Gender and Food Week: The Fork Fatale: Food as Transformation in the Contemporary Chick Flick

Julia Roberts as Liz Gilbert in Eat Pray Love   Guest post written by Jessica Habalou, excerpts from her unpublished Master’s thesis. Reprinted with permission. “Every word in Italian is like a truffle:” Eat Pray Love and Food for Pleasure  Based on the extremely popular memoir of the same name, Eat Pray Love is the … Continue reading “Gender and Food Week: The Fork Fatale: Food as Transformation in the Contemporary Chick Flick”

Women in Politics Week: ‘Homeland’s Carrie Mathison: A Pulsing Beat of Jazz and ‘Crazy Genius’

Carrie Mathison, a haunted yet brilliant CIA analyst This post, by Leigh Kolb, first appeared at Bitch Flicks on October 10, 2012. Warning: spoilers ahead! I hate straight singing. I have to change a tune to my own way of doing it. That’s all I know.— Billie Holiday In the pilot episode of Homeland, Carrie … Continue reading “Women in Politics Week: ‘Homeland’s Carrie Mathison: A Pulsing Beat of Jazz and ‘Crazy Genius’”

Women in Politics Week: Meryl Streep and Michelle Williams

This guest post by Gabriella Apicella previously appeared at Bitch Flicks on February 17, 2012 as part of our 2012 Oscar/Indie Spirit Series. Of the Best Actress nominations at the Oscars this year, two stand apart from the rest. Not because of the skill of the actresses, but because they depict real-life figures. Through these … Continue reading “Women in Politics Week: Meryl Streep and Michelle Williams”

Tanya Erzen’s ‘Fanpire’ Blog Tour: Fans of the Twilight Saga

  This guest post by Tanya Erzen is part of a blog tour to promote the release of her newest book, Fanpire: The Twilight Saga and the Women Who Love It, which you can purchase at the Beacon Press website. Other blogs participating in the tour include Women and Hollywood, Feminism and Religion, Fangtastic Books, … Continue reading “Tanya Erzen’s ‘Fanpire’ Blog Tour: Fans of the Twilight Saga”

Horror Week 2012: A Brief Feministory of Zombie Cinema

I spent my teen years hopelessly addicted to zombie movies. No matter how poorly made, no matter how artistically worthless, no matter how nasty and exploitative, if the movie had zombies in it, I would watch. The first thing I bought with the first paycheck from my first job at seventeen was Jamie Russell’s Book … Continue reading “Horror Week 2012: A Brief Feministory of Zombie Cinema”

‘Homeland’s Carrie Mathison: A Pulsing Beat of Jazz and ‘Crazy Genius’

Carrie Mathison, a haunted yet brilliant CIA analyst. Warning: spoilers ahead! “I hate straight singing. I have to change a tune to my own way of doing it. That’s all I know.”  — Billie Holiday In the pilot episode of Homeland, Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes), hurries back to her Washington D.C. apartment after a night … Continue reading “‘Homeland’s Carrie Mathison: A Pulsing Beat of Jazz and ‘Crazy Genius’”

Women and Gender in Musicals Week: Female Friendship, Madonna/Whore Stereotypes and Rape Culture in ‘West Side Story’

[Trigger warning: for discussion of rape] | Spoilers ahead West Side Story is one of my absolute favorite musicals. I adore the catchy lyrics, the breathtakingly exquisite choreography and cinematography, the heartbreaking love story. A modern Romeo and Juliet taking place in New York City amongst two rival gangs — one white, one Puerto Rican … Continue reading “Women and Gender in Musicals Week: Female Friendship, Madonna/Whore Stereotypes and Rape Culture in ‘West Side Story’”

Women and Gender in Musicals Week: ‘Chicago’

This is a guest review by Clint Waters. “From just some dumb mechanic’s wife, I’m gonna be Roxie. Who says murder’s not an art?” Roughly ten years ago, the Broadway musical Chicago was adapted for the silver screen by Bill Condon and directed by Rob Marshall. This film is oh-so appropriate for Women and Gender … Continue reading “Women and Gender in Musicals Week: ‘Chicago’”

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Week: The View from the Grave: Buffy as Gothic Feminist

Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) in Buffy the Vampire Slayer Guest post written by Jennifer M. Santos. “It’s a relief to hear papers that don’t go on about feminism.” Such was Patricia Pender’s report on the mood of attendees at the second Slayage Conference in 2006, just three years after Buffy ended (5). Pender punctuated … Continue reading “Buffy the Vampire Slayer Week: The View from the Grave: Buffy as Gothic Feminist”

LGBTQI Week: Revisiting ‘Desert Hearts’

This is a guest review by Angie Beauchamp. We all hold dear particular films that made an indelible impression on us. Somehow they connected to us as a viewer on an emotional or even a spiritual level; we identified with the story or characters in unusual ways; or we appreciated the craftsmanship so much that … Continue reading “LGBTQI Week: Revisiting ‘Desert Hearts’”

‘The Birdcage’: Where You Can Come As You Are

Dianne Weist as Louise, Hank Azaria as Agador, Christine Baranski as Katherine, and Gene Hackman as Senator Kevin Keely in The Birdcage This is a guest review by Candice Frederick. There’s a particularly memorable scene in director Mike Nichols’ big screen adaptation of the 1978 French comedy La Cage Aux Folles that few people talk … Continue reading “‘The Birdcage’: Where You Can Come As You Are”

Motherhood in Film & Television: The Roundup

Here are the pieces for our series on Motherhood in Film and Television–all in one place! Thanks so much to all the writers who contributed reviews. ———- Nine Months Forward, Three Centuries Back by Tyler Adams: Nine Months, contrary to all expectations, is not about pregnancy. It’s about a man coping with a pregnancy. Yes. … Continue reading “Motherhood in Film & Television: The Roundup”