The best thing you will read today about Breaking Dawn
And vampire-fetus-babies and misogyny and female desire and abuse and rough sex and mother-martyrs:
...read moreWelcome to the twisted glory that is Mormon housewife turned teen-lit sensation Stephenie Meyer’s imagination.
On the pages of Breaking Dawn Meyer let that imagination, which has been hovering under the repressed surface of the series’ previous three books, run rampant: Bedboard-breaking, feather-spilling, bruising honeymoon sex. A demonic pregnancy that grows so fast the fetus is nudging and jumping around the heroine’s womb days after conception. A grown-up werewolf falling in love with a half-vampire infant. And our heavily-pregnant heroine sipping blood from a soda cup–and loving it–just before her ribs and spine are shattered by the immortal spawn she’s carrying. It gets better: a c-section performed by vampire teeth. A shot of venom straight to the heart. A crazed childless vampire woman who will protect the fetus at all costs.
God, somebody tell me why: Bridesmaids
So last night, we rented Bridesmaids. We were already there at the Redbox, it was right there in front of us, and it was supposed to be a hilarious and heartwarming romp, right? It got critical accolades, it got 90 percent on Rotten Tomatoes–it should be a laff riot, right? Holy shit, Batman. Bridesmaids is [...]
...read more“Budrus” documentary on peace activism
Last week I saw a fantastic documentary: “Budrus“, an inspiring look at some of the non-violent activism that is shaping the Israel/Palestine conflict right now. Snip from the site: “Budrus” is an award-winning feature documentary film about a Palestinian community organizer, Ayed Morrar, who unites local Fatah and Hamas members along with Israeli supporters in [...]
...read moreIn which I indulge myself in brief admiration of Helen Mirren
I kind of love Helen Mirren. I just think that for the most part, she’s a classy dame. I like that she takes no shit. I like that it looks like she knows how to have fun. I like how outspoken she is about the dangers of gender stereotyping, and the importance of mentors and [...]
...read moreFlick Chicks
A guide to women in the movies, by Mindy Kaling.
...read moreWhat romantic comedies can teach us about ourselves
God, I hate romantic comedies with a fiery passion. It’s a cliche, I know–look, the bitter, humorless feminist hates love and laughter–but they make my teeth itch. I don’t fault anyone else for enjoying them, if that’s their thing, but I can’t get over the repeated implication in every single movie that I’m supposed to [...]
...read moreI Don’t Know How She Does It
Luckily, someone else has figured it out.
...read moreGo see The Interrupters
I caught this new documentary by Steve James (Hoop Dreams, Stevie) & Alex Kotlowitz (There Are No Children Here) during its sold-out run at the Siskel Center last week. Trailer: The Interrupters Imagine walking down a street where everyone is armed – with guns, rocks, knives – and a fight is breaking out. Imagine walking [...]
...read moreWhat I mean when I talk about movies that bore the everloving shit out of me.
For some masochistic reason, I ended up watching the trailer for The Art of Getting By today. Here’s the official synopsis: THE ART OF GETTING BY stars Freddie Highmore (Finding Neverland, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) as George, a lonely and fatalistic teen who’s made it all the way to his senior year without ever [...]
...read moreNot liking The Help that much
(I know Jill posted on the movie. I read the book and I have thoughts, which I was finally able to edit today.) I haven’t seen the movie The Help, but I did read the book. I wasn’t impressed. First, I am sick to the teeth of feel-good, revisionist fiction. I am really fed up [...]
...read moreStrength in cupcakes
“Women are girly. Again,” she says. And apparently, that sucks. Writing for the Huffington Post, Peg Aloi bemoans the death of the “tough gal,” as evidenced by blogs about cupcakes, gardening, Hello Kitty, and knitting. Women write about cuddly kitties. BUST is sponsoring a craft fair, holy shit! Feminism has not only come to an [...]
...read moreStep into my film school! The importance of casting in breaking open movie stereotypes
Did any of you catch Matt Zoller Seitz’s pieces on underrated actors and actresses? Given that the purpose of “top ten” lists is to make people argue about who should really be on the list and obviously there are great people not on the list who are underrated, I’m going to say that any list [...]
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