and the oscar for best horror movie goes to...

...'jesus camp'! actually, it's nominated in the best documentary category, but it rivals any slasher flick i've ever seen for being poop-your-pants S-C-A-R-Y, not to mention almost unbearably sad.

if you're not familiar, the movie covers a children's pastor named becky fischer who runs a pentecostal (read: way fundamentalist) family camp for kids and their parents in the north dakota wilderness.

when perched comfortably from a blue-state perch, it's often very easy to laugh at the antics and machinations of ultra right-wing christians, but watching this movie, that sense of complacency left me in the first three minutes, and it just got scarier from there.

granted, the filmmakers have used horror-movie type music in places to heighten your sense of dread -- and this is by no means an even-handed look at the subject -- but you really won't believe the easy comparisons to beer hall putsch-era nazism.

watching this was unexpectedly emotional for me as someone who grew up in less severe, but nevertheless fundamentalist southern baptist church. you realize that any of these kids who are intellectually curious are going to have a real uphill battle ahead of them as they try to reconcile increasing doubt with the brainwashing they've been through.

so, check it out, but probably best to have a stiff drink in hand first, like the godless swine you know you are!