Recently in DVDs Category

Although the recent Diablo Cody-penned post-feminist horror flick "Jennifer's Body" didn't scare up much box office, it has resurrected an interest in both womens' surprising consumption of horror films, and the robust body of work surrounding feminism and the genre, in particular the trope of the "Final Girl," that strong-willed, determined gal who survives all of her male and less-pure female friends, flips the game on the psycho, and either escapes the killer (until they meet again in a sequel) or dispatches him herself. (Read more about The Final Girl, in Carol J. Glover's Men, Women and Chainsaws: Gender in the Modern Horror Film.)

And while not all of the following frighteners could strictly be called "feminist" in nature, they all feature fierce female characters and offer up plenty of scares:

The Slumber Party Massacre (1982)
Written by noted feminist activist and author Rita Mae Brown and directed by Amy Holden Jones, this slasher flick touted its female-friendly pedigree on the back of the box-- a siren call for any Junior High group of gals looking for some Friday night fun. Rumor has it that 'Massacre' was originally conceived as a parody of the genre--the killer uses a massive drill to dispatch his victims (yes, it's that phallicly obvious), but producers churned out an earnest rendition with some unintentionally, classically funny bits. Valerie, the new girl in town, isn't invited to neighbor Trish's slumber party, but that doesn't stop her from getting involved when the local escaped insane murderer crashes.

I can't say I celebrate Halloween much. I just never developed a fascination as a child with vampires, monsters, goblins, etc. I still like a few Halloween-themed movies that have become modern classics like "Monster House," "Monsters, Inc." and "The Corpse Bride" and end up on top Halloween viewing lists, including Movie Mom's, but I have gone in search of some unusual movie choices for DVD watching this Halloween. Not all of these movie specifically reference Halloween , or even creatures from the beyond, but they have a mix of fun and humor mixed with a bit of darkness that make them interesting viewing alternatives for Halloween.

Any other untraditional. spooky but entertaining films I might be missing? Let me know!

Lemony Snicket: A Series of Unfortunate Events
Somehow I think all of Tim Burton's masterpieces have overshadowed this movie as a just-scary-enough movie choice for the whole family. I love Jim Carrey's performance as Count Olaf, a man who plans to outsmart three orphaned children so he can gain their inheritance. Meryl Streep's performance in this movie as Aunt Josephine is one that is often overlooked as well.

Bubba Ho-Tep
I stumbled across this cult classic over at Netflix and couldn't believe I had never heard of this very dark comedy about two retirement home residents (Ossie Davis and Bruce Campbell) and their battle again an evil spirit - and giant bugs. This movie was shot on almost no budget so it is a no-frills campy thriller that still has a surprising amount of heart.

A new vigilante movie made a bigger splash than expected this weekend, and I think the reasons for it are, well, timeless. "Law Abiding Citizen" hearkens back to the great vigilante renaissance of the 70's, but really goes back to one of the biblical themes of the Old Testament. There is something about us that wants to see "an eye for an eye." It's gratifying. It's fulfilling. It's inspiring.

Or is it?

What is it in the heart of all of us that wants justice? Where does it come from, that we want what's fair when someone or some thing really seems to have taken unfair advantage of someone else. Those who loved "Walking Tall," "Billy Jack," "Taxi Driver" and even "Batman" can testify to the visceral and gritty satisfaction that comes in watching "justice" being delivered on screen.

I don't think "Law Abiding Citizen" rises to the artful level of "Dirty Harry" nor the raw brazenness of "Death Wish," but it certainly ranks as a contender of the this decade's Strongest Vigilante Films list.

Dennis Lim explored the topic of vigilantes in film recently in his L.A. Times blog. So did Joseph Tirella when Jodie Foster's "The Brave One" came out awhile back. I like Steven Wyble's list which he started last year. And Amazon.com is one of the many sites that dedicates a categorical listing to the vigilante DVDs currently available.

It was one of the most challenging requests God ever made of His people when He said that the work of avenging a wrong would be His work, not theirs. Conversely, He often instructed his Old Testament leaders to be the instruments of His vengeance. Where does that leave us?

I suppose there are two ways to look at the documentary "As We Forgive." One way would be to dismiss it's premise quickly in light of several other documentaries that have already tackled the subject of the genocide in Rwanda in magnificent fashion. The other way to approach "As We Forgive" is to wonder in amazement why there has been so little media follow-up on the tragedy of fifteen years ago when close to a million Rwandans lost their lives.

I didn't have to watch very much of the film before my opinion of "As We Forgive" fell into the second category. The film centers around the stories of three different people in the aftermath of the massacre. In 2003, when thousands of murderers were released back into their communities, victims had to come face to face with the people who killed their families. What happened next was more than forgiveness; the painful journey of true reconciliation had just begun.

Forgiveness is good for your health - just ask spiritual heavyweights like Sister Helen Prejean, Deepak Chopra, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and many others. But while their insights into the necessity of forgiveness and reconciliation are important to the health of the human soul are intelligent and articulate, the documentary "The Big Question" delivers its message the strongest through the forgiving words of those victimized by horrible acts of violence.

The documentary, produced by Catholic film company Paulist Productions, begins with recounting the massacre of Amish girls at a Pennsylvania schoolhouse in 2006. That night, the parents of the girls did something astonishing: they went to the shooter's home in an act of forgiveness. They even went to the funeral of the shooter - a man who had turned the gun on himself after the slayings.