The radical notion that women like good movies
World War Z movie poster Written by Amanda RodriguezSpoiler Alert As someone who read and enjoyed Max Brooks’ novel World War Z, I confess that I was doubtful that the film version (also entitled World War Z) could do the complex, multiple perspective, international, decade-long “oral history” justice. Turns out, I wasn’t wrong. The sociopolitical … Continue reading “The Strong Yet Traditional Women of ‘World War Z’”
Michonne in The Walking Dead Written by Megan Kearns | Warning: spoilers ahead! So the season 3 finale of The Walking Dead. What can I say? Is there less sexism than last season’s appalling anti-abortion storyline with Lori’s pregnancy? Did the addition of badass Michonne change the gender dynamics? I’m going to warn you right … Continue reading “Nothing Can Save ‘The Walking Dead’s Sexist Woman Problem”
Written by Max Thornton. Time’s relentless onward march has brought us to the end of April. In just a few days it will be the first weekend in May, which is – in the strange, terrifying minds of Hollywood executives – the first weekend of summer. Summer movies are an odd and frustrating bunch. I … Continue reading “Summer Movie Preview”
Guest post written by Natalie Wilson, originally published at Ms. Magazine. Cross-posted with permission. Got a thing for zombies? Have some tween-age children in your life? Do you like whizz-bang stop-motion animation? Or, perhaps you are one of those types who appreciates a well-developed cast of characters that kicks stereotypes to the curb, features strong … Continue reading “2013 Oscar Week: The Brainy Message of ‘ParaNorman’”
Written by Amanda Rodriguez *Spoiler Alert* If you’re at all like me, you’re constantly frustrated by the characterizations of the women of The Walking Dead AMC series, their choices, and their actions. The show has received significant criticism for its paternalistic attitude, its throwback gender roles, and its lack of strong, capable female characters. Though … Continue reading “The Women of The Walking Dead: A Comparative Analysis of the Comic vs. TV”
Lena Dunham and the cast of Girls Written by Stephanie Rogers. Dear Lena Dunham Haters, I’m sick of the Lena Dunham hate. I’m not referring to the criticisms of Dunham, which are—in most cases—valid and necessary critiques of her privilege, especially how that privilege translates into her work. The first season of Girls in particular … Continue reading “Let’s All Take a Deep Breath and Calm the Fuck Down About Lena Dunham”
Written by Max Thornton. [content note: explicit discussion of violence and rape] Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle: “Violent media poisoning nation’s soul.” Is it, though? To his credit, LaSalle recognizes that it’s pretty fatuous to blame movie violence for real-life violent crime, but that doesn’t stop him from calling for blanket R ratings … Continue reading “When Dumb Fun Turns Nasty: Sexual Violence in Stupid Movies”
Written by Max Thornton. If people see a list of things I love – science fiction, fantasy, progressive rock, movies about zombies, witty and charming sitcoms that you will watch on NBC Thursday nights at 8/7c starting February 7 – they might be surprised to learn that I think ballet is awesome. If people see … Continue reading “Classic Literature Film Adaptations Week: ‘Ballet Shoes’”
Guest post written by Lauren Kouffman, originally published at her blog Ex Ovum Omnia. Cross-posted with permission. Fan favorite and global hit, Cake Boss, first aired on the TLC Channel on April 19, 2009, and has returned for five consecutive seasons, building to some of the highest ratings the network had ever seen. Syndicated episodes … Continue reading “Gender and Food Week: ‘Cake Boss’: A Sweet Confection with Dark Filling”
The Final Girl Gone Wild: Post-Feminist Whiteness in ‘Scream 4’ by Jeremy Cornelius Wes Craven’s 1990s Scream trilogy completely rewrote the slasher genre in a postmodern meta-film. In March 2011, Scream 4 was released, ten years after Scream 3 was originally released, starring the original trio: Neve Campbell, David Arquette, and Courtney Cox-Arquette along with … Continue reading “Horror Week 2012: The Roundup”
Here we are, at the end of Horror Week 2012! If you missed last year’s Horror Week and want to keep reading feminist analysis of the genre, check out these great articles. Sleepaway Camp by Carrie Nelson The shock of Sleepaway Camp’s ending relies on the cissexist assumption that one’s biological sex and gender presentation … Continue reading “Horror Week 2012: Roundup of Horror Week 2011”
This is a guest post from Amanda Rodriguez Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard’s Cabin in the Woods is a fantastic movie, laying the horror genre bare, critiquing its conventions, and creating a space for a larger cultural conversation. Gender roles (both in and out of horror movies) are a major component of this conversation in … Continue reading “Horror Week 2012: “We work with what we have," The Subversion of Gender Roles in ‘The Cabin in the Woods’”
