Finding Friends: the Fiendish Femme Fatale Frankenstein Film

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MOVIE REVIEW
May
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Genre: Drama, Horror
Year Released: 2002, 2023 Second Sight Films Blu-ray
Runtime: 1h 33m
Director(s): Lucky McKee
Writer(s): Lucky McKee
Cast: Angela Bettis, Jeremy Sisto, Anna Faris, James Duval
Where To Watch: On Blu-ray from Second Sight Films, Purchase here www.secondsightfilms.co.uk, Streaming now on Tubi & Redbox

RAVING REVIEW: What happens when you mix a mother with OCD, a lazy eye, and a lonely girl? MAY is a bloody and grotesque modern take on a classic gothic monster story with outrageous characters, bleak cinematography, and some gnarly practical gore effects. This super fun early 2000s Fangoria Chainsaw Awards Nominee splatters its way into our hearts just as much as it carves up our heads. When writer/director Lucky McKee set out to retell Mary Shelley’s famous story through a modern lens, he not only created a monster; he created an LGBTQ cult icon!

You’d be forgiven if your reaction to the announcement about Second Sight Films bringing Lucky McKees MAY to Blu-ray was “MAY? Never heard of it!” This was my very reaction until I looked the film up and was met with some poster artwork that immediately flooded my mind with memories of perusing the shelves at Movie Gallery and Blockbuster, picking up MAY, and being told that I was too young to rent it (I was six in 2002 when the film released). So what exactly is MAY, and does it hold up to the nostalgic mystique that shrouded my adolescent brain during childhood?

May is a lonely veterinarian’s assistant played by Angela Bettis (CARRIE 2002, GIRL INTERRUPTED) with a lazy eye who is incredibly socially awkward and quirky. Growing up, May was ostracized by her schoolmates because she had to wear an eye patch over her lazy eye. To add to that, her mother was a dollmaker who was obsessed with perfection. One year, for May’s birthday, her mother gives her the first doll she ever made, telling May, “If you can’t find a friend, make one,” however she doesn’t allow May to remove the doll from the wooden and glass display case that it is kept in. As May moves into adulthood, she carries this pristine doll with her and starts to believe it to be her best friend. She talks to it, tells it all her secrets, and takes advice from it.

One day, a man named Adam, played by Jeremy Sisto (WRONG TURN), catches May’s eye, and she becomes obsessed with him. Plotting ways to “naturally” bump into him to strike up a conversation. What is odd though is that May isn’t so much obsessed with Adam as she is his hands. This is a recurring theme throughout the film, wherein May notices different body parts of the people in her life and longs for them, thinking they are beautiful and perfect. This is played upon even more when the receptionist at the veterinarian’s office that May works for, Polly, played by Anna Faris (Scary Movie Series), asks her what she should be for Halloween, to which May replies with a remark about how she has a beautiful neck. This signals a very interesting representation of bisexuality because May isn’t attracted to Adam or Polly’s physical appearances as much as she is attached to specific body parts that she sees as perfect. Gender is irrelevant to her.

The story continues down a mad and winding corridor of depravity. As May’s relationships with those around her start to crack, so does her sanity. This is symbolically shown when the case that houses the doll her mother gave her starts cracking more and more throughout the film, eventually shattering, signifying May’s full psychotic breakdown and subsequent murder spree.

Overall, I found this film to be incredibly fun, even if it does have some issues. MAY was Lucky McKee’s first feature-length project, and with that comes some learning curves, namely some pacing issues with the story. I found that the back story with her mother being OCD felt like it was kind of shoehorned in at the beginning. It provided the minimum context to the story, but I thought it should have either been expanded on a bit more or omitted entirely. However, I would have enjoyed seeing a bit more about May’s childhood and upbringing, but so much of it felt cut.

Other than minor story and pacing issues, I thought that just about everything else in this film was on point. The cinematography style looked really cool, and the coloration of the picture looked dark and foreboding. The soundtrack, which was composed by Jammes Luckett, was another killer standout. The acting, however, is likely the most intense and celebratory thing about this film. Bettis’ portrayal of May was incredible. She played the titular character so quietly and creepy while also keeping her endearing and oddly relatable. Anna Faris, as Polly, the receptionist, was a super fun addition to the cast as she brought with her an interesting lesbian character who was obsessed with sex. She was essentially the polar opposite of May in a good way.

So we know that the film itself is fantastic, but what about this limited edition Blu-ray box set from Second Sight Films? I am in LOVE! Second Sight’s presentation is always second to none and truly rivals the likes of competing Blu-ray labels like Arrow Video.

WHAT’S IN THE BOX?!

Included in this set are:
– A high-quality rigid hard box slipcase featuring new artwork by Bella Grace and J-Card
– A 70-page book with new essays by Joseph Dwyer, Dr. Rachel Knightley, Mary Beth McAndrews, and Heather Wixson
– Six collectors' art cards featuring stills from the film and artwork by Bella Grace
– A standard Region B locked Blu-ray disc
– The disc also comes loaded with amazing special features.
– A new audio commentary with Alexandra Heller-Nicholas
– Audio commentary with Director Lucky McKee, Cinematographer Steve Yedlin, Editor Chris Sivertson, and Actors Angela Bettis, Nichole Hiltz, and Bret Roberts
– Audio commentary with Director Lucky McKee, Editor Rian Johnson, Composer Jammes Luckett (formerly credited as Jaye Barnes Luckett), Production Designer Leslie Keel, and Craft Services guy Benji
– The Toymaker: A New Interview with Director Lucky McKee
– Perfect Hands: A new interview with Actor Jeremy Sisto
– Blankety Blank: A New Interview with Actor James Duval
– How to Execute a Murder: A New Interview with Cinematographer Steve Yedlin
– Peeling Back the Layers: a new interview with Editor Rian Johnson
– Jack and Jill: a new interview with Editor Chris Sivertson
– In the Cut: a new interview with Editor Kevin Ford
– Blood, Gore, and Rock ‘n’ Roll: A New Interview with Composer Jammes Luckett
– From Frankenstein to May: Miranda Corcoran on May
– Bits and Pieces: On the set of May

My final thoughts on this release essentially boil down to the fact that this is a fantastic film that serves as a brutal retelling of a classic gothic horror story. It will be a great film to add to your watchlist for some spooky Halloween horror. Second Sight Films did a beautiful job with this release. Even for Blu-ray, the disc looks immaculate, though I wonder why there was no 4K. I think the colors of the film would look great in UHD with an HDR treatment. The box set is killer, which is honestly common for Second Sight. In my experience, they always put out some of the most high-quality sets imaginable, and MAY is no different.

Be sure to check out my video review and unboxing of MAY on YouTube!

[photo courtesy of SECOND SIGHT FILMS]

MY SAG-AFTRA/WGA STRIKE STATEMENT:
As an advocate for creators, actors, and writers, I firmly stand with SAG-AFTRA and the WGA in their current strike. The entertainment industry is built on these individuals' extraordinary talents, and their contributions must be appropriately recognized and rewarded. They deserve fair compensation, sensible work hours, and respect for their creative rights. I believe in the power of unity and collective action, and I'm steadfast in my support for their fight for better working conditions and fair remuneration. Together, we can shape a more equitable future in the entertainment world.

#SAGAFTRA #WGA #SAGAFTRAStrong #WGAStrong