The radical notion that women like good movies
Cinderella (1950) I would guess that in its long years of making animated features, Disney has made a mint on the princess formula. There is always a brooding prince, handsome, but distracted by his more worldly pursuits (i.e. war, evil, magic, etc.). There is a beautiful yet tragic young woman who is either on-her-knees humble, … Continue reading “Animated Children’s Films: Cinderella”
This is a cross-post from Worst Professor Ever. I’m so excited about last night’s episode of Parks and Recreation. In the first place, it was written by a woman (Chelsea Peretti, who’s also written for The Sarah Silverman Program) and directed by another woman (Nicole Holofcener, who’s done actual movies and stuff). And the feminist … Continue reading “Guest Writer Wednesday: I Want to Establish The Ron Swanson Scholarship In Women’s Studies”
Black Swan (2010) As Mila Kunis’s character descends upon Natalie Portman’s in the (dream) oral sex scene in Black Swan, a college-age young woman in the movie theater audibly whispers, “And this is why every guy in the theater is here.” Darren Aronofsky’s 2010 Black Swan is a film about repression, perfection, and letting go. … Continue reading “Guest Writer Wednesday: Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan: Viewers’ and Critics’ Miss-steps in a Dance with a Female Protagonist”
Bitch Flicks’ Weekly Picks: pieces from Racialicious, The Crunk Feminist Collective, About-Face, Pandagon, etc. ‘Pray the Devil Back to Hell’ Portrays How the Women of Liberia, United in Peace, Changed a Nation: As the war progressed, the women wanted to take more drastic measures. Inspired by their faith, the women donned white garb to declare … Continue reading “Sunday Recap”
Welcome to Twin Peaks. This is a guest post by Cynthia Arrieu-King and Stephanie Cawley. Cynthia’s take: Why do I like Twin Peaks? I remember dialing through Netflix Streaming back in May of this year as a way of breaking up the cooking of several chopping-intensive dishes. The show was totally unappealing to me when … Continue reading “Guest Writer Wednesday: A Review in Conversation of Twin Peaks”
The Mysteries of Udolpho, the first female gothic novel This guest post is written by Sobia. The very words “Gothic heroine” immediately conjure up a wealth of images for the modern reader: a young, attractive woman (virginity required) running in terror through an old, dark, crumbling mansion in the middle of nowhere, from either a psychotic man … Continue reading “The Madwoman’s Journey from the Attic into the Television – The Female Gothic Novel and its Influence on Modern Horror Films”
The whores in horror are the signature flesh of the slasher flick. Women in this genre have long been given the cold shoulder: cold in as much as they are often lacking for clothing. Often a female character’s dearth of apparel becomes prominent at the pivotal point of slaughter: in cinema, women dress down to … Continue reading “Horror Week 2011: The Sexiness of Slaughter: The Sexualization of Women in Slasher Films”
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?)”
This cross-post from Jarrah Hodge previously appeared at Gender Focus. This is the first in a series of posts about Geek Girl Con, which was held in Seattle October 8-9. While some Canadians were celebrating Thanksgiving (or not out of protest or ambivalence), I was attending the inaugural Geek Girl Con in Seattle, Washington. … Continue reading “Guest Writer Wednesday: Geek Girl Con: Feminism, Race, and Geek Culture”
portrait of Ada Lovelace In honor of the day, I watched the only movie I could find about her (or featuring her): Conceiving Ada. Before I talk about the movie, first some basic information on Ada Lovelace Day, founded to celebrate Augusta Ada Byron King, Countess of Lovelace (AKA Ada Lovelace). Who is Ada Lovelace? … Continue reading “It’s Ada Lovelace Day!”
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”
I Need a Hero: Gus Van Sant’s Milk (2008) “My name is Harvey Milk, and I’m here to recruit you,” yells a nearly unrecognizable Sean Penn in a pivotal scene in Gus Van Sant’s biopic Milk (2008). Wearing a tight red and white shirt and form-fitting slacks highlighting a noticeable bulge, Penn unnervingly inhabits … Continue reading “Best Picture Nominee Review Series: Milk”
