Last month, we had breakout runaway hits, indie darlings, and a few surprises. Which game spoke to you the most?  Some of the big new releases included Blue Prince, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Forever Skies, and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered. How does it work? At the end of every month, PlayStation Blog will open a poll where you can vote for the best new game released that month. After the polls close we will tally your votes, and announce the winner on our social channels and PlayStation.Blog. What is the voting criteria? That’s up to you! If you were only able to recommend one new release to a friend that month, which would it be? Note: re-released games don’t qualify, but remakes do. We define remakes as ambitious, larger-scale rebuilds such as Resident Evil 4 (2023) and Final Fantasy VII Remake. How are nominees decided? The PlayStation Blog editorial team will gather a list of that month’s most noteworthy releases and use it to seed the poll.

Last week, Blizzard Entertainment announced the full details behind its upcoming limited-time crossover event between Diablo 4 and Diablo Immortal and Berserk, the long-running dark fantasy manga created by the late Kentaro Miura. Beginning on May 1 for Diablo Immortal and May 6 for Diablo 4, players will be able to collect cosmetics themed after characters and weapons inspired by the manga, which first began publication in 1989. On Monday, Polygon attended a roundtable interview with Viviane Kosty and Emil Salim, the lead artists for Diablo 4 and Diablo Immortal, respectively, to discuss the process of adapting Miura’s iconic universe to the setting of Diablo, how they went about choosing which characters and monsters to highlight from the manga, and how Miura’s original artwork inspired them not only while working on the in-game crossover, but as artists themselves. “We really saw that it was a natural fit right from the very beginning,” Salim said. “It fits with Diablo on a story level; the story of Berserk is really, really dark. It’s a dark fantasy, it’s full of violence, endless war, desperation, so it’s perfect for us. And then on the visual side, too, it’s also a perfect fit. The works of Kentaro Miura through Berserk have already been a huge influence for a lot of dark fantasy artists for many, many years. And so for us, in the Diablo Immortal team, when we first got the confirmation that it was going to be Berserk, we were super excited. We already had so many ideas of, like, Oh, we can do this and we can do this. So yeah, the whole process just felt really easy because both brands just kind of complemented each other so well.” “I would say, challenge-wise, compared to previous collaborations within Blizzard IPs, I would say the past ones have been a learning experience for us where it allowed us to make better decisions this time around to make sure that we can honor both IPs at the same time,” Kosty said. “We really wanted to highlight and also pay tribute to Berserk as well as stay true to our gameplay as well.” When asked how the team went about choosing from the manga’s colossal cast of characters for the crossover, Salim and Kosty were ecstatic to explain in more detail. “I was geeking out with Vivian and thinking back about our process really early on; we compared it to a buffet,” Salim told Polygon. “It was like a buffet of characters and story points and weapons and everything we could possibly think of, so obviously we cannot do everything. So for the modal side, we decided to focus in on the Golden Age arc, which is the very first one that triggered Guts, the main character’s entire journey for the rest of the manga series. It [gave] us a lot of materials to play with, including the eclipse, which is sort of like the climax of the Golden Age arc. So for example, in Diablo Immortal, we were able to use the eclipse as the central theme for our Struggler’s Bane event. There’s also so many more, like even the very first battle against Nosferatu Zodd. That was so, so significant for the manga. Being able to recreate that original battle for the boss fight in the collab was very significant for us.” When asked about their thoughts on Kentaro Miura’s legacy and the influence of his artwork on their own, both Salim and Kosty were equally passionate and enthusiastic in their appraisal of Miura’s talents as an illustrator and storyteller. “I feel like the way he depicted motion and action and emotion, and I think those were what just hit me the hardest, because I really can feel the frustration in Guts,” Kosty said. “Or when he’s swinging his sword and cutting things, you can really feel how swift it is, how clean-cut his swordplay is. I think that’s what hits me the most as an artist, it’s that I can kind of feel his [brushstrokes] and it makes me geek out a lot.” She particularly complimented Miura on his stroke markings, which she and the rest of the Diablo 4 art team tried to emphasize in the character models, particularly in the cape textures of the Skull Knight and Griffith armor skins. “For me, the work of Kentaro Miura has influenced me since I was very, very young,” Salim says. “I can go way back: That’s how I learned how to draw a human face. That’s how I learned about weapon design, armor design, before I even knew that there was such a thing as weapon design or armor design, or that people actually get paid to do these things, which is insane. It’s how I learned how to draw horses, and I know it sounds ridiculous, but if you are a huge, huge fan of Berserk, you can almost see how his works in a way got even better throughout the years. Going from the Golden Age arc and how he renders people to the Millennium Falcon arc, he matured so much. Also, how he does motion, that’s another thing that as a very young artist, that’s how I learned how to apply ink work and how to apply pen work to convey motion, and also how he can almost choreograph his battles through a still image on a manga page, which is insane. That’s something that’s really difficult to convey. There is no animation; it’s a book, it’s manga. So yeah, it’s really, really well done.” Diablo Immortal and Diablo 4 players will be able to see for themselves how Blizzard’s art team managed to bring Kentaro Miura’s characters and concepts to life when the collaboration goes live.

Milan Design Week is many things: inspiring, chaotic, overwhelming – in the best way possible. It’s a city-wide flood of exciting new ideas, vibrant colors, and unreal textures, with exhibitions nestled into palazzos, storefronts, and sidewalks. In short, it’s …a lot. Amid the sensory overload, Muuto offered a rare moment of stillness at the Muuto Milan Apartment. Situated on the third floor of a Brera building, the space invites visitors to slow down, reconnect with their senses, and experience the passing of time through design. Drawing inspiration from the quiet transitions that mark the changing seasons, the apartment unfolds like a year in motion, one room at a time. Each space channels a distinct mood, from the warm energy of spring to the moody introspection of winter. Through layered light, color, texture, and even scent, Muuto creates a multi-sensory journey that gently encourages reflection on how design can influence how we live and how we feel. Among the new designs previewed was the Looped Wall/Ceiling Lamp by Switzerland-based designer Dimitri Bähler. Mounted in a row above wood cabinetry, the lamps cast a soft glow that enhanced the apartment’s serene ambiance. Made from layered, mouth-blown glass, each one produces a subtle 3D-halo effect, creating a calming visual rhythm along the wall. Elegant and understated, it’s a lighting fixture that quietly commands presence. Another newcomer to the collection was the Midst Table and Midst Coffee Table by TAF Studio. With a gray marble tabletop that contrasts against the spun-steel base in a high-gloss finish, the piece is a timeless silhouette, one that naturally invites people to gather around and make room for all. Just outside, Muuto extended its tranquil atmosphere into the Muuto Garden. Nestled behind historic buildings in Brera, the garden offered a quiet escape from the chaos of the city. Ivy-covered walls and weathered brick became a textured backdrop for Muuto’s outdoor collection, whose clean lines and soft tones stood in striking contrast to the natural surroundings. In a week defined by nonstop stimulation, the Muuto Milan Apartment and Garden offered a space to breath, proving that stillness can be just as impactful as spectacle. To learn more about Muuto and the Muuto Milan Apartment, visit muuto.com. Photography courtesy of Muuto.

Integrating AI from technical components to user experience.SourceReading Paz Perez’s “The Rise of the Model Designer” offers a clear and accessible perspective on the current wave in AI product development.She makes an interesting case for why designers should step beyond the interface and help shape the very behavior of AI agents, an argument I fully support. Her call for designers to “get a seat at the table” in model development is timely and necessary to help shape this major shift in society.Yet, as I reflected with a pen in hand, or shall I say, keyboard in hand, I found myself looking for a broader, more systemic view of her approach. This is a complex journey we’re all on together, shaping not only new roles but also new ways of thinking about design and language in this emerging and fascinating era.The designer’s opportunityThroughout her article, Perez encourages designers to take an active role in shaping both the interface and the underlying model. She argues that this dual focus is essential for creating AI products that truly serve people’s needs. Her perspective is a timely reminder that the future of design is about more than screens; it’s about shaping the intelligence that powers our digital experiences.The article focuses on how we should develop great writing skills, to craft great prompts, and align the LLM behaviour with user input. The author rightly emphasises cross-collaboration with engineers and the importance of a “feedback loop” to refine the agent’s performance. This refinement can be done in different ways; we, as a collective, are starting to explore and further understand.However, in this narrative, the model is placed at the centre, almost isolated, a brilliant mind, perhaps, but one without a body or environment. While Perez guides us through optimizing the AI’s knowledge and thinking, in my opinion, focusing solely on this approach can lead us to overlook crucial system dynamics.Consider customer service AI agents: designers often focus on refining response tone and troubleshooting capabilities, but at times, we overlook critical system integration factors. The AI agent needs seamless connection with customer data systems, smooth handoffs to human agents, and adaptability to both seasonal support demands and volume fluctuations. As Qian Yang et al. (2020) note, these system elements significantly impact user experience regardless of how well-crafted the prompts are.The missing layer: designing for the whole systemAI agents, like any product, exist within ecosystems. They are actors in complex, evolving gardens. User workflows, organisational processes, and even societal norms shape these models' outputs. For example, think of the healthcare sector, a medical AI deployed in a hospital simply provides clinical recommendations in isolation. Its outputs are influenced by a triage (giving priority to certain patients), document requirements (conforming to billing and legal standards), and cultural attitudes toward patient autonomy (different offerings of treatment options based on local medical practice norms).The same model applied in different hospitals might produce different recommendations, not only due to its core capabilities but because the surrounding ecosystem shaped what questions were asked and how its outputs were interpreted and also implemented.Adapted “Multi-agent debate is the answer, what is the question?Their impact is not limited to how accurate their responses are or how well curated their prompts are, but extends to how they reshape work, impact trust, and introduce new ethical dilemmas. If we solely focus on the model, we may be ignoring potential problems that only become visible when the AI operates in real-world contexts. Sometimes, these business priorities push against user needs, decisions that users can’t understand or even question. There is a big risk of creating negative effects that weren’t identified during testing.A systems-thinking approach to AI product designWhen we talk about “designing for the whole system, not just the model,” we’re advocating for a holistic, end-to-end approach to AI product design. An approach that recognizes how every stage of the AI lifecycle impacts user experience, trust, and long-term product value.This mindset draws from systems thinking, which encourages us to look beyond isolated components (like the AI model itself) and instead see the interconnected web of data, processes, people, and policies that shape the final product. This systems perspective aligns with Rahwan et al.’s (2019) argument for treating AI as an ecological rather than purely technical phenomenon. This research shows that we cannot understand AI behavior in isolation from the social, organizational, and physical environments in which it operates. In other words, machines increasingly operate with a high degree of autonomy in the same environments as humans; understanding their behavior is essential.For designers, this means shifting from a model-centric to an ecosystem-centric approach. It’s worth acknowledging that sometimes designers are boxed into interface work, and we don´t have any system-level influence.As Yang et al. (2023) note in their comprehensive study of AI design practice, ‘designers frequently encounter organizational barriers that limit their ability to influence algorithmic decisions, despite being uniquely positioned to advocate for user needs within technical systems’. Even when designers are limited to interface-level work, we can still apply systems thinking through what Dove et al. (2022) call interface-mediated advocacy.For instance, designers can document system friction points experienced by users, make visible the connections between interface decisions and broader organizational processes, and advocate for ‘systemic touchpoints as Liao et al. (2024) identified. These key moments are where users experience the consequences of upstream AI decisions. These brave designers who consistently frame interface challenges as system-level concerns gradually expand their influence beyond traditional UX boundaries, even in technically dominated organizations.I can’t help but think, what if, as designers, we´d create a specific mapping methodology for AI interaction lifecycles? Perhaps something that visualizes data flows and “meaning flows”. Analyzing how these interpretations and decisions evolve as information moves between model, interface, and user contexts. How do users make sense of the output, and how does it change their behavior? This systems-thinking lens can help us reveal the friction points and ethical dilemmas that prompt engineering alone can’t address.A real-world example: systems thinking in educational AIImagine deploying an AI-powered feedback tool for students. If you only design the model, you might optimize for grading accuracy. But if you were mapping the whole system, you´d consider:How is student data collected, and is it representative?How are feedback explanations presented so students understand and trust them?What happens if a student disagrees with the AI’s assessment?How is the system monitored for drift or bias as new cohorts use it?There are so many questions and factors to consider, so where do we begin? Drawing from my ongoing research on this topic, I’ve shared with you recommendations for product designers seeking to clarify their approach to AI systems design.1. Adopt a “First Principles” approach to AI designAbove: Balancing people-first and technology first thinking. Illustration by Thoka Maer.This means breaking down problems to their most basic elements and questioning every assumption, especially about who benefits from automation and why.Rather than accepting the status quo or relying on existing models, designers should start by examining the core needs and values at play: Who gains from automating a process? as it is well-stated in PAIR.Additionally, designers must consider transparency at different levels: what an expert user needs to understand about the AI’s reasoning may be very different from what a novice or a child needs.2. Create system visualizationsGraphic by authorCreating simple visual diagrams that show the boundaries of an AI system and how it connects with users and other systems is essential. These visuals help everyone understand what the AI is responsible for and what lies outside its control. It’s also important to highlight areas where the AI’s behavior might be unpredictable or uncertain, using clear markers or colors to show these zones. Sharing these diagrams with stakeholders makes complex AI systems easier to grasp, encourages open discussions, and helps the team agree on where human oversight is needed. This approach builds shared understanding and leads to better, more trustworthy AI products.3. Practice “temporal design”As designers, we need to consider how AI relationships evolve. Unlike static products, AI systems change through use, needing design patterns that anticipate and guide this evolution.For example, how might interfaces communicate the system’s growing understanding of user preferences without creating uncanny experiences? How do we design for the changing nature of trust as users become more familiar with AI capabilities and limitations?Design implications — how to communicate learning without creating uncanny experiencesThe question that mattersAre you designing for a model, or are you designing for a system? Because in the end, users don’t experience models, they experience systems. And it’s the quality of that system, not just the capabilities of the model, that will determine whether your AI product thrives or fails.If we want to shape AI that truly serves people, let’s design not just for the brilliance of the agent, but for the complexity of the world it operates in. This shift goes from thinking about designing interfaces to designing relationships and environments, a much more holistic approach to AI product design where human and machine intelligence grow together.REFERENCES :Kuang, C, & Fabricant, R. (2019). User Friendly: How the Hidden Rules of Design are Changing the Way We Live, Work, and Play. Macmillan.Hangfan Zhang1∗ Zhiyao Cui2∗ Xinrun Wang (2025).If Multi-Agent Debate is the Answer, What is the Question?3. Gray, C. M. (2016). “It’s More of a Mindset Than a Method”: UX Practitioners’ Conception of Design Methods. CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems.4. Qian Yang, Aaron Steinfeld, Carolyn Rosé, and John Zimmerman. 2020. Re-examining Whether, Why, and How Human-AI Interaction Is Uniquely Difficult to Design. In CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI ‘20), April 25–30, 2020, Honolulu, HI, USA. ACM, New York, NY, USA 17 Pages. https://doi.org/10.1145/3313831.33763015. Holmlid, S. (2009). Participative, Co-operative, Emancipatory: From Participatory Design to Service Design. First Nordic Conference on Service Design and Service Innovation.6.Subramanian, H., Maher, M. L., & Mahajan, S. (2022). The Role of Design Thinking in AI Implementation: A Case Study Analysis. International Journal of Design.7.Designers: AI needs context. How UX teams should embrace data to… | by Paz Perez | UX Collective8.AI product design: Identifying skills gaps and how to close them | by Tia Clement | UX Collective9.Exploring UX Design Through the Lens of AI: A Novel Perspective — AI/LLMBeyond the Model: a systems approach to AI product design was originally published in UX Collective on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

We may earn a commission from links on this page.Though the marketing was a bit cagey, it's clear by this point that Ryan Coogler's latest, the critical and box office powerhouse Sinners, throws vampires into its genre-busting mix unashamedly. Set largely in 1932, the movie follows a couple of twin brothers (both played by Michael B. Jordan) returning to their backwater hometown of to Clarksdale, Mississippi to set up what they hope will be a lucrative juke joint—but not before navigating old relationships and the Klan leader who owns the sawmill that the two are looking to buy. By the midway point, all the movie's more grounded elements feed into a larger narrative blending magical realism, action, and horror. It's a thoroughly distinctive vision, a movie that's made a great deal of money, and an early Oscar favorite—so look for studios to learn the wrong lessons and give us a stream of generic vampire movies. Not here, though! None of these movies is particularly like Sinners, other than the vampire angle—but just as Ryan Coogler's movie uses vampires as a starting point, these movies all use undead lore in wildly different ways to tell wildly different, but consistently good, stories.Ganja & Hess (1973) A meditative, sultry, and entirely experimental horror film, writer/director Bill Gunn's Ganja stars Duane Jones (Night of the Living Dead) as Dr. Hess Green, who is attacked by his assistant with a knife belonging to a fictional ancient African tribe. He’s subsequently compelled to drink the blood of his assailant, an act that completes his vampiric transformation. Shortly thereafter, the assistant’s wife shows up looking for her husband and, even once she realizes what happened, begins a love affair with the doctor. Stylish and deliberately paced (a lot of vibes; a little plot), the movie has some smart, and very barbed, points to make about assimilation and religious hypocrisy. Spike Lee remade it in 2014 as Da Sweet Blood of Jesus but, with respect to Lee, you're much better off with the original. You can stream Ganja & Hess on Tubi and Kanopy or rent it from Prime Video. Ganja & Hess (1973) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014) Iranian-American writer/director Ana Lily Amirpour's A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night would make a list of cool vampire movies on its gorgeous black-and-white style alone: Gliding down the streets of an Iranian town in her chador, The Girl (Sheila Vand) cuts an iconic figure, even when we learn that her eerie way of movement has to do with a concealed skateboard. But Amirpour has a lot of fun with the idea that a girl traveling a deserted street in the dark might be a threat far more than a potential victim, and that a chador might be less a symbol of oppression than a means of staying concealed until the moment comes to strike. You can stream A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night on Kanopy or rent it from Apple TV+. A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014) at Apple TV+ Learn More Learn More at Apple TV+ Dracula's Daughter (1936) Like father, like daughter in this direct sequel to the Bela Lugosi film, with Countess Marya Zaleska (Gloria Holden, in full Garbo mode) running afoul of Edward Van Sloan's Van Helsing from the original. The two vampires share in common not just an archnemesis, but an eye for the ladies, as well, with Countess Zaleska seducing first despondent Lili and then kidnapping Janet. What it lacks in style (not being nearly a match for Todd Browning's film in that regard) it makes up for in sheer horniness. Producers and censors were nervous about the lesbian of it all in the lead-up to the film's release, but also chose to hype it up in the marketing, especially with the very on-the-nose tagline: "Save the women of London from Dracula's Daughter!" You can rent Dracula's Daughter from Prime Video. Dracula's Daughter (1936) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Bit (2019) Nicole Maines (Supergirl) stars here as Laurel, a trans teenage girl who's off to sunny LA following her transition. She's looking for a fresh start, and it's all going great until a club afterparty leads to lots of making out—and then some blood drinking. It’s not long before Laurel is offered the chance to join an all-female group of vampires dedicated to taking care of the many predatory men walking the city’s streets. You can stream Bit on Prime Video. Bit (2019) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video What We Do in the Shadows (2014) Starring, written, and directed by Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi, Shadows precedes the equally great show of the same name with a similar premise: A houseful of old-world vampires (with old-school vampire trappings) looks desperately uncool when faced with the modern world. Many vampire narratives derive pathos from the idea of people trapped in a state of dull, unchanging immortality. Shadows takes that notion and mines it for solid laughs. You can rent What We Do in the Shadows from Prime Video. What We Do in the Shadows (2014) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Daughters of Darkness (1971) Erotic bisexual vampire movies, believe it or not, had a moment in the 1970s; few (if any) were more successful, and more genuinely sexy, than Daughters of Darkness. The movie has a look and feel that borders on arthouse, with a grand and elegant style, as well as a willingness to go deeper with themes (western decadence, gendered power dynamics, etc.) that have been discussed in many an academic context in the decades since. If all that makes it sound like a bore, I'll repeat that it's still very much an erotic bisexual vampire movie. Delphine Seyrig plays Countess Elizabeth Báthory, who happens upon a newlywed couple honeymooning in a remote region, and immediately sets about seducing the wife away from human sexual and moral conformity. You can stream Daughters of Darkness on Tubi and Shudder or rent it from Prime Video. Daughters of Darkness (1971) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video The Lost Boys (1987) It might not be the gayest vampire movie (there's a lot of competition), but it may well be the sweatiest. Directed by out gay director Joel Schumacher (several years before he made the gayest superhero movie, Batman & Robin), The Lost Boys finds brothers Sam (Corey Haim) and Michael (Jason Patric) Emerson moving with their family to sunny, schvitzy Santa Carla, California—just in time for Michael to be seduced into joining a sexy vampire gang by its blonde leader David, played by Kiefer Sutherland. The vamps bait Michael with Star (Jamie Gertz), but his desire for the girl gives way to a fascination with David that leads him down a very bloody path. You can rent The Lost Boys from Prime Video. The Lost Boys (1987) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Cronos (1992) Guillermo del Toro begins in this deeply unconventional vampire movie, the writer/director's debut. In the 16th century, an alchemist invents the titular device: a steampunk-ish scarab that conceals a creature inside. When it's rediscovered in the present by Jesús Gris (played by del Toro favorite Federico Luppi), it injects the man with an elixir that makes him (a bit) younger, and gives him a vampire's thirst for blood. Complicating matters, a dying oligarch who'd been on the trail of the Cronos isn't very happy that someone else gets the use of its powers, so he sends his relentless thug of a nephew (Ron Perlman) to hunt it down. The imagery is weird and endlessly inventive and, what's more, del Toro injects enough dark comedy around the edges so that the proceedings never bog down in self-seriousness. You can stream Cronos on Max and The Criterion Channel or rent it from Prime Video. Cronos (1992) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Blade II (2002) A decade on from Cronos, Guillermo del Toro directed this rather brilliant action spectacle—a blood-soaked good time that blends its disparate elements into a propulsive thrill ride that knows exactly what kind of movie it is. Wesley Snipes is at his sassy best as the title's vampire/vampire hunter, while every set piece is bright and colorful, and the vampires are thoroughly monstrous. Practical effects and an artist's eye turn a comic-book action movie into an essential. You can rent Blade II on Prime Video. Blade II (2002) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Nadja (1994) A fascinating novelty from director Michael Almereyda, Nadja is based (roughly) on André Breton's French surrealist manifesto of the same name; when financing for such an adaptation fell through (a near-instantaneous process), David Lynch (who also appears) stepped in and paid for the whole thing. To save money and achieve a particular look, Almereyda filmed vampire point-of-view shots on a Fisher-Price camera. All of which is to say that this is unlike other vampire movie. Two plot points kick off the film: First, the death of Count Dracula at the hands of his old nemesis, Van Helsing (Peter Fonda)—traumatizing his daughter (Elina Löwensohn); then, that same Nadja seeking out the daughter of Van Helsing to have sex with so that she can make her a thrall and carry out her goal of getting revenge on the Van Helsing family. It's an arty take on blood, gore, and horny lesbian vampires. You can stream Nadja on Prime Video. Nadja (1994) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Thirst (2009) "What if we took Emile Zola’s non-supernatural 1868 novel Thérèse Raquin and made it into a vampire horror film?" said writer/director Park Chan-wook (Oldboy), apparently. The novel is about an orphan forced into a miserable marriage with a droopy hypochondriac who begins a torrid, ill-fated affair. Here, the orphan is Tae-ju (Kim Ok-vin), and the dashing man with whom she's having an affair is Sang-hyun (Song Kang-ho), a one-time Catholic priest who developed vampiric hungers following an experiment gone wrong. Wildly stylish, and fascinating in being surprisingly faithful to a book that has nothing at all to do with vampires. You can rent Thirst from Prime Video. Thirst (2009) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Only Lovers Left Alive (2013) Is Only Lovers Left Alive a horror movie? A Gothic romance? A stoner-ish comedy? Um...yes? Indie writer/director Jim Jarmusch, who'd already put his distinctive stamp on other genres (like the idiosyncratic western Dead Man), turned his camera to horror. The movie follows a vampire couple, both alive for centuries but now living a world apart: Adam (Tom Hiddleston) is a sullen and moody musician living in a trashy Detroit apartment, while Eve (Tilda Swinton) lives a cheerier life in Tangier. She brings Adam along with her to give him a change of scenery and get him out of his gloomy rut, where she encourages him to get out to live a little, or whatever the undead equivalent is. You can rent Only Lovers Left Alive from Prime Video. Only Lovers Left Alive (2013) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Interview With the Vampire (1994) It's great that the modern TV-series adaptation dispenses with the subtext and gets real as to the relationship between Lestat and Louis, but this 1994 adaptation walks impressively close to that edge. Vampires Lestat (Tom Cruise) and Louis (Brad Pitt) set up housekeeping in moody New Orleans, "adopting" daughter Claudia (Kirsten Dunst) and generally making a glorious mockery of the all-American family unit. You can rent Interview with the Vampire from Prime Video. Interview With the Vampire (1994) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Martin (1977) George Romero manages to pack an extensive exploration of vampire lore into a film that may or may not even involve a vampire—it's not much a spoiler to offer that we're never entirely clear whether the vampirism of Martin (John Amplas) should be taken literally. From a family steeped in Eastern European folklore and myth, Martin develops a driving need to drink blood, a need that leads him to drug his victims and then slice into their veins with a razor. As usual, Romero has a lot to say, but here he's expertly playing on notions of vampires as sexual stand-ins (the impotent Martin role-plays the highly sexualized vampire attacks of earlier movies), and Romero also invites us to question our fascination with Martin even as he's engaged in repulsive acts. You can stream Martin on Tubi. Martin (1977) at Tubi Learn More Learn More at Tubi Let the Right One In (2008) One of the finest vampire movies, certainly of this century, is unexpectedly poignant, even as it doesn't skimp on the brutality. Bullied Oskar (Kåre Hedebrant) meets and befriends Eli (Lina Leandersson), a girl who appears to be about his age, but who is (you won't be surprised to learn) a vampire. Though very different, the two bond over their shared status as outsiders in the gloomy Swedish suburb of Blackeberg. You can stream Let the Right One In on Kanopy or rent it from Prime Video. Let the Right One In (2008) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Stake Land (2010) Stake Land's vampires are neither sexy nor subtle. They're fully animal creatures that stalk an apocalyptic wasteland—cutting to the chase as to what a world with vampires might quickly come to look like. As a thriller, it's gory and effective, but a movie just about humans on the run from scary vampires would be less interesting than what we get here: As is so often the case, it's the humans who remain the scariest threats. Religious fanatics calling themselves The Brotherhood are convinced that vampire are God's will, a punishment for sins and, as a result, they're perfectly happy to help the hungry beasts feed. You can stream Stake Land on Tubi, Kanopy, Peacock, and Prime Video. Stake Land (2010) at Peacock Learn More Learn More at Peacock Blood Relatives (2022) We're talking about cool vampires here, but this comedy from director Noah Segan is about a terminally uncool vampire (played by Segan), who discovers that he's the father of a grown young woman (played by a great Victoria Moroles) who inherited his vampirism, in part, and wants to connect with her dad following the death of her mom. Mostly, she just has nowhere else to go. In and among the snappy dialogue and sharp characterizations, Segan has fun puncturing vampire lore in the story of a guy who initially has no interest in connecting with his daughter, but then has a change of heart. You can stream Blood Relatives on Shudder or rent it from Prime Video. Blood Relatives (2022) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Dracula (1931) If it's hard to imagine a time when horror wasn't a powerhouse movie genre, that's because it's been that way since 1931, the year that Béla Lugosi's Count Dracula sashayed onto the screen. Tod Browning's film was a prestige adaptation of a classic novel, before it occurred to anyone to treat horror as B-level entertainment, so there's no corner-cutting in Dracula's impeccable style. Though it gets a bit stagey in its second half, the movie gives us some of horror's most indelible imagery—scenes and shots we're still referencing nearly a century later. Béla Lugosi's Dracula has been endlessly parodied and imitated, but all of that's only possible because he made one hell of an impression. You can rent Dracula from Prime Video. Dracula (1931) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video

An electronic gadget might not be the “traditional” Mother’s Day gift, but just about every mom we know would prefer a cool new piece of tech over a short-lived bouquet of flowers and box of chocolates. A number of us on the Engadget staff collaborated to create this guide, filling it with the Mother’s Day presents we’ve received ourselves, have given to the moms in our lives, or have otherwise tested and can safely recommend as a welcome gift. Whether the mom in your life is into music, cooking, fitness or even a good night’s sleep, there’s bound to be a useful device or service here that they’ll enjoy. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gadgets-that-make-great-mothers-day-gifts-131533921.html?src=rss

Triple Boost 14 Pro can turn any laptop into a stunning quad-display workstation.

Neither Apple nor CEO Tim Cook have publicly commented on the hefty tariffs President Donald Trump announced for every country around the world on April 2.

McDonalds released its earnings report for the first quarter of 2025 early this morning. According to the report, U.S. comparable sales decreased by 3.6% from the previous year, primarily driven by reduced guest counts. This is the fast food giant’s largest U.S. sales drop since the second quarter of 2020, when U.S. sales plunged 8.7% during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.  ‘Grappling with uncertainty’ The fast food retailer reported that U.S. store revenue dipped to $5.96 billion, below a Bloomberg consensus estimate of $6.12 billion cited by Yahoo Finance. In the earnings report, McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski noted that “Consumers today are grappling with uncertainty.”  Chicago-based McDonald’s said adjusted earnings per share were $2.67. The earnings report also indicated that global sales fell 1.0%, with the most notable decline in sales in the U.K.  McDonald’s shares (NYSE: MCD) were down 1.53% in early-afternoon trading on Thursday following the report. The stock is up 7.71% year to date. Fast food embracing value meals amid consumer caution Consumers appear to be tightening their spending due to economic uncertainty, likely not helped by President Trump’s broad tariffs and erratic trade policies, which have made people anxiousness about increased costs and a possible recession.  In this morning’s earnings call, Kempczinski warned, “we’re not immune to the volatility in the industry or the pressures that our consumers are facing.” McDonald’s menu prices have notably risen along with inflation in recent years, leading to customer backlash. More recently, however, the fast food retailer has attempted to increase customer traffic by releasing new menu items and promoting value-focused deals.  Recent discount deals include the McValue menu, which features buy one, add one for $1 items, and $5 Meal Deals. Other fast-food chains have made similar moves to boost sales.  Meanwhile, the burger giant plans to continue to offer meal deals like this, according to McDonald’s CFO Ian Borden. “While we may adjust our current McValue offerings over time,” Borden said on the earnings call, “for the remainder of 2025, we’ll continue to include everyday value meal deals starting at $5 given how the current $5 meal deal in particular has resonated with customers.”

As a New Yorker who has made the conversion to country life, I can't recommend it enough. Being surrounded by nature dramatically improves your quality of life (and certainly, the air you breathe). I have a hunch that in the coming years, more and more people will get burnt out on city living and crave rural living situations.Given my current situation, I find this series of objects below a kind of tragic commentary on modern life. Originally posted as an April Fool's joke, these Touch Grass device cases by dbrand found their way into limited production. The company made batches to fit smartphones, laptops, tablets and portable gaming consoles.They're not actually grass, of course. Those are polyethylene fibers that have been electrostatically flocked to a vinyl skin. The company claims that it feels like real grass—specifically, the grass in Yoyogi Park, Tokyo! At press time the cases appeared to be sold out.