Review on the Side: Cinderella

Release Date: March 13th, 2015
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Writer: Chris Weitz
Bechdel Test: Passed all three tests

Cinderella is the live action adaptation of the classic Disney cartoon of the same name. The 1950's Cinderella was a powerful movie that helped establish Disney as a brand that can make quality films. In the last few years, Disney has produced a series of live action adaptations and re-imaginings including Alice in Wonderland, and Maleficent. Both movies were visually stunning with a less than stunning plot. With Cate Blanchett headlining this film as the evil step mother, it's easy to presume this film will be another re-imagining of sorts.

Instead, Cinderella is quite faithful to the original cartoon, and surprisingly the original Grimm fairy tale. It's the traditional story of a poor girl who is abused by her step-mother and step-sisters and goes to the ball to meet a prince with the help of a fairy. No psychedelic universe, or cartoon settings. It's refreshingly simple and enchanting.

Lily James as Cinderella encapsulates that blonde, fair maiden look that Disney loves so much. I always will have trouble with a lead who has no flaws, and Cinderella is meant to be nothing but kind and good, although she never comes across as tooth-ache sweet. Despite the role being an fashioned cliche, James draws you in with her sincerity.

Cate Blanchett does steal the show quite a bit as the evil step mother. It would have been very easy to make her character inherently evil through and through, but instead the step-mother becomes a sympathetic character. Blanchett radiates talent, and without her I think this movie would fall flat. Helena Bonham Carter also brings a lot of charm to her role as the Fairy Godmother. She frequently plays fantastical characters, but the Fairy Godmother is different from her normal fair. She gives life to the story when it starts to grow dull, and has a wonderful presence as the narrator.

The biggest issue I have with Cinderella is with director Kenneth Branagh. The film feel drawn out and flat. Similar to his Marvel movie Thor, Branagh takes a magical fantastic universe and does a disservice with flat comedy and slow steady pacing. His style is simply quite boring. The second half of the movie seems to lose all urgency and stakes. There's nothing wrong with this or any of his movies, they will simply will never surprise you.

It does need to be said that like many old fairy tales, the portrayal of women is steeped in old fashioned ideals with less than stellar stereotypes. There's no getting around that. There's an argument to be had about the way women are portrayed in these morality films, and how that affects gender roles but I don't have it in me to fight that battle. Yes, it's old fashioned, but the essential message of kindness over selfishness isn't going to ruin a nation of kids. There does seem to be a conscious effort to represent diversity with some of the minor characters, so at least there's that.

Cinderella is a nice movie. I might recommend it to kids who enjoyed Maleficent but as an adult my nostalgia lies in the cartoon, I'd rather hear the old fashioned "Bippity Boppity Boo" than sit through this version again. It's a totally fine movie with some rather nice moments, but there's nothing to take away from it besides some impressive costumes and a hefty payday for Disney.

IMDb - Cinderella (7.2)

What to see this weekend?

Movie lovers and summer blockbusters. A match made in heaven. Are you interested in...

A female lead?
Inside Out
Jackie & Ryan
Spy

Written by a woman?
Inside Out
Jackie & Ryan
Jurassic World
Terminator Genisys

Directed by a woman?
Jackie & Ryan

Trailblazer Appreciation: Amy Schumer

Ever hear that women can't be funny? Ever hear that women can't be on late night TV? Ever hear that only certain kinds of women can be sexy?

Amy Schumer doesn't give a fuck.

This week the third season of Amy Schumer's sketch-comedy show called Inside Amy Schumer premiered on Comedy Central. Lets be honest, that in itself is an achievement worth celebrating, since the prevailing theory is that women aren't funny. Amy's comedy is provocative and pushes the limit's of what can be shown on TV.

The Inside Amy Schumer premiere included the viral sensation "Milk, Milk, Lemonade" and the epic collaboration of Julia Louie-Dreyfus, Patricia Arquette, and Tina Fey celebrating their "Last Fuckable Day." Her show takes a massive undeniable stand against the physical standards that Hollywood has set for women. A fantastic season opener to a show that often takes a critical eye to the way women are treated in society.

Amy's hilarious comedy also lead her to this year's MTV Movie Awards as the host. Between Shailene Woodley winning literally every award, and buff action movie stars standing in front of pyrotechnics instead of speaking, Amy stood out for her hysterical monologue.

Amy also wrote her first feature film called Trainwreck,  a romantic comedy that she is starring in along with SNL alum Bill Hader. The movie was directed and produced by star maker Judd Apatow. The trailer is up, and with such a funny, talented cast, it looks like it will be a hit this summer.

Are you exhausted yet? You should be. Amy Schumer has been paving the way for women in comedy, and isn't slowing down now. She's been able to take the stereotypes that hold back women, and use them to push herself forward. For her inspiring perseverance and fearless comedy, we are grateful to have such outstanding idol carving her own path. 

What's on TV this week?

This week in TV we have some favorites, old and new, and one classic is coming to an end. Let us know if any of these shows are in your TV queue. 

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart

While The Daily Show might represent one of many late night slots that women can't break into, Jon Stewart created a show that has become a staple for human who like comedy everywhere. His late night run on the satirical news show is coming to an end in August. While a new anchor, Trevor Noah will take over the helm at The Daily Show, it certainly feels like the end of an era. The Daily Show with Jon Stewart also helped bring comediennes like Samantha Bee, Jessica Williams, and Kristen Schaal into our homes with their comedy and commentary. We hope you catch up with Jon Stewart while he's still on the air.

iZombie

For something lighter we turn to the CW. From the creator of Veronica Mars comes iZombie, a supernatural police procedural based on a comic series. iZombie is coming on the heels of popular procedural's like Forever, Castle, and Elementary which seem to have a clear agenda to show police detectives as totally useless, and random people should absolutely be out solving murders. It's wonderful to see a woman in the helm of such a franchise, as well as co-creator and executive producer Diane Ruggiero bringing more women to the writing and development. It's a fun show that takes a serious look at the life of a lonely zombie, and shows some creative crime solving.

Veep

Returning for it's 4th season is the Julia Louis-Dreyfus political comedy that I've often called the funniest show on television. For 4 seasons, Armando Iannucci has made comedy smarter, and politics sillier. The interaction between Vice President Selena Meyers (Louis-Dreyfus) and her personal aid Gary (The outstanding Tony Hale) is something that makes me laugh until I'm gasping for air. You might have seen their shtick when Julia won an Emmy for her work on Veep in 2013 and Tony Hale joined her on stage to hold her purse and whisper "you love your family" in her ear like he does in the show. Veep is really really funny.

What are you watching on TV this week?

What to see this weekend?

Spring has sprung! Are you in the mood for...

A female lead?
The Age of Adaline
Cinderella
Clouds of Sils Maria
Insurgent
The Longest Ride
Unfriended
Woman in Gold

Written by a woman?
Adult Beginners
Insurgent
Woman in Gold

Review #43: The Debt

Release Date: August 31st, 2011
Writer: Matthew Vaughn, Jane Goldman, and Peter Straughan
Director: John Madden

Logline: In 1965, three Mossad agents cross into East Berlin to apprehend a notorious Nazi war criminal. Thirty years later, the secrets the agents share come back to haunt them. (IMDb)
Thriller, 113 minutes
Bechdel Test: Passes all 3 tests

Review
I love a good spy movie. There aren't nearly enough of them. Give me Jason Bourne over Captain America any day.

The Debt is an American/British remake of an Israeli film. The adaptation was written by the action film duo of Matthew Vaughn and Jane Goldman (X-Men: First Class, Kickass) and spy film writer Peter Straughn (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.) The director John Madden has a few Oscar films under his belt, including Shakespeare in Love.

The reason I'm outlining all that information is to explain why I has such high hopes before I watched this film. When you bring together a stellar list of experienced hit-makers, you do so expecting a hit. Maybe The Debt was a success; it made it's budget back, and put Dame Helen Mirren on the poster for an action film. I'm not sure it lived up to all of my many expectations.

Sold as a tangled web of deception around a CIA operation that happened during the Cold War, The Debt has a narrative that shows what happened in the 1960's and the fallout many years later. Agent Rachel Singer, portrayed as Jessica Chastain in the 1960's and as Helen Mirren in the 1990's, was part of a three man operation to capture and bring to justice a Nazi war criminal.

Jessica Chastain and Sam Worthington in The Debt

The first half of the movie brings the audience on several spy missions that are beautifully shot and executed. There is a nail biting sequence during which the CIA operatives pose as ambulance drivers to extract their target, with the real ambulance on the way, only moments behind. Many action movies rely on technology to keep a sequence interesting, or the counting clock of a man set to watch out for the team. John Madden plays into the fear of the unknown in The Debt, reminding the audience that there is no fall back, that time is ticking and there is no way of knowing if or when the agents will be found out.

The weakness of the film, is of course the very narrative structure by which it is framed. The characters have been introduced as old men and women, so there is a bit lost in watching their younger selves in dangerous situations. We know they make it out alive. Ironically, I found the second half of the film, taking place 30 years later, to be the slowest part. While the characters are more interesting and complex, with secrets to cover up and uncertain allegiances, the action significantly drops off.

Helen Mirren in The Debt

I'm not sure I can place The Debt in the list of spy movies I really love. While there are some great scene of tense action, and gut wrenching suspense, the story itself falls off the map. With characters who swap actors, and motives that become muddled, I didn't get suspense all the way though the film.

Portrayal of Women: Before going into the movie I had a fleeting thought "how nice that they put a woman in the spy movie," for now. While she appeared to portray an important character in the trailers, I had a suspicion that her role would be undercut by some stereotypical trope.

I'm pleased to say Rachel Singer's character wasn't used as a love interest or reward, and she wasn't incompetent. She wasn't a cold, manipulative villainess either. At no point was she heroically saved by a man. Rachel Singer fought her own fights, and was the most valuable part of the CIA's mission. Her character was used for her vulnerability, and perhaps earned sympathy for being considered weaker, but I don't think that detracts from her capabilities as a woman. Her character captivated the audience, and ultimately controlled the story.

Sisterhood Moment: Rachel Singer recaps the events of the past through the book her daughter wrote about her. What a fantastic little tag to a movie about spy's, deception, and lies. Rachel Singer might be a lot of unsavory things, but she's also a mother and a hero to her child.

Rating: 3 Jason Bournes out of 5 franchises

IMDb - The Debt (6.9)
Wikipedia - The Debt
Rotten Tomatoes - The Debt (77%)

In 2014 Women kept disappearing.

If you're not already familiar with the Center for the Study of Women in Television & Film from San Diego State University you should be. They do annual reports of the representation of women in front of and behind the camera.

In 2014 among the top 100 grossing movies 
Women represent 12% of the protagonists. The number of women who were represented as major characters and speaking characters were the same as last year,  both figures were about 30%. A staggering 74% of all women characters were white. 

If you further read the study there are interesting statistics regarding the decrease of female characters from their 30's to 40's compared to the increase of male characters in the same age range. There are also statistics regarding the role of women in leadership positions, whether their marital status is known, and whether they were identified via a work related role (ie, doctor, lawyer) vs a personal role (ie, mother, sister.) It's a pretty clear analysis of the ways in which women are marginalized on film.

Their study for the role of women behind the camera looked at the top 250 domestic grossing films in 2014. 
Specifically they looked at the roles of directors, writers, producers, executive producers, editors, and cinematographers.

"38% of films employed 0 or 1 woman in the roles considered. 23% of films employed 2 women, 29% employed 3 to 5 women, 7% employed 6 to 9 women, and 3% employed 10 to 14 women. In contrast, no films employed 0 or 1 man in the roles considered, and 69% employed 10 to 27 men."

A whopping 93% of films had no female director, and 79% of the films had no female writer.

The figures for women working as cinematographers or composers? Even more depressing.

Women looking to work in these industries should see these figures as empowering. Awareness can change views. These are opportunities for women to break into these new markets. It might be a challenge to find someone out of the ordinary for roles in front of and behind the camera, but we need unique voices to keep movies alive.

Some fantastic films came out this year that told the stories of women, and by women including The Hunger Games, Wild, Maleficent, Selma, Cake, Gone Girl, Camp X Ray, Obvious Child, and more. If you want more films like those, get out there and make those movies.

• It's a Man's (Celluloid) World: On-Screen Representation of Female Characters in 2014
• Celluloid Ceiling: Behind the Scenes Employment in 2014
• The Hollywood Reporter - Major Film Roles for Women drop in 2014

87th Annual Academy Awards Wrapup

The 2014 award season is finally coming to an end, and last nights ceremony seemed to show that one topic was getting ripe on the vine; Hollywood sexism.

#AskHerMore

Reese Witherspoon

The night started before the ceremony with Reese Witherspoon, nominated for her role as lead actress in Wild, demanding one thing: #AskHerMore

The last few years, women have been showing a distinct annoyance with the Red Carpet treatment. Men who walk the red carpet get asked questions about their co-stars, their upcoming projects, philanthropy, anything really, women get ask a series of condescending questions about frivolous topics, usually clothes hair, nails, shoes, etc. 

Photo posted by @ReeseWitherspoon 

❤️ this movement #AskHerMore..have you heard of it? It's meant to inspire reporters to ask creative questions on the red carpet. I love the Oscars AND fashion like many of you - & am excited to share #WhoAmIWearing later tonight. (not yet!!) But I'd also love to answer some of these Qs....And hear your suggestions?! (Share em below!) There are so many amazing, talented nominees this year..! Let's hear their stories! Spread the word. #AskHerMore #Oscars #Countdown
@ReeseWitherspoon 

Last October at the Women in Hollywood event, Jennifer Garner compared notes to her husband, Ben Affleck who both had similar press junkets scheduled on the same day. She was asked questions about making time for her family, while he was asked about models.

Elizabeth Moss showed her frustration at the Golden Globes. She was asked to use the "E! Mani Cam" where famous celebrated women are asked to walk their fingers up a miniature red carpet "like children." While many other celebrities including Jennifer Aniston and Julianne Moore, opted out, Moss received a lot of praise for showing the camera her manicure - on her middle finger. The Mani Cam did not reappear at this years Oscars.

The #Oscars red carpet is open! Let's #AskHerMore and re-direct the conversation!! 🙌🎉
— AmyPoehlerSmartGirls (@smrtgrls) February 22, 2015

Patricia Arquette 

Best Supporting Actress

Video Removed

Patricia Arquette

And then of course, the scene stealer herself. Patricia Arquette. She won her Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Richard Linklater's Boyhood. A fantastic movie, and a fantastic role she spend 12 years filming. With a prepared speech, she hit some major talking points during the 30 seconds or so winners are given.

“To every woman who gave birth, to every taxpayer and citizen of this nation, we have fought for everybody else’s equal rights. It’s time to have wage equality once and for all. And equal rights for women in the United States of America.”

Congratulations Patricia. Very well said.

Julianne Moore 
Best Actress

Julianne Moore

One of our favorite women, Julianne Moore was also awarded an Oscar for her work in the moving drama, Still Alice. This was her fifth time nominated and her first win. She gave a beautiful speech as well.

"There is no such thing as Best Actress as evidenced by the performances of my fellow actresses."

We're with you, Julianne. Women supporting women is what the world needs more of.



Let us know what you thought of the 2015 Academy Awards in the comments below.

Further Reading...

• The Hollywood Reporter - Is Red Carpet Coverage Sexist?
• The Independent - #AskHerMore: Patricia Arquette, Reese Witherspoon and Julianne Moore back red carpet campaign to take women seriously

Review #42: Juno

Juno (2007)

Release Date: December 25th, 2007
Writer: Diablo Cody
Director: Jason Reitman

Logline: Faced with an unplanned pregnancy, an offbeat young woman makes an unusual decision regarding her unborn child. (IMDb)
Comedy/Drama, 96 min.
Bechdel Test: Passed all three tests.


Review

I love this movie.

For a while that sentence was the whole review. I love the story, the characters, the writing. When it came out in 2007 it was so fresh and endearing. Not a whole lot has changed since then.

I hate describing this as a quirky comedy because I want every movie to be as confident and stylized as Juno. The Wes Anderson meets indy music video visual style hasn't really been successfully replicated since. Juno put both Diablo Cody and Jason Reitman on the map for their bold innovation. Cody showed a phenomenal range of characters, from the crass wit of High Schoolers Juno and Leah, to the prim and educated Vanessa and Mark. It's a movie that deals with teen pregnancy, abortion, relationships, abandonment, divorce, plenty of difficult issues without a hint of being preachy or judgmental.

The iconic scenes and lines that came from Juno are worth talking about alone.

-Juno swigging Sunny D and Rainn Wilson's "you're eggo is preggo." and "This is one doodle that can't be undid, homeskillet." Come on. Every single person did an impression in their head immediately after those lines.
-Hamburger telephone. Worthy of getting a landline.
-"It's probably just a food baby." I've had food pregnancy before.
-Brenda telling off the ultrasound technician? What a great moment. No evil stepmother cliche just mama-claws ferocity.
-"They call me the cautionary whale" The image of preggers Juno walking the halls and the students parting like it's Moses and the red sea? What a great scene.
-"Thundercats are GO!"


Portrayal of Women: I love a movie that shows how bitches get stuff done without being an overt chick flick. Juno somehow managed to find that sweet spot of being a movie about girls supporting girls, without being patronizing or so boring that half the audience falls asleep. Juno makes her own decisions. She decides what to do with her body and what to do with her baby. Vanessa is a different kind of go-getter but hey she gets what she needs out of life even if it's not in a man-pleasing way. Bren and Leah? They are some fantastic supporting characters with their own personality and goals.

To see a film where there are two leading women have clear and present goals, and are basically the emotional core of the film? Oh, and that ISN'T a rom-com? That comes along once every few years at best. Juno is kind of an important film in that respect.

Sisterhood Moment: Despite all the fantastic moments Juno has with her friends that I could endlessly laugh about, it comes down to the ending for me. Juno writing that note for Vanessa? Come on, that's a REAL sisterhood moment. Juno and Vanessa both had their plans fall apart, but they still supported each other.

Rating: 5 feet of twizzlers and a jumbo blue slushie for good measure.

IMDb - Juno (7.6)
Wikipedia - Juno
Rotten Tomatoes - Juno (94%)

What's on TV this week?

This week in television is sort of an in between of great specials and shows for sweeps, while other favorites are still on hiatus for another two weeks. Here's what we are excited for.

Better Call Saul

Better Call Saul Monday's on AMC

Yup, this is going to be a good one. Everyone on the planet watched Breaking Bad, so it comes as no surprise that this has already been greenlit for a second season before the pilot even aired. Better Call Saul regularly airs Monday nights on AMC, but the premiere episode aired Sunday night February 8th, with the second airing in it's regular timeslot on February 9th.

Aside from being a fantastic show that I'm sure everyone will watch anyways, the Breaking Bad-Better Call Saul clan has supported some fantastic women writers and directors, including Michelle MacLaren, director of Monday nights episode #2,  who has been tapped to direct the upcoming Wonder Woman project.

Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special. 

SNL 40th Anniversary Special airing Sunday on NBC

There's going to be 3 hours of Saturday Night Live with every cast member, every guest host, and every musical guest over the last 40 years invited. I'll give you a few minutes if you need to go freshen up.

There's also be a red carpet special leading up to what can only be described as "the event." Also, despite the confusing name, a compilation episode of SNL will air for Valentines day on Saturday February 14th in it's regular timeslot, while the actual Anniversary Special is airing Sunday evening on February 15th.

Cougar Town

Cougar Town Tuesdays on TBS

Cougar Town is that weird show that almost nobody watched as it aired on ABC and then it moved to TBS where even less people watched it. This Bill Lawrence (Scrubs) show stars Courtney Cox (Friends) and a bunch of people who drink wine all day and are delightfully entertaining. It's one of those shows that ABC loves to make with a name that insults it's targeted audience, but don't be deterred, Cougar Town is self deprecating enough to poke fun at itself. It's also one of those shows that's had cancellation looming overhead since season 1, so very early on they lose any restraint and fully embrace weird stories and in-jokes. 

If you're trying to escape the frigid winter via the magic of television, this show might hit the spot. It's funny, it's light and fluffy and it's set in Florida, so you can dream of tan-lines. 

Sadly, Cougar Town only has 8 episodes left to air! If you want to watch, it airs tonight, February 10th on TBS. The series finale will be Tuesday, March 31st, so mark your calendars.


What shows are you planning on catching up with this week?

Review on the Side: Wild

Release Date: December 19th, 2014
Director: Jean-Marc Vallee
Writer: Nick Hornby (Based on the novel by Cheryl Strayed)
Bechdel Test: Passed all three tests.

Last night I cleaned my kitchen. Took a nice hot bath. Made cup of tea. Got in my PJ's, with blankies and my puppy on the couch, ready for snuggles. Then I turned on this movie and was unable to look away.

I highly recommend anyone else who wants to watch this film to do the same. Not only was it a nice Sunday night, this movie is highly deserving of your focus and attention. And you will probably also need something to snuggle.

Wild follows the story of Cheryl Strayed as she hikes across the west coast of the United States via the Pacific Crest Trail. It's a story of her learning to deal with her past, as the journey on the hiking trail reflects the journey her life took to get to this point. You might even call the hike the b-plot because the "flashbacks" are really the focus of the film.

There is really something wonderful about the relatability of Cheryl in this film. Women are so often portrayed as either strong and cold, or weak and flirtatious. This is as close to the female "every-man" as I've seen on screen. Her character reflects the way people are composed of contradictions. She's a character full of love, compassion, and empathy, but also makes selfish and impulsive decisions. She struggles to deal with things that are hard to deal with. She doesn't have the answers. She has to make hard mistakes to figure out who she is. So rarely are women given the opportunities to see those stories told on film, even though this one made for one fantastic film.
Reese Witherspoon is vulnerable and raw, but also optimistic. She brings so much dimension to this already complex character. Laura Dern is undeniably charming, as she often is on screen. Her moments in the film are brief but haunting. I've always felt like she was an underrated actress. I think Jean-Marc Vallee brought out some quality performances from the cast.

So yes, I highly recommend Wild. It fits somewhere outside the normal convention of film. It's a drama that isn't agonizing. It's a female-driven film that doesn't dwell in romance. It's a biographical memoir told in an unconventional way. This is what I like about independent films. Sometimes going just a few steps outside of the 'expectations box' can lead to wonderful things.
(X-post from Sarah Does Movies)

Rating: 4.5/5
IMDb - Wild (7.3)

87th Annual Academy Awards - The One Where They Forgot about Women

This week the prestigious annual Oscar nominations were revealed for the 2014 year in film.

In the past, there has been commentary about the quality of roles for women, and the lack of representation for women in the writing and directing categories. The awards have always been drama-heavy, almost creating it's own genre of Christmas released biopics. If we are being honest about what happens behind the curtain, then we can be honest about the way studios intentionally create "Oscar-dramas" then campaign to leverage wins. Thank Harvey Weinstein for that.

Last year was fortunate to have women nominated for writing, and Jennifer Lee won for her role writing and directing the animated feature Frozen. Several of the Best Picture nominees, like Her and Gravity actively featured women. A few years ago Katheryn Bigelow even won for Best Director. Against men! I know, pick your jaw up off the floor.

Unfortunately this year's crop are some of the least diverse awards in years. The writing categories snubbed some of this years talent, like Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl, and Ava DuVernay and Paul Webb for Selma. Ava DuVernay was also ignored in the Best Director category. This Martin Luther King Jr. Biopic should be the kind of film the Academy falls in love with, like last year's 12 Years a Slave (Best Picture Winner). Instead the general notion is that Selma was snubbed, only being nominated for Best Picture and Best Original Song. Although not as favorited as Selma, some felt Angelina Jolie was deserving of a Best Director nomination for Unbroken. 

Best Picture

American Sniper

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Boyhood

The Grand Budapest Hotel

The Imitation Game

Selma

The Theory of Everything

Whiplash

Achievement in Directing

Alejandro G. Inarritu - Birdman

Bennett Miller - Foxcatcher

Morten Tyldum - The Imitation Game

Richard Linklater - Boyhood

Wes Anderson - The Grand Budapest Hotel

In the Acting categories we saw Jennifer Aniston get overlooked for her groundbreaking role in Cake. She's an actress I often dismiss for the "Rachel" typecast, but Cake turns her into a broken down, suicidal woman dealing with chronic pain. Both Amy Adams for Big Eyes and Emily Blunt for Into The Woods were considered front runners early on that got overlooked. While Julianne Moore and Marion Cotillard gave excellent performances, to be blunt, no one saw them. It's hard to get excited about a movie that didn't even make it to theaters. For a comparison, 4/5 of the Best Actor nominees were from Best Picture nominated movies. 1/5 of the Best Actress nominees were. 

Actress in a leading Role

Felicity Jones (The Theory of Everything)

Julianne Moore (Still Alice)

Marion Cotillard (Two Days, One Night)

Reese Witherspoon (Wild)

Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl)

Actress in a Supporting Role

Emma Stone (Birdman)

Keira Knightley (The Imitation Game)

Laura Dern (Wild)

Meryl Streep (Into the Woods)

Patricia Arquette (Boyhood)

While Rosamund Pike picked up a Best Actress nom for Gone Girl the film was snubbed in all other categories. Similarly, Wild picked up acting nominations for Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern, but nothing else. Both films should have been contenders for Best Picture. Interestingly, both films were produced by Witherspoon's newly founded production company Pacific Standard. Perhaps the takaway for her is that good movies aren't enough, political lobbying is needed for the win.

Adapted Screenplay

American Sniper (Jason Hall)

The Imitation Game (Graham Moore)

Inherent Vice (Paul Thomas Anderson)

The Theory of Everything (Anthony McCarten)

Whiplash (Damien Chazelle)

Original Screenplay

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Jr. & Armando Bo)

Boyhood (Richard Linklater)

Foxcatcher (E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman)

The Grand Budapest Hotel (Wes Anderson)

Nightcrawler (Dan Gilroy)

Fempire Movies in 2015

As 2014 comes to a close, we here at Fempire Movie Club have loved seeing the diverse films that have been written and directed by women. Before the New Year hits, we wanted to give you all a sneak peek of what's being released, besides the film we can't get away from, 50 Shades of Grey. Here's a preview of some of the Fempire movies to come in 2015.

Spare Parts 

The real life story of how underprivileged Hispanic students took on a challenging national robotics competition with no experience, and almost no money. George Lopez stars as Fredi Cameron in this heartwarming underdog story. Based on an article first published in Wired Magazine by Joshua Davis, this film is directed by Sean McNamara (Soul Surfer) and was adapted by screenwriter Elissa Matsueda. This is Matsueda's first screenwriting credit, although she first became noticed on the scene for winning screenwriting competitions with her spec script Happy for You.

Release date: January 16th, 2015

The Boy Next Door

 A psychological thriller starring Jennifer Lopez and Ryan Guzman as neighbors who become entangled in a dangerous and sinister relationship. After taking a bit of a break from the big screen, 2015 seems to be the year JLo wants to return in full force, with 3 pictures due to come out. This film was directed by Rob Cohen (The Fast and the Furious, Alex Cross) 

The Boy Next Door was written by Barbara Curry, one of the most fascinating screenwriters you've never heard of. Although this is her first production credit, her scripts have won many major screenwriting competitions, this script being part of the 2011 Bloodlist. She has a MFA in screenwriting from UCLA, and that's only half her career. For almost 10 years she worked in the U.S. Attorney’s office in Los Angeles, in the major violent crimes unit. Curry also taught at the U.S. Department of Justice, and at the FBI Headquarters. Needless to say, she's one to watch out for. 

Release Date: January 23rd, 2015

Jupiter Ascending

For some fans, The Wachowski's is enough to put this atop the "Must-See" list for 2015. For others it's Mila Kunis and Channing Tatum. As a self-described "Space Opera" this film is about a young, ordinary girl who's intergalactic fate lies beyond her own planet. The Wachowski's had been on a streak of adaptations, and this marks a return to creating original content with their sci-fi screenplay. 

During the release of 2012's Cloud Atlas, Lana Wachowski made her first press appearance as a transgender woman. This isn't something to be glossed over because as it stands, Lana is the first, and perhaps only, transgender director working in Hollywood. I stand to be corrected, but I believe Jupiter Ascending is the biggest budgeted film ever to be directed by a woman. It's certain to be a big blockbuster for 2015, and is being met with some of the highest expectations for the duo since The Matrix. 

Release Date: February 6th, 2015

Kingsman: The Secret Service 

It's not possible to end a list of films in 2015 without at least one comic book adaptation, and that's what Kingsman: The Secret Service brings to the table. Starring Colin Firth, Samuel L. Jackson, and newcomer Taron Egerton, this British film is being marked as an "action/adventure comedy". If stylistically it looks familiar that's because it's written and directed by long time collaborators Jane Goldman and Matthew Vaughn. Together they've worked on films like Stardust, Kick Ass, and X-Men First Class. Although it looks a bit like a violent version of Spy-Kids from the trailer, I don't think this is going to be as goofy as it reads on paper. In fact, this is one of my most anticipated films. 

Release Date: February 12th, 2015

What to see This Weekend

Do you want to see...

A female lead?

-Free the Nipple (Limited)

-The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1

Written or co-written by a woman? 

-Free the Nipple (Limited)

-Gone Girl

Directed by a woman?

-Free the Nipple (Limited)

What to See This Weekned

Do you want to see:

A female lead?

-The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1
-Beyond the Lights

Written or co-written by a woman?

-Gone Girl
-Beyond the Lights
-The Sleepwalker (Limited)

Directed by a woman?

-Beyond the Lights
-The Sleepwalker (Limited)

Review #39 Sex Tape

Release Date: July 18th, 2014
Writer: Kate Angelo, Jason Segel, Nicholas Stoller
Director: Jake Kasdan

Logline: A married couple wake up to discover that the sex tape they made the evening before has gone missing, leading to a frantic search for its whereabouts. (Source IMDb)

Comedy, 94min. 

Bechdel Test: Weak weak weak pass. (Annie asks her Mom to watch their kids)

Review

America loves a dirty R-rated comedy! And A-list celebrities! And wacky jokes... and... awkward situations.... and this movie kind of sucks. It's not funny, or memorable, or even very entertaining. This is one tired movie.

I hate complaining about a comedy with a bad premise, because I often argue that no one goes to a comedy for the story, they go to laugh. Sex Tape is just such a predictable drag. There are long scenes of serious exposition butted up against cartoonish scenes of slapstick jokes. It doesn't come together. There's no pacing and no focus.

It's as if you combined Zach and Miri Make a Porno with Home Alone. Both good movies individually. Combined they don't work. It's the seriousness of an adult comedy where trying to balance a home life and social life goes awry, with the silly antics of a someone breaking into a mansion and discovering elaborate booby-traps. It sets up the audience and misfires completely. There's no sincerity or emotion in Sex Tape. No social commentary, no twists or unexpected surprises. It's a film that rests entirely on embarrassing adults who are trying to avoid being embarrassed.

Underneath the bad taste that Sex Tape leaves behind, there are some elements that could have become a great film. I may not be a big Cameron Diaz fan but she does a good job, and has good chemistry with Jason Segel. Rob Corddry and Ellie Kemper seemed tremendously underused. They were often the "straight guy" couple to the wacky couple, which is crazy considering they are two of the funniest comedians working in movies.

Overall, this is a big MISS. A major disappointment for Segel, and another predictable turn for Diaz who has made unusual romcoms her bread and butter.

Portrayal of Women: I was quite surprised when I asked myself this question because the film is about a couple, and the supporting cast is of their friends and coworkers. It seemed rather balanced, but when I thought about the Bechdel Test I realized I was wrong. In the film, Jay's is his own boss, with a female assistant, and when he is off the clock he talks about anything with his friend Robbie. Annie, on the hand, writes a blog where she talks about her relationship and family, tries to sell it to a male boss and only talks to her friend Tess about her relationship and family. Not exactly balanced.

Sisterhood Moment: I think this goes to the supporting cast. I really thought it was hilarious when Jay and Annie stormed into Robbie and Tess's home only to discover it was their anniversary that they weren't even celebrating, they were watching TV. Rob Corddry and Ellie Kemper were wonderfully nonchalant about their own lives, and then super excited to go on an adventure with their friends to rescue the iPads. Who isn't excited to get out of the house?

Rating: 1 tablet out of the whole Apple Store.

IMDb - Sex Tape (5.1)
Wikipedia - Sex Tape
Rotten Tomatoes - Sex Tape (18%)

Review #38: Tammy

Release Date: July 2, 2014
Writer: Ben Falcone, Melissa McCarthy

Director: Ben Falcone

Logline: After losing her job and learning that her husband has been unfaithful, a woman hits the road with her profane, hard-drinking grandmother. (Source: IMDb)

Comedy, 97 min. 

Bechdel Test: Passed all three test.

Review

In the spring of 2014 quiet rumors of a comedy sensation swept the nation. Ok, that might be a little melodramatic. But before the release of Tammy, Melissa McCarthy was earning her rank as comedy legend with only a few leading roles under her belt. The idea of McCarthy bringing her own vision to the big screen, with her and her husband writing and directing seemed like a sure bet. The film opened huge. Women could lead the way in comedy. 

But with all that hype Tammy feels like a major misstep. The multitude of characters, the adventurous storyline, nothing amounts to anything in the film. The concept and plot are wishy washy, and the comedy suffers. The sweet moments are not funny and the funny moments are often lackluster or crude. 

What's ultimately frustrating about Tammy is that the skeleton for a memorable and hilarious comedy is there. Although its hard to define any real plot, its a white trash girl, down on her luck, who finds herself on an adventure with her alcoholic grandmother. Along the way a huge number of minor characters filter in and out with no real significant jokes or impact. Nat Faxon, for example, plays Tammy's cheating husband. His entire role consists of mumbling apologies under his breath instead of delivering a strong memorable character with powerful lines. In the long line of supporing roles, Alison Janny, Sandra Oh, Toni Collette, Mark Duplass, Kathy Bates, Dan Aykroyd, none create engaging characters. 

Even the story itself doesn't add up. McCarthy's character Tammy is full of contradictions in an attempt to be funny in whatever scene she's in. Tammy isn't dumb or incapable, she's a "Bad Luck Brian" who is both a functional regular person that's down on their luck, and a total sociopath who is oblivious to other people. She willingly accepts the consequences of breaking a dock while jet-skiing, but holds up a fast food restaurant as if no one will ever notice her when she immediately heads straight into a police station. When at a bar with Bobby, she flirts with him mercilessly as if she's oblivious to his disinterest, but when he becomes genuinely interested, she pumps the breaks and acts as if someone flirting with her is unheard of. All while she's married, by the way. I'm not sure if she has really changed by the end of the film because her character was so undefined. 

The only memorable gems in Tammy is Susan Sarandon's character Pearl. She doesn't pull any punches and is really the emotional core of the film. Pearl is everyone's embarrassing family member, who provides sage wisdom, then gets drunk at a party and tries to sing karaoke. 

Do I recommend Tammy? No. Not even the charm of Melissa McCarthy can save a scene of deer-murder. It's a valiant effort but it's a movie with the training wheels still on. The one scene of McCarthy holding up a fast food store is the center point of the films marketing, and to a certain extent the movie. But one scene of goofy acting isn't enough to hold up the whole film. I look forward to seeing what Melissa and Ben do in the future, because anything will be better than this.

Portrayal of Women: There's a lot of great female characters. A lot of women supporting women. Friends and family look out for each other. The only bad thing is they are all pretty weak characters. Still, it's nice to see women represented in minor characters who aren't love interests. 

Sisterhood Moment: Kathy Bates as Pearl's lesbian cousin who helps smuggle them out of state to hide from the law. I'm so glad to see Bates doing some quality comedy roles. She's outstanding. Her and Sarandon have great chemistry and she's a total badass. 

Rating: 1 lonely pie. 

IMDb - Tammy (4.8)

Wikipedia - Tammy

Rotten Tomatoes - Tammy (24%)

What to see this Weekend

Do you want to see:

A female lead?

-Camp X-Ray
-The Tale of Princess Kaguya (limited)
-The Best of Me

Written or co-written by a woman?

-Gone Girl 
-The Boxtrolls
-Guardians of the Galaxy
-Dolphin Tale 2 

Review #37: Maleficent

Release Date: May 30th, 2014
Writer: Linda Woolverton
Director: Robert Stromberg

Logline: A vengeful fairy is driven to curse an infant princess, only to discover that the child may be the one person who can restore peace to their troubled land. (Source: IMDb) Action-Adventure, 97 min.
Bechdel Test: Passed all 3 tests

Review
Maleficent is another chapter in the recent Disney franchise of classic film remakes with spectacular special effects and awful stories. Along with Alice in Wonderland, and Oz the Great and Powerful, Maleficent rips the story of a classic tale out of it's slumber and spins it to prominently feature Angelina Jolie's cheekbones. Not that that's a bad thing, of course.

In this film, the original Disney classic of Sleeping Beauty is retold through the eyes of the villain, Maleficent herself. As with all the recent Disney live action films, the visual effects are raised to new heights. Unlike the two previous endeavors, Maleficent never feels like it's showing off. It weaves a tapestry of fantastical beings, and seamless effects to entrance the audience. The magic of the pixie's is whimsical, while the power of Maleficent is dark and sinister.

I have to say, I'm a little over the one-note acting performances as seen in this film. As great as Angelina Jolie is at stomping around and looking amazing, she hardly breaks from that mold. Elle Fanning becomes quite grating despite only having a handful of dialogue due to her perky bubblegum persona. As for King Stefan, his charm wears off immediately and I was disenchanted with this overwrought performance. None of these characters conveyed any depth beyond the exterior, which is frustrating for a film built as a character study.

What kills this movie is the plot, combined with the weak character motivations. The entire purpose of this film is justifying the curse Maleficent places on Princess Aurora, and redeeming her character thereafter. I'm not sure it even comes close.

As the film opens, Maleficent is a carefree winged-elf being who as a adult is essentially all powerful. Even her biggest weakness cannot stop her powers or harm her physically. Her young love Stefan becomes power hungry and betrays her to become King.  From then on, it's all out war between the two factions: The kingdom of men fighting against the woodland realm of magical creatures. The theme of revenge is so overblown that it loses all meaning by the end because no one is even aware of what they are feuding about, a point often brought up by those second in command for both sides.

Without question I would rank this film above Alice and Oz. It's far more coherent and a more satisfying ride. There are silly, enjoyable moments, and Angelina Jolie is able to carry this film on a few lines of dialogue. It's far darker than any previous endeavor by Disney and shows that there is a potential for more in-depth, dark story telling.

Portrayal of Women: I have a hard time rectifying this film as being a feminist action movie as many are calling it. Perhaps it earns that title simply for having two female leads.

It does not represent women in any kind of equal way, it actually pits men against women. There's a very clear theme that arises about the powers of "man" against the magic of "woman." wherein all the armies of men are literally men, and all the magical creatures that could be gendered are women. The great betrayal that Stefan commits against Maleficent is when he drugs her and mutilates her body, leaving her for dead, and returning home a king. If you want to interpret that as a rape metaphor I wouldn't blame you because that's where my mind went.

It's almost incredible that this ended up in a Disney action film, when Alice in Wonderland concluded with the Mad Hatter doing a cringe inducing dance sequence. I honestly am at a loss for what any good feminst should interpret from this. At the end of the day, Maleficent was an all powerful being, so of course she would get the upper hand in battle. So what then should thematically be interpreted? That the ambition of men is dangerous? To fear the wrath of woman?

I honestly can't help but feel it's nothing but lazy writing with an unexplanable gender divided motif. There is nothing magical about relationship that was built between Stefan and Maleficent, and there was nothing magical about the way he choose to end it. It's an uncomfortable topic (date rape?) to place in a family movie, no doubt, but further then that something with no storylike enchantment has no place in this fairy tale. It's an inappropriate and incomplete social commentary that has no sufficient resolution.

Sisterhood Moment: Any movie that features 2 hours of Angelina Jolie is going to feature more than a few "Every girl wants to be me" moments, that I love. From the scene showing her wrath and rage as she stomps through the forest and bricks from the footpath go flying behind her, to showing up in the castle at the end and rising up in some sick leather pants, Angelina can't do much wrong. I'm pretty sure that's how every girl feels when they go out wearing leather pants. It's the "Bitch, you can't handle this" look, and she nails it.

Plus, the scene where Angelina acts with her young daughter, Vivienne, is adorable. They share a special connection that radiates through the screen. It's a great moment, especially if you've been tipped off to their relationship.

Rating: 2.5 Evil Curses

IMDb - Maleficent (7.2)
Wikipedia - Maleficent
Rotten Tomatoes - Maleficent (48%)

Trailblazer Appreciation: Alison Bechdel

We know the name, Bechdel. A word that has taken on so much meaning beyond the surname of an individual. In the media, the word is thrown around with frustration, venom and occasionally as an accusation. In  our blog, The Bechdel test is noted in the sidebar and noted in all our movie reviews.

But who is the Bechdel Test named after?

Alison Bechdel is an American cartoonist, originally hailing from Pennsylvania. In her early 20's, Bechdel illustrated a panel comic titled Dykes to Watch Out For. It chronicled characters that reflected on contemporary events and day to day living as a lesbian in the North East. In 2006 she released the graphic Fun Home: a Family Tragicomic. It was received with acclaim and awards, and was adapted into a 2013 off-Broadway musical.

Her claim to fame in the movie industry involves a comic she wrote comic with a cynical commentary about the state of mainstream movies. The two girls go to a movie theater, passing posters for violent action movies featuring buff male stars. One girl says she won't see any film that doesn't pass what becomes known as the Bechdel Test: Having two women in it, who talk to each other, about something besides a man. They leave the theater empty handed.

Despite fighting criticism her whole career, Bechdel created work featuring American counter culture and made smart social commentary. Her works are considered some of the best in gay literature.

In 2014, Alison Bechdel was granted the MacArthur Fellowship Award, otherwise known as the Genius Grant providing her funding to continue her work, no strings attached, for the next 5 years.

For more information on Alison Bechdel, visit her website DykesToWatchOutFor or her Twitter account, found here. A website dedicated to finding movies that pass the Bechdel test can be found here.