I Support You, Gabby....

Via bioxid @ Flickr. I want to say something about Gabourey Sidibe. The day after Gabby attended the Academy Awards, where she was up for Best Actress, the ever-edgy Howard Stern attacked her on his radio show. He and Robin Quivers only ridicule her because they are concerned for her health, of course....

How “Amelia” Missed the Poin...

via bluedharma @ flickr “Miss Amelia Earhart, why do you want to fly?” “I want to be free.” So began the trailer for the film Amelia, which was released late last month to an almost universal critical drubbing. When I saw the trailer over the summer, I had a bit of hope that...

Shut up, Gawker...

I’ve been too philosophical lately.  In life, I am sort of philosophical, but I also have, as you have sometimes seen, anger issues.  Serious, foulmouthed anger issues.  So let’s get some anger on the table.  Today, I am angry about people lacking fundamental reading/viewing comprehension...

Response from the Feminist Majority Foun...

Posted this afternoon on the Feminist Majority Foundation’s blog  in response to the shitstorm over Peg Yorkin’s pro-Polanski statement in the L. A. Times (comments on the FMF’s blog are enabled–I hope you’ll use them). Statement by Eleanor Smeal, President, Feminist Majority...

The List of Shame (or Rape-Apologists R ...

It’s really dispiriting–and utterly infuriating–how many Hollywood types have signed the petition to free confessed child-rapist Roman Polanski. I mean, Woody Allen doesn’t surprise me, but et tu, Wes Anderson? SRSLY, Steven Soderbergh? I can only assume they haven’t read...

Friday Fun Thread: Casting Your Autobiog...

As SarahMC said yesterday, we are all of us Harpies, a bit pressed for time and energy lately.  Some of us are juggling other writing gigs; some of us are juggling other, uh, life gigs.  Some of us are applying to liberating graduate school programs!  (Like, um, me!  More on that some other time.) ...

Through Every Open Door: Patrick Swayze,...

It’s sort of weird to write an encomium to a dude, isn’t it, on a feminist website?  And yet I cried today when I heard about Patrick Swayze – and I am not a crier – and I wanted to say something to you. I make a habit in this space (and others) of picking apart pop culture for...

Class Solidarity and the Universality of...

I’ll admit to not having ever watched, all the way through, any of Tyler Perry’s movies.  I lost my taste, long ago, for the general flavour of commercial film, and since his work seemed more or less to follow that path, I’ve stayed away from it.  But when I read, this weekend, that...

An Open Letter to Zooey Deschanel’...

Dear dudes: On Friday night I happened to walk by a poster for Zooey Deschanel’s newest movie, 500 Days of Summer, and my eyes did a 360 degree roll in my head.  It’s about the transience of modern love!  Her character’s name is Summer, get it?!?! My mind immediately filled with a...

What’s up, Doc?...

Via Eclectic Needle @ Flickr. Almost a week after attending the Silverdocs film festival, I am still thinking about “Racing Dreams” (full disclosure: my friend worked on the film). As Hollywood produces uninspired remakes and formulaic flicks featuring stale caricatures, the documentary film...

The Sexy Scientist and the Asexual Profe...

Is the sequel worth the price of admission? via arthur1227 @ flickr I don’t usually indulge in summer movies, but I’ve splurged on a trip to see Angels & Demons twice in the past two weeks. Okay, so I’ll confess that 99% some of the reason for seeing the first showing was because...

The Summer of Our Discontent...

Worth the price of admission? via arthur1227 @ flickr The time for summer movies is upon us, and Manohla Dargis and A.O. Scott of The New York Times has decided to send a memo to Hollywood telling them how to improve the films that come out during the season most dedicated to mindless entertainment....