Hope for Horror

Metacritic, one of my favorite sites for entertainment reference, is making a strong case for Drag Me to Hell as a good flick, possibly one of the best horror movies in a long time. It always makes me happy to see positive reviews for horror movies as I'm a big fan of the genre. Sam Raimi, long before he was the excellent director of the Spider-Man movies, was the gloriously fun director of the Evil Dead horror franchise as well as a major part of the Xena: Warrior Princess series. Mr. Raimi understands the importance of action and humor, and he knows how to make good horror. Far from being a horror-only auteur, Raimi demonstrated his range as a director (see A Simple Plan), and his prolific resume shows major input on several franchises. I hope to see Drag Me to Hell in the theaters as having an audience to laugh and scream with is a major perk of this movie. Getting out is harder these days, but it increases the impact a theater or movie experience has on me. I'm still thinking about Red Noses, a fantastic production from Strawdog Theatre that just closed. I'm excited to see Dead Wrong from my own Factory Theater as it looks to deliver a few thrills and chills of its own. It's murder-mystery-horror, as only the Factory can do. Like Mr. Raimi, I believe the Factory knows the worth of a good laugh and the impact of a startled jump. We work from our guts. Good horror and humor are visceral experiences, so they should produced well and enjoyed to the fullest of their success. I hope Drag Me to Hell has a positive, lasting impact on the horror genre as it constantly needs a good hit to keep it alive. The Factory Theater is the same way. I believe in both.