Abigail (2024)

A group of criminals who do not know each other are hired to kidnap the daughter of a tycoon without knowing important sinister secrets.

"Abigail" is a heist, action and horror movie. Its twist has already been revealed from the trailer or other media sources, but the film manages to still be satisfying and well made, with a good measure of action combined with cheap but effective plot points, resulting in a film that maintains one's attention and satisfies the need for good entertainment.

Director:  Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett   

With: Melissa Barrera, Dan Stevens, Alisha Weir, Kathryn Newton, Angus Cloud, Giancarlo Esposito, Kevin Durand, Matthew Goode

Rating: 8/10

American Horror Story 10: Double Feature (2021)

A writer and his family move to a town known for its muse effect.

A group of student friends discover they are pregnant after a camping trip.

'Red Tide' is the first story (feature) from season 10, a special season, created as a combination of 2 genres, and has 6 episodes.

It follows a horror trope focused on vampiric presence, but stylized a little differently. Vampirism is presented as an addiction to being known and appreciated, but the "quality" of becoming one is conditioned by the presence of talent. Truly a fully human problem and characteristic, but with very negative effects and consequences that are difficult to repair. The series is efficiently executed, with the well-known visual artistry, and is based on a team of fan favorites, including Evan Peters, Lily Rabe and Frances Conroy. It is also the feature that deserves the most attention.

'Death Valley' is the title of the second story (feature), with only 4 episodes. It is based on conspiracy theories about aliens and uses the idea of ​​'body snatchers' in a story that's very rich in colorful and outlandish events, so much so that the irony is lost somewhere along the way and the series suffers from the "style over substance" syndrome.

Director:  John J. Gray, Loni Peristere   

Production:  FX Network   

Creator: Brad Falchuk, Ryan Murphy   

Duration:  season 10 of 10 episodes (1 hour each)   

With: Sarah Paulson, Billie Lourd, Leslie Grossman, Evan Peters, Lily Rabe, Frances Conroy, Finn Wittrock, Angelica Ross, Macaulay Culkin, Ryan Kiera Armstrong

Rating: 7/10

Ten Minutes to Midnight (2020)

A radio host suffers the effects of ageism the same day after being bitten by a rabid bat.

'Ten Minutes to Midnight' is an independent horror film, slow and with relevant messages. The main character is interesting and will attract a lot of sympathy, and the ending will satisfy the needs of fans of the genre.

Director:  Erik Bloomquist     

With: Caroline Williams, Nicole Kang, Nicholas Tucci, William Youmans

Rating: 8/10

The Invitation (2022)

A young American woman finds her blood relatives who then invite her to a family wedding in England.

'The Invitation' is a horror film in the style of the classic monsters, almost like Hammer ones. The story is romanticized in a believable way, visually modernized, and with a second half full of action and satisfaction.

Director:  Jessica M. Thompson  

With: Nathalie Emmanuel, Thomas Doherty, Sean Pertwee, Hugh Skinner, Alana Boden, Stephanie Corneliussen

Rating: 7.8/10

Interview with the Vampire (2022– )

Louis de Pointe du Lac recounts his life after meeting Lestat to Daniel Molloy, in a second interview.

'Interview with the Vampire' is the second adaptation of the book with the same name, this time in a TV series that wants to bring to life the rest of the novels from 'the Vampire Chronicles'. It manages to shine in its execution despite the major changes from the books (the race of the important characters, Louis is a pimp and not a slave owner, the relationship with Lestat is explicitly carnal, the meeting with Daniel is a second one and Daniel is old and sick and so on), because it intertwines the new aspects in an original and welcome way and stops the need for any comparisons with the original (which is perfect by the way). The choices for the 3 main roles are initially questionable, but the portrayal of the well-known figures is flawless and wonderful (although Bailey Bass will not return for the role of Claudia).

Director:  Levan Akin and others

Production:  AMC   

Creator:  Rolin Jones   

Duration:  1 season of 8 episodes (1+ hour each)   

With: Jacob Anderson, Sam Reid, Eric Bogosian, Assad Zaman, Bailey Bass, Chris Stack, Maura Grace Athari

Rating: 8.6/10

Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments (2016–2019)

Clary discovers that reality hides a supernatural world that includes beings who are descendants of angels and demons.

'Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments' is a fantasy series based on a popular book series. The mythology is interesting, the action is so-so, and the main characters are just pop stars who don't stand out for their talent. The few who stand out in a positive way are the two lovebirds: Matthew Daddario and Harry Shum Jr. who manage to outshine the intended stars.

Director:  Matthew Hastings   

Production:  ABC Family   

Creator:  Ed Decter   

Duration:  3 seasons of 13, 20 and 23 episodes (42 minutes each)   

With: Katherine McNamara, Dominic Sherwood, Matthew Daddario, Harry Shum Jr., Alberto Rosende, Emeraude Toubia, Luke Baines, Will Tudor

Rating: 6/10

My Heart Can't Beat Unless You Tell It To (2020)

A brother and sister do unexpected things to take care of their sickly younger brother.

'My Heart Can't Beat Unless You Tell It To' is a horror drama in the style of 'Somos Lo Que Hay' and 'The Hamiltons': families with unusual needs that involve violence and other people's lives. Slow but effective, the film has even more drama, the sacrifice of the siblings who don't actually have the affliciton having a deep effect.

Director:  Jonathan Cuartas  

With: Patrick Fugit, Ingrid Sophie Schram, Owen Campbell, Moises L. Tovar

Rating: 7/10

Family Blood (2018)

A former drug addict tries to keep her family together, even after a supernatural kind of addict changes her fate.

'Family Blood' is a horror film, strongly mixed with drama, but sorta weak drama. Things take interesting turns from time to time, but the viewer's frustration is inevitable.

Regia:  Sonny Mallhi      

Cu: Vinessa Shaw, James Ransone, Colin Ford, Ajiona Alexus

Rating: 6/10

First Kill (2022)

Juliette and Calliope belong to two factions that hate each other: vampires and vampire hunters and they fall in love.

'First Kill' is a horror series with comic accents that wanted the be the new best thing with something similar to Buffy's cultural impact. But without paying attention to details, getting a script full of memorable lines or making sure there's some obvious clever humour. It has some interesting new vampiric lore, but: it's made in a rush, messy, some actors either don't have talent, or no one bothered to get them to redo some of their scenes when that was painfully needed, and the script leaves a lot to be desired with clichés and cringey lines. What brings it closest to what it should have been is the presence of the big sister.

Director:  Eriq La Salle and others 

Production:  Netflix  

Creator:  V.E. Schwab   

Duration:  1 single season of 8 episades (1 hour each)  

With: Sarah Catherine Hook, Imani Lewis, Elizabeth Mitchell, Aubin Wise

Rating: 6/10

Jakob's Wife (2021)

A small-town minister's wife, Anne, reevaluates her priorities after a violent encounter with "the Master".

'Jakob's Wife' is a low-budget horror film with vampires and feminist ideas. Barbara Crampton is excellent in the role of the pious wife who rebels. The film is well made, in an indie style, with a slow pace and curious actions.

Director:  Travis Stevens      

With: Barbara Crampton, Larry Fessenden, Bonnie Aarons, Nyisha Bell

Rating: 7/10

Day Shift (2022)

A father works hard to keep his little girl close and the job involves hunting vampires.

'Day Shift' is an action comedy with vampires. At times it reminds one of Fright Night, especially in the vampiric typology, but also of John Wick. Jamie Foxx is relaxed and appropriate in the role and Dave Franco makes an unexpected comic addition.

Director:  J.J. Perry  

With: Jamie Foxx, Dave Franco, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Meagan Good, Karla Souza, Snoop Dogg, Eric Lange, Peter Stormare

Rating: 8/10

Morbius (2022)

Michael Morbius suffers from a rare blood disease, as does his best friend, and in an attempt to cure himself, he accidentally infects himself with vampirism.

'Morbius' is a vampire action thriller set in the Marvel Universe. The vampiric presence is not particularly strong, but it is welcome, because it refreshes the MCU-type of action with a little more darkness. The film is the recipient of a lot of unfounded hatred, possibly due to the disappointment of the fans caused by Jared Leto's Joker. The character is believable and interesting enough, the narrative line is decent, the action is a bit all over the place, but overall, it's not half bad.

Director:  Daniel Espinosa    

With: Jared Leto, Matt Smith, Adria Arjona, Jared Harris

Rating: 7/10

Van Helsing (2016–2021)

Vanessa Helsing, a descendant of the famous Helsing, wakes up from a coma in the middle of an apocalyptic world, preyed upon by vampirism, and discovers that she has special and useful abilities.

'Van Helsing' is a horror series with vampires in an apocalyptic world. The general atmosphere reminds one of 'The Walking Dead' but the high tension events are filled with a new mythology, quite original and rich in ideas. The main heroine is full of interesting contradictions and her ever-increasing powers are a source of maximum satisfaction for the viewer. It has slower stages in terms of the story progress, but the viewer's perseverance is always rewarded.

Director:  Jonathan Scarfe and others  

Production:  Sify   

Creator:  Gorrman Lee   

Duration:  5 seasons of 13 episodes (43 minutes each)   

With: Kelly Overton, Missy Peregrym, Jonathan Scarfe, Aleks Paunovic, Rukiya Bernard, Vincent Gale, Christopher Heyerdahl, Paul Johansson, Laura Mennell

Rating: 8/10

Freaks of Nature (2015)

In Dillford, the population is almost evenly divided into vampires, zombies and humans, and every day is full of conflict, but an alien threat calls for change.

'Freaks Of Nature' is a horror comedy with satirical influences that explores the human trait that seeks and finds reasons for conflict and separation. The idea is not necessarily original but it is developed in a rather original, funny and effective way. The main characters are well written, likeable and with their own back-story and development that blends naturally and pleasantly with the overall action.

Director:  Robbie Pickering   

With: Nicholas Braun, Mackenzie Davis, Josh Fadem, Denis Leary

Rating: 8/10

Night Teeth (2021)

The brother of a vampire hunter takes his place as a luxury driver for one night and realises that his two mysterious clients are vampires.

'Night Teeth' is a superficial action horror film, which tries to use the attraction of a subject like vampires and many actors well known for their physical appearance to get high, cheep ratings. It's not the worst movie one could choose, but it's not worth looking for. It's more like an extended music video; the music is actually really ok.

Director:  Adam Randall     

With: Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Debby Ryan, Lucy Fry, Raúl Castillo, Alfie Allen

Rating: 6/10

Midnight Mass (2021)

A recovering alcoholic returns to his parents' house, on an isolated island, where the community is going through a lot of change with the arrival of a new charismatic priest.

'Midnight Mass' is a new miniseries made by Mike Flanagan, with no connection to 'The Haunting of Hill House' or 'The Haunting of Bly Manor'. It is again inspired by the supernatural, but it is merely a pretext to enrich a faithful and rich depiction of human nature when it's under the control of religious fanaticism and in a desperate need of new chances from life. Some stylistic but perfectly understandable choices (such as choosing young actors in older roles) will (probably) cause some accidental spoilers.

Director:  Mike Flanagan   

Production:  Netflix   

Creator:  Mike Flanagan   

Duration:  1 miniseries of 7 episodes (7 hours and a half in total)   

With: Kate Siegel, Zach Gilford, Kristin Lehman, Samantha Sloyan, Rahul Kohli, Annabeth Gish, Henry Thomas, Hamish Linklater

Rating: 8/10

Post Mortem: No One Dies in Skarnes (2021– )

Live is a young woman from a family who owns a funeral home and wakes up with a thirst for blood after she is at first pronounced dead.

'Post Mortem' is a Norwegian series that borrows horror elements from pop culture, adds a little situation comedy and a little local social culture and ends up being a series worth watching for the appealing mix of all these unexpectedly well suited elements. The actors are doing a great job, either in the comic scenes or in the ones with violence and horror and the action is credible and perfectly choreographed.

Director:  Harald Zwart, Petter Holmsen

Production:  Netflix   

Creator:  Petter Holmsen   

Duration:  1 season of 6 episodes (44 minutes each)   

With: Kathrine Thorborg Johansen, Elias Holmen Sørensen, André Sørum, Kim Fairchild

Rating: 8/10

Blood Red Sky (2021)

A woman with a mysterious condition that keeps her away from the sun, has to confront a group of terrorists trying to hijack the plane she is on with her son, on their way to get a miraculous treatment.

An action movie with some supernatural and horror elements. Fans of vampire movies, fans of Blade and well-made action movies will have a real visual feast. The suspense is well dosed and choreographed, the ending is not easy to predict and there is no moment of boredom.

The film is a co-production produced by Netflix, with a team of actors of different nationalities and is spoken in German and English.

Director:  Peter Thorwarth    

With: Peri Baumeister, Carl Anton Koch, Alexander Scheer, Graham McTavish, Dominic Purcell

Rating: 8/10

The Transfiguration (2016)

Milo is a teenager with serious problems, obsessed with vampires, but his world and the system of believes that he lives by are turned upside down when he meets Sophie - a naive young woman, also with problems.

A thriller / horror drama that's quite hard to classify. The main character is not one that the public could identify with but living with choices based on misguided beliefs could be a fairly common trend. Milo is an introvert, the victim of many personal dramas, but essentially he's somewhat of an autistic nature, lacking empathy, even psychopathic based on some of his obvious tendencies (history of injuring animals, the ease with which he kills strangers and others). The beauty of the film comes from the way Sophie's appearance changes his life, which in fact does not mean that she changes his nature and habits, but makes him understand indirectly that what he chose to do and live by is not right.

Director:  Michael O'Shea   

With: Eric Ruffin, Karin Cherches, Luis Scott, Dangelo Bonneli

Rating: 7/10

Vampire Academy (2014)

Dhampir, Moroi si Strigoi sunt trei versiuni diferite de vampiri. Rose si Lissa apartin primelor doua si arata o legatura prieteneasca ce depasteste masurile normalului. 

Un film horror cu vampiri adolescenti. Mitul vampirilor este dezvoltat ceva mai mult cu o tripla versiune a fiintelor ce au fascinat de secole intr-un mod destul de interesant. Pacat ca viteza productiei si lipsa de interes real a producatorilor fac risipa din dialogul ce nu e rau si povestea diluata pentru un public subapreciat.

Regia:  Mark Waters     

Cu: Zoey Deutch, Lucy Fry, Danila Kozlovsky, Gabriel Byrne, Olga Kurylenko, Claire Foy, Joely Richardson, Sarah Hyland

Rating: 6/10

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