrieve an ancient Catholic relic that, should it be acquired by vampires, will allow them to walk in sunlight.
Starring: James Woods, Daniel Baldwin, Sheryl Lee, Thomas Ian Griffith, Tim Guinee, Maximilian Schell, Mark Boone Junior, Gregory Sierra, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa
Directed by: John Carpenter
Based on: The book Vampire$ by John Steakley.
Notes: I don’t get all the hate that this film gets. No, it’s not Shakespeare, but it’s not trying to be. It’s just a fun, action-packed vampire romp.

Number 17

Title: From Dusk Till Dawn
Year: 1996
Plot: The Gecko brothers, two dangerous outlaws on a wild crime spree, kidnap a father and his two kids and head south to a seedy Mexican bar to hide out in safety. Soon they realize that they’re not in a typical bar, as the entire place begins to teem with vicious, blood-sucking vampires.
Starring: George Clooney, Harvey Keitel, Juliette Lewis, Quentin Tarantino, Ernest Liu, Salma Hayek, Cheech Marin, Danny Trejo, Tom Savini, Fred Williamson, John Hawkes
Directed by: Robert Rodriguez
Based on: An original screenplay written by Quentin Tarantino.
Notes: I was one of the lucky ones that did not know the vampiric twist of this film. I literally stood up and cheered when Salma Hayek vamps out. What follows is one long fight for survival and it’s so much fun. The makeups and practical effects are stellar.

Number 16

Title: The Last Man on Earth
Year: 1964
Plot: When a disease turns all of humanity into the living dead, the last man on earth becomes a reluctant vampire hunter. But is he truly alone?
Starring: Vincent Price, Franca Bettoia, Emma Danieli, Giacomo Rossi Stuart, Umberto Raho
Directed by: Ubaldo Ragona, Sidney Salkow
Based on: The book I am Legend by Richard Matheson
Notes: I don’t often like old timey movies, they really have to be something special. And this one is. Vincent Price is great as the weary vampire hunter (even if they act more like zombies, they are, in fact, vampires). Awesome movie with a gut-punch ending.

Number 15

Title: My Best Friend is a Vampire
Year: 1987
Plot: After an intense sexual encounter with a beautiful woman, a teenage delivery boy finds himself turning into a vampire, while being pursued by a couple of clumsy vampire hunters.
Starring: Robert Sean Leonard, Evan Mirand, Cheryl Pollak, Rene Auberjonois, David Warner, Paul Willson, LeeAnne Locken, Cecilia Peck, Fannie Flagg, Kenneth Kimmins
Directed by: Jimmy Huston
Based on: An original screenplay written by Tab Murphy.
Notes: Another vampiric comedy, this time leaning in to the teenage angle. Robert Sean Leonard is cute as all hell in this and does a great job in the role of a teen turned vamp. A campy good time!

Number 14

Title: Underworld
Year: 2003
Plot: Selene, a vampire warrior, is entrenched in a conflict between vampires and werewolves, while falling in love with Michael, a human who is sought by werewolves for unknown reasons.
Starring: Kate Beckinsale, Scott Speedman, Michael Sheen, Shane Brolly, Bill Nighy, Sophia Myles, Erwin Leder, Kevin Grevioux, Wentworth Miller
Directed by: Len Wiseman
Based on: An original screenplay written by Len Wiseman, Danny McBride, and Kevin Grevioux.
Notes: Definitely more style over substance, but I’ll be darned if I don’t just love this movie. The sequels are meh, but this one is great.

Number 13

Title: Queen of the Damned
Year: 2002
Plot: The vampire Lestat wakes from his long sleep and becomes a rock star whose music wakes up the equally beautiful and monstrous queen of all vampires.
Starring: Stuart Townsend, Aaliyah, Marguerite Moreau, Vincent Perez, Paul McGann, Lena Olin, Tiriel Mora, Matthew Newton
Directed by: Michael Rymer
Based on: The books The Vampire Lestat and Queen of the Damned by Anne Rice.
Notes: Trying to squeeze these 2 books together to make one film was probably a bad idea, but I don’t care cause I love this movie, warts and all. I know it’s bad, but I can’t help it. The soundtrack is absolutely bitchin’.

Number 12

Title: Subspecies
Year: 1991
Plot: Three students get caught in the struggle between a good vampire and his evil brother in the Transylvanian mountains.
Starring: Anders Hove, Laura Mae Tate, Michael Watson, Irina Movila, Michelle McBride, Ivan J Rado
Directed by: Ted Nicolaou
Based on: An original screenplay written by Jack Canson and David Pabian, based on a story created by Charles Band.
Notes: Ah, Full Moon. Their films can either be amazing, or they can be shite. This one happens to be amazing. I’m not a huge fan of the sequels, but this first one is great as a stand-alone film.

Number 11

Title: Abigail
Year: 2024
Plot: After a group of criminals kidnap the ballerina daughter of a powerful underworld figure, they retreat to an isolated mansion, unaware that they’re locked inside with no normal little girl.
Starring: Melissa Barrera, Alisha Weir, Dan Stevens, Kathryn Newton, Kevin Durand, Angus Cloud, William Catlett, Giancarlo Esposito, Matthew Goode
Directed by: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett
Based on: An original, contemporary reimagining of the classic 1936 Universal movie Dracula’s Daughter. That movie in turn is based on a short story called Dracula’s Guest by Bram Stoker, but this movie takes that core premise and puts a modern, original spin on it by framing the story as a kidnap-heist gone wrong.
Notes: I was surprised by this movie. I was definitely not expecting it to be so high up in my list, but I really loved it. It’s funny, tense, and a bloody good time.

Number 10

Title: Stake Land
Year: 2010
Plot: A vampire epidemic has swept across what is left of the nation’s abandoned towns and cities, and it’s up to Mister, a death dealing, rogue vampire hunter, to get Martin, his protegé, safely north to Canada, the continent’s New Eden.
Starring: Connor Paolo, Nick Damici, Kelly McGillis, Danielle Harris, Gregory Jones, Traci Hovel
Directed by: Jim Mickle
Based on: An original screenplay written by Nick Damici and Jim Mickle.
Notes: Dark and atmospheric, this is how I imagine a real outbreak of the undead would be. This movie goes surprisingly hard, and I love it.

Number 9

Title: The Last Voyage of the Demeter
Year: 2023
Plot: Sailing from Bulgaria to England, the crew of the Demeter is under attack nightly by a monstrous foe.
Starring: Corey Hawkins, Aisling Franciosi, Liam Cunningham, David Dastmalchian, Chris Walley, Jon Jon Briones, Stefan Kapicic, Woody Norman, Nikolai Nikolaeff, Martin Furulund, Javier Botet
Directed by: André Øvredal
Based on: The chapter The Captain’s Log from the book Dracula by Bram Stoker.
Notes: I was skeptical that they could make a movie out of a single chapter of a book, but they really did a great job. The movie could have been boring, taking place all on one boat, but instead it just makes it claustrophobic and inescapable. My only gripe is the over use of cgi, but other than that it’s simply wonderful.

Number 8

Title: Dracula 2000
Year: 2000
Plot: A crew of thieves accidentally unleash Count Dracula upon modern-day New Orleans. Van Helsing tries to recapture the vampire while protecting his daughter, Mary, from Dracula’s dark quest to claim her as his eternal bride.
Starring: Gerard Butler, Justine Waddell, Jonny Lee Miller, Christopher Plummer, Colleen Ann Fitzpatrick, Jennifer Esposito, Omar Epps, Sean Patrick Thomas, Danny Masterson, Jeri Ryan, Nathan Fillion
Directed by: Patrick Lussier
Based on: Characters created by Bram Stoker from his book Dracula.
Notes: This film was not very well received when it came out. It only has a 4.9 on IMDb, but I don’t get it. It’s fun and sexy and just great, popcorn fun.

Number 7

Title: Dracula Untold
Year: 2014
Plot: As his kingdom is being threatened by the Turks, young prince Vlad Tepes must become a monster feared by his own people in order to obtain the power needed to protect his family, and the families of his kingdom.
Starring: Luke Evans, Dominic Cooper, Sarah Gadon, Art Parkinson, Charles Dance, Diarmaid Murtagh, Paul Kaye, William Houston, Noah Huntley
Directed by: Gary Shore
Based on: A character from the book Dracula by Bram Stoker (origin story).
Notes: Absolutely wonderful. They did a great job with the origin story of Dracula as Vlad the Impaler. I very much doubt he was as loving and kind as he was portrayed in the film, but that’s besides the point. My only gripe with the film is Dominic Cooper, who’s quite white, as a Turk. Other than that, it’s almost perfect.

Number 6

Title: Near Dark
Year: 1987
Plot: A mid-western farm boy reluctantly becomes a member of the undead when a girl he meets turns out to be part of a band of southern vampires who roam the highways in stolen cars.
Starring: Adrian Pasdar, Jenny Wright, Lance Henriksen, Bill Paxton, Jenette Goldstein, Joshua John Miller, Tim Thomerson
Directed by: Kathryn Bigelow
Based on: An original screenplay written by Kathryn Bigelow and Eric Red.
Notes: This film had the unfortunate timing of coming out at the same time as The Lost Boys and was unfortunately criminally overlooked. It’s dark, romantic, and bloody, just the way I like them!

Number 5

Title: Interview with the Vampire
Year: 1994
Plot: Against the backdrop of a gloomy San Francisco, the nearly two-century-old vampire, Louis de Pointe du Lac, recounts the unbelievable story of his eternal transformation and a life worse than death to the sceptic reporter, Daniel Molloy.
Starring: Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Antonio Banderas, Christian Slater, Kirsten Dunst, Stephen Rea, Indra Ové, Thandie Newton
Directed by: Neil Jordan
Based on: The book Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice.
Notes: Sumptuous and lush, this film is absolutely wonderful. I saw it when it came out, I was 13, and I must have watched it at least 50 times since then.

Number 4

Title: Nosferatu
Year: 2024
Plot: A gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman and the terrifying vampire infatuated with her, causing untold horror in its wake.
Starring: Lily-Rose Depp, Nicholas Hoult, Bill Skarsgård, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Willem Dafoe, Emma Corrin, Ralph Ineson, Simon McBurney
Directed by: Robert Eggers
Based on: The 1922 movie Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens, which in turn was an unauthorized adaptation from the book Dracula by Bram Stoker.
Notes: I wasn’t expecting to love this one as much as I do because I’m not a huge fan of Eggers’ work. But this film is stunning. The actors all do an amazing job, the costumes are wonderful, and Bill Skarsgård is unrecognizable under amazing makeup.

Number 3

Title: Fright Night
Year: 1985
Plot: Teenager Charley Brewster, a diehard horror fan, discovers his charming new next-door neighbor, Jerry Dandridge, is a vampire responsible for a string of local murders. When nobody believes his claims, Charley enlists the help of Peter Vincent, a washed-up actor and television horror host, to hunt the monster down.
Starring: William Ragsdale, Chris Sarandon, Amanda Bearse, Roddy McDowall, Stephen Geoffreys, Jonathan Stark, Dorothy Fielding
Directed by: Tom Holland
Based on: An original screenplay written by Tom Holland.
Notes: This movie is just wonderful. Chris Sarandon made teenage me (and adult me, let’s be real) swoon as Jerry Dandridge. And the practical effects are absolutely amazing and creepy. A definite gem of the 80’s. The remake is worth a gander as well.

Number 2

Title: Bram Stoker’s Dracula
Year: 1992
Plot: Centuries-old vampire Count Dracula comes to England to seduce his barrister Jonathan Harker’s fiancée Mina Murray and wreak havoc in the foreign land.
Starring: Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, Anthony Hopkins, Keanu Reeves, Sadie Frost, Richard E. Grant, Cary Elwes, Billy Campbell, Tom Waits, Monica Bellucci
Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
Based on: The book Dracula by Bram Stoker.
Notes: The best version of Dracula, hands down. It’s so beautiful and romantic while still having some tense scenes. The visual and practical effects are amazing.

Number 1

Title: The Lost Boys
Year: 1987
Plot: When a recently divorced mother and her two teenage boys move to a coastal town to stay with her father, it doesn’t take long for the brothers to realize the area is a haven for something much more sinister than party-going surfers.
Starring: Jason Patric, Corey Haim, Dianne Wiest, Kiefer Sutherland, Jami Gertz, Corey Feldman, Jamison Newlander, Barnard Hughes, Edward Herrmann, Alex Winter, Billy Wirth, Brooke McCarter, Chance Michael Corbitt
Directed by: Joel Schumacher
Based on: An original screenplay by Janice Fischer and James Jeremias.
Notes: As long with being my favourite vampire movie of all time, it might just be my favourite movie, full stop. I was 6 when this came out, and my mom bought it on vhs. She hid it, telling me it was too scary for me. By the time she caught me with it, I’d already seen it about 20 times. This film began my lifelong love of horror movies, and more specifically, vampire movies.

And that’s it! I’d put some honourable mentions, but that list would probably be longer than this list. I hope you enjoyed! What are your favourites? Let me know!

M.

Jun 19 2026

Mel’s 5 Second Review: Undertone

Undertone (2025)
Nina Kiri, Adam DiMarco (v.o.), Michèle Duquet, Keana Lyn Bastidas (v.o.), Jeff Yung (v.o.)
Directed by: Ian Tuason

So, it’s no secret that I have nothing but disdain for A24. I find their movies boring and pretentious. But the premise for this one was so good that I couldn’t help myself. I made sure to stay away from the hype machine, and I tempered my expectations. And you know what? I was pleasantly surprised.

The host of an ‘all-things-creepy’ podcast moves into her dying mother’s house to be her primary caregiver. When her podcast is sent 10 audio recordings of a young pregnant couple experiencing paranormal noises, she realizes the woman’s story is a mirror of her own and each new recording scratches at her sanity, drawing her into a fate she seemingly cannot escape.

The story of the film is very simple, but it’s the execution where this film really succeeds. Since our main character Evy is the only actor you actually see on screen (besides her mother’s comatose form), they lean real heavily on the sound design, which was the whole gimmick of the film. The recordings become more and more creepy and strange things begin happening in her house. The camera work is slow, even in the tensest times, giving the whole thing a dream-like quality. The acting was quite good, both from our main character but also everyone we hear but don’t see. The fact that we don’t see anyone else besides Evy’s mother really drives home her sense of isolation and loneliness and the almost despair she feels at not having anyone help her care for her mother.

Now for the big question: is it scary? It was marketed as “the most terrifying film ever heard”, and I think they did a pretty good job at living up to that. It’s a mostly quiet film that has you straining your ears to see if you can hear something weird in the recordings, they don’t necessarily tell you everything that you should be hearing. There’re also moments of tremendous silence which were almost as creepy. The feeling of dread is heavy almost from the first frame and doesn’t let up for the whole film. There’re parts of the film where the screen is just black and you’re just listening and it actually freaked me out so much that I had to turn on a small lamp (I’m afraid of total darkness), and I can’t remember the last time a film did that to me. So yes, at least for me, it was scary.

So, do I recommend it? I do, as long as you don’t mind quiet, slow films. Action packed this is not. I give it a very good 8/10.

M.

This film isn’t streaming anywhere yet but is available for rent or purchase on Amazon Prime and YouTube.

Jun 17 2026

Mel’s 5 Second Review: The Shrouds

The Shrouds (2024)
Vincent Cassel, Diane Kruger, Guy Pearce, Sandrine Holt, Elizabeth Saunders, Jennifer Dale, Jeff Yung
Directed by: David Cronenberg

This was a weird one, you guys. And not at all what I thought it was going to be. By the description given on Crave and IMDb, I thought this was going to be a nice haunting, ghosty story. I was very wrong. Also, I just had foot surgery and in a really unfair amount of pain, so I’ll try to be coherent as I write this, but it’s a little hard to focus, so forgive me.

Karsh, an innovative businessman and grieving widower, builds a device to connect with the dead inside a burial shroud. (See, doesn’t that sound supernatural??)

So this is a joined Canada/France production by David Cronenberg (who is Canadian). That should have at least prepared me for what was to come. I was very unprepared. French films are already super weird, but to add Cronenberg to the equation just upped the weird factor. So the story is actually about a man who invents a special kind of burial shroud that hooks to a screen in the grave marker that allows the mourners to actually see the body in the grave as it’s decaying. Why anyone would want that is beyond me, but apparently it comforts our main character. So while looking at his deceased wife’s skull one day, he notices what looks like tiny growths in her bones. Then comes the journey of trying to figure out what they are and where they came from.

Being a Cronenberg film I expected body horror, and while there’s less than one might expect from this director, the stuff that is there is pretty disturbing. I’m also actually surprised that he found an actress who would still do full nudity these days (and one of the most hardcore sex scenes I’ve seen in a film in a long time!). But that just added to the whole surrealness of the images. Unfortunately, I’m pretty sure a good amount of the effects were cgi and not practical which is what Cronenberg is kinda known for. It’s kind of a shame.

The acting was pretty good across the board. And it was filmed very well, but I expected that. Where the film suffered is in it’s telling of this story. It was so twisty-turny that it was hard to follow sometimes. I can’t really say anything more about the film without spoiling it, and I do feel this film needs to be experienced at least once. I mean, what’s a little incoherence amongst friends? It’s odd and slightly off-putting, but it’s not without its charm. The ending is pretty ambiguous, but I’m pretty sure I figured it out.

So, do I recommend it? Yes, with the caveat that you have to like weird films. Having seen a few French films already will help you get ready for this one, hehe. As for me, I give it a pretty good 7/10.

M.

This film is currently streaming on Crave, and is available for rent or purchase on Amazon Prime and YouTube.

Jun 11 2026

Mel’s 5 Second Review: Night Patrol

Night Patrol (2025)
RJ Cyler, Justin Long, Jermaine Fowler, Freddie Gibbs, Nicki Micheaux, YG, Flying Lotus, Phil Brooks, Nick Gillie, Dermot Mulroney

Ok, so.. I.. wow. And not a good wow. A “why did I actually sit through that whole piece of shit” kinda wow. Oh my gods…

An LAPD cop discovers a local task force is hiding a secret that puts the residents of his childhood neighborhood in danger.

Usually, I try and find at least one good thing to say about a film before I trash it. Maybe there’s good makeups, some decent acting, some little interesting thing that might save it. And ok, it had an interesting premise (otherwise I just wouldn’t have started the film at all), but it does literally nothing with it. So I might as well get into it.

So. First, the language. I have no idea what it’s like to be in a gang. I won’t pretend I know what it’s like to be black. But if I had a dollar for every time the N word was used, I’d be a rich lady. It was so over-used. And black stereotypes? All there.

The basic premise is there’s a special task force of the LAPD that are known as the “Night Patrol”, and they’re supposedly on gang watch. What it really is, is a bunch of neo-nazi vampires who just kill black people who live in the projects indiscriminately. Ok, so we have the evil LAPD officers against the “trash” that lives in the projects. Got it. OMG how did they convince black actors to star in this?? If I were black, I’d have taken one look at that script and told them to go fuck themselves. It makes me question what kind of people the white actors who were in this are. Yes, it’s that bad.

SPOILER WARNING (in case anyone wants to watch this turd)

So, our hero is a gangbanger named Wazi. His brother Xavier is an LAPD officer who wants to get into the Night Patrol, but we know he never will cause he’s black. Wazi’s girlfriend is killed by an initiate of the Night Patrol, an officer named Hawkins, who’s partner is Xavier. It’s being drilled into our heads that Hawkins is a good guy, even though he’s done some truly awful stuff (besides killing Wazi’s girlfriend, he’s also responsible for some war crimes that got swept under the rug). He eventually confides in his partner that he’s going into the Night Patrol cause he believes that they killed his father. But lo and behold, when he’s finally initiated into the Night Patrol, he finds his father leads them. The vampires then go after the people that live in the projects, put them in cages, newly turned Hawkins kills Xavier, then tries to resist, but he JUST CAN’T you guys! Did I mention that the only thing that stopped them was some Zulu mysticism? Oh yeah, that’s in there. So Wazi manages to kill Hawkins, then gets thrown in a room with the vampires, manages to kill Hawkins senior, throws himself into the pile of vampires surrounding him and we fade to black. Did you get all that? God, it was bad.

Now for the more technical stuff, I guess. The acting was bad. Really bad. Justin Long and Dermot Mulroney, who I both usually like, were AWFUL. Everyone was overacting. And not in a fun, “chewing the scenery” kinda way. The dialog was forced and just plain stupid. People just don’t talk like that. There weren’t extensive makeups, but everything that could have been done by makeup was done with cgi. Cgi bullet wounds (I miss squibs), cgi fire, cgi blood spurts, everything. The camerawork was all over the place, it was almost nauseating sometimes.

So do I recommend it? Good god, no. Absolutely not. Nope. Nope from space. This gets a 1/10 from me. What a waste of time.

M.

This movie is streaming on Shudder and AMC+ should you feel the need to watch the trainwreck for yourselves. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Jun 10 2026

My Top 20 Songs from the 80’s

Having been born in ’81, I grew up with 80’s music playing in my house all the time. We even had vinyls of our favourite bands. There are so many bangers to have come out of this decade that I had a real hard time deciding on just 20. I put them in order, but really, a good few of these can be inter-changable depending on my mood. I may look at this list next month and say “what was I thinking??”, but this is how I feel right now. I won’t be adding songs that were written for movies, so no Disney songs or anything like that.

20 – I Walk the Line by Alien Sex Fiend

I’m sure there aren’t a lot of people that would add this one in their top 20, and it almost didn’t make mine, but I just really like this song, hehe.

19 – The Passion of Lovers by Bauhaus

So many great ones by Bauhaus, but I had to go with this one. I just love Peter Murphy’s voice!

18 – Sunglasses at Night by Corey Hart

Oh my lord, did I have a crush on Corey Hart when I was a wee one. I wanted to marry him when I was 5 years old, hehe. It’s no wonder I fell in love with Jensen Ackles when Supernatural came out, they really do look similar!

17 – Love Like Blood by Killing Joke

I can’t honestly say I know a whole lot of Killing Joke’s music, cause I just never looked into it, but if it’s anywhere near as good as this song is, I’m really missing out!!

16 – Lovesong by The Cure

I love a lot of The Cure’s music, but this has to be the best one to come out of the 80’s. Incidentally, it was my “first dance” at my wedding!

15 – Wicked Game by Chris Isaak

There have been many, many covers of this song (my favourite among them being the one by HIM), but the OG remains the best. And how sexy is this video??

14 – True Faith by New Order

New Order is one of only 2 artists (the other being Bowie) that has 2 songs on the list, simply because I couldn’t leave either of them out. I don’t think I’d ever actually seen this video before now. The 80’s were weird, man!

13 – Thriller by Michael Jackson

I don’t think anyone is surprised to see this on my list. Not only is it a great song, but the video is simply epic. Michael always went all out on his videos, but this one takes the cake. Still has some of the best makeups to ever hit the screen. Thanks Rick Baker. Plus, bonus Vincent Price!

12 – Never Let Me Down Again by Depeche Mode

So many great songs by Depeche Mode, but this is the best one to come out of the 80’s.

11 – How Soon is Now? by The Smiths

And now for a little depression brought to you by The Smiths. Morrisey’s voice is like butter (and boy does he ever know it, what a douche… lol).

10 – Don’t You Forget About Me by Simple Minds

The Breakfast Club is one of my favourite films to come from the 80’s (which I criminally forgot to add to my “Top 30 Films of the 80’s”), and this banger was the perfect end to the movie. I had a massive crush on Judd Nelson in this. But the video… does he know his suit is 3 times too big..?

9 – Bizarre Love Triangle by New Order

Boy, do I love synth-pop when it’s done right. And this one is near perfect! Sometimes I wish I were older so I could have experienced going out in the 80’s.

8 – Lucretia My Reflection by Sisters of Mercy

Probably the best goth song ever written. I love a lot of Sisters’ music, but this was the first one I heard, and remains my favourite.

7 – Ashes to Ashes by David Bowie

David Bowie probably has one of my favourite voices in the business. It’s a good thing that I decided to not put songs written specifically for movies, otherwise a good chunk of my list would be songs from Labyrinth (shout-out to Within You, though, that song always gets me). This song is my favourite of his outside of movie music.

6 – Still Loving You by The Scorpions

One of my all-time favourite love songs. It’s literally the only song I know by The Scorpions (I think), but his voice is just wonderful. This song is poignant, so full of longing, it hits me in the feels. Funny side note, did you know they are a German band and barely spoke english at the time? I don’t know if they’ve learned since then, but really, you could have fooled me.

5 – I Ran (So Far Away) by A Flock of Seagulls

Sometimes you listen to these one hit wonders and the song is so bloody good that it literally makes you angry that there aren’t more albums. This is one of those songs. And the singer’s kinda cute, in a weird way. That hair, though…

4 – In Your Eyes by Peter Gabriel

And here, the best love song ever. May be cliché, but it’s popular for a reason. Hold up a boombox and play it for your girl. She’ll melt, I guarantee it!

3 – Under Pressure by Queen and David Bowie

I’m not a huge Queen fan, but I can’t deny the man had some crazy pipes. This song with Bowie is a perfect mix of each other’s styles. Not only one of my favourite 80’s songs, but one of my favourite songs, full stop. Bowie’s solo at the end of the song gives me chills every time.

2 – Take On Me by a-ha

Everything about this song is perfect; the music, the video, and the singer. Morten Harket has one of the most unique, beautiful faces in the business. And that voice! I love to sing along to this song, but I stop just before that part. You know the one.

1 – Love Will Tear Us Apart by Joy Division

And finally, we have the ultimate goth anthem. Such an amazing, poignant song, Ian Curtis’s voice giving it that extra gravitas over the almost joyful music. It’s such a shame, he was so tortured, and took his own life at 23, just a month before the album that would define a whole subculture would be released.

Well, I hope you enjoyed my list! I hope I was able to turn you on to some new music, or to revisit songs you haven’t heard in decades. What are your favourite 80’s songs? Let me know!

M.

Jun 9 2026

Mel’s 5 Second Review: Until Dawn

Until Dawn (2025)
Ella Rubin, Michael Cimino, Odessa A’zion, Ji-young Yoo, Belmont Cameli, Maia Mitchell, Peter Stormare
Directed by: David F Sandberg

I didn’t play the game much, but I did enjoy the vibe of it. I can’t really speak to how accurately the film follows the story of the game, but I had quite a good time with it.

One year after her sister Melanie mysteriously disappeared, Clover and her friends head into the remote valley where she vanished in search of answers. Exploring an abandoned visitor center, they find themselves stalked by a masked killer and horrifically murdered one by one…only to wake up and find themselves back at the beginning of the same evening. They soon realise that they must survive the entire night to get out of the time loop.

Reading reviews left on IMDb, I can see now that this was not a very faithful adaptation of the game. And I saw lots of people say they’d have liked it more had it not had the Until Dawn label on it and I can’t really say I understand that. You either liked the film or you didn’t. Warcraft wasn’t a frame-by-frame recreation of the Warcraft universe (Warcraft 1, 2, and 3, and World of Warcraft) and as an avid player of the game, I still adored that film. But I digress. How about I get to how I liked this film?

I actually quite liked it. No, it didn’t reinvent the wheel or anything, but I thought it was a solid film. The plot might be simple, but it was fun seeing the characters try to live through the same night over and over and, yes, even fun seeing them die. I’m not generally a huge fan of gore, but this one did it in a way that didn’t bother me. There were quite a few jumpscares but, really, this kind of film just calls for them. This isn’t a slow-burn, dread-filled affair, it’s a film about kids dying in a time loop. It knew exactly what it was and what it needed to do to be successful. The characters aren’t super deep, mostly cause we don’t really spend any time with them before the shit hits the fan. The actors did a fine job with what they were given.

Now for what is truly the centerpiece of the film: the makeup and gore effects. And those were stellar. The killers were suitably creepy, the visuals were amazing. The film really looked stunning, if blood and guts can be described as stunning. (Oh, and speaking of stunning, Odessa A’zion as Nina? fans self) There was great care taken to make sure things looked as good as possible with minimal use of cgi. I’ll take actors in masks and makeups over cgi monsters any day.

So do I recommend it? Sure, unless you’re crazy devoted to the game and won’t accept anything but a 100% recreation of the game. If that’s you, maybe skip this one. Me? I give it a solid 8/10. Fine popcorn fun!

M.

This film is currently streaming on Crave. You can also rent or buy on Amazon Prime or YouTube.

ps, my 5 Second Reviews are slowing becoming longer and longer. I may have to change the name of the series! hehe