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64 out of 78 people found the following review useful: Do Yourself A Favor... Rent This Movie, 3 August 2003 Author: David A Dein from The Garden State
Have you ever tried to figure out what something is when your eyes are closed? You grab something round its cool and smooth to the touch. It feels solid so it's not some kind of Nerf ball or anything. Here you are standing in the middle of a room clutching something and you can't quite tell what it is. The object was an apple, but that's not the point.MAY the new film by first time director Lucky McKee is just that kind of movie. At first maybe it's a romance, then again maybe it's a thriller, hmm.. Maybe it's some kind of comedy, light hearted or dark. At first glance you might just think it's a horror film. But May doesn't aspire to labels, it lives in that world beyond them and that's what works and doesn't work for a film like this.MAY is one of those movies like Mullholland Drive, From Dusk 'Til Dawn, or Femme Fatale. There is a moment in the film that will either grab you and pull you in, or turn you off and produces nothing but loathing. For me that moment came as the blind kids are well.. I don't think I want to share that sequence with you, but for me it worked.MAY tells the story of a young women named May (Angela Bettis, Girl Interrupted) who seems really sweet on the outside, with just a touch of crazy attached. She had an overbearing mother (Merle Kennedy, Bubble Boy) who wanted her little girl to be perfect. It's just too bad she needed to wear an eye patch to correct a lazy eye. The kids in school all laughed and called her a pirate. To comfort the girl or make her crazy the film doesn't really say, May's mother gives her a prized possession, a freaky looking doll that has to stay in pristine condition in a glass box.Somehow May survives this weird childhood and grows up to be stable but a little nuts. She falls for a guy with perfect hands (Jeremy Sisto, Wrong Turn) and a girl she works with (Anna Faris, Scary Movie) falls for her. Everything is perfect until these people turn their back on May, and well that's when the fun begins..Angela Bettis is excellent; she is really beautiful, really vulnerable, and really expressive without doing much. She gives May this quality that is understated and yet still intense. I like how she says more with one look than lots of silly dialogue. She very much reminded me of a female Travis Bickle. She has a longing for what she can not have and is dealing with it the only way she know how.Like in TAXI DRIVER, there is a moment when May is on the phone with Adam (the Sisto character) and he wants nothing to do with her anymore. Anyone else would have gotten the point. But not May and so when the realization comes, just as when Travis Bickle was dumped by Betsey something inside both of them snaps.Another bright spot is Anna Faris. Why she pigeonholed herself in those stupid comedies is beyond me. She is excellent as May's lesbian workmate. She is bright and spunky and really funny. I'd love to see her do some more legitimate acting work. Hopefully this is the kind of film that she could use to get better roles. Who knows!!!Director McKee makes it look easy. He has crafted a fascinating look into the eyes of a crazy person, by doing what few films can. He allows us to see that part of ourselves that is manifested in May. We've all at one time or another been treated like crap, made fun of, been ridiculed, and maybe some of us have tried to go over the deep end. I felt pity for May even if I shouldn't have. This is a powerful movie, and one of the best I've seen all year.If Hollywood ever got off its rear end and decided that a film like MAY deserved to be shown at the same multiplex as FROM JUSTIN TO KELLY maybe their would be better quality films out there that the general market could consume. Until then it will probably only be discovered by lovers of film. I guess that's not so bad.There are probably others out there that could find fault in a film like MAY. It's that kind of cinema, either you love it or your hate it. There is not much middle ground. But do yourself a favor, go and rent this movie.
50 out of 64 people found the following review useful: Wonderful, 14 August 2003 Author: Michelle Fillman from United States
I'm so glad people are re-discovering horror as a serious genre because the endless SCREAM rip-offs were getting more tiresome than even the previous decade's endless HALLOWEEN rip-offs. MAY not only operates as a great horror film, it also is a wonderful character study of social dysfunction. Angela Bettis is wonderfully painful to watch in her attempts at love. She's an actress to keep your eyes on in the future. The ending gets a little more standard but is just creepy enough to keep you on the edge of your seat.
37 out of 44 people found the following review useful: Beautiful, 1 March 2005 Author: hoppz from United Kingdom
I cant say much about this movie other than its wonderfully strange. It has an appeal that is not only beautiful but scary and intelligent and never asks the viewer to understand whats going on fully it just guides you through the story with a slightly sick feeling in your stomach because deep down in some small way you know that you relate to the central character even if its just for a passing moment.This is not a run of the mill slasher type horror movie and explores the characters more than most in the genre especially the first relationship between may and the man with "perfect hands" i wouldn't rent the movie if your looking for a no brainer but if you want a horror with a little more substance and just the right amount of dark humour this is the one for you.
38 out of 46 people found the following review useful: Make Sure You Rent A Comedy...For Afterward!, 9 August 2003 Author: Christopher T. Chase (cchase@onebox.com) from Arlington, VA.
Some movies use gore to distinguish themselves from other horror movies in a unique way, and boy, do they ever succeed. DEAD-ALIVE, EVIL DEAD, RE-ANIMATOR. Others, rather than settle for OTT gore, try to creep you out with old-school tactics that wriggle under your skin into places that are anything but comfortable...places that you only visit in your dreams. THE OTHERS, THE SIXTH SENSE and SIGNS are those kinds of films.And then you get those rarities...those exceptional films that are not for everyone, that manage to be both creepy and gory at the same time, in a way that's not quite easily classifiable, and so they are never considered "mainstream" by mass audiences in the multiplexes, or critics into selling sound-bites rather than writing decent reviews. Films like TOURIST TRAP, THE FUNHOUSE, George Romero's MARTIN, ALICE, SWEET ALICE, SISTERS and SILENT SCREAM are some prime examples. To this list, we can now add MAY.The less you know about this film going in, the more shocking the denoument is. And even those who have heard quite a bit about it, shouldn't be too quick to make assumptions. MAY goes in a direction that most films of this genre hint at, but never commit to. The result is a tale alternating between twisted tenderness and tremendous terror, like nothing you've seen in a long while. And in the true tradition of creepy/gory/blackly comic films, there's no middle of the road with this one. You will love it or absolutely hate it, but either way, you will not walk away from it unaffected. First-time writer/director McKee has seen to that, and then some.Angela Bettis may need some serious therapy, following up her role in the CARRIE TV remake with this one. I'd be tempted to call it a pattern, since May does share a lot of similarities with Carrie White; the overprotective, overbearing mothers, the role of societal outcast set at an early age. But that's where the similarities end. Where Carrie's weapon of choice was her soon-to-be-not-so-latent telekinetic powers, May's power lies in her very deceptive talent to appear shy, docile, reclusive and weird, but supposedly "harmless." Obviously lacking in the social interaction department, she still has a quality about her that elicits our empathy and sympathy. The characters she meets in the story feel the same way and...well, you have to see what happens to belive it.Indie faves Jeremy Sisto (SIX FEET UNDER), Anna Faris (the SCARY MOVIE series) and James Duval (A RIVER MADE TO DROWN IN) round out the principal cast. Not to mention May's first 'friend' that serves as a catalyst for the story...a doll given her by her mother, which may have you swearing off dolls for the rest of your life!I'm not going to give away the main plot, leaving that to other reviewers and their assessments. I will say this: if your horror movies usually have to be series sequels with a number plastered in front of them, MAY might be too much imaginative derangement for you to handle. But if you're in the mood for something completely different, then rent it NOW, by all means. Just make sure you have a good, stupid comedy to take your mind off of it afterward. Trust me on this; even if it's DUDE, WHERE'S MY CAR? for the fifteenth time, TAKE IT. You'll feel...well, maybe a little better after watching this.
32 out of 42 people found the following review useful: Wonderfully twisted horror/black comedy., 19 December 2003 Author: HumanoidOfFlesh from Chyby, Poland
"May" is actually one of my favourite American independent horror movies.It's wonderfully original and twisted film that will leave the viewer stunned.When May was a little girl,her mother made her wear an eye patch to cover her lazy eye.Unable to make friends,she had only a sad little doll.But with contact lenses to improve her appearance,May (wonderful Angela Bettis)earns the attention of her lesbian co-worker(Anna Faris)and the handsome man down the street(Jeremy Sisto from "Hideaway" and "Wrong Turn").May,however,proves to be too strange for even the oddest of her companions and once people get to know her they soon start to avoid her.Lonely and rejected May kills everyone who offended her.The character of May is truly bizarre.The acting is pretty good and there is plenty of gore,especially in the second half of the film.The climax is very haunting and memorable.Overall,I'd highly recommend this film for fans of horror.9 out of 10.
32 out of 44 people found the following review useful: A-MAY-ZING! Destined to be a cult classic!, 16 July 2003 Author: groovymike_16 from Randall, Minnesota
Whoa! I'm speechless! May is one weird, fun, funny, sad, and disturbing film. It's just so many things. It's a strangely beautiful character study about a lonely girl who just wants a friend. I couldn't help but feel for her. She's weird and shy, but in a cute, sweet way. I was intrigued by her, and wanted her to find happiness. No matter how pathetic her character would become, I just couldn't stop caring. I wanted to reach out to her, and be her friend. Nobody deserves to be so lonely. All she needed was a friend. But things just don't exactly work out that way. Once she began to crack and take the plunge into madness, it was understandable how it could happen. That doesn't mean that the events that unfolded weren't shocking, because they definitely were. But we see why our heroine does what she does. We can't help but want things to be different though, and for her to go down a different path, but when she doesn't, we come along for the ride anyway, following her wherever she takes us.Angela Bettis gives an amazing performance as May. So far this is the best female performance of the year, and when the end of the year comes, if it's still not THE best, it will be one of THE best. She makes us care about her character from the beginning, and we never really stop, even when she goes psychotic. Bettis shows so many emotions, and makes us feel all kinds of things. She was very natural, and sometimes her body language spoke to us more than her words. We just knew what she was feeling, and could feel her cracking more and more as the movie went on. She was sweet, sad, scary, pathetic, and yet strangely attractive. It's too bad the Academy are such prudes, because this girl is so deserving of an Oscar nomination that it's not even funny. Unfortunately, it's obvious her performance will be overlooked by them. May just isn't "Oscar material." Plus, the movie didn't make enough money and isn't well known enough for them to even consider honoring anything to do with "May." But even if they don't honor it, the fans will always remember it. I've seen Bettis in other movies, but after seeing this, I will always remember her as May... I've always been a fan of the underrated Anna Faris. She's a great comedic actress. I found her to be a lot of fun as Polly. She's funny and sexy. This is sure to be one of my favorite supporting performances of the year. Faris was a welcome addition to this twisted little film.Writer/Director Lucky McKee proves to be a great new talent. It's hard to believe this is his first feature film. Very impressive if you ask me. I'm looking forward to whatever he does next. If it's anything as wonderful as "May," then it should be great... Also deserving of a mention is composer Jaye Barnes-Luckett. She does a terrific job here, always providing the right music at the right moment. If she keeps this up, she'll have a bright future ahead of her.I'm still blown away by this film. There's so many praises I have for it, that I doubt I could remember to mention them all. It's original, well acted, well written, well directed, etc... It's just twistedly wonderful. It's too bad it wasn't given a better release in theaters, but it's not exactly a mainstream movie either. It still deserved better than what it got. At least I can find comfort in knowing that it's sure to become a cult classic. Word of mouth will help it a lot. It's definitely not for everyone though. It's weird, morbid, quirky, wicked, and gutsy. It doesn't shy away from much. In fact, it has one of the best and most realistic slit throats I've ever witnessed on screen. But don't let that scare you, it's definitely worth a look for any horror fan, or any film fan in general. I'm proud to have this haunting film as a part of my collection. It's simply A-MAY-ZING!Grade: 9/10 (A-)
24 out of 32 people found the following review useful: Weird, unusual and oddly engaging, 28 December 2004 Author: guyfromjerzee from United States
"May" is not a movie I would nominate for an Oscar, or any sort of award, but it is original. Many scenes totally creeped me out, but what can I say? It's a horror flick! And I commend the director for being unapologetic about this sick, demented material. The film is well-made and well-acted. Just don't expect the feel-good movie of the year. I can watch Jason Voorhies slice a victim's head off with a machete while eating a 3-course meal, but watching a room full of blind children crawl all over a floor and cut themselves with broken glass is pretty damn disgusting to me. Fans of the horror genre definitely won't be disappointed. (7 out of 10)
16 out of 21 people found the following review useful: This is one demented, sad little girl; and one brilliant film., 2 January 2004 Author: Fiendish_Dramaturgy from .: Fiendish Writings in the Dark :.
I bemoan horribly low-budget movies, but this production is proof positive that money does not make the movie. I am still so disturbed by this effort that I am finding it hard to find the words...This movie was absolute brilliance. It was creatively written, realistically portrayed, inspirationally directed, and disturbingly sad and dark at the same time.Angela Bettis is astounding as May. May was born with a lazy eye which caused her have to wear an eye patch. Her mother, a neurotically judgmental woman, raised May to believe that her only choice for friendship was to either hide her differences, or withdraw into her own fantasy.But there are more differences within May than even her mother could see, and after May realizes that people are not perfect, she goes to any and all lengths to make herself seen.This is one of the darkest, saddest, most disturbing movies I have EVER seen. Bittersweet and truly mad.It rates a full 10/10 on the "B" scale.That's an 8.9/10 from...the Fiend :.
11 out of 14 people found the following review useful: Twisted, Bizarre, and Almost Fairy-Tale Like., 29 July 2006 Author: youshotandywarhol from Oregon
"May" is an extremely fresh, unique horror movie. The film centers around May Kennedy, a complete loner/outcast who has been that way since childhood. She grew up with a lazy eye, which she still has as an adult, which was partly the reason for her not having many friends. Her only friend in the entire world is a doll named Suzy that her mother gave her as a small child. Encased in a glass case, the inanimate object is poor May's only friend. But things start to change when May meets Adam, whom she begins to form a relationship with. But when May begins to seem a little "too weird" for Adam, he calls off the relationship, leaving May heartbroken. Now, May has began to realize that there are only certain things that she likes about people, but has yet to find the perfect person who holds all of the same physical features. So, she begins to kill those who have the perfect characteristics, with the intention of building a "perfect" friend.The entire plot of this movie is strangely morbid, killing people to make the perfect person. It's almost Frankenstein-like except May's creation doesn't come back to haunt her. It is almost like a twisted fairy-tale, the entire movie seems to be set in an unreal city (which is in reality Los Angeles) and each of the characters are pretty interesting. Angela Bettis (who also starred in Tobe Hooper's "Toolbox Murders" remake) is an extremely underrated actress, she was excellent in this movie and delivered a top-notch performance. Some may also recognize Anna Faris (from the "Scary Movie" series) as a co-worker/love interest of May. The film's ending made the movie all the more weird, but in a good way, and what May does in order to make her "perfect friend" is quite squeamish.Bottom line - "May" is a unique blend of horror and sometimes even comedy, and had some very similar characteristics of a Tim Burton-style movie, which ultimately worked for it. If you want to see a unique horror movie, see "May". Very well done. 9/10.
7 out of 8 people found the following review useful: Excellent horror film, 8 July 2006 Author: collipal-1 from Argentina
May is simply one of the greatest horror films from last years.One of the greatest things from this movie is that it isn't a traditional horror movie and the director took his time to introduce us May.The ending is creepy and disturbing.Angela Bettis is really,an excellent young actress.Her performance on this movie is SPECTACULAR.I think this film isn't for sensitive persons:some images from this movie are way creepy and disturbing.But if you are a fan of horror films,I totally recommend this movie because you will love it.And I die to see The woods,the new movie from Lucky Mc Kee(the director of this movie).Rating:10
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