The world is burning, so pull up a seat, get comfy, and let’s lean into the madness with a month of mayhem in the form of great horror.
The month of May was Mayhem Month, and we’re not just talking about the state of the world. After celebrating Black History Month in February, bringing you a weekly dose of outstanding Black Horror, Donna took us into March Madness — showcasing characters who descend into madness. April was dedicated to anthologies, and May was dedicated to absolute bloody chaos.
If you missed any of the episodes, now is a great time to catch up on all the must-see movie recommendations from your favorite Queen of Horror.
MAY (2002)
On this episode, I’m kicking off my Mayhem series and starting with Lucky McKee’s dazzling directorial debut, May (2002). This feminist Frankenstein tale follows a socially awkward woman (Angela Bettis) during her quest for love and acceptance. How far would you go to have the perfect friend?
May was unsuccessful at the box office, sadly, but it received favorable reviews from critics. It’s now widely considered a must-see cult classic.
MOTHER, MAY I? (2023)
I delve into a first-time watch, Mother, May I? This psychological horror-thriller centers around a young couple, Anya and Emmett, dealing with a lot of baggage when they go to clean up the home of Emmett’s recently deceased and estranged mother.
There’s a lot to unpack with this couple. It’s a fairly recent release, so I try to be as spoiler-free as possible. Come give it a listen!
MAY THE DEVIL TAKE YOU (2018)
This Indonesian horror film has shades of Evil Dead, The Exorcist, and Poltergeist but somehow has a lot of originality and uniqueness.
Written and directed by Timo Tjahanto, it follows Alfie, who, when trying to find answers to her father’s (Ray Sahetapy) mysterious illness, visits his old house and finds out events from his past. It was internationally released by Netflix on August 9, 2018. A sequel, May the Devil Take You Too, was released in 2020.
Come listen to what happens when you make a deal with the Devil, open a door that should be left alone, and have to fight your family members literally to death.
MAYHEM (2017)
For this episode, I close my Mayhem series with — what else? — Mayhem (2017). Directed by Joe Lynch, the film follows lawyer Derek Cho (Steven Yeun), who is having a really bad day. After being unjustly fired from his job, he discovers that the law firm’s building is under quarantine for a mysterious and dangerous virus. Chaos erupts throughout the office as the victims of the disease begin acting out their wildest impulses. Joining forces with a former client (Samara Weaving) who has a grudge of her own, Derek savagely fights tooth and nail to get to the executives on the top floor and settle the score once and for all.
Creative and subversive, the film was a critical success for its sharp humor and skewering of capitalism and corporate hell. Infected people in the workplace with no impulse control? Sounds like an other day in the office, to be honest.
ABOUT THE SHOW:
Donna Tha Dead is a podcast for lovers of horror, cult classics, and other genres of cinemas. Your host, Donna, is a confirmed ghost story and horror film addict. To those that can hear Donna’s voice, she invites you to come hold her hand in the darkness and listen.
New episodes typically post every other week, and you can listen right here on morbidlybeautiful.com or wherever you get your favorite podcasts.
You can connect with Donna on Instagram and Twitter @donna_tha_dead.
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