Happy May! Last month was another month full of watches for me. I’m still exploring silent horror, but have some contemporary films here as well. I think my biggest surprise this month was how much I liked Dracula 2000. That’s enough chat, though; let’s get into my recommendations from last month.
April 2026 Recs
Dracula 2000 (2000)- As I mentioned, this came as a complete surprise. I watched it after Dracula A.D. 1972, only to find out that it was one of the inspirations for Dracula 2000. This is the type of movie that, in the year it came out, I’d probably have hated and thought was dumb. However, now in 2026, I really love early aughts horror, especially the ones made before 9/11.- The Man Who Laughs (1928)- Getting to check this classic off my list was a highlight of the month. You absolutely can’t take your eyes off Conrad Veidt and Mary Philbin. Like a fair amount of silent film, The Man Who Laughs leans into many genres. Even Roger Ebert called it “a melodrama, at times even a swashbuckler, but so steeped in expressionist gloom that it plays like a horror film.” Something else to note about the film is that the lead character was one of the inspirations for The Joker!
- Evelyn’s Here (2026)- So this one is a bit of a tease because it’s still on the festival circuit. The director sent me a screener to check out, and I was instantly drawn in. As I said over on Letterboxd, “the vibe of this short is if Meshes of the Afternoon and Jean Epstein’s Fall of the House of Usher had an SOV love child. If this plays at your local fest, make time to see it!
- Prelude (1927)- Prelude came to me by way of Bleeding Skull’s Occult Avant-Garde Starter Pack list on Letterboxd. There isn’t a great way to explain this one aside from the fact that it’s a really cool adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s The Premature Burial. It’s over on archive.org and is pretty short, so check it out!
- Blood on Méliès’ Moon (2016)- This was another surprise for April. I really had no clue as to what I was getting into. If I am honest, I chose the film based on the name alone. I expected an offbeat Italian horror mystery, but instead got Luigi Cozzi’s attempt to examine his own career in relation to cinema at large. The film is a bit confusing; that said, its sincerity lends a lot of charm to it.
- Buffet Infinity (2025)- I don’t want to give too much away for this one. That said, I really enjoyed it quite a bit, and it’s coming to VOD soon! Be sure you’re following my social accounts because I will have a review landing on Macabre Daily coming soon!
- The Pillar of Fire (1899)- After chatting with Benjamín Schultz-Figueroa on BlueSky about silent films and going on a dive into serpentine dance silent films, I came across The Pillar of Fire. What was most appealing to me was that the dance takes place in a frying pan. Thus, this is another early gastro horror precursor! If you’re interested in checking it out, it’s on YouTube!
Hopefully, this gives y’all some films to add to your watchlists! If you’re not feeling like watching a horror movie, feel free to join us for Murder Mystery MAYhem! The challenge is currently happening, and because of the rule changes, it no longer has a daily requirement! Additionally, the Challenge Discord Server is always open, whether you’re participating in an active challenge or not. Come hang out, watch movies with us, and get even more recommendations from lots of great folks!