Vampire Movies To Check Out After SINNERS | First Picture House On the Left Vol. 5

With Sinners out now and making waves with viewers, it feels like it only makes sense that I put together a list of some of my favorite vampire flicks that I’d recommend. Some are obvious, while others hopefully might be new, and you can put them on your watch list. 

Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)

There have been many iterations of Dracula’s story, dating back to 1931’s Dracula starring Bela Lugosi. We reviewed Francis Ford Coppola’s retelling on the Film Box Podcast in October 2024, so you can hear all our thoughts there. But I loved this movie more than Sam and Aaryn, specifically because this might be one of the most visually stunning movies ever. The way Dracula, played perfectly by Gary Oldman, can cast his shadow or his gaze into the horizon or against a wall is truly visionary. The story captures the seductive nature of Dracula to a T, and has impressive uses of color and puppets as well. You have to get used to Keanu Reeves’ clunky performance, but it is one of the best portrayals of Dracula I have seen. 

A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night (2014)

A common theme of vampire films seems to be stunning cinematography. Filmed in black and white, A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night is more of a slow burn compared to the nonstop action horror rides of others. It follows two similar lost souls in this ghost town, Arash and the girl. The way the stories weave together is fascinating. The entire movie has this dreamlike aura to it that makes it so easy to fall into a trance with. 

30 Days of Night (2007)

This is a movie that has haunted me ever since I saw it when I was younger. The vampire design was terrifying. An Alaskan town that is stuck in a month-long period of darkness is the perfect setting for a vampire movie, and they make the most out of its premise. It is incredibly nerve-wracking and brutal watching a town essentially be devoured while Josh Hartnett and the survivors try to figure out how to make it to the end of the month. Danny Huston is terrifying as the head vampire Marlow, and I’m sure he has haunted other people’s nightmares before. 

Let the Right One In (2008)

I could’ve gone with either version as I liked them both, but I’ll highlight the original. It follows a bullied young boy who develops a friendship and romantic relationship with the vampire who moves in next door. It is a beautiful coming-of-age story set in this supernatural environment that explores the power of friendship between Oskar and Eli. It doesn’t feel as much like a horror movie as the others, due to how much of the storytelling is set around how they make this impossible relationship work. It is for sure a must-watch.

The Lost Boys (1987)

I might be against time travel, but I’ll never be against a movie that can transport you back in time like The Lost Boys can. This is a time capsule of the 80s, capturing the counterculture aesthetic of the era with its production design, costumes, and cast. Kiefer Sutherland is one of the most iconic non-Dracula vampires put to screen, with how charismatic he is. It blends topical themes of the time with ageless themes of family stresses, friends, and fitting in. This is one all horror fans should be familiar with. 

Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person (2023)

I’ve tried to pick movies that capture different subgenres, and this movie is more of a black comedy story.. It tells the tale of a vampire who doesn’t like to kill people, but once her parents kick her out, she has to make do on her own. She finds a lonely teenager who is considering ending his life, and the two decide to help him accomplish the last things he’d like before he allows her to feast on him. The bond the two form along their journey is very sweet and romantic, but don’t be fooled, blood is still shed a plenty.

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Connor Jameson

Co-Founder, Head of Content | Letterboxd

I've always been a movie fan, but I first got big into cinema watching Whiplash when I was younger. That movie led to a greater appreciation of films and got me to dive into the medium. My favorite genre is horror movies, but I’ll always have a secret soft spot for rom coms and musicals. When I'm not podcasting or watching movies, I love working out and going hiking, and I currently work in business analytics with the degree I got from Western New England University.

MY FAVORITE MOVIES: Good Will Hunting, Spiderman: Into The Spiderverse, Whiplash, Moneyball, Top Gun: Maverick