‘Won’t Back Down’ Causes Mixed Feelings

Viola Davis and Maggie Gyllenhaal in “Won’t Back Down” On September 28, 2012, Won’t Back Down will hit the theaters. This is a movie starring two well-known, respected actresses, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Viola Davis. It has two female characters. One of them is a woman of color. They are two characters who work together in … Continue reading “‘Won’t Back Down’ Causes Mixed Feelings”

‘Phantom of the Opera’: Great Music, Terrible Feminism

Phantom of the Opera Movie Poster (Source: Wikipedia.org) The Phantom of the Opera was my first musical; I saw it for the first time when I was 4 years old during its now legendary decade-long run in Toronto. I remember very little from that event (though the shaking chandelier during the Overture stayed with me), … Continue reading “‘Phantom of the Opera’: Great Music, Terrible Feminism”

Strong Boy/Smart Girl: Another Hollywood Trope in ‘The Bourne Legacy’

                                                                 Jeremy Renner and Rachel Weisz in The Bourne Legacy The division of labor exists with impunity in the fine world of the Hollywood action movie, a genre that I do occasionally enjoy. Hollywood’s latest action film, The Bourne Legacy, is a continuation of the atmospheric, amnesiac thriller that originally starred Matt Damon. … Continue reading “Strong Boy/Smart Girl: Another Hollywood Trope in ‘The Bourne Legacy’”

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Week: Xander Harris Has Masculinity Issues

Xander Harris (Nicholas Brendon), cavalry guy with a rock (not pictured: rock) Buffy the Vampire Slayer has a great cast of characters that includes many flawed, admirable, psychologically complex (white) women. Two of them (Buffy and Cordelia) are some of my most beloved television characters ever. Another (Willow) fascinates me and infuriates me in equal … Continue reading “Buffy the Vampire Slayer Week: Xander Harris Has Masculinity Issues”

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Week: Xander Harris Has Masculinity Issues

Xander Harris (Nicholas Brendon), cavalry guy with a rock (not pictured: rock) Buffy the Vampire Slayer has a great cast of characters that includes many flawed, admirable, psychologically complex (white) women. Two of them (Buffy and Cordelia) are some of my most beloved television characters ever. Another (Willow) fascinates me and infuriates me in equal … Continue reading “Buffy the Vampire Slayer Week: Xander Harris Has Masculinity Issues”

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Week: Femininity and Conflict in Buffy the Vampire Slayer

This piece by Lindsey Keesling previously appeared at her Web site *! [emphatic asterisk] and is cross-posted with permission. Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 7 Femininity and Conflict in Buffy the Vampire Slayer When the popular movie Twilight first appeared in theaters, it did not take long for fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (BtVS) … Continue reading “Buffy the Vampire Slayer Week: Femininity and Conflict in Buffy the Vampire Slayer”

Quote of the Day from "When TV Became Art: What We Owe to Buffy" by Robert Moore

Buffy on the verge of killing a vampire In an article published way back in 2009, Robert Moore made the case in PopMatters for why Buffy the Vampire Slayer is such an important television show: Without any question, Buffy revolutionized the role of women on television, more even than Mary Tyler Moore or Cagney and … Continue reading “Quote of the Day from "When TV Became Art: What We Owe to Buffy" by Robert Moore”

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Week: Death Is Your Gift–In Praise of Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s Fifth Season

This piece by Adam Howard previously appeared at his Web site The Blank Projector and is cross-posted with permission.  Buffy, jumping off the ledge in Season Five I don’t intend to write about TV too often here, as the volume of serious television criticism on the internet is close to saturation point and I’m not … Continue reading “Buffy the Vampire Slayer Week: Death Is Your Gift–In Praise of Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s Fifth Season”

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Week: Willow Rosenberg: Geek, Interrupted

This piece by Lady T previously appeared at Bitch Flicks on July 24, 2012 as part of our Women in Science Fiction Theme Week.  Willow Rosenberg (Alyson Hannigan) on Buffy the Vampire Slayer Joss Whedon is known for creating and writing about strong female characters in his science fiction shows. One of the most popular … Continue reading “Buffy the Vampire Slayer Week: Willow Rosenberg: Geek, Interrupted”

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Week: Xander Harris: Hyena Boy

Xander Harris (Nicholas Brendon) in Buffy the Vampire Slayer Guest post written by Monika Bartyzel originally published at The Hooded Utilitarian. Cross-posted with permission. As soon as Buffy hit television on March 10, 1997, Joss Whedon became the poster boy for geek feminism. Raised by a radical feminist, he always merged his creativity with gender … Continue reading “Buffy the Vampire Slayer Week: Xander Harris: Hyena Boy”

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Week: Are You Ready to Be Strong? Power and Sisterhood in ‘Buffy’

Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) in Buffy the Vampire Slayer   Guest post written by Amanda Rodriguez. No one will argue that the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer isn’t populated with strong female characters. Buffy’s best friend, Willow, is a computer-hacking lesbian witch with the magical prowess to end the world. Her sister, Dawn, … Continue reading “Buffy the Vampire Slayer Week: Are You Ready to Be Strong? Power and Sisterhood in ‘Buffy’”

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Week: Buffy Kicks Ass

Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) in Buffy the Vampire Slayer Guest post written by Erin K. O’Neill originally published at FemThreads. Cross-posted with permission. “We saved the world, I say we party. I mean, I got all pretty.” ~ Buffy Summers “Yes, date. And shop and hang out and go to school and save the … Continue reading “Buffy the Vampire Slayer Week: Buffy Kicks Ass”