G'Bye!

I believe this is the end of the line for LGBTerror. Thanks for all the memories! I'll leave you with a very special goodbye video.

THE CABIN IN THE WOODS

                   
The Cabin in the Woods is unclassifiable. Is it horror, sci fi, or comedy? Is it a clever mash-up of all three? Does it lovingly pay tribute to past horror films, or mock their genre tropes?

                      

In the end, I walked out of the theater not sure what to make of it, but the smile on my face told me that it really didn’t matter. I’m not exaggerating when I say that The Cabin in the Woods is the most enjoyable movie I’ve seen so far this year. Perhaps it’s my favorite horror-comedy since Scream 4. And everyone knows how much I love Scream 4.

                           

                     

Because I enjoyed the unusual twists and rhythms of this movie, I don’t want to give anything away in this review. I want everyone who walks into this movie to have as little knowledge as possible, because the ride is such an unusual and twisty one. But I will say the dialogue is Whedonesque and clever, the deaths are memorable, and the last half hour is filled to the brim with moments that would make any horror fan want to stand up and cheer. The world that this movie creates for itself is insanely clever and immersive; it basically explains how every horror film ever made could co-exist in the same, crazy, wonked-out universe.

                                  

Please, please, please see this movie while it is still in the theaters. Pay the ticket price. This is a singular experience. I may not know how to classify it, except to say that it’s good. Really, really good.

                            

PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE

The other night, I caught this early Brian de Palma movie on late-night television. I had forgotten how dark and twisted it was. And it is definitely a product of the 70s. It came out before Rocky Horror, and yet that show gets all the credit for being groundbreaking and subversive.

Quick quiz. Is this from Rocky Horror or Phantom...

However, Phantom of the Paradise has a badder, more twisted protagonist, a man with half a face who flies in the face of the system.

And like Rocky Horror, it has its own queer overtones...

Is it offensive? Maybe. Seriously, you tell me. Is it offensive? I honestly can’t tell.

The actors are, for the most part, better singers. Especially the glorious female lead, who coincidentally replaced Susan Sarandon in Shock Treatment, the Rocky Horror sequel that no one seems to appreciate.

And while this film does not have a moment quite like the Time Warp, all of the extravagant musical numbers are, top-to-bottom, more enjoyable and over-the-top.

Hard core musical fans out there have probably already seen and enjoyed this film. But if not, check it out. For real. And that’s the hell of it.

ORPHAN

Why is this film so awesome? Two words: that girl. 

Here is my holiday recommendation: Cozy up with your loved ones, light the fireplace, heat up some hot cocoa, and watch this film. It is a wintertime treat.

HALLOWEEN FIFTEEN

The good folks over at The Moon Is a Dead World have started a new holiday blog tradition called the Halloween Fifteen, where guest bloggers drop in and contribute a review for one of fifteen horror films throughout October. So far, there have been two reviews, with 13 more to go. (For those who don't believe in mathematics, I was able to figure it out for ya. See how I did that?) But seriously, check it out.

YOUTUBE

If you want to check out my Youtube site, click HERE. It's definitely... something.

I also have a separate Youtube site (HERE) that goes with our sister blog horribleTV. It's not horror themed, but it is snarky. Check it out.