Vacation

I am on vacation, and all I want to do is read. I made myself a list of things I want to accomplish, and finishing some books is on there. But I have no interest in doing any of the other things. What I want to do is read more. I want to re-read the Haunting of Hill House. I want to finish the lovely new book by Sy Montgomery that I have been taking my sweet time with (because secretly I don't want it to end). I want to finish the second book in the Sunstone series (and I will, don't you fret). And now I want to re-read a book I first read ten years ago, mentioned in this article by Soraya Roberts called The Others: Why Women are Shut Out of Horror. I've been watching horror films, along with my siblings and friends since, well since I was much younger than the appropriate age for those very films. Many of the friends I watch with are women, and many are queer. The notion that horror is just for "teenage boys" is ridiculous, but it has been perpetuated over and over and over. The idea that women "don't" or "can't" make good, enjoyable, entertaining, excellent horror films is ludicrous. Some of the best horror films I have seen in the last 5 years have been directed (and written or co-written by women): The Devil's Doorway (Aislinn Clark), The Babadook (Jennifer Kent), Raw (Julia Ducournau), A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (Ana Lily Amirpour), Karyn Kusama (Jennifer's Body, The Invitation) and Alice Lowe (Prevenge). We have the Soska Sisters (American Mary, ABC's of Death 2, upcoming remake of Rabid) and Coralie Fargeat (Revenge) pushing boundaries. Mary Herron (American Psycho). Mary Lambert (Pet Semetary 1 &2), and Jackie Kong (Blood Diner) who made 80's and 90's horror with little mention of the films having a women at the helm. Oscar winner Kathryn Bigelow made Near Dark, a genre busting vampire movie. I'm just dropping a few names but there are more. Let women in, dudes. They are making original, scary movies, not just regurgitating the same old cliched stuff.