tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704583061723470804.post1569009103233167939..comments2024-03-10T07:42:17.071-04:00Comments on The Film Doctor: "Misrepresenting my vagina": 4 notes on gender and genre in The HeatThe Film Doctor http://www.blogger.com/profile/03073505923746994988noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704583061723470804.post-8476214791136735252013-07-24T06:13:12.861-04:002013-07-24T06:13:12.861-04:00This is cool!This is cool!Alysahttp://bestmemoryfoammattressreviews.us/2013/07/19/top-rated-memory-foam-mattresses/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704583061723470804.post-51309734969576206142013-07-01T20:43:44.255-04:002013-07-01T20:43:44.255-04:00"more outside filmmakers (including, naturall..."more outside filmmakers (including, naturally, many women) need to make films, more conscientious patrons and producers need to fund or find funding for them, and more critics need to highlight them."<br /><br />Excellent point, Joel. I was bothered by the way the identity politics of <i>The Heat</i> might blind some to the weaknesses of the screenplay. It's still a curiously conservative and generic film, reminding me of something like <i>Mannix</i>, even with McCarthy's efforts to enliven her scenes. <br /><br />Thanks for your thoughts, DeadEyeSpider. Bullock does much with the implicit awkwardness of a movie star trashing her image, and I give her credit for playing the straight woman to McCarthy's more freewheeling anarchic playfulness.The Film Doctor https://www.blogger.com/profile/03073505923746994988noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704583061723470804.post-31241045011040489722013-07-01T16:12:48.989-04:002013-07-01T16:12:48.989-04:00Humour -- yeah difficult really, especially with a...Humour -- yeah difficult really, especially with a feature length production. You need to engage with tedious details (no sarcasm intended) like: plots, action and that curious 90 minute level of character development, The problem is that, unless there's some intrinsic link between the humour and the matrix within which its embedded, one or the other going to seem contrived, or rather seem obviously so, because of course they're contrived. I have to confess I'm not that of aware on Bullock, is she good? I seem to recall enjoying her in Miss Congeniality but I was probably nursing a bottle of gin and exploiting the wonderful versatility of digital media in regard to replaying any scene with swimming costumes and high heels.<br /><br />I get the feeling this a kind of chick laden Lethal Weapon, another confession, I'm not fan of that breed of humour, the dark and chilling gallows wit of the Connery era Bond being more to my taste. Let's it face it though, I'm outa step this'll probably go down a bomb at the multiplex, fantastic (sarcasim intentional).DeadSpiderEyehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07687178085803686186noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704583061723470804.post-84747572478618333552013-07-01T01:14:47.484-04:002013-07-01T01:14:47.484-04:00Interesting rundown here. Almost saw the movie the...Interesting rundown here. Almost saw the movie the other night but ended up skipping it. So far, to be honest, the idea of the Jesus-playing-sports paintings is what most makes me want to see it and a few seconds of clever ephemera aren't worth $12.<br /><br />As far as the feminist framing/marketing tool: increasingly, I'm coming to see mainstream, pop culture-inflected identity politics as a way to consciously or unconsciously shill for the establishment & system with impunity (while superficially scolding it) - which, incidentally, goes for the media and governance as well as art/entertainment but I'll leave that for now. This approach's impeccable decades-running left-wing credentials cloak a fundamentally conservative and, well, bourgeois outlook on society (at a time when that society is growing less and less bourgeois, at least economically which impacts cultural self-perceptions as well). Changing the characters' genders or races in otherwise generic efforts, tossing a bone to a female screenwriter or producer or even the occasional director here and there, etc etc are putting window dressing on a jail cell. The film industry as it exists now is fiercely exclusive and elitist - those are the fundamental problems with it, and also the ultimate source of the low profile women and many other groups have within it (sexism and racism are symptoms, not causes).<br /><br />To my mind, Hollywood doesn't need to be persuaded to make more female-centric comedies; rather more outside filmmakers (including, naturally, many women) need to make films, more conscientious patrons and producers need to fund or find funding for them, and more critics need to highlight them. It's an argument I've been having more and more in recent months and I hope to sooner rather than later put my money where my mouth is.<br /><br />Ultimately, if Hollywood wants to make crappy comedies (or other bland fare) and if audiences want to see them, that's their affair - if they're to be defeated or rerouted it will be from without, not from within. But those of us who want more will need to work to create and promote those viable alternatives. After writing this, I feel like it might sound hectoring, haha, hope not as that's not my intention! In truth, I write stuff like this mostly to encourage myself.<br /><br />Anyway, enjoyed reading this greatly. And nice to see Feig getting work at any rate, as Freaks & Geeks was wonderful and until Bridesmaid he didn't seem to be catching the same wave that was lifting all the other boats from that show (except for the occasional Office episode). From the sound of it, though, wish the material was better.Joel Bockohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11238338958380683893noreply@blogger.com