The radical notion that women like good movies
Let’s Keep Goin’: On Horror, Magic, Female Friendship & Power in Thelma & Louise by Marisa Crawford If men didn’t rape, Louise wouldn’t have shot the rapist. If the system didn’t blame rape victims, they wouldn’t have gone on the run. If men didn’t rape, they could have driven through Texas. If the system didn’t … Continue reading “Travel Films Week: The Roundup”
Written by Robin Hitchcock Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) and Bob (Bill Murray) in Lost in Translation Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation is remembered mostly for the genuinely affecting romance between its leads Scarlett Johansson and Bill Murray, but it also offers a singular depiction of culture shock. Unfortunately, in representing the “strangeness” of Japan through the eyes … Continue reading “Travel Films Week: Othering and Alienation in ‘Lost in Translation’”
Written by Robin Hitchcock Jim and Pam of The Office The US iteration of The Office concluded its nine-year run last week with a somewhat mawkish but nevertheless emotionally satisfying finale. We left these characters in a place of personal fulfillment—Dwight and Angela marry, Dwight is regional manager of the Scranton branch of Dunder Mifflin, … Continue reading “How The Office’s Jim & Pam Negotiated their Conflicting Dreams”
Written by Robin Hitchcock Kristanna Loken as the T-X or “Terminatrix” in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines On round one thousand seventy eight of the eternal “do the time travel rules in the Terminator movies make any sense?” debate, my partner and I decided the only reasonable course of action was a Terminator movie … Continue reading “The Terminatrix Problem”
Written by Robin Hitchcock A piece of fan art and the particularities of French to English translation may have solved our Disney Princess problem: Disney Heroines Simple Lines, by David Gilson Feminist parents (and grandparents and aunts and uncles and siblings) often worry about their young girls getting sucked into Disney Princess culture, and not … Continue reading “Let’s Re-Brand "Disney Princesses" as "Disney Heroines"”
Written by Robin Hitchcock Jack Black in School of Rock The first decade of this millennium was a pretty good time for American culture, all in all, George W. Bush notwithstanding. YouTube was invented, the pound symbol was saved from oblivion by hashtags, and Tina Fey got famous. But the early-to-mid aughts also brought something really unpleasant … Continue reading “School of Rock: Where Shrewish Women are "The Man"”
Written by Robin Hitchcock Film critic Roger Ebert, 1942–2013 Roger Ebert died at age 70 yesterday, only days after announcing he would be taking a “leave of presence” from his career because his cancer had returned. Hearing the sad news of his passing, those words stand out in my mind: “leave of presence.” Even though … Continue reading “RIP Roger Ebert”
Written by Robin Hitchcock With Bitch Flicks celebrating its fifth anniversary this week, I wanted to write a positive and celebratory post. So I thought I would revisit one of my favorite flicks, Amy Heckerling’s Clueless, for which I have not a single unkind word. Clueless movie poster Clueless repositions the basic plot of Jane … Continue reading “‘Clueless’: Way Existential”
Gender, Family and Globalization in ‘Eat Drink Man Woman’ by Emily Contois Foreign Film Week: Red, Blue, and Giallo: Dario Argento’s ‘Suspiria’ by Max Thornton Sexism in Three of Bollywood’s Most Popular Films by Katherine Filaseta BFI London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival Realistic Depictions of Women and Female Friendship in ‘Muriel’s Wedding’ by … Continue reading “Foreign Film Week Roundup”
Written by Robin Hitchcock. The Journey of Natty Gann When I was a young girl, I was obsessed with the trailer for The Journey of Natty Gann (for which I will issue a spoiler warning, although I find it dubious that a Disney family film could be spoiled): I remember popping in my VHS copy … Continue reading “‘The Journey of Natty Gann’: Family-Friendly and Feminist-Friendly!”
Written by Robin Hitchcock. The Journey of Natty Gann When I was a young girl, I was obsessed with the trailer for The Journey of Natty Gann (for which I will issue a spoiler warning, although I find it dubious that a Disney family film could be spoiled): I remember popping in my VHS copy … Continue reading “The Journey of Natty Gann: Family-Friendly and Feminist-Friendly!”
Written by Robin Hitchcock Rodriguez, the central figure of documentary Searching for Sugar Man Searching for Sugar Man, considered the front-runner for Best Documentary Feature at the 85th Academy Awards this weekend, shares the unlikely story of Sixto Rodriguez, an obscure failed musician in the United States who became an icon on the other side of … Continue reading “2013 Oscar Week: Searching for Sugar Man Makes Race Invisible”
