Entertainment
Netflix’s Sexiest ‘90s Thriller Makes Keanu Reeves Face Off Against Batman's Best Actor
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
If we’re being honest, the quintessential problem with most vampire movies is that filmmakers don’t understand these captivating creatures, and they deliver a film that focuses on nothing but blood and gore. Vampires, however, are meant to be the embodiment of seductive evil, and their onscreen appearances should oscillate between terrifying and mesmerizing. Perhaps the one director who truly understands this is legendary filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, whose sexy, iconic ‘90s masterpiece Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) is now streaming on Netflix.
The plot of Bram Stoker’s Dracula should be pretty familiar to any horror fan worth their fangs: it all begins when a young solicitor is given the job of finding a new home for the mysterious Count Dracula. But the bloodsucking fiend sets his sights on the young man’s fiancée, believing her to be the reincarnation of his own, long-deceased wife. The fiend’s obsession with her threatens to tear these young lovers apart, and his subsequent rampage may take all of London along with their relationship.
A Cast Of Hollywood’s Leading Lights
The cast of Bram Stoker’s Dracula is stacked with big names, including ‘80s icons Winona Ryder (best known for Little Women) and Keanu Reeves (best known for The Matrix). The film also stars Anthony Hopkins (best known for The Silence of the Lambs) and Cary Elwes (best known for The Princess Bride). In a truly inspired twist, the movie even features musical legend Tom Waits as Renfield, Dracula’s memorably maniacal servant.
But nobody is acting harder here than Gary Oldman (best known for The Dark Knight), who effectively plays several different incarnations of Count Dracula. We see him as a younger man forsaking God to become the embodiment of evil, and we see him as an older ghoul who needs to leech off the life force of others. We even see him as a dapper stud stalking the streets of 19th-century London, effortlessly reminding everyone of just how seductive evil can truly be.
It Was A Monster Smash
The outsized budget of $40 million showed just how serious Francis Ford Coppola was about creating a horror movie like nothing Hollywood had seen before. Fortunately, the film more than paid for itself: Bram Stoker’s Dracula ended up taking home $225.9 million, making it a truly monstrous hit. On top of its commercial success, Coppola’s success also managed to impress the critics, which is even more notable when you consider how much professional reviewers typically hate the spooky genre (at least, until “elevated” horror gave them a palatable excuse for highly ranking such films).
When Bram Stoker’s Dracula came out, it quickly sank its teeth into movie reviewers clamoring for a new take on the vampire genre. It has a 69 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics praising the singular performances from Gary Oldman and other talented performers. More broadly, they also commended director Francis Ford Coppola for rescuing these iconic characters from campy, dusty interpretations by modernizing the aging Dracula tale and making it sleeker, sexier, and more stylish than ever before.
An Oscar-Winning Fright
Like its titular villain sweeping through London, Bram Stoker’s Dracula swept the Academy Awards, ultimately taking home three different Oscars. This included the Academy Award for Best Sound Editing, Best Makeup, and Best Costume Design. It was also nominated for Best Art Direction, but it lost out on that particular award to Howards End.
To this day, Bram Stoker’s Dracula is a singular cinematic achievement, one that never quite settles into a single genre. Sure, it functions perfectly well as a horror movie, and these lavish, scary visuals are sure to haunt you to the end of your days. But the movie also works as an unpredictably monstrous romance, one that is sure to have you sympathizing with its titular vampire long before the credits roll.
Speaking of lavish visuals, Francis Ford Coppola infuses almost every scene with over-the-top aesthetics that will leave you asking, “how did he do that?” again and again. From quiet scenes of a speeding train to the loud grandeur of the count unleashed, Bram Stoker’s Dracula is the most visually sumptuous horror movie you are ever likely to see. Even if you start zoning out (hey, the Keanu Reeves dialogue will do that to you!), it’s undeniably difficult to tear your eyes away from a film that looks this freakin’ good.
Dracula: Dead And Loving It
It’s not the best vampire film ever made; that honor still belongs to the 1931 Dracula, in which Bella Lugosi ushered horror fans into an unforgettable age of monsters. But Bram Stoker’s Dracula is definitely the most iconic film featuring everyone’s favorite bloodsucker, and it provides unforgettable chills and undeniable thrills from beginning to end. If nothing else, Coppola deserves credit for updating and elevating a genre that long felt like it had a stake in its heart.
Will you agree that Bram Stoker’s Dracula is a bloody good time, or would you like to see this stylish, supernatural romp burn up in the sunlight? You won’t know until you find your remote (you left it next to the stake, remember?) and stream it for yourself on Netflix. Even if you’re not all that scared of Gary Oldman’s Dracula, you may find yourself chilled to the bone by the scariest part of the entire movie: Keanu Reeves’ accent!
Entertainment
Wordle today: Answer, hints for March 22, 2026
Today’s Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you love to garnish your meals.
If you just want to be told today’s word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today’s Wordle solution revealed. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Where did Wordle come from?
Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What’s the best Wordle starting word?
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?
It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn’t any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle‘s Hard Mode if you’re after more of a challenge, though.
Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:
An herb.
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Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?
There are no recurring letters.
Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…
Today’s Wordle starts with the letter B.
The Wordle answer today is…
Get your last guesses in now, because it’s your final chance to solve today’s Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today’s Wordle is…
BASIL
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints. Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Wordle.
Entertainment
Hurdle hints and answers for March 22, 2026
If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.
There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it’ll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.
An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.
If you find yourself stuck at any step of today’s Hurdle, don’t worry! We have you covered.
Hurdle Word 1 hint
Parasite.
Hurdle Word 1 answer
LEECH
Hurdle Word 2 hint
A memorial.
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Hurdle Word 2 Answer
VIGIL
Hurdle Word 3 hint
To fret.
Hurdle Word 3 answer
PANIC
Hurdle Word 4 hint
Came to life.
Hurdle Word 4 answer
AWOKE
Final Hurdle hint
The source.
Hurdle Word 5 answer
CAUSE
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Entertainment
Moon phase today: What the Moon will look like on March 22
After several nights of near darkness, the Moon is finally illuminated enough that keen sky gazers can start to spot some features on the surface again. Keep reading to find out what you may be able to see tonight.
What is today’s Moon phase?
As of Sunday, March 22, the Moon phase is Waxing Crescent. According to NASA’s Daily Moon Guide, 14% of the Moon will be lit up tonight.
Tonight marks the return of enough of the Moon’s surface to see some exciting features. For example, without any visual aids NASA tells us you can spot the Mare Fecunditatis and the Mare Crisium. These are situated on the middle right of the moon, or middle left if you’re in the Southern Hemisphere.
With binoculars or a telescope, you’ll see these and also the Edymion Crater, positioned at the top right, or bottom left.
When is the next Full Moon?
In North America, the next Full Moon is predicted to take place on April 1.
What are Moon phases?
NASA says the Moon takes about 29.5 days to orbit Earth, going through eight different phases. We always see the same side, but the Sun lights up different portions as it moves, which is why it can look full, half, or just a thin sliver. These changing shapes are called the lunar phases, and there are eight in total:
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New Moon – The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it’s invisible to the eye).
Waxing Crescent – A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).
First Quarter – Half of the Moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-Moon.
Waxing Gibbous – More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.
Full Moon – The whole face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.
Waning Gibbous – The Moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)
Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) – Another half-Moon, but now the left side is lit.
Waning Crescent – A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.
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