Hollywood - Jezebel

posts about #hollywood more →
How Do You Solve A Problem Like Amelia?
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Esquire Writer Explains It's Okay To Watch Chick Flicks
Hung Creator Clarifies "Women Over 35" Comment — Kind Of

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Sunshineyness
10/26/09

In reply to How Do You Solve A Problem Like Amelia?
You know... I once made a list of the top ten feminist movies of all time. And, yeah, Terminator and Aliens are on there (I think Sarah Connor in the first movie is the most relatable woman in sci-fi history) but I also included such dark horse contenders as Rock and Roll High School (a punk rock movie and it's about GIRLS rocking out! How often does that happen?) and Notorious (Cary Grant basically has the "male love interest" slapped on his forehead and Ingrid Bergman is the one doing all the dangerous spy stuff, is a recovering alcoholic, and complex love/hate feelings with America) From Here to Eternity (Two words: Donna Reed. Yes, THAT Donna Reed she's friggin' awesome in an awesome complicated single-minded way) and Little Darlings (I've never seen a movie capture the female sexual coming of age more succinctly and truthfully.)

It's not about butt kicking it's about make female characters... characters and not types. I want movies where the woman needs more than two words to describe her character or where she's bucking the line a little or acting outside the box. #amelia
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Diziet_Sma
10/26/09

In reply to How Do You Solve A Problem Like Amelia?
"But when Amelia fails, it's an indictment of women's movie [sic], of 'older women's movies' (that's us ape-leaders over the magic 25) and of those with 'strong female characters.' " ONLY BECAUSE SOME INSIST ON MAKING IT SO.
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Edited by Diziet_Sma at 10/26/09 11:22 PM Diziet_Sma was starred Diziet_Sma was unstarred

whynotshesaid
10/26/09

In reply to How Do You Solve A Problem Like Amelia?
And yet the movie theaters somehow have room for sixty million movies about gritty cops and another thirty million remakes of kitschy 70s sitcoms... #amelia
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velleity
10/26/09

In reply to How Do You Solve A Problem Like Amelia?
"I don't think it's sexism," says writer-director Rod Lurie, "Because Hollywood will do whatever it takes to make money. They are not taking a principled stance against women. They just don't see the audience as going there."

This statement really bugs me, because it reinforces the idea that Hollywood doesn't make these movies because there is no money to be made, yet movies like SATC and Mamma Mia made, I believe the technical term is, shitloads of money. And they were movies, about women.

Over 50% of the people who went to see Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince on opening weekend were women. You can make money by making movies that appeal to women, Hollywood.

It's not that they don't see an audience going there, it's that they don't want to. #amelia
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WestMantooth
10/26/09

@velleity: Yeah, but in Hollywood, you could probably break those women down by demographics and wonder why they were there.

They probably assume, unless it's a chick flick, guys will see the movie they want to see. So any movie that's not substantially female is going to be seen as some women going with a guy(for whatever reason) or mothers taking their children. #amelia
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you've got red on you
10/26/09

In reply to How Do You Solve A Problem Like Amelia?
Think about it: "strength" is defined narrowly as "defying femininity" and it's reductive and it's boring.

Sadie, I love the succinct way you have with words. I studied film in school and review movies for a website once a week. I didn't see Amelia, thankfully. But this quote pretty much sums up the gist of many papers I wrote in college. Bravo! #amelia
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esthergreenwood
10/26/09

In reply to How Do You Solve A Problem Like Amelia?
I feel inclined to put in a good word for Tarantino. I love the women in his movies. Shoshanna in Basterds, The Bride in Kill Bill, Jackie Brown, etc. They're complex and interesting and flawed and they exist without a stupid, blaring "Lady power! Hell yeah!!!" agenda.

Then there's David Lynch who not only makes crappy movies, but is also capable only of representing women as pure sex or pure hysteria. #amelia
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LittleDogLaughed
10/26/09

In reply to How Do You Solve A Problem Like Amelia?
(bows before her idol) #amelia
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HuckleberryFriend
10/26/09

@LittleDogLaughed: I immediately thought of this speech too! #amelia
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swat1227
10/26/09

In reply to How Do You Solve A Problem Like Amelia?
I've done a good bit of Amelia Earhart research as a history major with an interest in female aviatrixes... And I find the premise that so much of the movie was about her involvement with GP Putnam to be absolutely heinous. She was so much more--she was feminist--and feminine--in a way that was beyond her time. Wear pants AND pearls! Like fashion AND machines! It was a revolutionary idea in her era, and this movie is unfortunate. #amelia
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token_illiterate_commenter
10/26/09

@swat1227: I'd love to see a movie about aviatrixes, especially if it featured Pancho Barnes. She was quite a flamboyant character and would make a great movie. #amelia
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hydrogen_jukebox
10/26/09

In reply to How Do You Solve A Problem Like Amelia?
So, is it safe to assume this movie fails the Bechdel criteria?

From the trailers, it looked like it did. #amelia
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Cam/ron
10/26/09

In reply to How Do You Solve A Problem Like Amelia?
I hear ya about sensationalistic critics who believe that it's not enough for one movie to simply suck, no it MUST be indicative of a societal issue. #amelia
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jetmore
10/26/09

In reply to How Do You Solve A Problem Like Amelia?
So if it succeeds, it's a fluke. But if it fails, that's not a fluke, but instead, proof that "women's movies just don't sell."

*teeth grinding*
#amelia
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Zombie Ms. Skittles promoted this comment Edited by jetmore at 10/26/09 1:37 PM jetmore was starred jetmore was unstarred

Zombie Ms. Skittles
10/26/09

@jetmore: Allow me to introduce you to a sad, annoying reality. #amelia
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HarpMadness
10/26/09

@Zombie Ms. Skittles: That is exactly what's going on with this movie. This particular movie might suck -- not all movies with women who aren't doormats as leads. #amelia
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truckasaurus
10/26/09

In reply to How Do You Solve A Problem Like Amelia?
I've heard that the Gere/Swank romance is cloying and unecessary in ([movies.nytimes.com]). Did anyone who saw the movie feel this was true? It wouldn't be the first time a woman's compelling personal story was permanently locked in with her romantic life. Not to mention that they threw schlocky romance movie expert Gere in there as if Swank couldn't carry the movie on her own.

Must every female-driven movie have some form of romantic subplot tacked on?
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hortense promoted this comment Edited by truckasaurus at 10/26/09 1:40 PM truckasaurus was starred truckasaurus was unstarred

dripdrop
10/26/09

@truckasaurus is jackie jormp-jomp:

I've heard this too. I heard that they totally diluted her life's achievements and just threw in this love story instead. #amelia
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truckasaurus
10/26/09

@dripdrop: "Yes, she was the first female pioneer of aviation, but did she have a passionate love affair?

I propose we re-write the end and just have Amelia make it home and have lots 'n' lots of babies!!!! #amelia
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Jack_Burton
10/26/09

@dripdrop: And do you think that the love story was included to get male butts in seats? #amelia
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hortense
10/26/09

In reply to How Do You Solve A Problem Like Amelia?
My interpretation of "strong female character," as far as the WaPo piece goes, was anyone who wasn't just falling into the cliches of only wanting shoes and boyfriends. Maybe strong is the wrong word. Complex? Interesting? Though the case could be made that for some audience members, the shoe/boyfriend/sparkle parts are interesting. I don't know. #amelia
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DexterHaven
10/26/09

@hortense: But one of the most memorable and endearing female characters of recent years was Bridget Jones, a textbook postfeminist pseudo-airhead whose only interest was in getting a boyf. Which makes me think it's the writing and characterization that are important, as they create identification and empathy with what could be a chick-flick cliche. And the performances, of course (I will forgive Renee every other bad film she makes for that). #amelia
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Gavagirl
10/26/09

In reply to How Do You Solve A Problem Like Amelia?
How about INTERESTING female characters? Maybe written with some complexity and nuance? I'm going to skip this movie and watch Julia again, thank you. #amelia
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scarletbegonia
10/26/09

In reply to How Do You Solve A Problem Like Amelia?
We need "strong characters" in the sense of well written and complex. "Strong" characters can be immensely screwed up, a bad guy, or even verging on unlikable. "Strong" characters challenge the mindset of the viewer. The problem here is that whether female characters are shallowly portrayed historical figures or shoes and shopping obsessed fluffballs, they aren't well written. #amelia
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AndPreciousLittleofThat
10/26/09

@scarletbegonia: Exactly. And if it ain't on the page... #amelia
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Jack_Burton
10/26/09

@AndPreciousLittleofThat: Yep. If you want to have a successful film, start with a good story and characters that grow.

It's not that Amelia's story isn't great - it is - but Amelia's story has to meet that greatness. Australia is a great example of this as well: The country has an amazing history, but the film didn't tell it. An easy example of a successful biopic: The Aviator. #amelia
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