Category: Women
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“Le Bonheur” and the Feminism of Varda
Le Bonheur (Happiness) is the third feature film from the late and great Agnès Varda. Released in 1965, the film follows François, a man who seemingly has it all—he’s happily married to his wife, Thérèse, and has two children who he loves deeply. François’ life takes a turn, however, when he meets Émilie, a post…
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“Sea Fever” Examines the Emotional Cost of Quarantine
Movies don’t exist out of context, and 2019’s Sea Fever (Prime Video) is no exception. Without our current situation, you could easily categorize this film as simple nautical horror in the same vein as Jaws or the more recent Underwater. It stands up as a fishing boat version of Alien. There’s a touch of The…
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The Bleak Reality of “Lost Girls”
If you come to Lost Girls (2020, Netflix) seeking a serial killer movie with lots of gory details and pretty dead girls, you’re going to be sorely disappointed. If you like police procedurals and their (usually female) corpse-of-the-week formulas, you might not be satisfied with this film. If, however, you’re interested in a deep, dark…
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“The United States Vs. Billie Holiday” Dilutes Lady Day
As the title suggests, this film depicts a heartbreaking battle: governmental abuse against the Black Civil Rights movement in the wake of Lady Day’s song “Strange Fruit”. The telling of her story through the eyes of Lee Daniels lends a more artistic tone than biographical one- but the nature of her legacy rings true- despite…
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Validating Bimbos & Erin Brockovich
Unless you’re on the wrong side of Tik Tok, aka Straight Tik Tok, you definitely have seen the growing popularity and comeback of the Bimbo trend - now extending to the gender-inclusive Himbo, Bimbo, and Thembo. It has been reclaimed as a feminist concept, as a way to praise femininity, subvert the male gaze, and…
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Review: ‘Dark Phoenix’ Failed to Present a Satisfying Finale
The final installment in the main X-Men storyline is Dark Phoenix. The film is a direct sequel to 2016’s X-Men Apocalypse and follows the same group of mutants. The story takes place in 1992, and audiences are quickly immersed in an X-Men mission in space. Now, I know what you’re thinking, “Didn’t the Avengers do this already? And weren’t…
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How Ts Madison Stole the “Zola” Trailer
On March 31st, International Trans Day of Visibility, following some COVID related delays, the trailer was finally dropped, and although Taylour Paige and Riley Keough look to impress as lead characters Zola and Stefani, a brief cameo from a queer icon was what convinced me I have to see this movie.
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The Enduring Beauty of “Persepolis”
This powerful story shines with poetic animation, an exploration of deeper truths, and the protagonist’s complex search for identity.
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“Fat Girl” and The Dangerous Expectations of Girls in Society
Spoiler Warning and Trigger Warning for Sexual Violence Ahead Fat Girl (À Ma Soeur, or To My Sister in its original French title)is a 2001 film directed by Catherine Breillat, a woman known for often-controversial films that usually revolve around themes of sex and identity. The movie follows Anaïs, an overweight 12 year old, and…
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Throw a Goat For “Trolls: World Tour”
Trolls: World Tour doesn’t just pay lip service to diversity and inclusiveness. There is no white-washing of the voice actors. From the actual K-Pop group Red Velvet voicing the K-Pop Troll bounty hunters to Keenan Thompson playing the Tiny Diamond baby to Kunal Nayyar’s Guy Diamond, the cast includes more than just token minorities.