The radical notion that women like good movies
The Blair Witch Project (1999) Viewers might hope that with its unconventional approach, shoestring budget, and status as the first blockbuster powered by Internet buzz, The Blair Witch Project could offer horror fans something they haven’t seen before, specifically in terms of how women are represented. At first, the flick looks promising because it centers on … Continue reading “Horror Week 2011: The Blair Witch Project”
This review, written by Stephanie Rogers, was originally published in June 2009. Drag Me To Hell. Starring Alison Lohman, Justin Long, Lorna Raver, Dileep Rao, David Paymer, and Adriana Barraza. Written by Sam Raimi and Ivan Raimi. Directed by Sam Raimi. The honest truth: I loved Drag Me To Hell. Even though I’m not familiar … Continue reading “Horror Week 2011: Drag Me to Hell”
The Silence of the Lambs (1991) This post by Jeff Vorndam is republished with permission. The horror movie genre has historically exalted the objectification of women. In slasher movies, teen exploitation flicks, and even seemingly innocuous thrillers, women are cast for the purposes of screaming and disrobing. The antithesis within the horror/thriller genre is the … Continue reading “Horror Week 2011: The Silence of the Lambs”
Sleepaway Camp (1983) On the surface, Sleepaway Camp isn’t much different than your average 1980s slasher movie. The comparisons to Friday the 13th can’t be ignored – Sleepaway’s Camp Arawak, much like Friday’s Camp Crystal Lake, is populated by horny teens looking for some summer lovin’, and is the site of a series of gruesome … Continue reading “Horror Week 2011: Sleepaway Camp”
I’ve been 100% on board with Occupy Wall Street since it began almost a month ago. I wrote about my experience protesting with them on October 5, and—leading up to the Times Square Occupation—I almost had goose bumps. I was ready to take the square. And then, it happened—I browsed Facebook. In my defense, … Continue reading “Occupy Wall Street and Feminism and Misogyny (Oh My?)”
Hi, did we get stuck in 1995? I’m about to offer an excerpt from a book by Suzanna Danuta Walters called Material Girls: Making Sense of Feminist Cultural Theory, which was published in 1995. I’m honestly trying to figure out how this entire excerpt (hell, book?) was written sixteen years ago as opposed to five … Continue reading “Quote of the Day: Suzanna Danuta Walters”
Miss Representation (2011) Back in February of this year, we were fortunate to attend the Athena Film Festival and see the documentary Miss Representation. Since then, the film has traveled to different festivals and been shown at numerous screenings around the country. If you haven’t been able to attend one of these showings, however, you … Continue reading “Preview: Miss Representation”
This guest post by elle previously appeared at Shakesville. A caveat: I have not seen The Help. I do not plan to see The Help, yet I feel pretty confident that I have The Help all figured out. If you don’t know about this film, please see this post. I’m going to ground my … Continue reading “Guest Writer Wednesday: ‘The Help’: Same Script, Different Cast”
Meek’s Cutoff (2010) Meek’s Cutoff is the kind of quiet movie that doesn’t get a lot of attention–or box office dollars–but should. Set in 1845 on the Oregon Trail (insert obligatory joke about the Oregon Trail computer game), three families make their way west with the help of Stephen Meek (Bruce Greenwood), but soon realize … Continue reading “Ripley’s Pick: Meek’s Cutoff”
No. People have made a big deal out of the new Fall television shows because many of these new shows star women, either as leads or in ensemble casts. Some shows have yet to premiere, while others, like Whitney, 2 Broke Girls, and New Girl already debuted in early September. But, get this: I don’t … Continue reading “Fall Television Preview: The Answer Is No”
This cross-post from Amanda Krauss previously appeared at Risatrix. Romantic comedies have existed for literally thousands of years; the same historical genre, comoedia, is also responsible for today’s sitcoms. But romantic comedies, especially, have suffered a great deal in the last few decades. These supposed “chick” flicks (male-authored for millennia, and still mostly male-created) get … Continue reading “Guest Writer Wednesday: Rom-Coms Don’t Suck”
Visit Barbara J. Berg’s Web site for more information. Yesterday, I wrote a piece analyzing two misogyny-filled reviews of I Don’t Know How She Does It. The process got me thinking quite a bit about the ways in which reputable movie critics choose to evaluate films, particularly woman-centered films. Most critics loved Bridesmaids, but that … Continue reading “Quote of the Day: Barbara J. Berg”
