Over the years I’ve been told that I’m not a typical girl. I’ve never quite figured out what that means. I look like a girl and I sure as hell feel like a girl but I’ve always just slugged it off like a comment for the sake of making a comment. But then I read something like the Women Film Critics Circle Awards (WFCC) and I start to wonder if maybe the commenters weren’t on to something.
The WFCC is an association of 40 women film critics and scholars from around the country, who are involved in print, radio, online and TV broadcast media. For three years they’ve been making their own best of year list. I’m actually quite happy with most of the list but a few of the films listed in the group’s WFCC Hall of Shame really have me scratching my head. Here’s their list of 10 worst portrayals/treatment, of women in film for 2007:
Black Snake Moan***Winning Loser
Exterminating Angels***Winning Loser
Goya’s Ghost***Winning LoserAtonement
Captivity
Gone Baby Gone
Hairspray/Edna [John Travolta]
Lust, Caution
Norbit/Rasputia [Eddie Murphy]
Red Road
There are a few films on the list which I haven’t seen and a few others that obviously deserve to be there but Atonement? Are they seriously suggesting that Briony and Cecilia are weak characters that are taken advantage of? Did we see the same film? Cecilia comes across as a strong willed and independent woman and Briony is no less her own woman. Did I miss something? Can someone explain this to me?
And though I can appreciate the dislike for Rae in Craig Brewer’s Black Snake Moan, she is hyper-sexualized and tied to a radiator, are we also forgetting that the film is about change, growth and self discovery? I’m assuming the message isn’t as important as the visuals.
And don’t even get me started on Gone Baby Gone.
Maybe I’ve misunderstood the criteria for these wining losers but I can’t say I agree with a number of the films on the list and frankly, I’m confused by what message these critics are trying to send with this list – not to mention that it overshadows many of their excellent choices for 2007.
Help me out. Am I missing something?
I remember looking at this group’s top 100 of all time and completely shaking my head in bewilderment at some of their choices. I mean, they were even more outlandish than our own OFC Top 100 (A League of their Own? Bend it Like Beckham? Gorillas in the Mist? Seriously? Best of ALL Time?) So I don’t take too much stock in what this group has to say.
Don’t get me wrong, I respect women and their opinions on film. But some of their choices (just to be different or strong or controversial or whatever irk the hell out of me).
For instance last night I was listening to an interview with Ellen Page (whom I adore) and got upset when the interviewer asked what she thought about playing such a strong character in Juno. Her response was that she actually gets offended when people ask her that question. She’s tired of the question (fair enough), but more than that, she’s upset that a man wouldn’t get asked the same question and “we have a long way to go in society when women are asked such questions.” This is ridiculous. Juno IS a strong female character, whether Page likes it or not (as was her character in Hard Candy). Why would she get “offended?” If anything, I think it’s a compliment to not only women, but also to her acting prowess, her personality as a woman and as a possible inspiration to other girls in REAL LIFE who maybe aren’t so strong and wouldn’t hae taken the same courageous path that Juno does in the film.
Also, women are different and therefore should expect some different questions. Marina hit the nail on the head: “I look like a girl and feel like a girl.” Men and women are different and have different wants, needs, etc in life. When a female plays a remarkably strong character (Linda Hamilton, Sigourney Weaver, et al.) in a movie, why would it surprise her or offend her to be asked that question. Please.
/rant
~ For Your Consideration ~
~ Casey Affleck ~
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
EDIT: apparently this isn’t the same group I was thinking of that did the women’s top 100. But my comment still stands.
Women’s critics top 100: Without issuing directives nor suggesting that only films made by and/or about women be eligible, we asked members to suggest titles they’d like to see on AWFJ’s Top 100 Films List.
When people start identifying themselves as being part of a minority first, a human being second, pathetic lists like this come around.
Thank god not all women feel like their sex is more important than their person.
I disagree with you on that bit and think Page nails it. Why DOES she keep getting asked that question? Must be because whoever is asking it doesn’t think there are enough strong female characters and I have to agree with that thought. At the same time, that’s one of the things that makes me a bit angry at the WFCC’s list – some of the films they have on their hall of shame list are some of the characters I think are strongest.
I really wish they would have done a list of 10 worst actors for acting ability or something along those lines.
The way their list comes across is that basically we don’t like the character so they are bad. I’m sorry but you might not like the character that Ricci is playing and might not agree with her actions but that does not make it a terrible portrayal. I’m not even going to get into the fact that I think they missed the point of the whole movie probably.
I don’t see any difference between her character, Amy Ryan’s character in Gone Baby Gone and any male character that you generally disagree with.
I don’t see male critics (or female ones for that matter) creating a list of worst portrayals of men. Just think about all the male actors that make men look bad but are given credit for their acting.
Personally I want my distasteful characters exist and I want good actors to play them. Just like how I want Amy Adams playing Elle in Enchanted.
Oh and the other Row Three contributors already know how I feel about Black Snake Moan. It is actually likely going to be in my top 10 of the year and will probably even break the top 5.
The same thing wrong with this list is the same thing thats wrong with any review Scott Holleran of Boxofficemojo writes. They attach themselves to their movement and preset activist dogma first (feminism, Ayn Rand Objectivism is Scott’s case) and review based on their shallow perceptions of content, never bothering to scratch below the surface of what they’re looking at – the intended themes, character motivations, bucking stereotypes, and especially not context. Rae’s apparently not allowed to be a fuck machine and have a character arc… because she’s a fuck machine. But get rid of that part and you have no interesting story.
That’s a great point Goon. People like that are only capable of interpreting a movie as propaganda. Therefore black guy playing criminal = all black guys are criminals.
So it’s offensive to ask someone why they keep choosing the parts they choose?
Keep in mind, If this was a press junket, She probably had answered the same question dozens of times that day. What might have been a small thing that she found annoying, could well become a source of much aggravation. Once annoyed, who knows what nonsensical vitrol might spew forth. Asked the same question 50 times in two hours, I’d confess to being the second gunman, just to make the question stop!
I heard that interview. I agree with Andrew. I thought the question was legitimate and Ellen Page was being way too precious. What if the interviewer had been female? And all that mutterng about “we still have a long way to go”? Puh-leeze!!! How patronising can you be. She’s barely out of nappies and she thinks she’s some veteran campaigner of a neo-feminist revolution. Give me a break. Ellen should stick to acting and try to be a little less conceited.
@ The Snow Leopard – Oh see, and I disagree. On the one hand it’s true – she’s young but that doesn’t mean that she’s not entitled to her say. And I don’t think she’s off the mark. If there was NO ISSUE, this discussion wouldn’t be going on to begin with. Though I don’t agree with the way that the WFCC approached this female/male dynamic, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with Page’s comment, especially if that’s how she feels.
We’re always talking about the lack of positive female role models for teen girls and here comes one that seems to have her head on straight and we can’t help but bash her for something else – in this case being young? To me, that seems wrong.
If, as you say, there are a lack of positive female role models, then wouldn’t any journalist want to ask an actress about a role that defies that trend? How does she expect to change things if she refuses to make a public comment about a role that makes a contribution, however small, to the overall improvement in the portrayal of women on screen? She handled the situation badly because of her youth and foolishness. The interviewer had every right to feel affronted that his genuine equiry into her motivation should be misconstrued as a sexist question.
Great point Snow Leopard. Great point.
I think her point is that what she is playing is the norm. Only in movies are women not like this. So she thinks it’s pathetic for people to treat as if what she is doing is somehow extraordinary.