All through October, I’ll be posting reviews of the best of the best films in the horror genre released since October 1, 2024, through September 30, 2025. As an added bonus, I’ll be adding a secondary review that may be somewhat related to the main review or slightly missed the countdown by inches. Follow along the countdown every day in October. Feel free to agree, disagree, or better yet, give me your own picks for your favorite horror movies of the year. Happy Halloween!

10. NOSFERATU (2024)

Released on December 25, 2024, and available On Demand on Amazon Prime and streaming on Peacock from Focus Features!
Directed by Robert Eggers.
Written by Robert Eggers, Henrik Galeen, Bram Stoker.
Check out the trailer here!!

A German real estate agent Thomas Hutter (Nicholas Hoult) recently married to the fair Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp) is sent deep into the Carpathian Mountains to get a signature from Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård) who plans to move to the city. But once Thomas arrives at his castle, Orlok reveals his true colors. He is Nosferatu, an ancient vampire, and he has Ellen in his fiendish sights!

Robert Eggers produces a very faithful adaptation of both the silent film NOSFERATU and the book based on DRACULA by Bram Stoker. And it think it’s the faithfulness to not only the classic silent film, but also Verner Herzog’s 1979 NOSFERATU: THE VAMPYRE that is the reason this film has been so divisive in the horror community. Some feel it is an overblown adaptation with too much star power and too little passion. I don’t necessarily feel that way, but I can see how the prevalence of recognizable actors might be a distraction to the story and the drama going on. I also think the use of off and on accents from some of the characters seem to make the drama feel melodramatic at times. I believe this to be intentional, as Eggers is adapting a story steeped in melodrama, especially in the case of the hysteria-addled Lily-Rose Depp, whose performance is definite detour from the regular strong female characters we have seen from Hollywood in recent years. But those silent films of old relied on over-acting in order to get the point across, so that might also be the reason everyone feels as if they are going for the home-run Oscar to beat all Oscars in their performances.

Eggers is no Hollywood filmmaker. He takes his time getting to Orlok’s castle, establishing Thomas and Ellen’s relationship and introducing key background players like Thomas’ employer Mr. Knock (Nosferatu’s version of Renfield, played fiendishly well by Simon McBurney) and his best friend Friedrich Harding (Aaron Taylor-Johnson). Also, quite a bit of time is spent pointing out the primitive nature of medical treatment at the time, specifically towards women as Ralph Ineson’s Dr. Sievers and Dafoe’s Von Franz leap to wild conclusions involving Ellen’s hysteria and menstrual cycle. These themes were not in the original, of course, but used to show the out-of-date tactics the medical profession performed at the time. And while the film also beefs up Friedrich’s role and that of his family and highlights some of the more barbaric rituals of the gypsies who warn Thomas of the castle, the biggest difference is the opening minutes suggesting that the relationship between Orlok and Ellen are more than just love at first sight. I am surprised I haven’t heard more people talk about this specific and taboo-laden detail, but it does put a bit of an edgy bite to the beginning of the tale.

Despite those changes, NOSFERATU stays pretty adherent to the classic story. The over-the-top performances aside, the entire experience was a rich one. While I believe Francis Ford Coppola’s take on DRACULA was much more visually imaginative, Eggers adds some fun play with the shadows and light himself, specifically when the shadow of Orlok’s claw stretches across the landscape, spreading the plague along with it. Eggers’ remake still manages to look visually stunning, decadent in some of the shots such as the Harding residence with its Christmas decorations and hauntingly gothic as with the labyrinthine halls of Orlok’s castle. While I’ve seen these scenes play out numerous times as adaptations of both Henrik Galeen’s screenplay for the original NOSFERATU and of course, Bram Stoker’s version of DRACULA, Eggers’ version never felt repetitive or as if he were copying the style of anyone before him. Still, compared to his recent work, this is Eggers most widely accessible film he’s made since THE VVITCH, as it lacks the over-indulgence of THE NORTHMAN and the outlandish and off-putting nature of THE LIGHTHOUSE.

This is no perfect movie, though. Most of my criticism for it starts and ends with the performance of Count Orlok himself by Bill Skarsgård. Skarsgård is a fine actor and definitely has the chops to do a good version of Orlok, but under tons of hair and makeup and a bulky robe, Skarsgård looked more like Peter Stormare than anything else. If they decided to go the more, Vlad the Impaler-route and make the Count look that way, they could have shaved a couple of million off the budget and just gotten Stormare for a whole lot less and he most likely would have done a comparable or maybe even better job. You can’t tell if it’s Skarsgård or my Aunt Trudy under all of that makeup. Skarsgård doesn’t even make his eye go all wonky like it usually does. Yes, he is a formidable monster and the scenes of him naked or partially clothed are pretty darn creepy to down-right disgusting at times, but if you’re going to make a big deal and cast Skarsgård, I think you should let some of his face show. Just my simple opinion.

Aside from that, I do think Aaron-Taylor Johnson’s acting was more over the top than most of the rest of the cast. It’s because I’ve seen him mostly in action comedies and superhero films. I don’t know, but Johnson definitely felt like the Keanu of this shoot. Dafoe also decides or two that indicates that he has become an actor who does whatever the hell he wants, and the directors just film it. Dafoe doesn’t even attempt to use an accent. His love of cats, though seemingly weird and unexpectedly, does line up with Ellen’s love for her cat who lays by her side throughout most of the movie. Dafoe’s Von Franz, like Ellen’s cat, ends up being her protector through the movie. Still, Dafoe’s over the top performance was the closest thing to being pulled out of the movie as I got.

NOSFERATU is not a popcorn flick for the masses. It’s going to be a challenging watch for the common moviegoers, dealing with issues and feelings that often don’t come up in Hollywood fare. It’s thematically heavy involving topics such as the plague, not hugely different from the recent pandemic, its origins from a foreign land, and unleashed with evil intent. While the size and scope of the plague was much better envisioned in Herzog’s version, it is still an ever-present threat in the film. It’s emotionally heavy involving the strained love between Thomas and Ellen and an invasive challenge to their marriage in Orlok, as depicted in a very uncomfortable scene where Thomas is forced to come to terms with the connection between his wife and the monster that is not unlike the demon-cuckold scene from POSSESSION. And it’s richly brought to life with expansive gothic sets and ornate décor accurate from the time.

One of the things that I have always loved is the ending to NOSFERATU. Unlike the bombastic ending of Bram Stoker’s DRACULA, the poeticism of Ellen’s sacrifice is something that feels much more suited to the horrors experienced leading up to it. While everyone loves Dracula, it’s interesting that so few get the ending wrong, but I do feel that Eggers nails this ending, pulling all of the plot threads of this expansive story into one beautiful sacrifice.

Egger’s NOSFERATU is an attempt to make a classic horror movie. Not one filled with jump scares, though there are quite a few legitimately scary moments. It doesn’t have a high body count, though there are some amazingly effective and shocking kills. And not one targeted towards the teenage market like all of the Blumhouse turds dropped over the last few years. It’s a mature horror movie. I’m not saying that those who are not in love with the film are immature, but I do think that they don’t make movies like NOSTFERATU anymore and hopefully, because it was made, mature, thought provoking, and high-quality horror can follow it.

Worth Noting: ABRAHAM’S BOYS: A DRACULA STORY (2025)

Released on July 11, 2025, and available On Demand on Amazon Prime from RLJE Films & Shudder!
Directed by Natasha Kermani.
Written by Natasha Kermani from a short story by Joe Hill.
Check out the trailer here!!

ABRAHAM’S BOYS is a sequel to Bram Stoker’s DRACULA of sorts. It begins 18 years after the death of Count Dracula. Abraham Van Helsing (Titus Welliver) has moved his wife Mina (Jocelin Donahue) and his family away from Europe to America, Central Valley, California, to be specific. The family lives a modest life on a farm, away from the larger cities that are sprouting up across the land. But when a railroad company begins laying tracks near Van Helsing’s land, both Mina and Abraham believe that this harkens the return of the Prince of Darkness and his vampire minions. Abraham decides it is time to train his two sons, Max (Brady Hepner) and Rudy (Judah Mackey), as combat with the enemy is on the horizon.

ABRAHAM’S BOYS is a different kind of vampire movie. It isn’t a story told in bold, dramatic movements, but one that is much more cerebral. It’s a psychological horror film that delves deep into the trauma Mina and Abraham experienced in England and how that trauma affects how they raise their young boys. Much of the film is more meditative, showing slow looks across the beautiful landscape, untouched by man. If you’re an impatient viewer, this is not the vampire movie for you.

But if you stick around, you’ll get a group of strong performances by the cast. Titus Welliver is a character actor I always watch out for. He exudes power and pride as Van Helsing. There is a foreboding cloud of dread floating over his household, and he plays the stern father who believes that cloud could descend upon them at any minute, taking action to prepare his family for the worst. Welliver delivers an intense and memorable performance, one that makes me want to see him play Van Helsing in an adaptation of the Bram Stoker classic and not just a sequel.

It was a bold decision to have Mina marry Van Helsing after the end of Dracula and one I never really envisioned. Still, this twist opens up tons of potential, as the much older doctor has a sort of power over the very damaged Mina. Jocelin Donahue still delivers poise and spirit in this role. She is still traumatized by the events in England and haunted by dreams filled with monsters and darkness. Along with Van Helsings stern teachings, it is how fragile Mina is that alerts the boys that a very real threat is coming. Donohue has been in scores of horror films like HOUSE OF THE DEVIL, SUMMER CAMP, OFFSEASON, I TRAPPED THE DEVIL and the truly exceptional “Father’s Day” sequence in HOLIDAYS, and it’s a gift to the horror genre that she sticks with films on the spookier side. Here she gives one of her most iconic performances.

But this film is called ABRAHAM’S BOYS, so teen actors Brady Hepner and Judah Mackey are center stage as Max and Rudy, respectively. While more seasoned actors like Welliver and Donohue carry the film, Hepner and Mackey prove to be interesting characters—one duller and stronger, the other cleverer yet smaller. Both did a superb job conveying this story of impending doom and the pressure put upon them by their frightened parents.

There are quite a few nightmarish moments peppered through the story involving visions of a bald man in a cape, but the late in the game twist is what many are going to be talking about ABRAHAM’S BOYS. Joe Hill’s story, as adapted by director Natasha Kermani, really does make you look at the original DRACULA story in a different light. This is a truly original psychological slant on vampires, specifically involving classic characters. And impossibly, it elevates the original story to a smarter level due to this twist. While it takes its sweet time to get there, I do feel the way the film ends makes the wait satisfying and worthwhile.

While the music occasionally feels a bit out of place and more modern, as if it were ripped right from Manfredini’s FRIDAY THE 13TH score at times, this is a gorgeous looking movie as it steadies the camera upon painterly landscapes. If you’re looking for a different kind of vampire story, ABRAHAM’S BOYS is it. This is DRACULA by way of FRAILTY. Strap in and be patient, the final revelations in ABRAHAM’S BOYS are wonderfully mind-blowing.

The Best in Horror Countdown 2024-2025
#31 – GET AWAY (DARK MATCH)
#30 – PABRIK GULA (#MISSINGCOUPLE)
#29 – YULE LOG 2: BRANCHIN’ OUT (THE LAST VIDEO STORE)
#28 – FREWAKA (THE SURRENDER)
#27 – FINAL DESTINATION: BLOODLINES (V/H/S/BEYOND)
#26 – ALMA AND THE WOLF (CUSTOM)
#25 – LOOKY-LOO (THE CREEP TAPES)
#24 – DANGEROUS ANIMALS (THE MAN IN THE WHITE VAN)
#23 – THE MONKEY (THE DAMNED)
#22 – THE DEVIL AND THE DAYLONG BROTHERS (THE SEVERED SUN)
#21 – TERRIFIER 3 (CLOWN IN A CORNFIELD)
#20 – PRESENCE (HOUSE ON EDEN)
#19 – THE RULE OF JENNY PEN (GRAFTED)
#18 – PARVULOS: CHILDREN OF THE APOCALYPSE (AZRAEL)
#17 – MADS (A MOTHER’S EMBRACE)
#16 – STRANGE HARVEST (THE ASMA JOURNALS)
#15 – DEUS IRAE (SHADOW OF GOD)
#14 – TOGETHER (CANNIBAL MUCKBANG)
#13 – SMILE 2 (THE STRANGERS CHAPTER 2)
#12 – COMPANION (THE DEAD THING)
#11 – BEST WISHES TO ALL (DELICATE ARCH)
#10 – NOSFERATU (ABRAHAM’S BOYS)