Nicholas Houltcontinues to rise in skill and star power, making him an exciting actor to watch. He got his start way back withAbout a BoyandSkinsbefore taking ona diverse range of rolesin the early 2010s. His filmography continues to get more interesting; just last year, he had major roles in both theClint Eastwoodcourtroom dramaJuror #2andRobert Eggers’s vampire opusNosferatu.
Hoult’s cinematic tastes are similarly eclectic, ranging from animation and horror to introspective dramas and kung fu classics. He’s named some of his favorites in interviews and duringhis recent visitto the Criterion closet. This list will discuss some of his most intriguing recommendations. Odds are, Hoult’s fans will enjoy a few of them just as much as he does.
10’In the Mood for Love' (2000)
Directed by Wong Kar-wai
“He remembers those vanished years.“In the Mood for Loveisa melancholy masterpieceabout unspoken emotions, longing glances, and a love not acted upon. It focuses on Chow Mo-wan (Tony Leung) and Su Li-zhen (Maggie Cheung), two neighbors in 1960s Hong Kong who discover that their respective spouses are having an affair. Their story is told through gorgeous cinematography, bathing the film in rich, saturated colors that heighten its dreamlike quality.
The meticulous recreation of that time and place is also impressive and immersive. The result is one ofthe most visually striking and quietly affecting movies of the 2000s. It’s directorWong Kar-wai’s masterpiece, going on to influence filmmakers likeSofia CoppolaandBarry Jenkins. “Probably one of the most beautiful movies ever,” Hoult said of it. “This movie I watched becauseTom Fordrecommended it to me because he got a lot of inspiration from this for the soundtrack ofA Single Man.”
In the Mood For Love
9’Fist of Fury' (1972)
Directed by Lo Wei
“Chinese are not sick men!” On the other end of the cinematic spectrum isFist of Fury,one of the most iconic martial arts filmsof all time.Bruce Leeis the star of the attraction as Chen Zhen, a martial artist who returns to his school in Shanghai only to find his master dead under suspicious circumstances. He soon sets out to take revenge on the Japanese occupying forces.
The story is a little flimsy at times, but the movie makes up for it in energy and action.It’sa powerful showcase of Lee’s physical prowess and magnetic screen presence. The fight sequences, particularly the dojo scene where Lee single-handedly dismantles a room full of opponents, remain legendary. “This is going back to my childhood,” Hoult said. “I would sneak into [my older brother’s] room and watch his VHSes, and he had a lot of the Bruce Lee movies,Enter the Dragon,Fist of Fury.”
Fist of Fury
8’Fantastic Mr. Fox' (2009)
Directed by Wes Anderson
“I understand what you’re saying, and your comments are valuable, but I’m gonna ignore your advice.” Thisdelightful stop-motion movierepresented the creative fusion of quirky legendsWes AndersonandRoald Dahl.George Clooneyvoices the vulpine protagonist, a charismatic thief who returns to his old ways despite promising his wife (Meryl Streep) that he would go straight.
Fantastic Mr. Foxcharms with itswhimsical visual design, fastidious attention to detail, and dry, deadpan humor. It’s impressive that the director was able to take such a beloved story and make it so thoroughly his own. It also has great crossover appeal: while aimed primarily at kids,Fantastic Mr. Foxnever dumbs itself down or simplifies its themes. “I just think it’s so well done. Wes Anderson killed it with this,” Hoult said. “My kids haven’t gotten into this yet, but I keep putting it on because I know one day they will, and I’m going to enjoy watching it with them when they do.”
The Fantastic Mr. Fox
7’No Country for Old Men' (2007)
Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen
“What’s the most you ever lost on a coin toss?” Perhaps the crown jewel in theCoen brothers' filmography,No Country for Old Menfuses neo-Western elements witha chilling meditation on fate, violence, and moral decay. It featuresTommy Lee Jonesas a disillusioned lawman,Josh Brolinas a hunter who stumbles upon a drug deal gone wrong, and an Oscar-winningJavier Bardemas the cold-blooded assassin Anton Chigurh. All of them are on their A-game.
This philosophical thriller defies expectationsat every turn, including inits bleak, inventive ending. It conjures up an American landscape where truth and justice have lost their sheen. “I got to watch this movie whilst reading the script and looking at the storyboards, which, as a little film geek, was exciting because I got to see exactly what the Coen brothers were imagining and how it all came together,” Hoult explains.
No Country for Old Men
6’Being There' (1979)
Directed by Hal Ashby
“Life is a state of mind.“Peter Sellersdelivers one of his best performanceshere as Chance, a simple-minded gardener who is unexpectedly thrust into high society, where his vague yet polite observations are mistaken for profound wisdom. Soon, he becomes a highly influential figure despite having no real understanding of the world around him.
Being Thereisa masterful satire of media, politics, and the power of perception. Its critique is spot-on and ever-relevant; there are more than a few figures in power today who have a lot in common with Chance. But, most impressively, the film manages to be tender as well as biting. “The thing about this movie that I absolutely love is the outtakes,” Hoult said. “Him corpsing and not being able to stop giggling […] That, for me as an actor, I was like, ‘Oh, look, Peter Sellers is one of the best and look at him, he’s giggling and losing it.'”
Being There
5'12 Angry Men’ (1957)
Directed by Sidney Lumet
“I have a reasonable doubt.” One ofthe most compelling courtroom dramas ever made,12 Angry Mentakes place almost entirely in a single jury room, where twelve men debate the guilt or innocence of a young defendant accused of murder. While eleven jurors are quick to convict, one man (Henry Fonda) challenges their assumptions, forcing them to confront their biases and reexamine the evidence.
12 Angry Menwasa towering feature debut for director Sidney Lumet, casting a shadow that still looms over the entire legal genre to this day. It transcends its era, andthe themes resonate almost universally. Exceptional writing and powerhouse performances are the order of the day, gripping the audience from the first frame and never letting go. “Sidney Lumet is one of the all-time great directors,” Hoult said. “And this movie, going in to shootJuror #2, was a movie I watched quite a few times because I was inspired by it. Love it.”
12 Angry Men
4’Dracula' (1931)
Directed by Tod Browning
“Listen to them, the children of the night. What music they make!“Tod Browning’sDraculais one of Hoult’s three favorite vampire films. StarringBela Lugosiin his career-defining roleas the bloodsucking Count, the film follows the infamous Transylvanian as he arrives in England and begins to spread his influence, hypnotizing victims and feasting on their blood.
The movie quickly became famous thanks to its gothic atmosphere, eerie silence, and Lugosi’s hypnotic performance. While limited by the technology of the day, it’s still impressive.There are so many creepy and indelible visuals here: imposing castle, cobwebbed halls, rubbery bats. Fundamentally,Draculasucceeds thanks to the suavely unsettling Lugosi, whose performance was deeply influential. Indeed, Lugosi’s take on the Count remains acclaimed, influencing everyone from Hoult toGary Oldman.
3’Let the Right One In' (2008)
Directed by Tomas Alfredson
“I’m twelve. But I’ve been twelve for a long time.“Hoult is also a big fanof the Swedish vampire filmLet the Right One In, and understandably so. It’san emotional and melancholy take on the vampire mythosrevolving around Oskar (Kåre Hedebrant), a lonely and bullied boy, and Eli (Lina Leandersson), a strange girl who harbors a dark secret—she is a vampire. They form a deep connection, but a tragic end seems inevitable.
Unlike most in this bloody subgenre,Let the Right One Inprioritizes atmosphere and character depthover traditional horror elements. In many ways, it’s more of a drama or coming-of-age story. That said, it’s still deeply unsettling, more so than most 21st-century vampire flicks, which have grown toothless due to oversaturation and parody. The craftsmanship is also exquisite. The movie carefully deploys measured pacing, muted cinematography, and haunting stillness to great effect.
Let the Right One In
2’A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night' (2014)
Directed by Ana Lily Amirpour
“I am bad.” LikeLet the Right One In,A Girl Walks Home Alone at Nightalso looks at vampire tropes from a fresh angle. In this case, it relocates the action to a city in Iran and adds elements borrowed from classic noir and spaghetti Western. The story revolves around The Girl (Sheila Vand), a lonely, silent vampire who stalks the streets of a depressed town. Cloaked in a chador, she preys on corrupt men while forming a hesitant connection with Arash (Arash Marandi), a young man weighed down by struggle.
This is like a darker, vampiric take onMarjane Satrapi’sPersepolis, boasting stunning black-and-white imagery and an atmospheric soundtrack. It’sNosferatuby way ofMs. 45andSin City, with a hearty sprinkling ofSergio Leone. At its core, though,the film may be more about the country in which it takes place than it is about vampires.
A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night
1’Shallow Grave' (1994)
Directed by Danny Boyle
“If you can’t trust your friends, what then?” BeforeTrainspottingcatapulted him to international fame,Danny Boylemade his directorial debut withShallow Grave, a wickedly dark thriller about greed and paranoia. It follows three Edinburgh flatmates—Alex (Ewan McGregor), David (Christopher Eccleston), and Juliet (Kerry Fox)—who find their new roommate dead in his room with a suitcase full of cash. Rather than report it, they decide to keep the money and dispose of the body. Naturally, things don’t go according to plan.
Shallow Graveis an offbeat movie, to be sure. Not everyone will enjoy itsclaustrophobic vibe, repulsive characters, and vicious violence. However, it’s also precisely these elements that have earnedShallow Gravea cult following. “It’s one of the scariest films I feel I’ve ever seen,” Hoult said of it. “There’s a scene in this where someone power-drills into someone’s forehead, and it’s seared into my memory.”
