Dead Wrong - Opens June 26th

It's getting closer. And closer.



Murder, mystery, and thrills done right. I've seen the previews and this'll give you the shakes as you try to figure out whodunnit. Brought to you by Chicago's Finest Theater, the Factory. Go to www.thefactorytheater.com. See if you can figure out who the killer is. Maybe you'll be right, but maybe you'll be DEAD WRONG.

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.

Spring Choppingly Heads This Way

Baseball Season is almost here. Almost. It's one of the many things I look forward to during the winter, along with the first sun dress and tank top I see; signs of warmth and sun sticking around. I will masochistically be following the Cubs again with high hopes. I do love them despite (or is it because of?) the pain they give. I registered for my place in line for season tickets about a year ago and I have moved up to 81,562. Yes!!!

Spring is my favorite time for it's rejuvenation and reawakening. With a one year-old running around and a sibling due to arrive soon, I need all the reawakening I can get. I hope to be writing more about sun and grass soon. In the mean time, I'm reading the Factory Theater Blog and going to see Mop Top Festival, which I'm proud to have been a part of behind the scenes. The writing for the other blog has slowed, but hopefully Mike and I will pick that up again eventually. No promises since he's also expecting a child, but we'll see.

Now back to my dinosaur novel (in between writing scintillating copy for marketing)...

Happy End of 2008

Eventful times this year, to say the least. In small, personal ways and also in large, global ones. I'm thankful for the home my family is building, I'm thankful for all my time with my beloved Factory Theater, I'm thankful for the first steps and sounds my son is making, and I'm looking toward 2009 with a nervous excitement. Jack Bauer will be back to help ease Anxiety Mondays. We will have a new administration in the United States; right now, I'm profoundly happy for the change and hopeful that the Obama presidency justifies the immense amount of faith invested in it. There's great uncertainty about financial stability, there's many challenges and worries to face, and many good people were lost this year. But the days are getting longer, the temperatures will eventually start rising, and the calendar begins anew. Happy New Year and let's see what comes next.

The Next Great Factory Show: Bustin Out of The Hell!

It's the final show in our 15th Anniversary Season and TONIGHT is the gala benefit! Come and see the show (I'm in this one; my first Factory show in over a year!) and then have lots of liquor and food fixins. The show is a blast and the same high energy, quality comedy, life-lovin romp that the Factory Theater is known for: CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS and come have a raucous romp through the afterlife! The show runs through December 6, so you got lots of time and no excuse. Bless you.

Coming Soon from the Factory...

Opening right between Halloween and my birthday...

The Factory Theater's Bustin Out of the Hell...but first, THE LAUNCH PARTY.

Must be seen in person to be believed. So be there for the Cain Mutiny's fantastic tunes, a preview of the Factory take on the afterlife, and all the usual delicious food and drink from the incomparable Chief O'Neils pub. Bless them all.

Homage to a Master

"At the Movies" officially closed up shop this past weekend. This show, with Gene Siskel (later Richard Roeper) and Roger Ebert, provided thoughts on movies for 33 years. Over three decades. The show reached its "Jesus Birthday." It had life and love of movies. I'm connected to this show in two ways.

First, I love the movies and occasionally dabble in my own review and criticism of the medium (see sidebar at right). I've won an online contest for one review, but that's the limit of my accolades as a movie critic. Siskel & Ebert were the masters. They became one of the most recognized and legitimate standards of movie measurement for decades. They formed a unique love-hate relationship with the movies and each other (more on this later). Even after Siskel's untimely death, "At the Movies" continued for years with Richard Roeper. For my money, Siskel was better and the main reason the show kept its success was Ebert's ability and fame. Ebert can accept a teen sex comedy and horror movies for what they are and what they do, and he recognizes these types of movies when they do their work well and chastises them when they're only fluff. I don't think Roeper can appreciate a well-done horror movie. It's not high brow enough for him. That's his loss. See for yourself in his interview with Ebert on Chicago Tonight the next time it's replayed.

My second connection to "At the Movies" is from the Factory Theater's production of Siskel & Ebert Save Chicago which Roger Ebert himself came to watch and was kind enough to mention on his own site. I have love and respect for Roger Ebert because of his relationship with movies and his patronage of the Factory Theater. Ebert is a masterful writer and critic. Look no further than the eloquence personified from Ebert's own statement on the ending of his show (many thanks to good buddy Eric Roach from the Factory for sharing this). I felt several heart muscles rip as Ebert comes to the "time to awake from my daydream." That still hurts. I will be eagerly awaiting his next venture and I'm so happy for all he has given to movies.

On Sunday, I read an exceptional article from Christopher Borrelli at the Tribune. In case the Tribune link dies, here are some highlights to illustrate:

"[With the ending of 'At the Movies'] the informed movie review can be placed officially on the endangered species list. On TV, let's just declare it extinct."

"Siskel and Ebert said what they felt, and you never doubted their sincerity or honesty. Even today—especially today—this remains a radical idea. What Siskel and Ebert created is still the closest that television criticism has ever come to former New Yorker writer Pauline Kael's insistence that 'the critic is the only independent source of information. The rest is advertising.'"

"...what chills the blood is that film criticism has been so diminished in recent years that Disney-ABC didn't even attempt to replace reputation with reputation, or continue what Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert started. "

"But I bet for the average everyday moviegoers who rarely think beyond 'I liked it' or "I hated it" and who rarely consider aesthetics or polemics or politics when they go to a multiplex, the end of the original incarnation of "At the Movies" will feel like the finale of film criticism itself. The argument has ended. And the argument, as "At the Movies" taught us, was the thing—that art itself was arguable, and that was OK."

"Indeed, it wouldn't be an overstatement to say that for a generation or two of moviegoers, it was Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert who introduced the idea that good criticism is not about finality or consensus or putting your thumb up or down. It's about argument itself."

I'm in total agreement with Mr. Borrelli and I only want to add one thing. In addition to the arguments they generate, what makes movies and "At the Movies" so valuable are the relationships to the movie material and the people who are with you, whether you're discussing the movie together or watching it. Siskel and Ebert formed close relationships to their movies and a closer relationship with each other. These relationships were rocky (sometimes ugly), they were happy, and they were honest. A family of and about the movies plus all the sometimes awful, sometimes great dynamics that go with family. A family for 33 years, complete with arguments. It was good and it shall be missed.

The Factory Scores! And Adds More!

Ren Faire! A Fistful of Ducats is both a Metromix pick and Highly Recommended by the Chicago Reader. Just when you thought it couldn't get any better, along comes the next great Factory show, Shamless Shamuses!

The Factory is working third shift to bring more fantastic theater to the people. Follow the doings of Duck, Dodge & Hyde who have to solve the craziest case of their collective detective careers! Take the Three Stooges, drop in the Marx Brothers, unload the Ritz Brothers, introduce the Waldowsky Sisters and top off with mystery, mayhem, music, and plenty of fine jokes. Bring a brace for the shaking of your ribs.



I'm so proud and happy to be a part of this fantastic place.

Click here for tickets or go to www.thefactorytheater.com for more info.

Ren Faire: The Next Great Factory Show

The Factory Theater presents:


Think of a turf war between Renaissance Fair denizens and Old West stunt people in a West Side Story style, only funnier and with better song and dance. Verily, 'twill be some good fun, pardner.

Click here for tickets or go to www.thefactorytheater.com for more info. Now that the Factory website has been updated in a thoroughly modern style, you can see my mug there too, if you so desire. But you better be buying a ticket first or getting a drink from me as your bartender for this Saturday's gala performance. Cheers!

CERES. The Next Factory Theater Show (Good Press Already Coming In...)

Here's what the critics are saying about Ceres!

"...here's the rare anticorporate play that offers more than just the vantage point of the disgruntled, unappreciated workers on the bottom rung." **** (FOUR STARS) Time Out Chicago

"...high-octane energy..allows theatergoers to feel like privileged voyeurs in the lions' den of high-volatility investment brokers... leaves us with the message to question the beast even if it's lavishly feeding the cow." Centerstage Chicago

"...a solid cast...I was very impressed with several of the actors and the characters they brought to life." Steadstyle Chicago

Directed by: Angelina Martinez
Written by: Heather Tyler
Featuring: Rob Biesenbach, Gretchen Carter, Ruta James, Jen LaForte, Christopher Marcum, Alex Moore, Chelsea Paice, Missy Styles, & Chas Vrba
Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 7pm through Saturday April 26th
Tickets: $20.00
Factory Theater at the Prop Thtr 3502 N. Elston Ave.
Ordering Tickets: call 866.811.4111 or order online by clicking here.

Set against the backdrop of Chicago's Financial District and one broker's surreal subconscious, Ceres takes us into the lions' den of hot-shot investment insurance brokers, sneaking a glimpse into the dubious actions of clandestine Unit 57 and its Board of Directors. Inspired by the demise of one of our nation's oldest industries and those caught in the middle of a scandal that continues today, Ceres exposes moments of truth and volatility, camaraderie and outright betrayal, where the world of corporate governance permeates individual beliefs of what is ethical - and desirable - in business and in life.

I'm so proud of our little company. This is a show with a lot of fine work in writing, directing, production design, and acting. I love the distortions the play exposes in the business world and the story of one woman's struggles with identity while trying in that same cutthroat world. Don't take my word for it. Get your tickets & go see for yourself.

Whether It Will Last...

My place of employment (where I am a copywriter; I'm actually being paid to write which astounds me) normally blocks Blogger through their firewall, but for whatever reason, I'm able to sign in during writing hours for the first time in months. No guarantee it will last, so I'll use this time for an update.

Biggest personal update: my wife and I welcomed our first child on October 1, 2007. He's beautiful and it's been utterly exhausting. There's no way to properly describe how tired one gets with a newborn, but I found I could function for 36 hours straight. Granted, I was irritable, exhausted, and insane but I was functional at a basic level. Luckily, the little guy is really good-looking and has a terrific personality. Other updates: the Factory Theater rolls on. Dirty Diamonds was a critical and commercial success. It was part of the Best of 2007 in the Chicago Tribune, selected as a Metromix pick, and received great attention from audiences and critics. Timeout also gave Siskel and Ebert a nice write-up alongside some history of the Factory. I'm very proud to be in the ensemble of such a fine company.

Having a newborn in the family has completely erased any semblance of my previous existence, but I guess that's sort of supposed to happen. He was a long and painful time coming, and adusting to him along with keeping other stuff in order takes a lot of time. Still, I try to keep abreast of writing, theater, and movies, but all of that has slipped back a bit. Best movie I can recommend now is Juno, but I haven't seen many, so there may be some good movies I'm missing. Writing-wise, Pulp Friday is being developed into a play, and Clarity in Amsterdam was never published but a few things can certainly be fixed within it.

Hopefully, there will be more entries here soon. What say you, firewall?

Coming to the Factory...

The next production from the Factory Theater (my happy place of residence as Ensemble): a gritty bit of crime, trickery, and a hidden stash of loot. Sin in Vegas, guns in faces, and a femme fatale looking aces (or is it spades?) Oh, and I will be bartending Saturday for the benefit performance. Care to wager I pour you the best damn drink ever?

Here's a show teaser:



$30 bucks for a soon to be classic show, open bar, kick ass tunes, and partying with the one and only Factory Theater???

COME ON!

Further information on the Factory Theater

Crazy Good Time Peace of Mind

Holy cow, what a month. I've wanted to post more about the extraordinarily good time of Roger Ebert coming to see the Factory Theater (of which I am now a proud Ensemble member) and Siskel and Ebert Save Chicago. I'm so glad he came to see our little show and enjoyed himself. It's been a great run which will sadly end next week. Happily, though, we've added two extra shows on Sunday the 29th. Here's a little background and here's just a little more background behind the show. The Factory Theater is a damn fine place to call home, and credit an outstanding cast, whipcrack direction, indisputably exceptional stage managing, and a slickly smart playwriting mind as major components of the latest, greatest success. It's fair to say I love being a part. Tonight, we were graced by the Siskel family and some other terrific people who hopefully enjoyed our playful and sweetly vulgar show. Thanks all.

Would that my new job's firewall did not block Blogger or I'd be posting my gushing like a fiend. As it is, I'll put up my giddies whenever I can. I'll have to find means of coping with show withdrawl a week from now. It's painful to let a good thing go; I get sad and weepy throwing out old notebooks from classes I took 15 years ago. Memory is precious to me. I know it's abstract, but I remember many things physically, and I never feel I'm holding tight enough to the good stuff. That's the difficult part of closing a show since there's not many tactile reminders of the laughs, sweat, and work that's gone into months of work and good times. Being in a show like Siskel & Ebert Save Chicago (and doing theater in general) is a bit like having a security blanket; I value it so highly but I know it's something I have to give up eventually and move on. I'm very glad to be in the Factory Theater family because I know there will be more good times to come. Plus, I may just have access to video files of past shows so I can relive the magic. Still, nothing will replace running back and forth between scenes from backstage to the front of the house, sweating my guts off, working a scene or watching the Roller Girls, Socombie minions or shtickingly accurate portrayals of local media celebrities work their magic while we and the audience happily laugh in the fun. Memory scrapbook moments. I wish I had these comforting peaces of mind on paper protected by plastic, but quoting lines to myself and snickering aloud in public (not so silently) will just have to do. Thumbs up.

Holy Shit

Tonight, for the Factory Theater's opening of Siskel and Ebert Save Chicago, Roger Ebert himself was in the audience. He apparently gave it a thumbs up and appeared to enjoy himself. Wow. That's so cool. Especially after all the other good buzz the show's been getting. I'll write more on this later. I have to go to sleep. Thanks, Roger!

Coming Soon...

From the Factory Theater, Siskel and Ebert Save Chicago. What if there were no more movies? What if secret shadowy agencies were trying to turn Chicago into a bland, one-dimensional entertainment black hole? What if there had to be serious laughs and ass-kicking fights to prevent all this? Go see this show and by God, you'll find out. I'm mostly playing parts associated with the shadowy agencies...



BONUS! There will be a ten minute serial series to open each of these shows working in three parts throughout the run. I'm lucky because I'm a fan of playing maniacal villains and the serial series format; this show allows me to do BOTH! Don't miss it.

Other Developments in Local Stage Horror

Time's rapidly dwindling to see Operation Infiltration at the Factory Theater. Just like my previous acting experience with the Factory Theater, I've immensely enjoyed the ensemble, the cast, and the process. It's been a welcome balm in a frustrating year. The past twelve months peppered life with heights and plummets, but the Factory shows stand out as powerfully good times.

Come and support my local mental balm.

Show Wrap Up

Bittersweet weekend as the very successful run of GI's in Europe at the Factory Theater came to a close. Boy, did I enjoy that show. One of the best casts I've ever worked with, a killer crew that made everything on stage look good, and nice crowds throughout the run. I'm sad to be losing it. I'll miss the people and the exercise, but this show was a damn fine way to get back into the theater. Appropriate that there was a surreal ending to our celebrations on Saturday: upon closing Chief O'Neill's around 3 AM, all of us stumble outside to see Elston avenue drowning in a sea of bicycles heading northwest. Most likely this was an opening event for the Chicago Gay Games, but I never found out. There was no end in sight to this line of people whirring by. I don't know how many thousand people went past us, but we stood for several minutes while this river of cyclists clicked by at a leisurely pace, stirring the early morning air into our faces. The constant, high-pitched hum of thousands of bike chains and gears sounded almost like water running past. Maybe this was my need for a romantic moment of nostalgia, a unique snapshot to burn an image into my mind so I could hold on to the experience of the past few months and hold the people in my show a little tighter in memory. The evening was a swirl of the heartachey celebration of accomplishment and sadness of moving on to other things combined with quite a few vodka tonics: a guaranteed recipe for heavy maudlin. Still, this was a unique and happy moment, a feeling that moving on from this show is not a loss, and other fun, weirdly composed, and good experiences await. I must have been drinking happy vodka.

Factory Theater's next project: a horror movie on stage called Operation Infiltration. Oh yeah. See a trailer for the show here.

My next project: traveling to Minnesota and a taking a long winding road home through North and South Dakota. The Black Hills, Badlands, and Deadwood await. Then comes the final month of summer, new work for the fall, and who knows what else. I hope my next show comes soon and I'm so glad my spring and early summer were filled with GI's in Europe and the people of that show. There will always be happy memories and I suspect I'll still quote lines out-loud while at work and crack myself up. My co-workers have gotten used to my crazy person behavior of snickering to myself while saying non-sensical things. They know the source and they know why I laugh. A few of them even came to see what makes me laugh. It's enough for now for me to hold the memories and say the lines to myself. I hope there's more soon.

Greedy Hearts

Reading one of my favorite blogs, I noticed my buddy and uber-successful blogger Deej write about greed touching the hearts of all men. Specifically, Deej references the train-wreck show "America's Got Talent" and comments on how the Screen Actor's Guild strike of 2000, the strike's resolution and subsequent writer's strike helped facilitate the boom of reality television. Deej points out some artists believe that network execs are to blame for the dumbing down of entertainment because train wreck reality shows have much lower talent fees since people voluntarily expose themselves to potential fame and/or humiliation. Deej also opines that creative unions and guilds make artists as corrupt as everyone else. These writings come on the blog's "Open Thread Thursday" and I believe Deej may create a fascinating discussion.

Two events in the year of the actor's strike stick out for me. The first was an offer to audition to be a Toyota spokesperson for a cool $50,000 for a few months work. This offer came from an agent who spent two years ignoring me, my work, and my mailings. As non-union talent, I was on a much lower rung, but I suddenly got the attention I'd been craving. After a good deal of thought, I turned down the audition, feeling that I would be less of a person if I took advantage of an actor's strike to further my career. After turning down this audition, I did not get any more calls from any agents. A few weeks later, the second notable event was upon me as I listened to a union actor friend of mine go on his soapbox about the trials of the striking actors. He bemoaned the fact that he actually had to get a temp job to support himself now that he was an actor on strike. I'd been supporting myself on lousy temp jobs for over five years while I tried to get paid acting work. It was a rude reality that I was very familiar with and I didn't appreciate the distaste that this actor showed on becoming a part of my reality. I certainly knew that it was wrong for the entertainment industry to try to make millions of dollars through shady deals and using new technologies like the internet and cable to take revenue away from working talent. However, I had no sympathy for striking actors who told me how awful my level of reality was and told me to fight for them so they could return to their higher plain and I could stay on the unpaid lower non-union rung. Supporting the actors on strike took potential revenue away from me, as well. Still, crossing the line to take advantage of labor unrest isn't something I could do. By the third month of the strike, I had dislike and distaste for both sides. Over the next few years, I focused more on theatrical acting; voluntarily unpaid work without messy labor issues that allowed me to further explore the craft I love so much.

Now, to the point that greed touches the hearts of all men. I've spent over fifteen years trying to find the job that balances the realities of artistic fulfillment and living wage income. I've yet to secure a permanent position in teaching, the job I believe best balances the realities. I would dearly love to be paid for the theater work I love so much. I would happily take paid TV, movie, radio, theater, or teaching work. I'm not willing to use labor unrest to further my acting career, nor do I want to debase myself for agents, casting directors, or the American television public to make a living. I'm greedy for the attention and fulfillment the theater world gives me. I'd love to be watched and adored by millions of people. I want to make as much money as possible, regardless of my career path, and if money and career were being taken away from me, I'd fight to keep it. However, for every single career, success depends on who you know. Every single long-term job I've gotten has come from a personal connection to the company or successful name dropping. So yes, greed does touch the hearts of all, but your level of greed depends on who you know.

UPDATE FOR 2009: I'm happy to say that I've found a theatrical home in the Factory Theater and that I've found some balance working as a writer. No way of saying for sure that these are the final paths and places for me, but for the past two years, it really feels like it was worth all the time (15+ years) spent searching. There certainly has been less personal labor unrest and a great deal of fulfillment. I'm glad I know who I know at the Factory and I'm fortunate to work where I do. Stay tuned.

The Joys of the Fringe

Opening week has come and gone. The cast was spectacular, the crowds were good except for Sunday, and the theatre was hot. Really. Hot. The AC broke and we all had to sweat. This didn't dampen any enthusiasm and our audiences still laughed. One of our actresses nearly passed out after a particularly frenetic scene, but after a little heaving and some water, she was right back at it. Did I mention that I love everyone in the cast and crew? This past week only increased those feelings. Everyone threw themselves into their work with dedicated abandon, and I'd like to think that the results were really good. I'm really looking forward to the rest of the run. The AC will be fixed this week, friends and others are coming to see the show, and this has been as good a return to the active theatre as I could hope for. Find info on the show at this previous post, or go to the Factory Theater website directly by clicking on this bit of bold text. I'll have to update another previous post to document what's true about me online. Busy times, but I'm having a good time with these outside interests of mine. Now if only I could have some steady paycheck from a career I love (be it from teaching, writing, acting, or some combo of the three), a lack of anxiety every Monday morning, a successful & consistent composing ability, and the ability to have everything nice and orderly in a disorderly world. Yes, that unrealistic greed gets the best of me sometimes, but right now, I'm getting some satisfactory life time. This comes from mainly from rejoining a previous lifetime on the fringe non-union Chicago theatre, but as I attempt to create a career or two outside of the practical money-making career I used to have, and stubbornly believe that I can have a well-paid day job doing something I love, I feel like I'm making the most of life's outside edges. I'm also very grateful for what the fringe gives back to me. This will serve as my reminder post for when I get cranky and dissatisfied with the inevitable future fringe frustration. Here's hoping I'm cheering myself up in the future.

Horrors!

My mind got rolling around last night, thanks to a great conversation with several good folks after a delightful Factory Theater show (go see it; lots of fun). Not only was the Factory Show a welcome break from the job stress and general Anxiety Monday dynamic, but I also got to talk about one of my favorite subjects: horror movies. Many topics within the subject were bandied about in the bar (Wes Craven, High Tension, really good movie scares, and lots more), but one of my favorite topics was the course of horror movies today. I saw Hostel, which was crazy over-the-top gore, but I have not seen the re-make of The Hills Have Eyes, originally done by Wes Craven. Apparently, The Hills Have Eyes goes much farther than Hostel in certain scenes in terms of realism. When I see the The Hills Have Eyes remake, I suspect I'll take issue with it if the gore and sadism is focused on being as real and graphic as possible. Horror movies are swinging back towards a trend they reached in the late 1980s when gore and special effects took precedence over scares and stories. Here's the thing: I love my gore and I love my sadism in horror movies. They're integral. I also love to have the shit scared out of me; gore is usually not as applicable to fright as is good composition. I want one or the other from my horror movies. I want straight-up shallow characters getting hacked to glorious bit with lots of bloody squibs, naked boobs, nubile-young-and-dumb victims from frat boys to coeds, comical torture, cheesy dialogue, and predictable settings. Or, I want a well-constructed scare along the lines of The Ring or the first Nightmare on Elm Street. I don't need ultra-realism from my horror. My own mind is sadistic and gore-filled enough; I don't need my horror fed to me. Intensely effective horror/torture scenes don't show all the details. A Clockwork Orange, Bill Pullman's nuts getting hammered in The Serpent and the Rainbow, and Janet Leigh's run-in with androgynous biker thugs in Touch of Evil all spring to mind, and there are many others. These movies left the money shot up to your mind, where it's far more depraved and horrible than any special effect could conjure, certainly if you have my mind. I'll still watch the Hills remade, just because of curiosity, but I wish for the swing back to a well-balanced horror genre of scare with story and effective gore. Otherwise, some outraged, uptight social group is going slow the genre down because of whatever spiritual virtue of theirs is getting too molested. I fear for our society if we don't get ourselves a good dose of movie horror.

The Second Horror Movie Soapbox Moment
A Truly Good Horror Movie