Week 45

Light, Dark and Shadows

This week's movie challenge is to watch with a light, dark, or shadows theme.

These don't just set the mood, they add to storytelling, whether through the suspense of lurking shadows, the fear of the dark, or a hopeful glow of light. Here are a few subgenres with suggestions of movies that could count.

First up is survival in darkness, where characters are often stuck terrifying environments, relying on limited light to survive. In Pitch Black (2000), a spaceship crash leaves survivors stranded on a planet full of deadly creatures that hunt in the dark. Another example is The Descent (2005), where a group of cave explorers finds themselves trapped underground, their only hope of survival lying in their rapidly dwindling light sources.

Then there are films about blindness or vision loss, where darkness is a constant presence. Wait Until Dark (1967) stars Audrey Hepburn as a blind woman who must outwit criminals in her own home. In Don’t Breathe (2016), a group of burglars enters a blind man's house only to discover they're at his mercy when the lights go out. Blindness (2008) takes a more dystopian approach, with a sudden epidemic of blindness throwing society into chaos.

For those who love magic, fantasy films with light and dark forces use brightness and shadow to symbolize good and evil. In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004), the terrifying Dementors bring darkness with them, while Harry’s Patronus charm shines as a beacon of hope. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) contrasts the lush, green Shire with the shadowy, dangerous lands ruled by Sauron.

Finally, let's explore movies with light, dark, or shadow directly in the title. The Light Between Oceans (2016) is a romantic drama set around a remote lighthouse. Dark City (1998) is a sci-fi thriller about a city trapped in eternal night and Shadow of a Doubt (1943) by Alfred Hitchcock is a classic thriller about dark secrets hidden in a seemingly innocent family.

Below we’ve added some suggestions/recommendations for movies that would count for the challenge. Let us know what you’ve watched, what you’re thinking of watching, or whether you’ve got any recommendations to pass to your fellow CineChums.

Suggestions

These movies are mentioned in the video as potential suggestions for the challenge.

30 Days of Night Bird Box Buried By the Light of the Silvery Moon City of Ember Coco Coraline Dark City Dark Shadows Dark Water Dark Waters Don't Breathe Enter the Void Eyes Wide Shut Gravity I Saw the TV Glow Insidious Insomnia Light of My Life Lights Out Mandy Moonlight Nightwatch Pitch Black Ray See No Evil, Hear No Evil Shadow of a Doubt Shadow of the Vampire Sunshine The Dark Crystal The Dark Tower The Descent The Fog The Light Between Oceans The Lighthouse The Shadow The Shadow Strays Tommy Tron Tunnel Wait Until Dark Zatoichi

Challenge Stats

Completed the Challenge
42
Total Movies Watched
68
Different Movies Watched
57
Hours Watched
117
City Lights
3
City Lights (1931)
Wait Until Dark
3
Wait Until Dark (1967)
The Light on the Hill
2
The Light on the Hill (2016)
What We Do in the Shadows
2
What We Do in the Shadows (2014)
The Dark Half
2
The Dark Half (1993)
Army of Shadows
2
Army of Shadows (1969)
Insomnia
2
Insomnia (2002)
Dark Passage
2
Dark Passage (1947)
Shadow of the Vampire
2
Shadow of the Vampire (2000)
Dracula
1
Dracula (1931)
Near Dark
1
Near Dark (1987)
See No Evil, Hear No Evil
1
See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989)
The Swan Princess
1
The Swan Princess (1994)
Dark City
1
Dark City (1998)
Darkman
1
Darkman (1990)
Dark Waters
1
Dark Waters (2019)
Heretic
1
Heretic (2024)
Coraline
1
Coraline (2009)
Descent Into Darkness
1
Descent Into Darkness (2013)
Twilight
1
Twilight (2008)
Dark Star
1
Dark Star (1974)
Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit
1
Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014)
Late Phases
1
Late Phases (2014)
The Crow
1
The Crow (2024)
Winter Light
1
Winter Light (1963)
The Dark Crystal
1
The Dark Crystal (1982)
Dark Skies
1
Dark Skies (2013)
The Dark Tower
1
The Dark Tower (2017)
Firebrand
1
Firebrand (2024)
The Core
1
The Core (2003)
The Light of the Moon
1
The Light of the Moon (2017)
Days of Wine and Roses
1
Days of Wine and Roses (1963)
Orion and the Dark
1
Orion and the Dark (2024)
The Twilight Saga: New Moon
1
The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009)
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2
1
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 (2012)
Brother Bear
1
Brother Bear (2003)
I Saw the TV Glow
1
I Saw the TV Glow (2024)
Phobias
1
Phobias (2021)
Midnight Cowboy
1
Midnight Cowboy (1969)
Nightwatch
1
Nightwatch (1994)
Elvira: Mistress of the Dark
1
Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (1988)
Daybreakers
1
Daybreakers (2010)
Scent of a Woman
1
Scent of a Woman (1992)
A Brief History of Time
1
A Brief History of Time (1991)
The Night of the Hunter
1
The Night of the Hunter (1955)
Thor: The Dark World
1
Thor: The Dark World (2013)
Let There Be Light
1
Let There Be Light (2019)
Ricki and the Flash
1
Ricki and the Flash (2015)
Under the Shadow
1
Under the Shadow (2016)
The Third Man
1
The Third Man (1949)
Moonlight
1
Moonlight (2016)
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
1
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010)
Empire of Light
1
Empire of Light (2022)
Dracula: Prince of Darkness
1
Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966)
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1
1
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (2011)
Darkness Falls
1
Darkness Falls (2003)
Blacker Than the Night
1
Blacker Than the Night (1975)

Most watched actors

Robert Pattinson
Robert Pattinson (5)
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 (2012)
The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009)
Twilight (2008)
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (2011)
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010)
Ashley Greene
Ashley Greene (5)
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 (2012)
The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009)
Twilight (2008)
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (2011)
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010)
Taylor Lautner
Taylor Lautner (5)
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 (2012)
The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009)
Twilight (2008)
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (2011)
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010)
Nikki Reed
Nikki Reed (5)
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 (2012)
The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009)
Twilight (2008)
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (2011)
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010)
Peter Facinelli
Peter Facinelli (5)
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 (2012)
The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009)
Twilight (2008)
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (2011)
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010)
Elizabeth Reaser
Elizabeth Reaser (5)
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 (2012)
The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009)
Twilight (2008)
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (2011)
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010)
Billy Burke
Billy Burke (5)
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 (2012)
The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009)
Twilight (2008)
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (2011)
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010)
Jackson Rathbone
Jackson Rathbone (5)
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 (2012)
The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009)
Twilight (2008)
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (2011)
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010)
Kristen Stewart
Kristen Stewart (5)
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 (2012)
The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009)
Twilight (2008)
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (2011)
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010)
Kellan Lutz
Kellan Lutz (5)
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 (2012)
The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009)
Twilight (2008)
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (2011)
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010)