Sunday, June 6th, 2026
Sacrilegious Cinema: Menagerie of Madness kicks off Pride with a LGBTQ+ duo for the ages, channeling both sapphic and transgender themes penned by the brilliant Diablo Cody, flexing her signature quirky camp energy with elements of horror and monstrosity, serving as an allegory for identity and sexuality, citing the condemnation such individuals face outside of the community. This daring dyad grapples with gender dysphoria, transformation, internalized homophobia, alienation, compulsory heterosexuality furnished by a comedic slant in a feminist coming of age narratives fueled by the notion of high school as hell.
Starting with sapphic cult classic JENNIFER’S BODY (2009) at 8PM, we dissect the dynamic between the eponymous character and her less aggressive counterpart, Needy Lesnicki, delving into the complex feelings bubbling beneath the surface, surveying female friendships to flirtations, detailing toxicity fueled by a chauvinistic institutions- effectively pitting women against each other- blurring the line between envy and attraction in fatally flawed girl on girl romance, defining the bounds of platonic relationships, experimentation and forbidden desire. This 2009 flick is another exploration of female sexuality, depicting society’s demonization of it, and taking the form of a bisexual cheerleader turned succubus— moreover, these homoerotic happenings examine compulsory heterosexuality, internalized homophobia, and the very vilification of bisexuality. Grossly mismarketed to the wrong demographic at the time of release, studios capitalizing on sex appeal despite the film’s objective to deconstruct the male gaze, led to a box office bomb- wherein the irony lies in the public’s refusal to take Megan Fox seriously due to her status as a sex symbol, branding her as “just the hot girl with no depth”, proving the message of the movie pervasive amidst patriarchal masses, separating sultriness from substance in a siloed caricature and objectification of women, making Fox’s role increasingly impactful in years to come. Director Karyn Kusama and writer Diablo Cody harvested a story subverting all stereotypes, discarding Madonna-whore ideology with their depiction of their female leads- acting as the antithesis of one another while existing in a diverse spectrum- imbuing both girls with layers and creating fates contrary to what typical turn of events a character housed in such an archetype would encounter. Jennifer’s Body acts as a feminist revenge tale, where the victim becomes a “villain”, in the exploitation of said body, creating a lethal weapon in a metamorphosis and supreme role reversal, seizing back control of one’s power and reclamation of agency, in this damsel in distress turned femme fatale. This sapphic subtext drips with sensation with Fox and Seyfried’s expert portrayal of complicated female friendships, scrutinizing the aftermath of trauma, particularly of sexual assault, in the shape of a maneater, utilizing grim humor and eccentric dialogue, hammering down the high school as hell metaphor, unmasking it as a period of confusion and expedition. 
Then, at 10PM, flashback to 1980s Illinois and meet high schooler Lisa Swallows, a brooding pariah that feels more at home at Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery tending to the grave of a deceased Victorian gentleman than among her peers- and inevitably more alive with a reanimated corpse than the living.
In this iteration of the legendary (Bride of) Frankenstein story, Diablo Cody converts the narrative to a coming of (r)age film, where star crossed lovers meet their post mortem match; set in the same universe as Jennifer’s Body, this entry endows us with another queer coded courtship, as they paint the town red with body parts to fashion the perfect man (or manufacture a monster). For this pride season, “Dig up someone special”, with LISA FRANKENSTEIN (2024).
Under the guidance of Zelda Williams in her directorial debut and Cody’s quintessential screenwriting, this collaboration unearths an indie gem following in the footsteps of its progressive predecessor, expanding upon the whimsical world, calling back to the motif of transformation through adolescence- particularly womanhood- grief, isolation, loneliness and rebellion against the status quo. Concerning queer optics, Lisa Frankenstein forges a vibrant psychedelic realm reminiscent of Tim Burton’s darkly playful aesthetic, perusing identity at its core, with the Creature serving as a symbol for transgenderism, with the rampant repression of the Victorian era of his time reflecting the conservative Reaganism of 1980s America, as these tragic paramours transcend bounds of time (and assigned gender) to navigate a heteronormative scene where the closet is the sole safe place to exist. Nevertheless, the couple rejects traditionalism, posing the question as to what comprises a man- challenging mainstream views with further investigation into the nuances among sex and gender and self-affirming treatments. Kathryn Newton breathes life into the titular Lisa, taking her from shy to spunky throughout the duration, while Cole Sprouse complements her performance in a silent physical role as the reincarnated creature. 
Come celebrate pride month at Hot Wax Coffee Shop in Ybor City, wherever you fall on the queer continuum- whether you’re an integral part of the community, or simply just an ally! 
FREE popcorn included with a
mandatory purchase- no cover charge with a 1 drink (or snack) minimum from the bar.
(Movie nights offer psychological insight accompanied by behind the scenes information and observations by your horror hostess). 
