The radical notion that women like good movies
This piece by Natalie Wilson previously appeared at Bitch Flicks on October 13, 2010. Cross-posted at Ms. Magazine Warning: spoilers Vampires have become so common in contemporary texts that they have lost some of their bite. With most of them falling into the emo, brooding, love-struck and angst-ridden variety (Edward of Twilight, Damon of … Continue reading “Horror Week 2011: Let This Feminist Vampire In”
Hellraiser (1987) (This review spoils the WHOLE movie!) When people talk about classic horror movies, they’re almost always referring to the eighties which contained Nightmare on Elm Street, The Thing, and Child’s Play to name a few. Hellraiser, released in 1987, is no exception. While the movie lacks a lot of the high-tech special effects … Continue reading “Horror Week 2011: Hellraiser”
The Silence of the Lambs (1991) This post by Jeff Vorndam is republished with permission. The horror movie genre has historically exalted the objectification of women. In slasher movies, teen exploitation flicks, and even seemingly innocuous thrillers, women are cast for the purposes of screaming and disrobing. The antithesis within the horror/thriller genre is the … Continue reading “Horror Week 2011: The Silence of the Lambs”
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?)”
I don’t have much to say about this film: it looks amazing, and I can’t wait to see it. Here’s the movie synopsis from Rotten Tomatoes: A French family with two daughters, 10-year-old Laure and 6-year-old Jeanne, moves to a new neighborhood during the summer holidays. With her Jean Seberg haircut and tomboy ways, Laure … Continue reading “Movie Preview: Tomboy”
At the Social Good Summit a couple of weeks ago, a panel was held called, “Women and Girls Lead: Where Storytelling, Gaming, and Public Media Converge,” and the entire thing rocked my world. It’s moderated by Aaron Sherinian, Vice President of Communications and Public Relations of the United Nations Foundation, and the members of the … Continue reading “Quote(s) of the Day: Geena Davis and Abigail Disney”
Anita Sarkeesian of the Web site Feminist Frequency, a site that analyzes pop culture from a feminist perspective, recently completed her fabulous, six-part video series on Tropes vs. Women. She explains that, “A trope is a common pattern in a story or a recognizable attribute in a character that conveys information to the audience. A … Continue reading “Tropes vs. Women Spotlight”
Visit Barbara J. Berg’s Web site for more information. Yesterday, I wrote a piece analyzing two misogyny-filled reviews of I Don’t Know How She Does It. The process got me thinking quite a bit about the ways in which reputable movie critics choose to evaluate films, particularly woman-centered films. Most critics loved Bridesmaids, but that … Continue reading “Quote of the Day: Barbara J. Berg”
Even the promo shots for Whitney attempt retro, but come off as regressive. After the season premiere of Parks and Recreation (Knope 2012!) and The Office last Thursday night, I left the TV on and caught the series premiere of Whitney, the new sitcom created by and starring comic Whitney Cummings. I was first taken … Continue reading “Ripley’s Rebuke: ‘Whitney’ versus Whitney”
Tina Fey as “Liz Lemon” in 30 Rock Liz Lemon, the protagonist created and portrayed by Tina Fey on NBC’s 30 Rock, is one of television’s most recognizable and loved characters for her outlandish antics and so-real-it-hurts single-line commentaries on women and society. On the surface, Liz charms the audience with her awkward girl-next-door looks, … Continue reading “Emmy Week 2011: Liz Lemon: The "Every Woman" of Prime Time”
Mags Bennett, played by Margo Martindale After watching the first couple episodes of Justified with me, my good friend asked the question that I ask myself, “Why do you like this show?” See, she knows me and my general dislike of the Western aesthetic: all wide shots and swagger. Add in that it is “inspired” … Continue reading “Emmy Week 2011: Mags Bennett: As Wholesome As Apple Pie”
Written by Megan Kearns, cross-posted from The Opinioness of the World. So I arrived very late to the Mad Men party. As a self-proclaimed TV connoisseur and a feminist, I’m picky about the shows I choose to let into my life. But due to the urgings of my boyfriend Jeff and my girlfriends Lauren and … Continue reading “Mad Men Week: Is Mad Men the Most Feminist Show on TV?”
