Jezebel: Films

Miley Cyrus Makes Pathetic Attempt to Be Bad

Margaret Hartmann — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 10:50:00 EST

The movie LOL is supposed to signal to the world that Miley Cyrus is no longer a child, but apparently she's doing it in the most Disney way possible. Getting a D in math, drinking an unidentified substance from a Solo cup, and having sex with your boyfriend makes for a fairly tame teenage rebellion — particularly when in real life there's a six paragraph section in Wikipedia devoted to Miley's various sex and drug-related scandals. More »

Amanda Knox Movie Is An Uncomfortable Watch

Sadie Stein — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 12:36:00 EST

Why Hollywood Loves Bad Moms

Sadie Stein — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 10:41:00 EST

This was a year — and an Oscar season — for our enduring fascination with bad cinema mothers. More »

SATC 2 As Explained By Inception

Margaret Hartmann — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 12:45:00 EST

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Inspired by an Inception map, Vanity Fair produced this chart detailing SATC 2. Apparently the cultural insensitivity, disgusting consumerism, and offensive lady clichés were just a group hallucination, so feel free to keep liking the early seasons of the show. More »

Bridezombie: Better or Worse Than A Brizezilla?

Erin Gloria Ryan — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 18:00:00 EST

HAVANA, CUBA- SUNDAY, DEC 5- An actress dressed as a zombie bride looks on during the filming of the movie 'Juan de los Muertos,' or 'Juan of the Dead.' Image via AP

Cup U Is The Best Short Documentary About Menstrual Cups You'll See Today

Dodai Stewart — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 19:15:00 EST

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Vanessa Meyer's master's thesis is a short film, titled Cup U. It is fifteen minutes of women — who are not, in her words, "granola eating hippies" — discussing menstrual cups. More »

Watch The Blasphemous Mean Girls 2 Trailer

Margaret Hartmann — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 18:16:00 EST

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You love Mean Girls, right? Well Mean Girls 2 is just like the original! (But with an idiotic plot, crude barf jokes, and actors you've never heard of.) In other words, it's the ugliest effing direct-to-DVD remake we've ever seen. More »

Movie Portrays Prince Harry Captured By Taliban For No Good Reason

Sadie Stein — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 14:49:00 EDT

Because what if Prince Harry was kidnapped by the Taliban? That's exactly the unasked question the UK's Channel 4 is taking on in the ''dramatized documentary'' The Taking of Prince Harry. "Why" is not addressed. More »

Are You Ready For The September 11 "Rock Musical"? No?

Margaret Hartmann — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:55:21 EDT

Clear Blue Tuesday, which opens this week in New York, is a movie musical about 11 characters attempting to "rediscover their city" after September 11. Hm. Do we want to see characters singing and dancing about their PTSD? More »

In Defense Of Lady-Terrorizing Horror Movies

Anna North — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 15:03:00 EDT

Horror films frequently feature the bloody torture of women, often for such "crimes" as being outspoken or having sex. So why do I love them so much? More »

You Will Never Have A Break From Nicholas Sparks

Margaret Hartmann — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 06:12:00 EDT

A bidding war is starting over the film rights to Nicholas Sparks' book Safe Haven, which is a thriller, not another romance. Oh wait, the tag is, "In the darkest hour, love is the only true safe haven." Nevermind. More »

Hugh Hefner As A Rebel, Without The Sleaze

Margaret Hartmann — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 13:23:00 EDT

The documentary Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist and Rebel claims to go beneath Hef's bathrobed persona to reveal the man who championed civil rights, equality, and free speech. Critics say it's a two-hour infomercial that glosses over Playboy's objectification of women. More »

In That Outfit, Her Madgesty Is Clearly Not A Messy Eater

Katy Kelleher — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 18:45:00 EDT

[Cannes, July 29. Madonna directs scenes from her latest movie project, "W.E.," a biopic of the love affair between King Edward VII and Wallis Simpson. Image via Bauer-Griffin]

Catching Up With The Quimbys: Reviewing Ramona And Beezus

Hortense Smith — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 16:00:00 EDT

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I don't know if there is a character in children's literature whom I love more than Ramona Geraldine Quimby. So despite my reservations brought on by the trailer, I went to see Ramona and Beezus last night. More »

Should Everyone Just Leave Twilight Fans Alone?

Hortense Smith — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 14:15:00 EDT

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According to Mathilda Gregory of The Guardian, "Instead of trashing the fans of Twilight for liking such melodrama, we should ask ourselves what they are finding in this film that they're not getting in the rest of mainstream cinema." More »

The Kids Are All Right Is One Of The Year's Best Films

Margaret Hartmann — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 15:50:30 EDT

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Critics say The Kids Are All Right, starring Julianne Moore and Annette Bening as lesbian moms, is a rare gem: "A comedy that doesn't take cheap shots, a drama that doesn't manipulate, a movie of ideas that doesn't preach." More »

"Passable Acting And Dialogue" Make Eclipse Best Twilight Film Yet

Margaret Hartmann — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 07:10:00 EDT

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The reviews are in for Twilight: Eclipse, which opens today, and critics are declaring it the best film of the series. But that may be faint praise, considering that they generally hated the previous installments. More »

Knight And Day: "Loud, Seemingly Interminable, & Altogether Incoherent"

Margaret Hartmann — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 16:40:00 EDT

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Knight and Day is basically another "big, dumb summer movie," with too many pointless action sequences and poorly-developed characters. However, Tom and Cameron's general affability makes the movie a "light and breezy way to while away a couple of hours." More »

Jonah Hex: An Incoherent "Crapfest"

Margaret Hartmann — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 17:00:00 EDT

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While Warner Bros. is hoping a corseted Megan Fox can lure teenage boys into seeing Jonah Hex, several critics suggest everyone was drunk and/or high while making the film, and say it "fails to establish a viable reason to exist." More »

Study Says: Circumcision Is Good For The Dick • Iran Blocks Film On Neda Soltan

Katy Kelleher — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 17:20:00 EDT

• Here is a fairly convincing argument for male circumcision: It may help prevent penis injuries. Circumcised men are less likely to experience minor injuries during sex, says a recent study. More »

Splice: "Mad Science Meets Motherhood"

Margaret Hartmann — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 16:40:00 EDT

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Half psychological thriller and half horror film, Splice, which stars Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley, is a surprisingly smart film that explores issues surrounding bio-ethics, abortion, and parenthood through a modern-day Frankenstein story. More »

Three Men And A Bride In The Works

Margaret Hartmann — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 13:40:00 EDT

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In an interview (click to watch) Tom Selleck reveals he's been contacted about making a Three Men And A Baby sequel called Three Men And A Bride. If there's one thing America needs now, it's a Steve Guttenberg comeback. [MTV] More »

Prince Of Persia's Shirtless Swashbuckling Is "Irrepressibly Silly," But Fun

Margaret Hartmann — Fri, 28 May 2010 14:30:00 EDT

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Prince Of Persia, which opens today, is by no means a good movie, but critics say, "a few hours of Mr. Gyllenhaal jumping around in leather and fluttering his long lashes has its dumb-fun appeal." More »

Losing Your Virginity Is Harder Than You Think

Sadie Stein — Wed, 26 May 2010 19:20:06 EDT

A new film entitled How to Lose Your Virginity takes on the white dress — and in a world of abstinence-only education debates, wedding-crazed culture and a writ-large societal Virgin/Whore complex, this is obviously fertile ground. More »

SATC 2: Painfully Clichéd, "Epic Eyesore"

Margaret Hartmann — Wed, 26 May 2010 15:00:00 EDT

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How bad is SATC 2? In addition to being "insipid," "condescending," and "blatantly anti-Muslim," it made reviewers experience delirious hallucinations about adding Eleanor Roosevelt as the fifth "girl" or killing them all off in a "heart-rending Death of Spock-type scene." More »

Shrek Forever After Offers A Happy Ending

Margaret Hartmann — Fri, 21 May 2010 15:00:00 EDT

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The It's A Wonderful Life-inspired plot of Shrek Forever After, the fourth and ostensibly final Shrek film, is a bit stale, but a funny script and fewer pop-culture references make it better than previous sequels. More »

Cate Blanchett Has No Complaints About Film Roles For Women

Dodai Stewart — Mon, 17 May 2010 11:00:00 EDT

Cate Blanchett comes off as smart, silly, and charmingly self-deprecating in this W Magazine profile. And, as Danielle Stein writes: "Blanchett is the rare actress who does not lament the lack of good film roles for women." More »

As In Life, Babies Is Both Adorable & Totally Boring

Margaret Hartmann — Fri, 07 May 2010 16:20:13 EDT

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Babies is a lot like watching real infants: A strange mix of tediousness and marveling at the miracle of life. Critics warn that after an hour, "you might start to wonder why you've paid to see somebody else's home movies." More »

Ladies Of Grindhouse: Shocking Bitches And Bad Girls

Katy Kelleher — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 19:00:00 EDT

A tipster sent us a link to Wrong Side Of The Art, an extensive gallery of B-movie posters. Sex, drugs, and rock & roll are represented here in spades, but we're most interested in the bitches (some images NSFW). More »

The Chick-Flick Antidote: Please Give

Margaret Hartmann — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 15:00:00 EDT

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Please Give is, sadly, a rarity: A movie with a mostly-female cast that focuses on realistic characters, not Louboutin-wearing "cougars" or some Successful Career Gals Who Can't Win At Love. The characters aren't always likable, but critics loved the film. More »

The Back-Up Plan: "Not Reprehensible"

Margaret Hartmann — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 14:20:00 EDT

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The nicest thing critics said about Jennifer Lopez's The Back-Up Plan: It isn't as bad as other recent rom-coms. The meanest: "About as much fun as 36 hours of labor, only you don't get to go home with a baby." More »

Kick-Ass: The Super-Hero Flick Gets Smarter, More Violent

Margaret Hartmann — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 15:00:54 EDT

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Kick-Ass has been hotly debated since the trailer debuted, featuring 11-year-old assassin Hit Girl calling bad guys "cunts." Critics still disagree about her character, but say the film may do for superhero movies what Pulp Fiction did for crime films. More »

Chloe: "A Canadian Lesbian Version Of Fatal Attraction"

Margaret Hartmann — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 15:40:00 EDT

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Chloe, which opens today, starts as a sexy psychological drama, but devolves into a "Canadian lesbian version of Fatal Attraction." It's titillating, but ultimately the film "can't be recommended even to people who just want to see Amanda Seyfried naked." More »

The Switch Trailer Is Both Promising And Frustrating

Hortense Smith — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 15:10:00 EDT

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The trailer for the upcoming Jennifer Aniston/Jason Bateman flick, The Switch has been released, and though it looks like a vast improvement over Aniston's current film, The Bounty Hunter, it's still filled with rom-com trailer cliches: More »

Cop Out: "A Blooper Reel In Search Of A Movie"

Margaret Hartmann — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 18:00:00 EST

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Cop Out is billed as an homage to buddy-cop comedies, but critics say the dull script and lack of chemistry between Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan make it less entertaining than director Kevin Smith's Tweets about getting kicked off Southwest. More »

Scorsese Elevates B-Movie Thriller With Shutter Island

Margaret Hartmann — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 14:40:00 EST

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Shutter Island may be packed with too many flashbacks and plot twists, but critics say that director Martin Scorsese succeeds in crafting a ghastly, psychologically disturbing world and elevating the pulpy, B-movie thriller of the '50s to high art. More »

Dear John Should Have Taken A Page From The Notebook

Margaret Hartmann — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 16:30:00 EST

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Dear John, which opens today, is based on a Nicholas Sparks book in which young lovers (Amanda Seyfried and Channing Tatum) keep their relationship alive by writing to each other. Sadly, critics did not love it, "like McAdams loves Gosling." More »

Leap Year: "A Movie Only In A Strictly Technical Sense"

Margaret Hartmann — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 12:00:00 EST

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A woman proposing to a man? Leap Year takes the sexist premise that women are forbidden from popping the question year-round and adds every rom-com cliché and Irish stereotype. The result: "The cinematic equivalent of a Shamrock Shake." More »

It's Complicated, And Dissappointing

Margaret Hartmann — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 13:30:00 EST

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It would be hard for a film starring Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin, and Steve Martin to not be entertaining, but critics complained that It's Complicated is just an unrealistic "fem fantasy" about conspicuous consumption and revenge against philandering husbands. More »

Most Overused Romantic Comedy Cliches Of The Decade

Irin Carmon — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 14:40:00 EST

Hollywood's current strategy for romantic comedies seems to consist of increasingly contorted plot-lines being mistaken for actual freshness. (The Bounty Hunter, anyone?). Still, in the last decade, the genre found a lot of the same ways to be contrived. More »