Search Results for: monster

Horror Week 2012: That "Crazy Bitch": Women and Mental Illness Tropes in Horror

Vivien (Connie Britton) in American Horror Story Ladies, how many times have you been called a “crazy bitch?” Once? Twice? 5 thousand times?? Or is that just me? This oh-so-not-lovely term of endearment gets tossed around waaaaayy too often. It’s bad enough when we get labeled the sexist term “bitch” — and it’s very different … Continue reading “Horror Week 2012: That "Crazy Bitch": Women and Mental Illness Tropes in Horror”

Horror Week 2012: ‘Paranormal Activity’: The Horror of Waiting, of Watching, of Things Unseen

This guest review by Mychael Blinde previously appeared at Vagina Dentwata and is cross-posted with permission. Please don’t film the demons! I’m partial to the Paranormal Activity trilogy for three reasons: the clever camera work, the pitch perfect execution of tension building and release, and the films’ focus on women’s stories and histories. (The first … Continue reading “Horror Week 2012: ‘Paranormal Activity’: The Horror of Waiting, of Watching, of Things Unseen”

Horror Week 2012: Gender Roles in ‘The Cabin in the Woods’

The Cabin in the Woods [This article was originally posted at The Funny Feminist.] A few months ago, the Joss Whedon-directed The Avengers was released, and there was much rejoicing. Fans seemed pleased. I saw it and enjoyed it, but I’m more obsessed with the OTHER Joss Whedon-directed film that came out this year. I loved … Continue reading “Horror Week 2012: Gender Roles in ‘The Cabin in the Woods’”

Horror Week 2012: Gender Roles in ‘The Cabin in the Woods’

The Cabin in the Woods A few months ago, the Joss Whedon-directed The Avengers was released, and there was much rejoicing. Fans seemed pleased. I saw it and enjoyed it, but I’m more obsessed with the OTHER Joss Whedon-directed film that came out this year. I loved The Cabin in the Woods and there are … Continue reading “Horror Week 2012: Gender Roles in ‘The Cabin in the Woods’”

Horror Week 2012: Portrait of the Artist as the Demon’s Best Friend Forever

Jennifer’s Body (2009) This is a guest post from Erin Blackwell. Jennifer’s Body, the 2009 horror chick-flick that was a coming-of-age for sex goddess Megan Fox after hyper-lucrative, career-building toil under the aegis of Michael Bay’s teenage-boy-centric Transformers franchise, now enjoys a cult following outside the Transformers demographic. And yet, on release, Jennifer’s Body was … Continue reading “Horror Week 2012: Portrait of the Artist as the Demon’s Best Friend Forever”

Horror Week 2012: 7 Great Heroines from Scary Movies

Guest post written by Candice Frederick. Originally published at Reel Talk. Cross-posted with permission. Continuing our festive Halloween coverage, we bring you a list of our favorite female heroes from scary movies. Whether they’re your favorite characters are not, you have to give them props for not dying (right away, at least). Check it out: … Continue reading “Horror Week 2012: 7 Great Heroines from Scary Movies”

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”

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”

Why I Love ‘Adventure Time’

Title Screen for Adventure Time Warning: Spoilers up to the end of Season 3 Adventure Time is a Cartoon Network animated series that combines surrealistic comedy, fantasy and science-fiction. Based on a 2008 short by Pendleton Ward that went viral, it parodies the tropes, archetypes and cliches of fairy tales, video games and childhood action … Continue reading “Why I Love ‘Adventure Time’”

‘Pitch Perfect’ and Third-Wave Feminism

Written by Leigh KolbSocial movements are not without their problems. America’s second- and third-wave feminists (the mothers from the 60s and 70s and their literal and figurative daughters, who have come to age in the 80s, 90s and 2000s) have often appeared to be at odds with one another, and even within themselves. Even though the … Continue reading “‘Pitch Perfect’ and Third-Wave Feminism”

Surprise: Rich White Men Dominate the Cinema

I don’t want to see the film Oliver Stone will want to make about Romney Here is my draft of an open tweet I am working on for directors and producers of Hollywood who continue directing and producing movies mostly about rich white men: @WealthyDirectors&Producers I know ppl r told 2 “write what u know” … Continue reading “Surprise: Rich White Men Dominate the Cinema”

Women and Gender in Musicals Week: ‘Rock of Ages’ Warms Your 80s-Loving Little Heart With a Cheesy Two-Hour Music Video

This review by Candice Frederick previously appeared at Reel Talk and is cross-posted with permission.   Continuing Hollywood’s long and steady trip down memory lane comes the nostalgia-soaked adaptation of the smash hit Broadway show, Rock of Ages. And at this leg of the expedition, we arrive at the year 1987. In the era of … Continue reading “Women and Gender in Musicals Week: ‘Rock of Ages’ Warms Your 80s-Loving Little Heart With a Cheesy Two-Hour Music Video”