The radical notion that women like good movies
Most of the commentary out there on The Social Network focuses on its awesomeness and front-runner status for this year’s Best Picture Academy Award. Plus, the film won its opening weekend’s box office, even though it’s numbers were lower than anticipated. While it very well may be a brilliantly-made film, one thing we can’t ignore … Continue reading “The Social Network Roundup”
Perhaps it was the unending coverage of Eliot Spitzer’s hooker shenanigans two years ago that reminded me of Lizzie Borden’s 1986 film Working Girls. I must have seen this for the first time in the late 1980s, when I was working in a video store and could rent any title for free. I avoided this … Continue reading “Guest Post: The Connection Between Sex and Money: Lizzie Borden’s WORKING GIRLS”
We previewed The Princess and the Frog back in June, noting the potential perpetuation of racial stereotypes and lamenting yet another princess movie where the princess still portrays the humanly-impossible physique of all who came before her. I actually watched this. The movie flirts with improvement, at least in its attempt to make the heroine … Continue reading “Releasing on DVD: Tuesday, March 16”
*This is a guest post from Sarah Domet. District 9: A Film I Want to Like I’ll be the first to admit: I want to like District 9, and I want to applaud The Academy for nominating this quirky, dark, heartfelt, and comic film for a Best Picture award. Even further, I would like to … Continue reading “Movie Review: ‘District 9’”
*This guest post also appears on Gender Across Borders. Last week, I saw the much-anticipated film Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire. And I haven’t stopped thinking about it all week. Not because I’m in shock, though the film does depict a number of truly horrific and violent situations. And not because I’m … Continue reading “Movie Review: Precious, Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”
As I took a closer look at the list of nominees for the Independent Spirit Awards, I couldn’t believe, once again, how many of the films are male-driven. While this list certainly involves many more female-driven films than is usually the case with Oscar nominees or even Golden Globe nominees, I still can’t help feeling … Continue reading “Independent Spirit Award Nominations: A Closer Look”
Welcome to our first installment of Director Spotlight, where we explore the biographies and filmographies of an often overlooked group: women film directors. Here is an excerpt from the AMC biography on Allison Anders: The hardships encountered and overcome by director Allison Anders are often reflected in the grittiness and strength of her female characters, … Continue reading “Director Spotlight: Allison Anders”
Pulling is a British comedy series written by Sharon Horgan (who co-stars) and Dennis Kelly. It aired on BBC3 for two seasons (of six episodes), starting in 2006, and an hour-long farewell special aired this May. After breaking off her engagement, Donna (Horgan) moves in with two of her best friends, Louise (Rebekah Staton) and … Continue reading “Ripley’s Pick: Season One of Pulling”
Lars Von Trier’s new film Antichrist opens in select cities on October 23, and already the controversy surrounding the film’s potential misogyny has the web and blogosphere buzzing. Much of it has to do with the Cannes Film Festival giving the director an anti-award. In the article, “Antichrist gets an anti-award in Cannes,” Jay Stone … Continue reading “Antichrist Roundup”
Push: Based on the Novel by Sapphire. Starring Gabourey “Gabby” Sidibe, Mo’Nique, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey, and Lenny Kravitz. Written by Sapphire (novel), Geoffrey Fletcher, and Ramona Lofton. Directed by Lee Daniels. I can’t wait to see this film. The Sundance Film Festival honored it with several awards, including the Grand Jury Prize, the Audience … Continue reading “Movie Preview: Push: Based on the Novel by Sapphire”
Explicit Ills. Written and directed by Mark Webber. Starring Rosario Dawson, Paul Dano, Lou Taylor Pucci, Tariq Trotter, Naomie Harris, Frankie Shaw, and Francisco Burgos. EXPLICIT ILLS is actor turned helmer, Mark Webber’s directorial debut. The film follows four inter-connecting stories revolving around love, drugs and poverty in Philadelphia. Babo, an asthma ridden seven-year-old lives … Continue reading “New on DVD: Explicit Ills”
Welcome to the first installment of Ripley’s Rebuke, a series of reviews of films that pass Ripley’s Rule while remaining essentially misogynistic.Written and directed by Woody Allen; starring Rebecca Hall, Scarlett Johansson, Javier Bardem, and Penelope Cruz. I like Woody Allen, while admitting that his best work is (long) behind him. With all the accolades … Continue reading “Ripley’s Rebuke: Vicky Cristina Barcelona”
