There's been a lot of buzz surrounding this little art house horror film. After seeing it, I could see why. While May could be considered a horror picture, it also has a dark humor that reminded me of Heathers. May is not only the title of the movie but the name of the film's major character, a shy, withdrawn, and very quirky twenty-something desperately trying to find friendship, love and a purpose in life. She's lived a sheltered existence to be sure and her only true friend is a strange looking doll that she keeps locked away within a glass case. Of course, whenever May is unsure in a certain situation, she turns to her best friend for advice, which many find less than normal. Before long, a short lived romance pushes May over the edge, resulting in a hilarious if gruesome killing spree that you wont soon forget. This all results in a most unexpected ending that is both freakish and strangely sensible.

May is a genetic hybrid of nearly every horror film that you can imagine. From the obvious (Frankenstein, Carrie etc.) to the less than obvious (Pieces, Henry: Portrait of Serial Killer etc.), this is a story about a woman pushed too far. And while May takes things to the absolute extreme, it emerges as a rather sad film about the lengths to which one will go to, to obtain a friend.

It is obvious that writer/director Lucky McKee is a big fan of the genre, for this film spins an immensely entertaining tale that is dark, bloody, funny, sly and surprisingly sympathetic. Actress Angela Bettis plays May in all her oddball glory, and while it takes a moment to really get into the performance, she ultimately wins you over with a turn that is strange, scary and sad. May is a film with a really strange rhythm. It did take me a second to get into, but once I did, I loved the hell out of it. This is a perfect midnight movie, and one I'm looking forward to seeing again. May is one of those creative gems that reminds me that this genre still has plenty of life left in it.