Latest news with #F.W.Murnau
Metro
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
I'm a horror expert - these are the 7 best films of 2025 so far
2024 was a huge year for horror, but 2025 looks to be bigger and better than ever. Last year we were captivated by Longlegs' terrifying marketing campaign, marvelled at the power of indie horror with Late Night With The Devil, and simply shocked by The Substance sweeping awards ceremonies. Immaculate, Strange Darling, I Saw The TV Glow, and In A Violent Nature all graced top films of the year lists across the world – and that's just a handful of genre titles that made an impact. It's a tough act to follow, but this year, we have already witnessed some of the best horror has to offer, with chilling reboots, long-awaited sequels, and original titles that have had us in a chokehold. And we're only halfway through 2025 – there are still tonnes of chilling releases left to sink our teeth into. As an avid fan of horror – from gateway flicks to extreme gems – it's been one of the most exciting years of cinema in a while, but it can also become a daunting task trying to wade through the recommendations. So I have compiled a list of 7 of the best horror films of 2025 you need to make sure you watch before the New Year and a fresh slate of exciting releases arrive. Sweet screams. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Nosferatu kicked off the 2025 horror calendar in a sumptuous gothic fashion, offering a fresh twist on F. W. Murnau's iconic vampire flick. Starring Nicholas Hoult, Bill Skarsgard, Lily-Rose Depp, and Willem Dafoe, Robert Eggers' film follows estate agent Thomas Hutter (Hoult) as he travels to Transylvania to facilitate the sale of a home in his small German village. He meets with the prospective client, Count Orlok (Skarsgard), but is soon plagued by nightmarish visions and encounters an evil force far beyond his comprehension – and it's coming for his wife, Ellen (Depp). With a palpable sense of dread from the first scene, Eggers injects his signature dark and ominous flare into the classic tale, evident from his work on The Witch, The Lighthouse, and The Northman. Bolstered by incredible performances from its ensemble cast, Nosferatu set the bar mighty high for horror in the next 12 months. Where to watch: Available to rent on Prime Video, Apple TV Plus, and Rakuten TV To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video If there's a body horror-shaped hole in your life left by 2024 hit The Substance, The Ugly Stepsister is here to fill that gap. The feature debut from Emilie Blichfeldt is as thought-provoking as it is stomach-churning, offering a visceral exploration of female beauty standards via a warped retelling of Cinderella. Elvira (Lea Myren) is obsessed with winning the heart of Prince Julian (Isac Calmroth) and will stop at nothing to do so, even if it means subjecting herself to painful cosmetic procedures closer to medieval torture methods. When it appears that her beautiful stepsister Agnes (Thea Sofie Loch Naess) is about to receive what she believes is fated to her, Elvira resorts to drastic – and gruesome – methods to make sure that doesn't happen. Blichfeldt strikes a unique balance of pitch black comedy while remaining sympathetic towards her characters, but have your bucket at the ready, some seriously gross-out scenes in The Ugly Stepsister make The Substance look like a children's film. Where to watch: Shudder To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Ryan Coogler's genre cinema debut was nothing short of a masterpiece. Sinners stars Michael B Jordan in the twin roles of Smoke and Stack, offering a performance so captivating it's easy to forget it is one actor playing both characters. The action-packed, blood-soaked flick follows the duo as they set up their own blues bar in their hometown of Clarksdale, Mississippi, enlisting loved ones far and wide to help get the 'juke joint' up and running the very day they arrive back in town. Offering food, drinks, and live music, the party is well and truly popping just a short while after opening, but the night soon devolves into chaos when a group of strangers turns up and attempts to gain entry. Effortlessly stylish, action-packed, and surprisingly sexy, Sinners is an experience from start to finish that will have you laughing, crying, and dancing along to the impeccable soundtrack. Where to watch: Available to buy on Prime Video, Apple TV Plus, and Rakuten TV To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Outside of big screen releases, 2025 has gifted us with some truly incredible indie gems. Yuta Shimotsu's feature debut Best Wishes To All is one such title, a thoroughly unsettling, atmospheric film reminiscent of the J-horror era. It follows an unnamed nursing student (Kotone Furukawa) who visits her grandparents (Masashi Arifuku and Yoshiko Inuyama) in their rural Japanese town. She appears distressed to learn that her parents' arrival at the home is delayed, leaving her alone with her elderly relatives. As the visit winds on, the young woman uncovers dark secrets that seem to point to a mysterious presence lurking in the house. Packed full of surreal and deeply disturbing imagery, Best Wishes To All is a remarkable directorial effort from Shimotsu that cements his name as one to be watched. It explores what we are willing to ignore in a bid to live a carefree life, and there are few things more terrifying and relatable than that. Where to watch: Shudder To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Would you rather be trapped with a shark or a serial killer? Strangely, a release we had this year asked exactly this. Directed by The Loved Ones and The Devil's Candy creator Sean Byrne, Dangerous Animals introduces genre fans to charismatic villain Tucker (Jai Courtney), a serial killer who uses sharks as his weapon of choice. His latest potential victim is Zephyr (Hassie Harrison), who Tucker kidnaps and imprisons on his boat – but she won't go down without a fight. Byrne maintains tension throughout by making the most of the film's limited location, with much of the cat-and-mouse action taking place on Tucker's boat. It's hard not to be intrigued by his charismatic yet deadly persona, and the strong characterisations that invest the audience in their journey are crucial to help this outlandish concept land. What's more, there are buckets of blood and violence aplenty that help Dangerous Animals sit among its sharksploitation and ozsploitation peers comfortably. Where to watch: Not yet available to stream To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video It's been 18 long years of waiting, but the eagerly anticipated sequel to 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later finally arrived in cinemas last month. 28 Years Later is set almost 30 years after the events of the first film (as the title would suggest), in which a group of survivors have found ways to live among the infected. Spike (Alfie Williams) and his father Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) venture off the island so the teenager can experience his first kill and learn more about how the world outside of their commune works. When Spike discovers something on the mainland that turns his world upside down, he ventures there with his sickly mother, Isla (Jodie Comer), in a bid to find a miracle cure for her mystery ailment. 28 Years Later boasts grisly kills, balls-to-the-wall action sequences, hair-raising chase sequences, and surprisingly heartfelt moments that will have audiences in tears. It is a British horror film through and through, encapsulating everything from the Covid pandemic to nostalgia culture in a way that is sure to be looked back on for generations to come to examine the landscape in which it was released. What's more, it offers a strangely hopeful twist to the standard zombie narrative that so often focuses on the evils of humanity, instead shining a light on the goodness of our being, which continues to shine in hardship. Where to watch: In cinemas now To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Last, but certainly not least, Danny and Michael Philippou have stunned once more with a crushing exploration of grief which will crawl under your skin and ruminate for days. After making a name for themselves in genre cinema with the release of Talk To Me in 2023, Bring Her Back cements their status as the most exciting directors in modern horror. Bring Her Back follows siblings Andy (Billy Barratt) and Piper (Sora Wong), who are set to be separated in the foster care system following the death of their father. Andy, desperate to care for his sister, begs for them to be kept together, and they go to live with foster mother Laura (Sally Hawkins) and her adopted son Oliver (Jonah Wren Phillips) in their remote home. But when Laura's behaviour towards Andy becomes increasingly hostile, he uncovers a terrifying ritual Laura is attempting to recreate. More Trending Like Talk To Me before it, Bring Her Back is a heartbreaking examination of grief from the perspective of teenagers as well as a mother. Every member of the cast delivers career-defining performances, particularly Paddington star Hawkins, whose devastation in the face of her daughter Cathy's death leads her to extreme lengths. It is both sympathetic to its subject matter without scrimping on the scares, featuring some of the most disturbing scenes cinema in 2025 has to offer. Where to watch: In cinemas from July 26 . Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: 'Masterpiece' 70s thriller with shocking twist now available to stream for free MORE: Nostalgic 90s sequel that 'ruined my Friday night' soars to number one on Netflix MORE: I physically recoiled at acclaimed horror's most disturbing and stomach-churning scene
Time Out
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Silence is golden
Before films found their voice, silence was the soul of cinema. Stories unfolded in black and white and the only dialogue was the one between the screen and our hearts. There were no words – just glances, gestures and music that filled the air. Sometimes a lone piano. Sometimes a full orchestra. Or even Thailand's own trae wong (traditional brass band). By the 1910s and 1920s, silent film had blossomed into an art form. Directors like Charlie Chaplin, F.W. Murnau and Yasujirō Ozu crafted stories so rich in emotion, they didn't need dialogue – just images and atmosphere that spoke straight to the heart. Black and white may no longer be the norm, but it's still a powerful creative choice. And for new generations of movie lovers, this is a rare chance to experience that magic all over again. Over the past years, the Thai Film Archive has welcomed some of the world's finest silent film accompanists, including Maud Nelissen from the Netherlands and Japan's Mie Yanashita both known for their live performances that breathe life into these films. Now, the ninth edition of the Silent Film Festival is set to return to Sala Cinema at the Thai Film Archive (Public Organisation) on Phutthamonthon Sai 5 Road. Co-presented by the Thai Film Archive and the Thai Film Foundation, with support from the Department of Cultural Promotion, this year's festival continues to honour the silent cinema featuring masterworks from both East and West. The full programme will be revealed soon.
Los Angeles Times
07-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Castles, beaches, derelict towns and coffins: All in a day's work on ‘Nosferatu' set
Remaking F.W. Murnau's 1922 silent vampire film 'Nosferatu' was a dream for Robert Eggers — a passion project that found the director recruiting his frequent collaborators after 'The Witch' put them all on the industry map a decade ago. Production designer Craig Lathrop didn't have a script at the time of that initial conversation, but ideas inspired by that romantic and gothic era began to percolate. The industry veteran thought the movie would come together before Eggers' filmmaking family began 'The Lighthouse' in 2018 or after 'The Northman' finished in 2020. The director's third outing turned out to be the charm, and Lathrop began work on designing and constructing 60 sets in and around the production's base in Prague. Surprisingly, the biggest challenge wasn't creating the imposing castle of the terrifying Count Orlok. It was building a seaside German town circa 1838. 'I wanted every building to have a personality of its own, so there's nothing cookie-cutter about it,' Lathrop says. 'We made sure that none of those buildings were square or plumb. They sort of sag where they want just to make it feel like it's real and has some age and it's been there for a while.' Finding physical locations turned out to be effectively impossible. Many of the towns in which the story is set have been destroyed and rebuilt many times over hundreds of years. There were individual buildings here or there but never a complete streetscape that worked. 'Even then, it was spit-shined, and you would need to do so much to sort of bring it down to the level that we needed,' Lathrop says. The town would need to be 'both a bustling, exciting port city when we first see it, and then board it up, strip away some of the set that had some color, and maybe add some snow and have it be a bit more of a frightening and ominous town after the plague sets in,' he adds. Securing a real castle for Orlok's Transylvania home also was tricky. They were all too tourist-ready. The production ended up using the exterior of Corvins' Castle in Romania, with the interiors built on soundstages. And yet, those fantastical sets were relatively easy compared to the difficulties of re-creating a North Sea beach on the coast of a Czech Republic lake. The location worked for everyone but Lathrop. 'Almost everybody else was satisfied, but I wasn't. I wanted these dunes really bad,' Lathrop reveals. 'It's probably the one set where we wanted to have a bit of the F.W. Murnau film. We had a nice beach but didn't have the dunes. Luckily, there was a sandpit that wasn't too far from the lake. I brought in seven or eight giant dumpsters filled with sand, and we sculpted the dunes and the green. We had grasses and all of that, and we had a nice big bit of beach in front of it to do some of the action.' Then Mother Nature stepped in. The weekend before the shoot, rains had soaked the area. Unbeknownst to the production, local authorities released water from the nearby dam, raising the water level in the lake by 3 ½ feet. The beach was virtually gone. If Lathrop hadn't built the dunes, there would have been no set to shoot on at all. 'My dunes were holding back the water so that we had enough room,' Lathrop recalls. 'What you don't see is there were planks on the other side [of the scene] so the actors could walk and not be stepping in the water. When we got there on the day, at first it was like, 'Oh, my God, this is a disaster.' But they decided to go ahead and shoot it. And I think it turned out really well.' One aspect of 'Nosferatu' that is now part of pop culture history is Orlok's imposing sarcophagus. The vampire's coffin was immortalized not only in a popcorn bucket but also in life-size re-creations placed in theaters across the country. Lathrop says his initial inspiration for the design came from the coffin of a 15th century Polish duke. 'I can't remember who it was, but it was beautiful, and it's very similar to mine,' Lathrop says. 'Obviously, all the icons, all the symbolism are mine. I changed quite a bit, but the general shape and the idea of it came from that.' Orlok also speaks the ancient Dacian language. That inspired Lathrop to reference one of his favorite architectural creations, the Roman Arch of Trajan. The carving around the column depicts the Romans defeating the Dacians. 'I was looking at that, trying to find great examples of Dacian dragons, which are these dragons with a wolf head,' Lathrop says. 'And if you notice the feet [of the coffin], those are Dacian dragons. And there are wolves all over the coffin, which seemed appropriate considering Orlok's friends in the castle are wolves. And then there was a lot of other symbolism, and we created a crest for him. I mean, every step of that, of course, I was showing it to Rob, but in general he was loving it.'
