For all my cynicism, fall TV season secretly fills me with (false, inevitably dashed) hope every year. I may not always admit it, but I do give a fair chance to any new show that strikes my attention even a little. (Grad school has robbed me of many things – NaNoWriMo, the concept of disposable income, alcohol, the ability to stay awake for more than eight hours at a stretch, my last slender grasp on mental health – but it has not yet made a significant dent in the truly irresponsible amounts of TV I watch.) On some level, I think I’m still searching for something to fill the Buffy-shaped hole in my heart.
Two out of the three female characters are women of color: Melinda May played by Ming-Na Wen and Skye played by Chloe Bennet. They’re both of Asian descent, which leaves me wishing there were also prominent Black and Latino characters, but maybe more will be introduced over time. I’ve got to say that the Asian hacker and the Asian martial arts expert are pretty stereotyped roles, but I’m living on faith in Joss that he’ll flesh those characters out in a way that takes them beyond their trite origins into fully rounded characters to whom we’re heartbreakingly attached.
Child & Teenage Girl Protagonists Male Feminists & Allies Women & Gender in Cult Films & B-Movies Older Women in Film & TV Women in Sports Women with Disabilities Wedding Movies Travel Films Infertility, Miscarriage & Infant Loss Women & Gender in Foreign Films Women of Color in Film & Television Classic Literature Film Adaptations … Continue reading “Theme Months”
Did you miss these popular posts on Bitch Flicks? If so, here’s your chance to catch up. “Sixteen Candles, Rape Culture, and the Anti-Woman Politics of 2013″ by Stephanie Rogers “The Killing and the Misogyny of Hating Bad Mothers” by Leigh Kolb “Does Hollywood Revolve Around Men? ‘One Man’ Video Says Yes” by Megan Kearns … Continue reading “The Ten Most-Read Posts from July 2013”
Castle in on ABC. Written by Janyce Denise Glasper An avid fan of most Whedonverse alums, I started watching Castle in the middle of the fourth season to see the charming charismatic Nathan Fillion (Firefly, Buffy, and Dr. Horrible’s Sing- Along Blog) play the title role. Stana Katic–although a new actress to me, is a … Continue reading “‘Castle’ Part 1: Why Can’t We Just Be Friends?”
Wonder Women movie poster Written by Amanda Rodriguez Wonder Women: The Untold Story of American Superheroines is a documentary by Kristy Guevara-Flanagan available for free streaming on PBS (I heart free stuff). The film shows us Wonder Woman from her inception as a feminist character designed by her creator William Moulton Marston to usher in … Continue reading “Wonder Women and Why We Need Superheroines”
Children of Men (2006) The “Plague” of Infertility in Alfonso Cuarón’s Children of Men by Carleen Tibbetts Women can’t get pregnant anymore and nobody knows why. This the central lamentation in Alfonso Cuaron’s 2006 dystopian film Children of Men, based on P.D. James’s novel. Set in England in the year 2027, this is the story of … Continue reading “Roundup: Infertility, Miscarriage, and Infant Loss in Film and TV Week”
A bubblegum tee & a wisecracking smile only means mischief! Hello everyone! My name is Janyce Denise Glasper, a little quirky artist, writer, vegan, calico mommy, animal rights, and feminist activist currently residing in Dayton, Ohio soon to be transitioning to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to attend Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Art’s Post Baccalaureate Program. I’m … Continue reading “Meet New Bitch Flicks Writer Janyce Denise Glasper”
Pariah (2011), a film by Dee Rees Guest post written by Janyce Denise Glasper, originally published at Sugary Gingersnap. Cross posted with permission. An astounding, vibrant piece of finely weaved storytelling and thoughtfully spoken artistry, this independent film centers on Brooklyn high school teen, Alike (pronounced ah-lik-e) an exceptionally good student and aspiring poet from … Continue reading “Women of Color in Film and TV: ‘Pariah’”
Written by Amanda Rodriguez Hello all my new lovelies! I can’t tell you how excited I am to be the newest member of the Bitch Flicks writing team! I’m honored to be counted among such stellar, ass-kicking feminist pop culture gurus. When I consider what draws me to the examination of issues like gender, race, … Continue reading “Meet New Bitch Flicks Writer Amanda Rodriguez”
The Princess and the Frog (2009) This guest post written by Janyce Denise Glasper originally appeared at Bitch Flicks as part of our series on Animated Children’s Films and as part of our series on Women and Gender in Musicals. The Princess and the Frog is a Disney milestone for two reasons: it is the … Continue reading “Gender and Food Week: ‘The Princess and the Frog’”
Guest post written by Janyce Denise Glasper. Simply Irresistible was one forgotten film of the late 90’s. It’s bewitching story failed to spark box office or critical praise thanks to a weak script dropping many unexplained plot points — who the heck was Gene O’ Reily, why did Amanda buy expensive crabs from him, and … Continue reading “Gender & Food Week: ‘Simply Irresistible’”