The MRFH 2005 Revue

At the wane of every year, it's not uncommon to hear film critics stir themselves from their popcorn-induced comas and come out with their year-in-review lists, complete with the tired phrase, "Worst Year of Cinema EVER!" Sometimes, there's patronizing nose-blowing to boot. This is why they'll never let me in the doors of the official pompous critics society: I'm just not cynical enough.

Heck, I had a blast going to see and renting movies in 2005. Whether good or bad, this was a highly interesting year — I spent a summer at the movies, I finally got to track down and review some of the most infamous cult classics that I heard about, and my DVD collection grew fat like a soon-to-be-slaughtered calf.

Movies aside (is that even allowed?), 2005 was a huge year for both me personally and for MRFH. Me first. ME!

Long story short — too late! — I joined Pooly and Lissa in the rank-and-file married mutants. After a whirlwind romance, which settled down into a motion-sick love affair, I walked the White Mile and joined my best friend in matrimony. There are few things in this world that has ever made me this happy. It's terrific to have a supportive and loving wife who knew from the outset that I'm slightly demented and will be renting some of the most bizarre flicks for MRFH until I'm about 67. She's patiently put up with many oddball films I'm asked her to join me for, and in retaliation... well, let's just say we've seen Kate & Leopold about 55 times more than my sanity will allow.

My wedding was also important in that it brought a huge chunk of mutants together — the most mutant staff in the same room ever, up to that point. Lissa, Drew, Sue and Pooly all made the trek out to watch me complete a stress breakdown, and I can assure you personally that the legends about their paint huffing addictions is most definitely not true. Probably.

MRFH went through a rollercoaster of highs and lows. At the bottom of the valley was that we had to bid sad farewells to two of our most beloved writers: Clare and Rich. This was followed, however, by a few unique peaks: Kyle was promoted to one of the leaders of the site, as a graduation gift for his 13 years of college; and soon after we went through another agonizing application process and hired on two awesome new talents — Shalen and Nancy. Even with all of the changes, our staff adapted and grew together, joining scary forces to create such masterpieces as The 8th Annual Mutant Awards, MRFHline #7, and HalloHorrorWeen.

There were other goosebump-inducing milestones: For Him Magazine Australia named us "10 Cool Websites Online" in May, Cool Site of the Day picked us up early on, and we ended the year with a surprising 2005 Christmas gift, as Scifi.com named us their "Site of the Week". With vastly increased hits, we steamed ahead with a huge chunk of site content — crossing our 900th movie reviewed and our 1500th review (not to mention over 275 features!). Strangely enough, these are all small fries as rewards compared to the devotion and fascinating smells that our readership gives us daily, and we appreciate all of you helping to make this site what it is.

And, as always, I really can't end one of these articles without giving the proper homage and gratitude to our wonderful MRFH staff. It always amazes me that we've somehow assembled a crack team of writers who I can quite metaphorically put through hell and back, with the result of them saying, "Thank you sir; may I have another!" These are awesome writers, faithful past any childhood dog you may or may not have had, and great friends as well. Bow, BOW TO ME! Or not, that's good too.

It was the best of years, it was the worst of Tears for Fears. Fare thee well, 2005; I'll never forget you!