May (2002) from Johnny Web (Uncle Scoopy; Greg Wroblewski)

"If you can't find a friend, make one instead".

So says May's mother when she passes on a family heirloom to her daughter.

May's mother knows what May's lonely childhood is like, because she was once lonely as well. Back in her own chlldhood, mom coped with loneliness by learning to make things. In her ultimate creation, she made herself a friend - the doll that she passes on to her daughter in the prologue of this film, with the words above.

May's lonely girlhood, cursed by a "lazy eye" eyepatch, passes into lonely young adulthood, but we really don't know at first just how strange she is. The first three quarters of this film are similar to Ghost World, an introspective look at "outsider chic", centered on May's attempt to find friendships with men and women, some of whom come close to her, only to repel her or to be repelled for various reasons.

One handsome guy likes her, and the conversations go like this:

She: Do you like me?

He: Yes, of course, I like you.

She: Do you think I'm weird?

He: (Hesitant, unsure of how much truth to tell.) I do think you're weird (She turns away ...) But I like weird. A lot.

(They watch his student film together, in which people having sex actually chew off each other's both parts. They then attempt sex, and she tries to bite off his tongue)

He: Hey, I need my tongue.

She: But it was just like in your movie.

He: You're weird.

She: I thought you liked weird.

He: I do, but not THIS weird.

And so it goes for 60 minutes or so ... May tries out lesbianism, but that doesn't work either. Anna Faris (from Scary Movie) was quite entertaining as the sex-crazed lesbian who talks and thinks exactly like a guy in her approach to women. She seduces May with such lines as - "why don't you come to my place some time? We can sit around and ... eat some melons."

Then the psychological comedy/drama becomes a horror/splatter movie. May can't find a friend, so she decides to make one instead. Literally. In the Dr. Frankenstein sense. She's an expert at making things with a sewing machine, so she sews together a friend.

The film makes one more turn at the very end, when it abandons straight "giallo slasher/horror" as well as "psychological comedy drama", and ventures into the supernatural. Odd stuff.

This movie is quite well crafted, virtually an homage to Dario Argento, but I guess you have figured out by now that it is not for everyone. Back in 2002, there was a plan to release this film theatrically. It was tested in three markets, one of which was here in Austin. The film got some pretty damned good reviews from its test run and a couple of film festivals, including Sundance 2002. The internet genre sites love it. It scores a 7.9 at IMDb, which is about as high as an unknown genre film can possibly go. (Kubrick's The Shining is 8.1, Silence of the Lambs is 8.5) .....

But there was no interest from the public, and the theatrical release was forgotten.

Bottom line: you now know what it is about. If you like very black humor and splatter, you will probably enjoy this, based on the reactions of others who enjoy offbeat movies. If you have mainstream tastes, it isn't for you.