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Horror Week 2012: ‘The Strangers’: The Horror of Home Invasion and the Power of the Final Girl

  Guest post written by Mychael Blinde. Originally published at Vagina Dentwata. Cross-posted with permission. The home invasion horror film The Strangers received bad reviews. Like, really bad. Critics wrote things like: “What a waste of a perfectly good first act! And what a maddening, nihilistic, infuriating ending!” and: “Kind of like what The Shining … Continue reading “Horror Week 2012: ‘The Strangers’: The Horror of Home Invasion and the Power of the Final Girl”

David Lynch’s "Good" Guy vs. Bad Guy in ‘Blue Velvet’

The director David Lynch likes playing with dichotomies. His director’s fetish is portraying opposite worlds that coexist. He carries us from happy-go-lucky settings to dark depths with embarrassingly sincere dialogue, awkward props and too-blunt-to-be-ignored sound design. When writing about Lynch one must incorporate phrases like “seedy underbelly” and “seemingly pleasant.” While a world of starkly … Continue reading “David Lynch’s "Good" Guy vs. Bad Guy in ‘Blue Velvet’”

Women in Science Fiction Week: Princess Leia: Feminist Icon or Sexist Trope?

Princess Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope   When I was a young girl, Star Wars was my favorite movie. I’ve watched it more times than any other film. Premiering in 1977, the same year I was born, the epic sci-fi space opera irrevocably changed the movie industry. Beyond … Continue reading “Women in Science Fiction Week: Princess Leia: Feminist Icon or Sexist Trope?”

LGBTQI Week: Stranger in a Queer Land: How ‘But I’m a Cheerleader’ and Susan Sontag Defined My Trembling Identity

This is a guest review by Eva Phillips. It might come off as a bit absurd, even an effrontery to some, to suggest that a film in which RuPaul must resist the titillation of a faux-fellatio on a pitchfork and bigotry is gleefully bellowed in the hate mantra “Silly faggots, dicks are for chicks!” is … Continue reading “LGBTQI Week: Stranger in a Queer Land: How ‘But I’m a Cheerleader’ and Susan Sontag Defined My Trembling Identity”

‘The Avengers,’ Strong Female Characters and Failing the Bechdel Test

Natasha Romanoff  / Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) in The Avengers Cross-posted at Fem2pt0. Smashing box office records, audiences have been swept up in The Avengers hullabaloo. Interesting and compelling, the epic superhero film based on the Marvel comics unites Black Widow, Captain America, Iron Man, Hawkeye, the Hulk and Thor “to form a team that … Continue reading “‘The Avengers,’ Strong Female Characters and Failing the Bechdel Test”

2012 Oscar Nominations Roundup

The Oscars air this Sunday night on ABC. Thanks to all who contributed reviews of this year’s Academy Award nominees! Best Picture: The Artist The Descendants reviewed by Stephanie Brown Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close reviewed by Jennifer Kiefer The Help reviewed by elle Hugo reviewed by Scott Mendelson Midnight in Paris reviewed by Megan Kearns … Continue reading “2012 Oscar Nominations Roundup”

2012 Oscar Nominations

  I just watched the live announcement of the Oscar nominations. My only thoughts right now are 1) Where the hell is Tilda Swinton’s nomination for We Need to Talk About Kevin? 2) Did Woody Allen’s piece of shit film Midnight in Paris seriously get a best picture nomination? 3) Yay Melissa McCarthy! 4) The … Continue reading “2012 Oscar Nominations”

Saying Goodbye to ‘Prime Suspect’ and One of My Fave Badass Female Characters

Maria Bello as Detective Jane Timoney on NBC’s “Prime Suspect” Some argue women fare better on television than in films. The roles are more complex, with more feminist issues explored. One of the most interesting female protagonists I’ve watched in a long time? Detective Jane Timoney on Prime Suspect. A show I love that sadly … Continue reading “Saying Goodbye to ‘Prime Suspect’ and One of My Fave Badass Female Characters”

Animated Children’s Films: The Secret of N.I.M.H.

This is a guest post by Katie Roussos.  A rose bush inhabited by genetically modified rats who become murderous sounds more like a horror movie than a children’s story, but that is just one of the ways The Secret of N.I.H.M. breaks the mold. The plow has come early to the Fitzgibbons farm, a frightening … Continue reading “Animated Children’s Films: The Secret of N.I.M.H.”

‘Pray the Devil Back to Hell’ Portrays How the Women of Liberia, United in Peace, Changed a Nation

  Written by Megan Kearns. Men often dominate the debate of war, negotiation and even peace. Only one woman had ever won the Nobel Peace Prize. Until now. Last month, three women won the prize, including Leymah Gbowee and President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (along with Tawakkul Karman in Yemen) who fought for women’s rights and … Continue reading “‘Pray the Devil Back to Hell’ Portrays How the Women of Liberia, United in Peace, Changed a Nation”

Bitch Flicks’ Weekly Picks

Women Still a Rarity in Top Film Jobs from the Los Angeles Times: “Women held 16% of key jobs such as director and producer on the top 250 films of 2010 (as measured by domestic box-office receipts), according to the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University. … Continue reading “Bitch Flicks’ Weekly Picks”

Movie Review: Avatar

Away we go! This is the first of ten reviews of Best Picture Oscar nominees leading up to the awards ceremony Sunday, March 7th. *This guest post also appears on the Stilwell Film blog. Admittedly, Avatar isn’t my thing, I’m not big on James Cameron or any alien films (not only his), I’ve never been … Continue reading “Movie Review: Avatar”