Masters of Horror (TV Series) Sick Girl (2006) User Reviews

a novice "Master" produces one of the series' better episodes

[Jonny_Numb · 7/10 · 30 June 2006]

There is a certain unease to the supplements on the 'Sick Girl' DVD. Director Lucky McKee is strangely reserved in divulging the details of his life and career, as are the collaborators interviewed for the 'Working with a Master' featurette. It's not hard to see why; as many others (even "Masters of Horror" creator Mick Garris) have pointed out, McKee is a director with only one (publicly released) horror film to his name. Granted, that film is the stunning, oddly sad sleeper "May" (which even Roger Ebert awarded 4 stars), which contained a star-making performance from Angela Bettis (who truly lends professionalism and skill to an oft-derided genre). One should also keep in mind that McKee was added to the "Masters" roster when George Romero dropped out, and it is therefore not a matter of privilege, but necessity, that produced his entry, which plays runner-up only to John Landis' excellent 'Deer Woman.' As in "May," the director shows his knack for putting the veiled motives of human behavior and the complexities of relationships out in the open. 'Sick Girl' follows lonely lesbian scientist Ida (Angela Bettis) who is enamored of the mysterious Misty (Erin Brown, aka Misty Mundae, of "Duck!"), whom she becomes involved; Ida is in love with bugs, and when Misty is bitten by an 'aggressive' new addition, she gradually begins to lose her sanity. While the climax makes full use of the KNB FX budget, the episode is more engaging in the eccentric relationship these two women share, making the viewer truly care as things become increasingly weird. Save for a silly final scene, this is easily one of the best MOH episodes I've seen thus far.

6.5 out of 10

Beware With the Brazilian Bug

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 9 June 2007]

The lonely, shy and lesbian etymologist Ida Teeter (Angela Bettis) of The McNaughton Museum of Natural History is obsessed by her "pets", actually her collection of insects. She works with her colleague and friend Max (Jesse Hlubik), also her adviser in sexual behavior. Ida receives an anonymous package from Brazil with an unclassified insect but the weird bug breaks free from the box. Meanwhile Ida falls in love for the gorgeous Misty Falls (Erin Brown), who is bitten and infected by the bug and moves to Ida's apartment. When Ida receives letters from her former Professor Malcolm Wolf explaining how the insect reproduces and transforms the animals he bites, Ida is apprehensive about Misty.

"Sick Girl" is one of the best episodes of "Master of Horror" show. Directed by Lucky McKee (of "May") and with Angela Bettis performing another weird and eccentric character, the story recalls the sci-fi / horror genre of the 50's or 60's with eerie monster and lots of black humor. I was surprised with the extensive filmography of the good and beautiful actress Erin Brown, who is completely unknown for me. I believe most of her movies have not been released in Brazil, and this is certainly the first film that I see her. Surprisingly there are bad reviews in IMDb of this episode. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Criatura Maligna" ("Evil Creature")

Strange episode but I liked it.

[tampaaries · 6/10 · 21 October 2022]

This was without a doubt a bizarre episode lol but it was different than other episodes of Masters of Horror and I liked it. It had comedy and creepiness nothing really scary about this episode but the women were both strange to say the least, both were beautiful and both were good actors. It started off kinda slow but started getting more interesting midway through. I know people have mixed views about this episode being stupid but i actually enjoyed it. It's ashame I've never seen either of these women in any other shows or movies, I thought they were great in this show and they definitely made this episode more enjoyable to watch.

Fun and Campy Horror Lesbian Rom-Com! See It

[RockPortReview · 16 June 2013]

"Sick Girl" is a 60 minute episode of the Showtime series "Masters of Horror" and like "May" was also directed by Lucky Mckee. "Sick Girl" is a bizarrely funny romantic comedy surrounded by bugs and small doses of horror that make it really fun.

Starring Angela Bettis, as Ida Teeter, an entomologist who is looking for a woman who's not disgusted by her obsession with the creepy crawly things she keeps all over her apartment. As a character Ida seems to have been transported from the 1940s. She has the period hairdo and talks in a sort of way that is hard to describe. Erin Brown AKA Misty Mundae plays Ida's love interest Misty Falls, yeah sounds kind of confusing. Misty spends her time drawing fairies and pixies in the lobby of where Ida works. Ida works up the courage to ask Misty out and their whirlwind romance begins.

The episode opens with a guy capturing a big exotic bug and mailing it to Ida, who is excited about the mysterious and very aggressive specimen. This bug eventually does escape and makes a home for itself inside Ida's pillow. Talk about your bedbugs. Misty is bitten by the nasty thing that starts a gradual transformation in her. The whole episode is B-movie-ish and campy but is also fun and horrific. Like in "May" Ida is a lonely soul who surrounds her self with surrogate friends in the bugs. She is anxious and nervous of what people think of her, afraid of rejection. She finally finds a kindred spirit in Misty, who accept her for who she is, but Ida's bug obsession comes back to literally and fugitively bite her back.

Their relationship is put to the test as the bug starts to take over Misty and culminates in a pretty insane ending. Ida and Misty do end up together but under some pretty strange circumstances. "Sick Girl" is available as a stand alone DVD packed with special features and is pretty cheap.

A Black Comedy More Than Horror, But in A Good Way

[Witchfinder-General-666 · 6/10 · 11 October 2007]

Being a fan of the "Masters Of Horror" series, I was quite curious to see this 10th episode of the first season, Lucky Mc Kee's "Sick Girl" starring Angela Bettis, the star of McKee's 2002 film "May". "Sick Girl" is not quite a typical MoH episode, as it could best be described as a very black comedy with a fair amount of creepiness and a twisted sense of humor.

Ida Teeter (Angela Bettis), a lesbian etymologist, is a shy person who is desperately looking for a companion as her romances usually end quickly due to her obsession with her beloved insects. Shortly after she is sent a mysterious Brazilian bug by mail, Ida's luck changes, when she meets Misty (Erin Brown), a peculiar but lovable and beautiful young woman...

"Sick Girl" is quite different to any of the other MoH episodes I've seen (nearly all). This is a quite unique and bizarre little black comedy with a weird sense of humor and two great leading performances. Angela Bettis is excellent as Ida, and so is Erin Brown (aka. Misty Mundae, star of a vast number of softcore erotica and B-movie horror flicks). These two ladies fit perfectly in their roles and make this black horror comedy very lovable in many aspects. "Sick Girl" is generally highly entertaining, my only regret is that this clever episode lacks the suspense of may of the other episodes. This is highly amusing and, due to the two young ladies in the lead even heart-warming at times, and there is no doubt that it has a lot of wit and originality, but I personally missed the Horror.

Over all, however, this may not be one of the episodes that are going to give you the creeps, but it is nevertheless highly entertaining, witty, greatly acted and quite original. MoH fans should not miss this one. Recommended!

Evil creature

[Fernando-Rodrigues · 7/10 · 21 November 2020]

This is this season's pinnacle. It's funny, it has animatronics and Angela Bettis <3. BUT, the comedy doesn't sustain itself.. many cringe lines that can be problematized, continuity errors and a weak plot twist: Dr. Wolf wanted to kill Ida just because his daughter fell in love with her even before they meet... !?)

I didn't want to agitate the situation

[nogodnomasters · 7/10 · 7 April 2020]

Ida Teeter (Angela Bettis) loves bugs. She works at a museum where she meets Misty Falls (Misty Mundae) who she eventually woos. Both are a bit dysfunctional. Misty is bitten by something more than a love bug and gets transformed.

Another decent Master of Horror episode. Short and to the point.

Guide: F-word. Nudity (Misty Mundae as Erin Brown)

Odd

[timhayes-1 · 4/10 · 2 April 2006]

Lucky McKee is another entry in the Masters stable that really is coasting on one film. After all, his sophomore effort The Woods has been sitting on a shelf for 2 years now so really all the public has to go on is May. One film makes it really hard to figure out if a director has a real style to their work that unites it. There's humour here, for sure, and I'd say that definitely pops up in May. Indeed, if McKee does have a style it may be over the top horror comedy. Ida Teeter is way too into her work so she comes off as a rushofwordsinonequicklightningfastpacethatcanbesomewhatdisconcerting. Its kinda funny. She's just really anal about bugs. And Misty Falls is just a plain weird girl. Like that friend who dropped too much acid in high school is will be forever not quite right. The two make a good match since both are outcasts. Its kinda cool as well that the central love story revolves around two women. Makes for a nice change of pace although the whole thing seems a bit rushed at times. Special effects are nice and gooey and at times the whole thing reminded me of Mimic. Decent though.

Bizarre and unique entry to the series makes for a truly memorable installment.

[kevin86 · 9/10 · 18 July 2006]

I was actually very surprised upon initially hearing that Lucky McKee had been given a spot to make an episode for the Masters of Horror. I had seen May a long time ago and remembered not being very impressed with it (though a recent viewing of it made me appreciate it more) and wasn't expecting somebody with so little accomplished in the horror genre to have an episode so soon in the show. And in all honesty I wasn't really impressed with the trailer for it either but of course I had every intention to watch every episode no matter how much I thought it would be lacking.

Boy was my initial judgment wrong. Lucky McKee's Sick Girl is by far one of the most entertaining and memorable episodes to the first season. I would have to say that it easily makes my top 3 favorite episodes of the first batch. It is in every way a drama and comedy as it is a horror film. What Lucky does best in this episode is not only tell a horrific story about a bug monster terrorizing an apartment complex, but he surrounds it with a unique love story centralizing on a very fascinating main character. Angela Bettis is perfectly cast (yet again, see May) as the lonely, detached scientist looking for love. Her little gestures and personality traits are just as interesting to watch as the great scares at the end. And once the conclusion mounts its an emotional ride as its hard not to feel deep compassion and concern for the central characters.

And as unconventional and bizarre as the ending may seem its perfectly fitting and in many ways sort of happy. I loved Sick Girl and hope Lucky is invited back to do another episode. Initial criticism's aside, my first thoughts prior to viewing this film were pleasantly proved wrong. Bravo McKee.

Bonkers, but really fun

[anthonygiancola24 · 7/10 · 13 February 2021]

Sick Girl is the tenth episode of Masters of Horror and is directed by Lucky McKee (a director I have zero familiarity with) and written by Sean Hood. This is one of the most bizarre stories the series has told this far. It follows Ida Teeter (Angela Bettis) who studies bugs. She struggles to maintain a relationship due to her strange fascination with bugs, and one day gets a big praying mantis looking bug that- Oh My God, I feel like I'm going insane even describing it.

And, I'm not going to lie. I kind of love the first half of this short. It's not scary at all, but it is ridiculously funny to me. Angela Bettis is giving this bizarrely mannered performance that is just so weird and charming, and Ida is a very endearing character. The first scene we see her in, she's talking about how her girlfriend dumped her because she's too obsessed with bugs. Like...WHAT? The acting is not very good per se, but it is very "Masters of Horror" I have noticed that with rare exception, the performances in these films have been very over the top, and you either accept it as the style or you don't. Jesse Hlubik as Max Grubb has really charming chemistry with Bettis, and their scenes do have this super likable energy. Same thing with Erin Brown as Misty, the romance is rushed, but I buy it cause it's just so sweet and bizarre. There's a romantic montage of them eating bugs together, how can I not just giggle.

My favorite performance is Chandra Berg as Betty or "The Ladybug" because she's really not good (she's a little kid), but damn is she committed to whatever it is she's doing. She also reminds me of what I was like as a kid, so I'm partial.

This reminded me a lot of the movie "Idle Hands" because it doesn't really work as a horror movie, because of how broad everything is played, but it is pretty charming. It's not without its faults though, there's this annoying mid 2000s, MTV music video filter over the Bug POV shots that are really irritating to my eyes, and with the tone it's going for, there's a rate of diminishing returns. Sometimes the intentional hokeyness can lose its charm.

And the overall problem I'm noticing with this series is that the show is called "Masters of Horror", but more than half of these films have fallen into broad comedy and satire. I'm a fan of horror comedy, too, but it takes a deft hand to execute it really well. This isn't quite Eli Roth levels of annoying, but it gets there. Especially when close to the end, we get this super dramatic turn with the landlady and it's like, where did this come from? It's also slow as hell, we hit the halfway point and so little has actually happened that I found myself skipping ahead a few seconds just to feel something. That's not a good sign.

So, on the whole, I did enjoy just how weird this film was, but it kind of falls just short of the mark of being great.

Over the top horror rom-com

[Bored_Dragon · 5/10 · 21 April 2018]

"Sick Girl" is a combination of morbid romantic comedy and the over-the-top B horror, in the Henenlotter style. Angela Bettis plays the entomologist, a lonely and insecure lesbian whose apartment is full of pet insects. She looks like she fell out of the forties, and her voice and the way she talks were terribly annoying to me. She meets Misty Falls, beautiful but strange and mysterious girl, played by Erin Brown, to fans of lesbian fantasy soft-porn better known as Misty Mundae. Just google her filmography and everything will be clear. The two of them become a couple and start living together. At the same time, Angela receives an anonymous shipment with an unknown species of insect. This creature escapes from its box and starts a series of unfortunate events which, although fun, are a sorry excuse for the horror genre. Also, there is no chemistry between the actresses, or at least I have not felt it. The episode was originally intended for Roger Corman and if he weren't replaced by Lucky McKee it might be better. This way it's neither scary, nor funny, nor romantic. The word which, in my opinion, best describes this episode is "awkward".

5/10

Fun, offbeat and as quirky as hell

[Naturezrevenge · 8/10 · 18 June 2006]

This is the tale of two rather off color people finding each other and staying together under very unusual and perverse conditions. I wouldn't label this as strictly a horror short...it borders more on black comedy and quietly pays tribute to the B-movies before it's time. The main thing it has going for it is that the two main characters (played by the fabulous Angela Bettis Misty Mundae) are extremely endearing and fun to watch go through the twisted hand fate dealt them. This is a very intimate, often hilarious and soulful film with a few solid creepy segments and an absurd storyline. Bottom line, it's enjoyable, quirky as hell and definitely worth watching.

Almost too good to be a part of the Masters of Horror series

[The_Void · 7/10 · 14 August 2006]

I've got to admit that I was severely under-impressed with the first few entries in the Masters of Horror series, but it got better as it went along, with Deer Woman, Cigarette Burns and The Fair-Haired Child each topping one another; before they were all topped by what is surely the best the series is going to get; Lucky McKee's Sick Girl! This little tale blends themes of horror, romance, fantasy and black humour, as we focus on a lonely, insect-obsessed woman. Her chances of getting a date are made slimmer by the fact that she's a lesbian - but when she receives a rare insect from Brazil on the same day as winning the heart of an amazingly hot fellow lesbian, she figures her luck may be changing. I won't say any more about the plot than that; but needless to say, it thickens and becomes a story not too far off the quality of masterpieces the likes of Possession and Cronenberg's The Fly! Lucky McKee is keen to implement intrigue at every turn, and it's almost a shame that this episode only lasts an hour as it would have made a great feature length film to rival McKee's only success to date, 'May'. McKee's use of music is mostly along the lines of pop metal, but it bodes well with the plot and it's clear that the director has an astute sense of humour, as this tale is also very funny. The splatter doesn't turn up until the end, but it's good when it does and the final thing I'll mention is the central actresses. Angela Bettis dons a silly accent, but she's upstaged anyway by sultry soft-core porn star Misty Mundae, who brings believability to the tale as Angela Bettis isn't the only one who would give up everything for her. Overall, if you only see one episode of this series - make damn sure it's this one!

A 'Brillaint Bug Based' movie, from a director you wouldn't first think a Master of Horror.

[Max-Quin-l · 5/10 · 29 October 2009]

To say the least 'Sick Girl' by Lucky McKee was one of the episodes in the series that caught me by surprise it was down-to-earth, gripping and at all times fun to watch.

The Story of this episode is based around Ida (Angela Bettis), Ida is a secluded and weird lesbian, who has a big interest in all nature of bugs, she works at the McNaughton Museum of National History with a young colleague and close friend Max (Jesse Hlubik) On return home one night Ida receives an anonymous package containing a weird bug she has never seen before, the bug is at first a huge interest of Ida's however this critter takes a backseat to the love relationship between Ida and her newly found love interest Misty (Misty Mundae) during this time the bug breaks free, escapes and infects Misty. It soon becomes apparent to the viewer that something is off with Misty, and finally the bug infected Misty makes herself known in a big reveal towards the ending. The characters were for the most part very likable while Ida created some awkward tension I still genuinely liked her, and cared considerably about the relationship between Ida and Misty, all along I was routing for things to go fine between them as a couple. You couldn't help but like both characters and find intrigue in all there nature's of weirdness, which made the episode very interesting itself to watch. The acting for the most part was really good; Angela Bettis played a perfect Ida and the beautiful and unknown actor Misty Mundae done a really good job for someone I've never seen before. Even the secondary roles of the likes of Jesse Hlubik were played decently. Sadly there were some issues, at times it felt like the characters had way to many strange quirks and odd circumstances that detracted from the nature of the episode, we had a main character who was a lesbian, also was completely unsocial, and into bugs who was in a relationship with well you get the idea, it kind of lost the plot down strange avenue at some point.

The Bug is clearly a main part of the episode. We learn about this creepy critter from a few minutes in and we know even from then on in something's not right about this creature we know it's there and the director makes us constantly aware of that, not only by the degrading nature of Misty as a result of her infection but constantly hearing insect like sounds (scurrying etc.). At times the director cleverly makes us forget the bugs existent but always throws in a scene or event to always keep us on our toes and uncertain as to what might happen next.

The whole thing came to a brilliant ending revealing Misty, transforming into an insect and in a quite horrific manner (arms sprouting out of shoulders, insect like eyes) this completely contrasted the otherwise slow and consistent build up, and light creepy frights throughout the episode, making it all the more shocking and all the more creepy. We end up seeing a character (Max) killed off in such a quick gory manner; I myself and actually personally liked Jesse Hlubik as Max, to seem him used as fodder at the end just for that quick kill off scene was pretty annoying and predictable to say the least. Still it was so unlike the rest of the episode that it heightened the whole experience. We also got a little view of Misty and Ida impregnated by the bug and also infected by the bugs mind control which was a quite a light-hearted (though creepy) way to throwback the ending.

The whole episode is enjoyable and entertaining, scary and strange and at all times the director maintains a tongue-in-cheek attitude that assures that you never take things to seriously I wouldn't exactly consider it Black-Comedy. It reminded me a lot of old monster flicks from the 60's and the like, but it also fondly reminded me of John Carpenter's "The Thing" and David Cronenberg's "The Fly. I really have high hopes for this director his previous works "May" seems to have a same image of a strange and bizarre girl but still maintains a completely different approach and structure, both are quite unique and original in there composition. While I wouldn't at first consider Lucky McKee a "Master of Horror" after seeing this episode I completely do now.

A meager 20-minute plot stretched over one long hour.

[fedor8 · 17 May 2009]

I was going to start off by saying that Angela Bettis looks like a cross between that "May"/"Toolbox Murders" actress and the shpeech-impendimended Holly Hunter. However, it turns out that Angela IS the former, and isn't nearly unattractive enough to deserve to be insulted by a comparison with the latter. Misty Mundae (if that's her real name) is the real attraction in this slow-moving, rather mediocre episode about a couple of lesbians getting impregnated by a Brazilian creepy-crawly. Almost nothing happens in the first half, and not a great deal more occurs in the second. The humour is predictable and lame - as in 99% of all horror comedies - and the final twist not nearly exciting enough to justify sitting on my derrière for an hour waiting for it.

True to the "Masters Of Horror" tradition, evil wins yet again, which is becoming a bit predictable and stale too...

The author of the site's plot synopsis muses over the episode being "a commentary on the dangers of moving into a relationship too quickly". Some people have their heads so far up their trusted rears that they'll over-analyze a f**t, let alone a dumb little horror story. Those are probably the same people who find meaning in a Picasso scribble or a Rothko "carpet".

Predictable

[kosmasp · 7/10 · 22 June 2010]

Actually very predictable ... to the point you want to smack the "characters" playing in this. But still played with such a gusto by it's lead actress, that you kinda fall for it. It's the typical "You can see what will go wrong, why can't the protagonist see it?" kind of thing, but again, if that will bug you, than you should better not watch it at all (or stop watching it, after 5 to 10 minutes, when it gets apparent, where this is heading).

The main actress (also in the directors feature film, prior to this entry) is really good and as stated above, very contagious with her playing the role and getting that emotion clearly send to the viewer. While not exceptional, still pretty good and if you let yourself enjoy it, it will be rewarding.

Silly, campy, but fun

[super marauder · 7/10 · 8 June 2013]

I never heard of Luck McKee until now. He seems to be a future master of horror.

This story is about this nerd-ish woman who has a fascination for insects. She lives alone in an apartment with her "friends" and has a nosy landlady looking over shoulder. But she does befriend the landlady's granddaughter. One day she gets a package with a strange bug in it and the bug gets loose. She also meets the woman (yes! I said woman)of her dreams, and the mayhem it causes.

This is one of quirky off beat movies that is silly but fun. In the spirit of 'Evil Dead 2' it's just......goofy! But fun!

Masters Of Horror: Sick Girl (TV) (Lucky McKee, 2005) **1/2

[Bunuel1976 · 6/10 · 28 February 2009]

This is surely one of the oddest, yet most entertaining, entries in the "Masters Of Horror" series – despite a rather lame title. It's very much a black comedy with unexpected lesbian overtones: the latter, however, comes as no surprise when realizing that one of the two leads – appearing under her real name of Erin Brown – is really softcore exponent Misty Mundae (the character is actually called Misty)! The other actress, then, is Angela Bettis who had starred in director McKee's cultish low-budget horror MAY (2002); incidentally, this episode was reportedly intended for Roger Corman but I wonder what he would have made of the inherent sensuality (though it is not particularly explicit by contemporary standards). Anyway, entomologist Bettis is prodded by her leering male colleague to approach the teenage artist who likes to hang out at their workplace; when the two girls finally meet, it transpires that Brown had been infatuated with Bettis for a long time – but the latter keeps her obsession with insects hidden from the former…until Brown reveals to Bettis that she is the daughter of a renowned former teacher of hers, who has actually just sent the scientist a most unusual specimen. The comedy element involves Bettis' troubled relationship with the elderly and conservative landlady (whose grand-daughter actually idolizes the young woman!) – which grows even worse with the arrival of the uninhibited and confrontational Brown. The horror themes come into play only gradually: Brown – pricked by the very insect Dad mailed to Bettis, as it turns out, to harm her so as to 'cure' his own daughter's 'unnatural' instincts – finds herself pregnant and eventually turns into a full-scale creepy-crawly!; the 'happy' ending, then, is quite amusing. As I said, the film proves a likeably oddball entry in the series which works mainly due to Mundae's beguiling doe-eyed features, supplying just the right mix of genuine charm and giddy naughtiness.

Another disappointing Masters of Horror episode.

[poolandrews · 5/10 · 10 May 2007]

Masters of Horror: Sick Girl tells the tale of lesbian entomologist Ida Teeter (Angela Bettis) who gets a parcel in the post one day from Brazil, inside is a large insect the likes of which she has never seen before. The the thing escapes & makes it's nest in her pillow which becomes a problem when Ida brings her new girlfriend Misty (Erin Brown) round because while in bed together the strange insect infects Misty which leads to unthinkable consequences...

This Canadian American co-production was episode 10 from season 1 of the generally hit-and-miss Masters of Horror TV series, directed by Lucky McKee I have to say Sick Girl didn't do anything for me. The script by Sean Hood is pretty slow going at times & I had to keep reminding myself that this was actually a horror film as opposed to a lesbian drama! Generally speaking this is the sort of episode which will come down to personal opinion, I thought it was boring badly written nonsense that just left me totally cold but on the other hand I could see why some may like it for it's quirkiness if nothing else. The horror & exploitation levels are virtually zero here, the plot is loose & I never felt it all came together that well & with it's bizarre & unlikable central character's it just annoyed me. When all said & done not that much actually happens in it either, girl gets insect & new girlfriend & that's about it. I don't know maybe it's just me because there seems to be a fair amount of love for Sick Girl out there but I didn't think it was anything special at all.

Apparently Sick Girl was originally going to be directed by Roger Corman but he was replaced with McKee & he does an OK job, personally I thought it was a pretty forgettable episode & nothing really stands out visually & the special effects are probably the worst Masters of Horror has served up thus far, apart from some blood splatter at the end there's no gore in it & the huge insect thing at the end looks a bit daft but again that's just my opinion for what it's worth.

Technically this is very good with nice production values as usual for this series & it is far better than most cheap made for TV show's. The acting was a problem for me, I personally thought Bettis was awful & boring to watch but once again that's just my opinion.

Sick Girl isn't the worst Masters of Horror episode but it's down there somewhere, I think this is average at best & I also think I'm being kind with that description. Overall though another disappointment.

Superb!!!

[marymorrissey · 10/10 · 5 July 2010]

I don't really want to go on and on about it but this was a wonderful charming amazing piece of work... great characters, great plot, the acting is kind of mannered at times but in fact is actually extraordinary. Very sweet and funny and totally mad. Frankly I liked it a lot more than "May" which was very good.

I have to have 10 lines of text. I don't know what made me think of "May" today and start to wonder what the maker of it has been up to subsequently but I'm delighted to have picked up this movie and have some of his others now on my netflix queue. Hurray for "lucky" mckee.

oh brother I need another line.... . .. . . .

Creepy Girl.

[Son_of_Mansfield · 6/10 · 5 June 2008]

This episode had me up until the ending where the bug impregnates the two girls and they are just fine with being shot up with insect splooge and the fact that the bug was sent by one of their fathers. So, apparently, if you are disappointed in your daughters lifestyle choice, it's OK to rape her via insect and get her pregnant with world dominating bugs. Right... The episode makes more sense when you find out that Ida Teeter was originally Ira Teeter and that Roger Corman was to direct. Then, it's just a father who doesn't like his son's choice of mate so he sends his curse of the conquering womb, which is still creepy, but much less offensive. Praise should be given to Erin Brown aka Misty Mundae aka Pale Rider, who shows more acting ability than she is given credit for. Her best scenes are early on when she is being wispy, or misty, in love and the amusing roomy scenes with Angela Bettis. The single greatest shot has to be when she is shown naked as one of the fairies that she likes to draw. As to Bettis, she is given a lot credit, but she is really annoying in this and her almost butch delivery of lines like, "slap my skin honey bee," is painful to hear. Worth a look if you like anyone involved, but not the pinnacle of Masters of Horror.

Pretty lame

[twilightseer · 2/10 · 27 March 2007]

"Sick Girl" was the second episode of "Masters Of Horror" that I saw (after the average "Pick Me Up") and, after watching it, I'm not sure I'm going to bother with the other episodes if they're that bad. Honestly, this was pretty lame.

Let's put things straight: "Sick Girl" is not a horror movie (it isn't the slightest bit frightening). It's just a Z-grade erotic movie argument stretched over an hour. The writer and director just came up with a really poor excuse to film two girls making out in just about every scene. What's the point of shooting this as part of a series called "Masters Of Horror"? I mean, the director should have been honest and made an erotic or porn film, period. Or made a movie dealing with the relationship between these two girls (this could have been much more interesting). No need to cover it up with that stupid "evil bug" nonsense. It's almost insulting.

It's a shame for Bettis, who appears like an interesting actress and does an okay job. But really, she's been exploited here. The other girl, Erin Brown (who, I just discovered, is apparently a star of low-budget erotic films under the moniker Misty Mundae) is not bad either. But again, except for watching these two make out extendedly (if that's what you're looking for), there is no reason why anyone would want to inflict this drivel on themselves.

Splendidly dark comic tale, a real treat

[DVD_Connoisseur · 8/10 · 25 November 2006]

Lucky McKee's "Masters of Horror" offering is a splendidly dark comic tale about an eccentric and frustrated lesbian, played brilliantly by Angela Bettis, who falls for a younger, shy, artistic girl (genre favourite Erin Brown, aka Misty Mundae).

Bettis' character is fascinated with all things creepy crawly. Her rented apartment is an insect paradise, containing all manner of bugs. This bug theme is played out to the extreme in "Sick Girl" with humorous and dramatic results.

Like all the "Masters of Horror" series, this episode has great production values and delivers far more than you'd expect from an hour of television.

Highly recommended.

Tries very hard, but fails

[cynthiacher-1 · 3/10 · 13 November 2008]

This episode of the "Masters of Horror" series tries very hard to be both amusing and horrifying but doesn't quite manage to be either.

The "humor" is very heavy-handed and Angela Bettis's character "Ida Teeter" is a caricature, not a human being. The plot line is promising (a strange, huge bug running loose that can devour mammals and impregnate (!) them) but ultimately goes nowhere. Bettis's co-star Erin Brown (aka Misty Mundae. a soft porn/horror scream queen) tries to make the most of her role as the ditsy, pixie-obsessed "Misty Falls", but leaves no major impression.

The whole relationship between the two women seems unbelievably far-fetched. Ida is not particularly attractive, looks much older than Misty, and is very weird and socially-unskilled, and yet Misty has been fixated on her, as it turns out, for YEARS! Misty seems pretty strange herself, but even so her obsession with Ida seems ludicrous. And why does the perfectly normal-seeming Max give the insufferable Ida the time of day, much less be her best friend? The land lady character seems to exist only to be "the bad person who deserved to get killed" role you see in countless unimaginative horror films. And Max is the second "friend of the protagonist" character to get killed that I've seen in the Master of Horror series. Is this some kind of formula that stories in this series must adhere to? I've seen two segments so far and both of them featured the nice friend of the protagonist getting destroyed by a monster. In "Sick Girl", the death of Max was gratuitous and served no purpose at all, except to provide some gore.

The ending were terrible, incredibly stupid even for a horror movie. Misty becomes this CREATURE, a "bug" of some kind, and the bug's mandibles (or whatever they have) have torn through her flesh (earlier Misty's ear became a bloody mush and fell off). She's no longer human. But at the end, she's perfectly normal and healthy looking and happily pregnant with the bug's offspring (as is Ida). HOW is it possible to go from having her flesh ripped apart from the inside to being whole again? Like I said, it's stupid even for a horror movie.

I'm going to watch two other segments of this series tonight. God, I hope they're better than this!

The bug from hell

[killarmy2001belgium · 1 April 2006]

This episode of Masters of Horror revolves around a killer insect that isn't your run of the mill bug; large spider legs, slim tentacles and a face like something that would audition for a Cronenberg movie.

Bug fanatic of service is Ida Teeter, a single white female living in an apartment packed with bug displays and shirping noises. One day she receives a package (with our little friend) and accidentally lets the content break loose.

The body count begins; the building's dog gets hunted by the killer insect; don't ya just love this? In the meanwhile Ida falls in love with Misty, a girl who spends her time drawing sketches at Ida's work. It doesn't take long before our sketch artist, Misty, gets invited to Ida's apartment and ends up getting bit by the killer bug. Pus, transformations, infections make Ida slowly realise what's happening to her newly acquainted girlfriend!

This episode features very likable characters and some very creepy special fx; The bug isn't CGI which makes it look more convincing and menacing.

The only downside to this episode is that -like "Accident on and off..."- it becomes a parody of itself near the end. That aside, you're in for some under the skin scares and some gruesome splatter gore!

***1/2 out of *****