FilmFemme

So, I was recently let in on a little secret.  There is something called the “Women’s Film Critics Circle.”  And like any good Film Critics Circle, they have annual awards that are handed out in December.  But this caucus of women who write about film (not the only group like this, mind you) has some unique categories in which they deem “honors.”  They also have some opinions that vary wildly from mine.  Let’s review some highlights, after the jump.

BEST MOVIE ABOUT WOMEN
Changeling
For instance, we apparently we have wildly different ideas about what constitutes a good movie.  Yes, it is true that Changeling stars a woman (Angelina Jolie) and that said woman cries and yells a lot.  But, so what?  Even though I didn’t particularly like either, Rachel Getting Married and I’ve Loved You So Long are both VASTLY superior to Changeling and center around female characters.  Rachel Getting Married was even written by a woman.  Changeling was an overly long, uneven, messy, boring, piece of crap.  Hell, even Australia was better.  Bad choice, ladies.

BEST YOUNG ACTRESS
Abigail Breslin: Kit Kittredge and Definitely Maybe

How about, Definitely, Maybe Abigail Breslin can fuck off.  No, just definitely.  She is not a good actress and she’s not even cute!  Plus if they’re going to mention Kit Kittredge, they should at least put Nim’s Island in there, too.  Yes, it was atrocious, but Kit Kittredge was worse.

BEST ANIMATED FEMALE
Eve: WALL-E

This is kind of cute.  I didn’t think about the fact that she’s a cartoon chick that doesn’t have impossible proportions and gorgeous hair.

ADRIENNE SHELLY AWARD: For a film that most passionately opposes violence against women
Changeling

Uh, OK.

JOSEPHINE BAKER AWARD: For best expressing the woman of color experience in America
Ballast

I’ve never heard of this movie.  Surprise!

MOST OFFENSIVE MALE CHARACTERS
Aaron Eckhart: Towelhead (I never made it out to see this one.)

Sam Rockwell: Choke (I loved this movie.  I guess his character is offensive, but that is kind of the whole point.)

Larry Bishop: Hell Ride (Didn’t see it.)

Paul Rudd, Sean William Scott: Role Models  (I didn’t see this one, but it seems like this kind of crass humor doesn’t even need to be mentioned.)

Jason Mewes: Zack and Miri Make a Porno (Oh god, does Jason Mewes even count as an actor?  Come on!)

There is also a list of the “Top Ten Hall of Shame” which I won’t go into in detail.  But it includes Zack and Miri Make a Porno, which, as I pointed out in my review, I found to be particularly non-misogynistic.  Weird.

Here’s the thing: yes, this is a blog written by a woman (moi). And I do like to talk about being offended.  But I feel like the thing that most offends me is stereotyping of women.  Go ahead and show men being pigs, why should that bother or offend me?  I have no control over how men act in these films, or in real life.  But I do have control over how I act, and I prefer to see myself as a woman with agency, intelligence, spunk, class and all of that other crap, so that’s why I get offended – not even offended, more like annoyed – when women are portrayed differently than that, just for the sake of having a rag doll character who will do what the dude tells her or seduce the good guy or what have you.  I think it’s counterproductive to put out a list of the “Most Offensive Male Characters” because when it comes right down to it, Males can be pretty damn offensive (Females as well), so why single them out in movies?  Especially when one of the movies on their list (Choke) was actually quite good.  They also name the actors instead of the characters.  What’s up with that?  These guys are just out to act and make movies.  I count most of them among “actors I appreciate” if not “favorites” – why pick on them like this?  I really think this misaimed fingerpointing does the cause of conscientious portrayal of women, as well as creating more and better roles for women, a disservice.  Therefore I will not be joining the Women’s Film Critics Circle.*

*Unless they ask me to.

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