Welcome to Screen Gems, our weekend dive into queer and queer-adjacent titles of the past that deserve a watch or a rewatch.
The Screamer: M.O.M.-Mothers of Monsters
This horror/thriller gem didn’t get enough press when it debuted earlier this year. That gives us the pleasure of recommending it here, just in time for Halloween.
The film stars Melinda Page Hamilton of Desperate Housewives as Abbey, mother to Jacob (Bailey Edwards in his leading debut; he’s the son of Top Gun & E.R. star Anthony Edwards). Abbey begins recording everything on hidden video around the house, convinced that Jacob is an aspiring psychopath. Jacob also might be gay; the movie toys with us on that subject, which somehow adds to the thrills. Jacob reacts to his mom with reasonable disgust…and develops a terrifying plan of his own.
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Much in the vein of Whatever Happened to Baby Jane and even The Shining, M.O.M. chronicles a descent into madness. But just who is the crazy one in this mess? Hamilton gives a compelling performance, as does veteran actor Ed Asner in a brief role as Jacob’s psychiatrist. The movie, however, belongs to Edwards, who shows off great range and charisma with some very difficult material. Handsome, magnetic and radiating an impish sexiness, he shows real potential as a leading man. That’s he’s also queer in real life is just an added bonus here.
M.O.M. doesn’t rely on heavy gore or jump scares for its thrills. Rather, it allows its leading performers to show off their skills, and lets its characters get under the skin of viewers. Modest, sneaky and very tense, it will leave you panting…one way or another
Streams on Amazon & iTunes.
Chrisk
Yes.
Donston
That headline certainly isn’t cute. But Hollywood has always played up the “pretty white boy who happens to be crazy” trope.
dali
Yes! Psychopaths must be attractive because they need to have a superficial charm about them. Who would be attracted to an unattractive irresponsible, remorseless, lying, manipulating, disregarding and violent gross-looking person? Many of us have been victims, right? Fortunately, we’re still alive.
Joshooeerr
Donald Trump? Roy Cohn?
ElPillo
I’m still waiting to see the attractive psychopath. Don’t see it in the trailer.
Dick Gozinia
To each his own. I think he’s cute.
chris_clb614
Fingers crossed that Bailey doesn’t have to worry about going bald.
KyleMichelSullivan
Another cute psychopath…not for me. Especially since they’re suggesting he might be queer.
The vast majority of psychos look more like the Orange Bastard in the White house than adorable Hollywood kids. (re: John Wayne Gacy, Andrei Chikatilo, William Bonin, Leonard Lake, Richard Ramirez, Dean Corll, David Berkowitz, Henry Lee Lucas, Dennis Rader…it goes on and on.
shoop
So where’s the sexy psycho?
Liquid Silver
Getting drippy for the underage or barely of age again? Yeah, that’s wrong. If you have to ask why that’s wrong, then I can’t explain it to you and you might be a bit of a psychopath yourself.
Sam
A psychopath is usually a CEO, doctor, model, businessman, leader, and the one percent. Sometime psychopath is freaking psycho or a serial killer.
Kangol2
Not at all attractive. Not even a single eyelash.