The radical notion that women like good movies
Rebel with a Cause: A Feminist Heroine Emerges in film The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo This is a cross post from Opinioness of the World. Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past year, you’ve undoubtedly heard about the international phenomenon that is Swedish author Stieg Larsson’s The Girl with the Dragon … Continue reading “Guest Writer Wednesday: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”
Despite the prevailing (and, to a certain extent, correct) opinions that the Oscars 1) are a political campaign in which the films with the best marketing take home the awards; 2) do not genuinely reflect the best films made every year; 3) promote female objectification (red carpet ridiculousness); and 4) exhibit the continued dominance of … Continue reading “Best Picture Nominee Review Series: 2011 Roundup”
I didn’t go into 127 Hours expecting to see any women in the film. After all, it’s about a man who goes out for a day of canyoneering fun, doesn’t tell anyone where he’s going, bikes through some amazing scenery while occasionally performing random, impressive athletic moves for no reason, decides to do some … Continue reading “Best Picture Nominee Review Series: 127 Hours”
Women Still a Rarity in Top Film Jobs from the Los Angeles Times: “Women held 16% of key jobs such as director and producer on the top 250 films of 2010 (as measured by domestic box-office receipts), according to the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University. … Continue reading “Bitch Flicks’ Weekly Picks”
True Grit (2010) This is a guest review from Cynthia Arrieu-King The Coen Brothers have triumphed in recognizing that their particular wifty and broad take on American violence could better the classic Western film True Grit. The original 1969 version drew from the campy Western novel True Grit by Charles Portis, and had a play-time, … Continue reading “Best Picture Nominee Review Series: True Grit”
Sofia Coppola with her Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for Lost in Translation Sofia Coppola is one of only four women ever nominated for a Best Director Academy Award, and was the first woman from the United States to achieve the honor. Her nomination was for Lost in Translation, for which she won the Oscar … Continue reading “Director Spotlight: Sofia Coppola”
Toy Story is the fourth film featured in our series of reviews leading up to the 2011 Academy Awards ceremony. Be sure to check out our reviews of Black Swan, Inception, and Winter’s Bone. Third Time Still Not the Charm for Toy Story’s Female Characters This guest post also appears at the Ms. Magazine Blog … Continue reading “Best Picture Nominee Review Series: Toy Story 3”
Sometimes a movie needs more than a review–it needs a discussion. See our previous Reviews in Conversation here and here. Nina is cracking… Amber’s Take:There’s a lot to say about Black Swan, and the more I think about it, the fewer definitive, and perhaps positive things I have to say. Before getting too ahead of … Continue reading “Review in Conversation: Black Swan”
Tiny Furniture. Starring Lena Dunham, Laurie Simmons, Grace Dunham, and Jemima Kirke. Written and directed by Lena Dunham. The film follows Aura (played by writer/director Lena Dunham), a 20-something self-described misanthrope who, after graduating from a film program at a small liberal arts school in Ohio, moves back to New York City to live with … Continue reading “Ripley’s Pick: ‘Tiny Furniture’”
Enlightened Sexism: The Seductive Message that Feminism’s Work is Done by Susan J. Douglas Note: all boldface is my emphasis, not the author’s. Today, feminist gains, attitudes, and achievements are woven into our cultural fabric. So the female characters created by Shonda Rhimes for Grey’s Anatomy, to choose just one example, reflect a genuine desire … Continue reading “Quote of the Day: Susan J. Douglas”
One Dimensional Woman by Nina Power (Zero Books) Below is an excerpt from Nina Power’s One Dimensional Woman, in which she raises some interesting points and questions about the so-called Bechdel Test (or Ripley’s Rule, as we generally refer to it). What does contemporary visual culture say about women? Here a thought experiment comes in … Continue reading “Quote of the Day: Nina Power”
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 The Vampire Diaries and Bill of True Blood), the female vampire featured in Let Me … Continue reading “Guest Writer Wednesday: Let This Feminist Vampire In”
