The radical notion that women like good movies
Even you’re not in school, September feels like a time for beginnings. It’s when you met the people who would become your close friends, bought new school shoes, and settled into a new year. With that in mind, I decided to look at a selection of coming of age films loosely based around school and learning. As an extra bonus, all five films come from female writer-directors.
Neil Jordan is best known for ‘The Crying Game’ —aka The Movie Where It Suddenly Turns Out That the Main Character is in Love with a Trans Woman – but he also made two vampire movies, and damn if those weren’t kind of interesting, too. Taken together, they show that the vampire genre can be re-invented in all kinds of ways, as long as there’s substance under the biting and blood.
Farewell, My Queen Written by Erin Tatum. Farewell, My Queen has been on my to-watch list for a while. I’m a sucker for the opulence and pretty costumes of period pieces. Really, you could assemble the worst cast imaginable and I’d probably still watch to drool over the outfits. The narrative chronicles events in Versailles … Continue reading “Queer Infatuation in ‘Farewell, My Queen’”
Bring It On movie poster This guest post by Deborah Pless previously appeared at her blog Kiss My Wonder Woman and is cross-posted with permission. I first saw Bring It On when I was still deep into my rebellious phase. You know the one. Lots of punk rock, plaid bellbottoms (they came back in style … Continue reading “Women in Sports Week: Because Being Girly Doesn’t Mean Being Weak: ‘Bring It On’”
DVD cover for Elizabethtown This is a guest review by Amanda Civitello. When she was ten, my little sister pronounced herself a “Young Feminist in Training” and authored an editorial for a school newspaper entitled, “Sarah Palin: Feminist? No!” I was surprised, then, when she said last week that she wanted to watch Elizabethtown for … Continue reading “‘Elizabethtown’ After the Manic Pixie Dream Girl”
Cast of The Bling Ring This is a guest review by Marcia Herring. In discussions of Sofia Coppola, nepotism is a long-covered topic. Regardless of early exposure in her acting career, I have no doubt that Coppola has ultimately benefited from the privilege of being surrounded by famous company. Without Francis Ford or Roman or … Continue reading “‘The Bling Ring’: American Emptiness”
This is a guest post by Jessica Freeman-Slade. When I think of the inspiring women in the books I read as a kid, I don’t think of the girls my age like Ramona Quimby or Harriet Welsh. No, when I was 10 years old, I wanted, more than anything, to be Josephine “Jo” March, the … Continue reading “Classic Literature Film Adaptations Week: Hellraisers in Hoop Skirts: Gillian Armstrong’s Proudly Feminist ‘Little Women’”
Kirsten Dunst, Isla Fisher, and Lizzy Caplan in Bachelorette Written by Robin Hitchcock. [Warning: spoilers ahead!] When I saw The Hangover, around the time its sequel came out, I was disappointed they didn’t make the sequel the story of “meanwhile, the bride and her girlfriends had an even MORE wild adventure.” Some of us hoped … Continue reading “‘Bachelorette’ Proves Bad People Can Make Great Characters”
Kirsten Dunst in Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette This post by Megan Kearns originally appeared at Bitch Flicks on March 27, 2012. Many chastised Sofia Coppola’s re-imagining of Marie Antoinette. Some critics complained about the addition of modern music while others thought it looked too slick, like an MTV music video (remember those??). But I think … Continue reading “Women in Politics Week: Sofia Coppola’s ‘Marie Antoinette’ Surprisingly Feminist”
The Problem with Female Representation in Science Fiction on Television by Paul and Renee The wonderful thing about science fiction is that the writers have the opportunity to create a world, which while based on ours, can be markedly different. This means that there should be a place for strong female characters who are not … Continue reading “Women in Science Fiction Week: The Roundup”
Okay, it’s time for this week’s feminist film question! Huzzah! We asked you: What are your favorite quotes from women-centric films? Here’s what you said: “Get away from her you bitch.” — Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), Aliens “Fasten your seatbelts. It’s going to be a bumpy night.” — Margo Channing (Bette Davis), All About Eve … Continue reading “Weekly Feminist Film Question: What Are Your Favorite Quotes from Women-Centric Films?”
Kirsten Dunst as Mary Svevo in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind Guest post written by Amanda Civitello. Warning: spoilers ahead!! Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is precisely the kind of science fiction movie I like: a film in which the futuristic, scientific aspects are so well integrated into the plot that there is … Continue reading “Women in Science Fiction Week: Mary Svevo: ‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’s Other Strong Female Character”
