Originally published at Bitch Flicks | Warning: Spoilers ahead! Yes, I am a Trekkie. I’ve been a huge fan of Star Trek ever since I was a kid. The camaraderie of Star Trek: The Original Series, the intellectual and moral conundrums on Star Trek: The Next Generation, the political intrigue and exploration of social issues … Continue reading »
Category Archives: Films
Is Pepper Potts No Longer the “Damsel in Distress” in ‘Iron Man 3′?
In ‘Iron Man 3,’ has Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) evolved past the “damsel in distress?” Is she now an empowered badass? Continue reading »
‘Middle of Nowhere’: A Complicated, Transformational & Feminist Love Story
Originally published at Bitch Flicks as part of Women and Color in Film and TV Week. I often talk about how I want to see more female-fronted films, created by female filmmakers, including women of color on-screen and behind the camera. I want complex, strong, intelligent, resilient, vulnerable, flawed women characters. I want more realistic … Continue reading »
‘Yelling to the Sky’: Gender, Race and a Girl Struggling to Survive Her Chaotic Homelife
Originally published at Bitch Flicks as part of Women of Color in Film and TV Week. Yelling to the Sky struck a visceral chord with me. I related to it in a way I often don’t with films. I’m not a biracial woman growing up impoverished, who turns to selling drugs as a means of … Continue reading »
Feminism and the Oscars: Do the 2013 Best Picture Nominees Pass the Bechdel Test?
Are the Academy Awards sexist? How feminist are this year’s Best Picture nominees? Do they pass the Bechdel Test? Here’s why looking at gender and feminism in Oscar-nominated films matters. Continue reading »
2013 Athena Film Festival: Films on Women & Leadership
Excerpts of this post originally published at Bitch Flicks. I’m super excited by the 3rd annual Athena Film Festival! I’ve attended each year (you know The Opinioness loves feminist films!) watching fearless and inspirational women on-screen and listening to brave and bold filmmakers. The festival features narrative films, documentaries, short films along with panels and … Continue reading »
‘Zero Dark Thirty’ Raises Questions On Gender and Torture, Gives No Easy Answers
With her female-centric tour-de-force, Kathryn Bigelow has been praised & condemned. People question whether the film endorses torture (calling Bigelow “torture’s handmaiden”) or merely depicts torture. It raises complex questions on gender dynamics & the War on Terror. Continue reading »
‘Les Miserables,’ Sex Trafficking & Fantine as a Symbol for Women’s Oppression
Some have questioned whether or not ‘Les Miserables’ is a feminist film, thinking it sidelines the female characters. But that ignores its feminist depictions of sex trafficking, women in poverty and single motherhood. Continue reading »
Does ‘Argo’ Suffer from a Woman Problem and Iranian Stereotypes?
Originally published at Bitch Flicks. When I saw Argo in the theatre, I wasn’t really expecting to have a whole lot to say regarding gender in the film. In the majority of the trailer, all you see is men, men, brief glimpse of the women, and more men. Did Argo reaffirm my fears of making … Continue reading »
“A Vegan Thanksgiving” Video Embraces Compassion and Answers the Question “What Do Vegans Eat?”
“The truth is there is no contradiction between eating compassionately and honoring tradition.” — Colleen Patrick-Goudreau Continue reading »