The radical notion that women like good movies
This is a guest post from Erin Fenner. Rosemary’s Baby, the Roman Polanski 1968 adaptation of the novel with the same name, uses minimal effects. While it is a horror story about the mother of Satan’s child, we only briefly glimpse the arm and eyes of the feature’s supposed monster. And, while the plot against … Continue reading “Motherhood in Film & Television: ‘Rosemary’s Baby’”
This is a guest review by Leigh Kolb. The ancient idea that men and women inhabit different spheres based on their biological makeup is rooted deeply in Western culture. In the Nineteenth Century, however, when the Victorian era dictated behavior and the Industrial Revolution changed work, scientists and civilians defined and embraced this idea of … Continue reading “Motherhood in Film and Television: Mothers of Anarchy: Power and Control in the Feminine Sphere”
Bully (2011) This piece is from Monthly Contributor Carrie Nelson. Growing up, I was never one of the “cool” kids. Far from it – I had a few close friends, but I also spent a lot of time by myself, reading and writing and daydreaming about movies I wanted to make someday. I also never … Continue reading “Bully: Documentary Review”
Movie poster for Vamps Vamps, the new indie film directed by Amy Heckerling and starring Alicia Silverstone and Krysten Ritter (the upcoming star of the TV show Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23) takes the vampire genre and turns it into a fun, feminist celebration of youth culture and female friendship. The film is … Continue reading “Movie Review: How ‘Vamps’ Showcases the Importance of Women Friendships”
Kerry Washington as Olivia Pope in Scandal I love Grey’s Anatomy. Is it melodramatic? Absolutely. But its dramatic storylines, sharp dialogue and diverse cast have hooked me from the very first episode. So when I discovered writer, producer, showrunner Shonda Rhimes created Scandal, a political thriller TV series revolving around a woman of color, I … Continue reading “With a Complex Black Female Protagonist Created by a Black Female Showrunner, I’m Rooting for ‘Scandal’”
Gorillas in the Mist (1988) This piece is from Monthly Contributor Carrie Nelson. This post contains spoilers about the film Gorillas in the Mist. For nearly 20 years, zoologist Dian Fossey lived and worked among the mountain gorillas in Africa. Her work as a researcher and animal rights activist is responsible for raising awareness about … Continue reading “Biopic and Documentary Week: Gorillas in the Mist”
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”
Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara) in “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” Cross-posted from The Opinioness of the World. Lisbeth Salander consumes my thoughts. I’ve spent the last year and a half reading, writing, analyzing, debating and discussing the punk hacker. As a huge fan of the books and the original Swedish films, I was NOT … Continue reading “In ‘The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo’ Remake, Rooney Mara’s Captivating Portrayal Proves Lisbeth Salander Still a Feminist Icon”
Women, War & Peace Over the course of the past two months, Megan Kearns of The Opinioness of the World reviewed all five parts of the PBS series Women, War & Peace. We’ve rounded them up here, with excerpts from each review. Be sure to check them out if you missed any! (You can also … Continue reading “Women, War & Peace: The Roundup”
Sleepaway Camp by Carrie Nelson The shock of Sleepaway Camp’s ending relies on the cissexist assumption that one’s biological sex and gender presentation must always match. A person with a mismatched sex and gender presentation is someone to be distrusted and feared. Though the audience has identified with Peter throughout the movie, we are meant … Continue reading “Horror Week 2011: The Roundup”
“Before you die … “ Note: This article contains spoilers for the Japanese novel and movie Ringu that “The Ring” gets its story and concept from. Infection in the sentence breeds We may inhale Despair At distances of Centuries –Emily Dickinson By some stroke of fate, right around the time I had gotten over … Continue reading “Horror Week 2011: A Feminist Reading of The Ring”
Too often horror is criticized for being antifeminist. Yes, most often men are the aggressors in these films, and women are shown as the helpless, one dimensional victims. Unfortunately the problem of flat female characters and dominant male leads is not isolated to just the horror genre. In fact, that is a major issue for … Continue reading “Horror Week 2011: House of 1000 Corpses”
