Ryan Coogler’sSinnershas become a cultural phenomenon since its release on April 18th. In just two weeks, it has amassed over $160 million globally and has broken numerous records, such as being one of the top 20 highest-grossing horror movies in the United States. Coogler’s original film seamlessly blends multiple genres, such as drama, crime,horror, and even manages to makemusic a significant part of the story. The vampire subgenre of horror has been around for decades, yet Coogler added something new to say to the subgenre. His screenplay is so layered and nuanced that it makes it much more than just a vampire movie.
It has left audiences clamoring for stories like this as they continue to show up at the movie theater for another round. The film has many of us itching not just for more vampire movies, but for movies that have similar social commentary, style, tone, and character development.Sinnersis truly a one-of-a-kind film that deserves every bit of hype and recognition it is receiving.
So, here we have a list of movies (and a few TV shows) similar toSinnersto hold you over until your next rewatch.
10’Interview with the Vampire' (1994)
Interview with the Vampire
Based on the popular Anne Rice novel from 1976,Interview with the Vampirefollows Louis de Pointe du Lac (Brad Pitt), who recounts the details of his eternal transformation and a life worse than death to a journalist named Daniel Molloy (Christian Slater). Spanning two hundred years, Louis' story is one of betrayals, solitude, and thirst. Most importantly, his story revolves around his deep regret at following the path of his maker, Lestat de Lioncourt (Tom Cruise).
The Appeal of Vampirism
This is pretty much essential viewing for anyone who enjoys vampire stories. It details the intense appeal that vampirism has over humans in most vampire lore. The promise of living forever and being able to do virtually anything you want is captivating to humans, making it difficult to pass up. Remmick uses this strategy inSinnersto try to persuade Smoke and his friends into letting him in and turning them. As Louis points out throughoutInterview with the Vampire, there are setbacks to eternal life. The AMC show of the same name also does an excellent job of exploring this sentiment.
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Season 3 of the hit AMC series is adapting Anne Rice’s ‘The Vampire Lestat,’ and our expectations have never been higher.
9’From Dusk Till Dawn' (1996)
From Dusk Till Dawn
Written by Quentin Tarantino and directed by Robert Rodriguez,From Dusk Till Dawnis an interesting blend of action, crime, dark comedy, and horror. It follows two criminal brothers, Seth (George Clooney) and Richard Gecko (Tarantino), as they kidnap a father and his two children to force them to drive across the border into Mexico. Once there, they end up at a bar that is not at all what it seems, forcing them to team up with their hostages.
Embracing and Creating Influence
Spoiler alert: the bar is not what it seems because it is actually an enormous den full of blood-sucking vampires. The second half of this movie makes such a drastic tonal shift that it almost feels like a completely different movie.Coogler even mentioned the film as an influenceforSinners, as well as Rodriguez’s other horror film,The Faculty. There are certainly similarities between the films, especially given the tonal shift during the second half ofSinners. Nevertheless,Sinnersmanages to embrace its influences while being something completely original and influential in its own right.
8’Let the Right One In' (2008)
Let the Right One In
Based on the Swedish novel of the same name,Let the Right One Inis a coming-of-age horror film set in a small town in 1982 Sweden. It follows a 12-year-old boy named Oskar who is relentlessly bullied at school and unable to defend himself against them. When he meets Eli, the new girl who moves in next door, his dark thoughts of revenge slowly start to become more real as violence and blood fill his town.
A Dark Coming-of-Age Film
As gory as this film can be at times, it also has a strong emotional core that makes it relatable to anyone who ever struggled to fit in as a kid. It’s adark coming-of-age storythat asks its viewers if vengeance is worth the price that has to be paid. If you felt drawn to the real-life themes ofSinners,Let the Right One Inwould make for a great next watch.
7’Nope' (2022)
Written and directed by one of the most exciting voices in modern horror, Jordan Peele,Nopeis a surreal sci-fi horror-thriller starring Peele’s frequent collaborator Daniel Kaluuya. It follows sibling ranch owners OJ (Kaluuya) and Emerald Haywood (Keke Palmer) as they investigate strange objects falling from the sky that resulted in the death of their father. With the help of tech salesman Angel Torres (Brandon Perea) and documentarian Antlers Holst (Michael Wincott), the Haywood siblings attempt to capture the unidentified object on video.
Entertaining Yet Culturally Important
Peele is excellent at weaving social commentary into the narratives of his films, andNopeis no different. Layered into this story of two siblings investigating the unsettling creature in the sky that killed their father is important allegories for environmentalism, chasing fame, exploiting trauma, and the way the film industry views entertainment. Yet, Peele’s commentary doesn’t distract from the enjoyment of the film, similar to the way Coogler handled commentary inSinners.
6’Near Dark' (1987)
Directed by Kathryn Bigelow,Near Darkis a horror Western that puts its own spin on the vampire subgenre of horror. The film follows a young man named Caleb (Adrian Pasdar), who meets a young woman he becomes entranced by. When she eventually bites him, he becomes entangled with a group of strong-headed Southern vampires who roam the highways in stolen cars. As part of his initiation, Caleb must attack a bar full of hillbillies.
The Battle Between Right and Wrong
As Caleb grapples with his newfound condition, the film explores themes of loyalty, survival, and identity. Caleb was a nice, small-town farm boy who never did anything wrong or adventurous. The lure of living life on the edge without any consequences is tempting to Caleb, but his morality is a constant contradiction to his newfound vampirism. The struggle between right and wrong, along with a wonderfully deranged performance from Bill Paxton as the vampire Severen, makesNear Darkundeniably a great time.
5’True Blood' (2008 - 2014)
true blood
HBO’s hit horror/fantasy showTrue Bloodfollows a telepathic waitress named Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin) working at a local restaurant in the fictional town of Bon Temps, Louisiana. The show is set in a world where not only do vampires and the supernatural exist, but where vampires are members of society. This is thanks to a synthetic drug, called Tru Blood, that allows vampires to feed without the need for human blood.
A Show Full of Sexy Vampires
True Bloodaired during the height of the vampire cultural phenomenon caused by movies like theTwilight Saga, and it’s an absolute blast. It’s funny, sexy, gory, witty, and over-the-top in all the best ways. In most vampire media, the vampires are seductive and attractive, andTrue Blooddelivers on that end. For reference,Alexander Skarsgård plays a thousand-year-old Viking vampirewho runs a bar called Fangtasia. If you like your vampire stories wildly entertaining and enjoyed the sexy side ofSinners, you need to watch this show.
4’Thirst' (2009)
Directed by one of South Korea’s most renowned filmmakers, Park Chan-wook,Thirstfollows a devout Catholic priest who volunteers to undergo an experimental medical procedure to develop a vaccine for a deadly disease. When the procedure goes awry, Sang-hyun (Song Kang-ho) is saved by an accidental transfusion of vampire blood. Faced with a newfound desire for flesh and blood, Sang-hyun must reckon with his new lifestyle and his faith.
The Morality of Vampirism
Something fairly consistent with most vampire stories is the moral dilemma a human must face when they are turned into the living dead.Thirstexplores this existential problem on a deeper level by forcing its protagonist to also confront the religion he has dedicated his life to. He is now faced with not only his insatiable thirst for blood, but also his desire for sex. Everything about being a vampire goes against every value that has ever been instilled in him. Similarly to the characters inSinners, Sang-hyun must reconcile with the meaning of religion and its cultural impact.
3’Bones and All' (2022)
Bones and All
Bones and Allis a beautifully tragic horror romance by director Luca Guadagnino. The film follows Maren (Taylor Russell), a young woman who has moved around with her father due to her unusual habit of craving human flesh. Forced to live on her own, Maren meets another disenfranchised “eater” named Lee (Timothee Chalamet), and the two embark on a thousand-mile odyssey across 1980s America. No matter how far they travel, all roads lead back to their terrifying pasts.
An Emotionally Devastating Romance
This film is gorgeously shot, featuring sweeping vistas of the United States and imagery that is both unsettling yet mesmerizing to look at. The chemistry between Maren and Lee isn’t electric, but it is sweet as it comes from a place of understanding one another. Morality once again comes into play here as Maren and Lee struggle with the nature of how they survive and the impact it has on those they feed from. It may not be about vampires, but it certainly has the emotional and moral conflicts thatSinnersdeals with, and isat times emotionally devastating.
2’Candyman' (1992)
Based on Clive Barker’s short story “The Forbidden,“Candymanfollows Helen Lyle (Virginia Madsen), a graduate student who decides to write her thesis on local legends and myths. Her research leads her to the legend of the Candyman (Tony Todd), a man with a hook for a hand who will supposedly appear if his name is said five times in front of a mirror. Helen doesn’t actually believe in these legends and ignores the warnings of the locals in the neighborhood to conduct her research. When she begins investigating the areas where he is believed to appear, a string of grisly murders occurs.
An Intelligent Twist on an Urban Legend
The film puts a clever spin on the Bloody Mary urban legend that most of us hear in elementary school. The script is intelligently written, and the acting from Todd and Madsen is fantastic. LikeSinners,Candymandeals with the consequences of invading cultural spaces and ignoring the history there. Helen is a white woman who wants to write about legends in a mostly Black neighborhood about a Black man, yet does not heed their warnings or take proper time to learn from them.
This Gothic Horror Film Brought Dracula to the Inner City
Candyman (1992) was instrumental in bringing gothic horror and elements from Dracula into an urban environment.
1’Midnight Mass' (2021)
Midnight Mass
Written and directed bymodern horror master Mike Flanagan,Midnight Massis an incredibly engrossing limited series that is so much more than just a vampire story. The show takes place on the small, isolated Crockett Island somewhere off the coast of New England. The return of a disgraced young man named Riley (Zach Gilford) and the arrival of a charismatic priest named Father Paul (Hamish Linklater) amplify the pre-existing division on the island. When Father Paul’s appearance on Crockett Island coincides with unexplained and seemingly miraculous events, a renewed religious fervor takes hold of the community, but at a price.
The Vampiric Qualities of Religion
Mike Flanagan is skilled at blending drama with horror to create films and shows that resonate with audiences and tug at every emotion.Midnight Massis a brutally honest depiction of life, death, and religion that happens to use vampirism in the background to embody these concepts. The vampires are used as a personification of the vampiric qualities of many religions, specifically Catholicism. Yet, it is never disrespectful of Catholicism or those who practice the religion. Instead, it makes you reflect on the ideas behind religion. It is also a raw depiction of addiction and sobriety, which is woven into the religious storyline.Sinnersbroaches the subject of the vampiric qualities of religion and how it has been forced on certain groups of people, andMidnight Massdevotes its seven-episode run to the subject.
