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)

Review #40: Life Partners

Release Date: November 6, 2014
Writer: Susanna Fogel, Joni Lefkowitz
Director: Susanna Fogel

Logline: Sasha and Paige's co-dependant friendship is tested as Paige gets serious with a guy for the first time. (Source IMDb) Comedy/Romance, 93min.

Bechdel Test: Passed all three tests

Review

When you think of heartbreak, it’s pretty likely that the first thing that comes to mind is the breakup of a romantic relationship. Although this may be the most talked about kind of heartbreak, it is far from being the only kind. Life Partners tackles the heartbreak that happens when your best friend gets a boyfriend – it’s that impossible frustration of being genuinely happy for your friend but also completely miserable over the fact that they no longer need you as much as they once did.

The film begins by making us all wish that we had a spirit as kindred as Sasha (Leighton Meester) or Paige (Gillian Jacobs).  They’re the kind of friends who completely understand each other – they do hilarious bits in traffic, they watch ANTM together every week and they have each other listed as “husband” and “wife” in their phones.

Then we meet Adam Brody’s character, Tim, and he pretty well ruins everything.  As Paige falls in love with Tim, she gradually starts drifting away from Sasha until all of a sudden they are barely speaking to each other anymore. 

What this film does best is capture the gradual build of poignant moments which signal that the relationship is changing.  Their friendship doesn't suffer due to one problem but rather due to little annoyances that combine into a greater issue that becomes too big to ignore. The scene that sticks with me is one where Sasha tries to engage Paige in a strategy session involving a new girlfriend and text etiquette.  Paige's newfound stableness removes any ability for her to relate to Sasha's frustration as her problems now seem trivial and irrelevant. The short scene perfectly encapsulates the disconnect between the two women but also upholds a balance of camaraderie that helps us fully understand why they remain friends despite their disdain for each other.

Although there’s nothing especially groundbreaking about Life Partners, its enjoyable performances coupled with themes that are bound to resonate with a wide range of audiences make it worth a watch.

PS. I'm on board with anyone that references Tyra Banks' "smize" which is a pretty big factor into why I liked this movie.

Portrayal of Women: Female characters greatly outnumber male characters in this movie which interestingly helps set the overall tone of the movie. Just as we barely see a man onscreen, Sasha has rarely had to deal with a man monopolizing Paige's time. It's a romcom about women whose lives have always been about women but are now being disrupted by a guy.

Paige's main problem is an overbearing need for control while Sasha struggles to gain any kind of management over her own life. Each woman must work through these issues and this in turn adds another layer of relatability to the film. Paige struggles to accept that sometimes life isn't perfect while Sasha comes to grips with the realization that dreams can sometimes change.  Paige is straight and Sasha is a lesbian which also brings different perspectives of sexuality into play. Creating these complex characters with defined problems is what solidifies this movie as one that any woman can watch and connect to.

Sisterhood Moment: Within the first few minutes, the girls say to each other, "I hate everyone except for you." I would say that's pretty well the perfect definition of besties.

Rating: 3 pairs of overalls out of 5

IMDb - Life Partners (6.1)
Wikipedia - Life Partners 
Rotten Tomatoes - Rotten Tomatoes (56%)

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 

I Am Not Your Typical Girl

Our own Alyssa Wool isn't just a Lindsay Lohan movie lover. She also writes brilliant essays. Check out her work here, at Thought Catalog. She talks about what it means to be a woman and how we perceive each other and set expectations. It's a great read, and we're super proud of her. Check it out!

I Am Not Your Typical Girl 
by Alyssa Wooldridge

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.

Review #36: Tracks

Release Date; March 6th, 2014
Writer: Marion Nelson

Director: John Curran

Logline: A young woman goes on a 1,700 mile trek across the deserts of West Australia with her four camles and faithful dog. (Source IMDb) Drama 112 min.
Bechdel Test: Passed all 3 tests.

Review

Tracks is captivating, intriguing and visually stunning. Based on a true story, it follows the journey of Robyn Davidson as she treks across the Australian Desert – a trip that is never fully justified or explained.  Going into the theatre with minimal knowledge of the story, I was expecting a grand tale of adventure with daunting circumstances and perilous encounters.  Although the film’s understated narrative proved my expectations wrong, it certainly gained a sense of adventure from this lack of justification.  Robyn sets out on her expedition just because. When asked why, she simply answers “why not.”  She explores for the sake of exploring and that in itself is what makes her solitary quest compelling.

The film’s quietness is also necessary in creating a perception of what travelling alone is like.  Mia Wasikowska plays this experience of isolation beautifully and brings a real depth to the character. While we get a little back story to help us to understand Robyn’s motivation, Wasikowska’s performance is what truly allows us to get her.

I will say that I felt like the film was about 20 minutes too long, but the gorgeous Australian scenery makes any unnecessary scenes completely worthwhile. Adam Driver was great, the camels were cool and Diggity the dog was adorable. Besides the length, I can't think of anything else to complain about.


Portayal of Women: Robyn is stubborn, independent, smart, brave, abrasive, determined.
And she isn't just given these qualities for no reason, there are logical justifications for each attribute. A role this fleshed out is rare for a female character and I was enthralled watching Wasikowska bring it to life.

I also really liked how being a woman was never really an obstacle for Robyn. She was definitely seen as unconventional but her unwavering conviction made people see past that. Aboriginal traditions prevented her from doing some things on account of her being a woman, but she ultimately overcame those challenges as well.

I loved how beautiful Robyn was throughout her journey. Her clothes were in tatters, her hair was in a constant state of unruliness and her face was dirty 80% of the time. Another film may have tried to make her look conventionally appealing, but the honesty of what you would actually look like after 7 months in the wilderness was so much more effective . Sometimes the old cliche of "beauty comes from within" seems eye-roll worthy, but in this case it was true - her courage and perseverance were really breathtaking.

Sisterhood Moment: An older couple lets Robyn stay with them for a night. The woman washes her hair, brushes it out and gives her a clean nightgown to wear. Such a mom thing to do and I love it.

Rating: 4 camels and an old compass

IMDb - Tracks (7.2)

Wikipedia - Tracks

Rotten Tomatoes - Tracks (81%)

Review #35: Mrs. Doubtfire

Sorry for the delay in recent updates! We've had a busy summer but are back at it. -SS/AW

Release Date; November 24th, 1993
Writer: Randi Mayem Singer and Leslie Dixon

Director: Chris Columbus

Logline: After a bitter divorce, an actor disguises himself as a female housekeeper to spend time with his children held in custody by his former wife. (Source IMDb) Family comedy. 125 min.
Bechdel Test: Passed all 3 tests.

Review

Given the tragic news of Robin William's passing, Alyssa and I felt it we had to honor his outstanding legacy with a review of one of his most revered films.

Mrs. Doubtfire encapsulates what we loved about Robin. He was comically silly, with hysterical one liners, and pop culture jokes. He was also vunerable and sincere. That's what we remember about this Oscar winning actor. His choices across many of his films show the world how to use comedy to make the lives of others better, even in seemingly impossible situations. To those who grew up with his films, he offered up a piece of his heart and we are so grateful to have the films of such an inspirational person.

There's something very heartfelt in the DNA of Mrs. Doubtfire. Kids films often have a morality lesson that gets hammered home. Instead, Mrs. Doubtfire relays the experiences that modern families have. It doesn't shy away from the pain of a childhood divorce, but it doesn't dwell in misery either. The kids and parents are both characters who can make mistakes and are not perfect.

I often find myself enamored with films that refuse to condescend to children, even if that's their target audience. The same movie that features a goat at Chris's birthday party, and a "drive by fruiting", also features Daniel sharing the story of hooking up in a bathroom stall with a waitress. I have a lot of appreciation for a movie that isn't afraid of bordering on offensive for the sake of entertainment.

If you haven't watched Mrs. Doubtfire in the 20 years since it's release, it's worth revisiting. It's a film that holds up. You might remember the scene where Daniel sets her rack on fire, trying to cook. Or when Daniel drops the Doubtfire mask out the window, and makes due by slamming his face into a cake. You probably don't remember the makeover montage featuring many Robin imitations, or the dinosaur rap. You might not even remember that this whole film is about a custody battle. This is definitely one worthy of at least a second view. o

Portayal of Women: Rewatching Mrs. Doubtfire 20 years later is an interesting experience. I found myself questioning the portrayal of the "gay uncles" and a cross dressing main character. I know someone is going to say "Hey Sarah, that's not the question!" but really it's the same concept of underrepresented people. In one respect, it's nice to actually see gay characters on screen, and to see that cross dressing characters can be shown in a positive light. But Daniel is still called a freak and considered to be crazy. Take from that what you will. Considering it's 20 years old, perhaps we should call it progressive and leave it at that.

Sisterhood Moment: Everyone remembers that scene where Daniel panics needing to look like Mrs. Doubtfire but without the mask, and he covers his face with icing. My favorite part of that exchange is that he spends the scene with cake on his face serving the social worker tea. And she rubs icing onto her face to see if this facial mask works. Kills me. I'd using an icing beauty regime. o

Rating: Always a staple in the Robin Williams top 5. Always a staple in best family movies. 5/5

IMDb - Mrs. Doubtfire (6.8)

Wikipedia - Mrs. Doubtfire

Rotten Tomatoes - Mrs. Doubtfire (71%)

Review #34: Nanny McPhee & Nanny McPhee Returns

Release Date: January 27th, 2006 & August 20th, 2011
Writer: Emma Thompson
Director: Kirk Jones & Susanna White

Logline: Emma Thompson stars as a governess who uses magic to rein in the behavior of seven ne'er-do-well children in her charge. (Source IMDb) Family, comedy, fantasy. 97 min. & 109 min.
Bechdel Test: Both films passed all 3 tests.

Review
One part Matilda, one part Mary Poppins, and one part Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and you have a recipe for Nanny McPhee. No wonder this Emma Thompson vehicle has been such a success world wide. Not being part of the generation that grew on Nanny McPhee I cannot say whether the franchise has the same staying power as those inspirational films, but I wouldn't be surprised if there were many more McPhee's to come.

The story of both films is essentially the same, but focused on different families. In both, a single parent (Colin Firth in the first, and Maggie Gyllenhaal in the second) are overrun by their out of control children. Their families and livelyhood is threatened and they are in desperate need of help. Nanny McPhee arrives in a puff of smoke announcing that

"When you need me but do not want me, then I must stay. When you want me but no longer need me, then I have to go." 

Obviously children attempt to sabotage their new nanny, but Nanny McPhee uses her magic to give them a taste of their own medicine. As the kids lie in bed faking sick to avoid their chores for the day, she makes sure they are unable to leave their beds and take the foul tasting remedy. Silly kids, tricks are for... Nanny McPhee.

Kids are going to love any movie that doesn't speak down to children, despite the morality lessons contained. The universe is bright and textured with the wacky off-kilter look of a cartoon. There's plenty silly British wit, sight and sound gags, and a kids movie staple: slapstick comedy. It's a classic kind of kids movie.

For the parents however, these films are less than desirable. Nanny McPhee is a film that will be exhausting on repeat. The linear, step-by-step story is rigidly mechanical, and there's only so many times you can laugh at barnyard animals. If you're going to put it on for the kids, leave the room and maybe have a drink or two. Adults watching this recipe for success will weep from boredom.

Portrayal of Women: Both films feature strong supporting female characters, but in different ways.

The first film features Cedric (Firth) after the unexpected death of his wife. He is distant from his kids, and has to go on a journey to connect with them. There are two maids who are women, and there is an evil future stepmother who is attempting to get Cedric's money. Cedric's Great Aunt also insists on taking one of Cedric's girls for some sort of housewife etiquette schooling. Ultimately the good woman in Cedric's life turns out to be the young maid who had been caring for the children all along.

As great as it is to see a diverse representation of women, this collection of storybook stereotypes pin women as either the virgin or the villain. I suspect Thompson followed the original book quite closely as source material.

The second film branches away from the classic roles. Instead of a single father, it's a single mother Isabel (Gyllenhaal) who's husband has gone missing in the war. She has to stand up for her family and her rights as a property owner against her less than desirable brother. The two mobsters collecting debts are women. The owner of the shop where Isabel works is played by the great Maggie Smith. I love any film that puts a twist on traditional gender roles, even if it's relatively minor. The importance of placing women in a variety of positions, like a position of power, in any children's fiction cannot be understated.

Sisterhood Moment: Maggie Gyllenhaal's scene with Ewan McGregor. Now THAT'S a fantasy for adults. Just turn that into the opening of 50 Shades of Grey. Too much?

Rating: Two annoying kids in the movie theater with a baby.

IMDb - Nanny McPhee (6.6)
IMDb - Nanny McPhee Returns (6.0)

Wikipedia - Nanny McPhee
Wikipedia - Nanny McPhee Returns

Rotten Tomatoes - Nanny McPhee (73%)

Rotten Tomatoes - Nanny McPhee Returns (76%)

What to see this weekend

Do you want to see:

 A female lead?

-Lucy
-The Hundred Foot Journey

Written or co-written by a woman?

-Guardians of the Galaxy (Fempire Review)
-Sex Tape

Directed by a woman?

-Step Up All In

Review #33: Guardians of the Galaxy

Release Date: August 1, 2014
Writer: James Gunn, Nicole Perlman
Director: James Gunn

Logline: Light years from Earth, 26 years after being abducted Peter Quill finds himself the prime target of a manhunt after discovering an orb wanted by Ronan the Accuser. (Source IMDb) Action, adventure, sci-fi. 121 min.
Bechdel Test: Passed all 3 tests.

Review
Superhero Blockbusters aren't my favourite kind of movie, but I can appreciate them when a good one comes along - Guardians of the Galaxy is definitely a good one.

The film has everything a summertime popcorn movie needs - lots of action, explosions and an attractive cast. But what really pushes Guardians into perfect blockbuster territory is its lighthearded tone and commitment to being pure fun.

The film's charm is completely encapsulated in the character of Peter Quill who is played by Chris Pratt. (Let's hold up for one second and talk about how good he looks, it's insane right??) He's courageous and strong but also kind and goofy - he's like Blane and Duckie all in one and you can't help but fall a little bit in love with him. That's what the whole movie is like; it's a compelling action movie and a comedy all in one, and you can't help but fall a little bit in love with it too.

The rest of the cast was also great; I really didn't think I'd be on board with a talking raccoon and tree, but it totally worked. Zoe Saldana's Gamora was badass in the best way and Dave Bautista brought humour and heart to Drax.

My favourite part of the whole movie was the soundtrack. Quill's obsession with his walkman was beyond endearing and the 70's music was the perfect finishing touch on the film's fun summer vibe.

You know what, the John Stamos reference was actually my favourite part. Soundtrack is a close second though.

Portrayal of Women: Just as we took a moment to appreciate Chris Pratt's physical condition, let us now take a moment to appreciate that this is the first Marvel movie to be co-written by a woman. You can read about Nicole Perlman and her work on Guardians here.

Just because the movie has a woman writer doesn't mean it's completely female friendly. I wish Quill would have been more respectful toward woman instead of seeing them as opportunities for one night stands. I also could have done without the whore jokes and some of the unnecessary lingering shots of Gamora's physique.

That being said, the film got a lot of stuff right too. For example, Gamora is a full fledged part of the team who has a significant part to play in the plot. She isn't just a placeholder or a quota filler, she has a defined purpose and that purpose even extends beyond being a love interest!

One of the easiest strategies that has been suggested in improving gender parity in Hollywood is to make more background characters women. Guardians does a bit of this - I noticed a few times that there were more women than usual in crowd scenes as well as in smaller roles.

44% of the Guardians audience was female - that's more than any other Marvel film.  It's also almost half of the entire audience. This proves the assumption wrong that it's okay to cast action movies with primarily men because they're "guy movies." Women are showing up to these movies, they're showing up to them more when there are good roles for actresses, and I'm willing to bet that they'd show up even more if a woman was the star.

Sisterhood Moment: Gamora has a complicated relationship with her sister and their backstory was interesting and compelling. It's not too often that a female character is that fleshed out in an action movie, let alone two!

Rating: 4 Jackson 5 songs and a tube of green lipstick.

IMDb - Guardians of the Galaxy (8.8)
Wikipedia - Guardians of the Galaxy

Rotten Tomatoes - Guardians of the Galaxy (92%)

What to see this weekend

Do you want to see:

 A female lead?
-Lucy
-Happy Christmas (Limited)
-Tammy

Written or co-written by a woman?
-Sex Tape
-Tammy

Vulture: What Even Our Best Blockbusters Are Still Getting Wrong About Women

In a recent discussion about the new Dawn of the Planet of the Apes movie, I mentioned its low female representation - the reaction to this comment was, "no one cares about that."

Here is an excellent article about
why you should care about it.

"Hollywood needs to be better about this. If even a slim majority of the actors in Apes, or in Pacific Rim, or in that Episode VII photo had been women, it would have been near-revolutionary, and yet we live in a country where women make up 51 percent of the population. Why can’t movies come even close to reflecting that? Why won’t people speak up when they look at a call sheet where only one actress is listed — and why do so many talented people look at a sheet like that and think nothing of it?"

Review #32: The Parent Trap

Release Date: July 29th, 1998
Writer: Nancy Meyers, Charles Shyer
Director: Nancy Meyers

Logline: Identical twins, seperated at birth and each raised by one of their biological parents, discover each other for the first time at summer camp and make a plan to bring their wayward parents back together. (Source: IMDb) 127 min. Family, Comedy.
Bechdel Test: Passed all 3 tests

Review

There’s absolutely no way I can do an unbiased review of this movie. I’ve been obsessed with it for 16 years and am confident that I will continue to be obsessed with it for the rest of my life. So instead of a review, I am going to tell you how this film has impacted me.

I present: A Life Molded by Nancy Meyers’ The Parent Trap.

• I will fight anyone who denies that Lindsay Lohan is the greatest actress of our time

• I own the soundtrack to this movie and still listen to it on a regular basis

• If I have twins, their names will 100% be Hallie and Annie. Even if they're boys.

• I thought the Beatles’ Abbey Road picture was a rip off from this movie for an embarrassingly long time

• I try to say “I have a brilliant beyond brilliant idea” as much as possible

• I tried oreos and peanut butter

• I know that the only way to know if it’s true love is if L-O-V-E is playing in the background

• I dream of the day I get a powder blue suit

• I learned the handshake

• I went ahead and changed my friend Jessie’s name to Chessy

• I’m still convinced I’m going to find the love of my life on a boat

• I’ve always been upset that my birthday is in August and not on October 11

• I know that you have to pause in life to make mental memories

• When I grow up, I want to be Elizabeth James

• I know that sometimes you do just have to cry hysterically
• I'm always wondering why we aren't talking about Dennis Quaid more

• I believe the greatest word in the English language is "actually"

• I only say "a lot, a lot, a lot" in a British accent

Are there a lot of plot holes in this movie? Yes.
Is it realistic? Not even a little.
Is my appreciation for it clouded by nostalgia? Probably.

Nevertheless, this movie is pure joy from start to finish. It's got practical jokes, summer camp and the greatest love story of the century. What more could you possibly want?
Watch it right now!

Portrayal of Women: The cast of this movie is made up of mostly women and each one is unique and well defined. We have Elizabeth James, the elegant entrepreneur, Meredith Blake, the glamorous villain, and Chessy, the humble housekeeper. There are no duplications of character and each one has an important purpose in terms of plot. They are in no way placeholders - they are integral to the overall story and theme.

Then we have the twins, Hallie and Annie. Hallie is a little rough around the edges while Annie is always perfectly put together. They're smart and witty and brave. What I like about them is that although they're the coolest 11 year olds around, neither of them is perfect and they both make mistakes. They're well-rounded and fairly realistic characters in a totally unrealistic story.

Overall, the film is a great example of how to increase female representation in a film as well as how to positively display friendships between girls. 

Sisterhood Moment: The movie is basically 127 minutes of sisterhood moments. If I had to pick just one, I would pick the ear piercing scene. Complete terror.

Rating: 5 pics of Leo DiCaprio plus all the yellow headbands.

IMDb - The Parent Trap (6.3)
Wikipedia - The Parent Trap
Rotten Tomatoes - The Parent Trap (86%)

Review #31: Erin Brockovich

Release Date: March 17th, 2000
Writer: Susannah Grant
Director: Steven Soderbergh

Logline: An unemployed single mother becomes a legal assistant and almost single handedly brings down a California power company accused of polluting a city's water supply. (Source: IMDb) Drama, Biography. 131 min.
Bechdel Test: Passed all 3 tests

Review
There's not a whole lot that can be said about a movie that was nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, and won the Best Actress Oscar that year. Sometimes a movie is just empirically good, and the biography of now famous Erin Brockovich is one of them.

For anyone who hasn't seen this film, find it and watch it. 14 years after it's release it still holds up. I know because I had never watched it until this review. What a scandal, I know. There are some movies that manage to tell timeless stories. It may take place at a certain point in time, but it doesn't trap itself within pop culture and challenges pervasive issues. That's why Erin Brockovich is great, if it was re-shot today it would be an identical movie. Except maybe with better cell phones.

There are so many reasons why Erin Brockovich succeeds. It's an underdog story, it's a justice story, but importantly it's a real people story. On paper, this could turn into a legal drama, simply about the battle between a small town and corporate pollution. Instead it's a realistic portrayal of a complex character struggling to earn respect in a social climate that frankly hasn't changed that much since the movie was made.

For me, it's the realistic part that empowers a drama like this. There's no magical moment where she becomes a better person for succeeding. She doesn't change into a legal professional by the end like they so easily could have portrayed, she's the same woman wearing leather skirts and chewing out her boss to stand for her principles.

Portrayal of Women: What Erin Brockovich does beautifully is hammer home the impact of the way society judges a woman. 

It opens with her pitted against a corporate culture of conformity where your social ranking determines your quality of character. Her role as a single mother raising three kids doesn't credit her as being smart and responsible, if anything it's evidence of the opposite. How women are judged is based on their wardrobe. Being divorced twice discredited her to a jury of her peers. Erin is unemployed and she can't get experience because no one will take a chance on her. She has to fight for and demand every ounce of respect earned by the end.

Of course, she then turns the table on her neighbor George, a biker who she doesn't want around her kids, but even George can get a job and earn the respect that Erin never will. Similarly, as soon as Erin walks into that small town to interview people she is given more respect than any professional would. She doesn't judge them as being dumb based on how they speak, or as being simple for how they live. For that, they don't judge her for how she dresses. There's something massively gratifying in seeing that on screen if you've ever felt judged in that way.

Sisterhood Moment: "Well, seeing as how I've no brains or legal expertise ... I just went up there and preformed sexual favors. 634 blowjobs in 5 days. I'm really quite tired."

Rating: 5 times out of 5 you thought Aaron Eckhart was sexy even though he totally couldn't be, he's such a grease-bag.

IMDb - Erin Brockovich (7.3)
Wikipedia - Erin Brockovich
Rotten Tomatoes - Erin Brockovich (84%)