tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5256317.post8468829538668739796..comments2023-09-07T22:24:51.654-05:00Comments on League of Melbotis: Movies for Boys of Summer?The Leaguehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04836241071795980225noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5256317.post-64812465477114435792008-05-09T19:05:00.000-05:002008-05-09T19:05:00.000-05:00I agree. I think the number of people who tend to...I agree. I think the number of people who tend to show up for movies for any reason other than entertainment is pretty slim. I do understand looking for substance in your entertainment, but I'd like to see Dargis here telling me what the heck she thinks we need to be watching when you go out for an evening with your pals. I imagine she must pick some real downers everytime her crew wants to go out for a flick.The Leaguehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04836241071795980225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5256317.post-44532488403928120932008-05-08T22:12:00.000-05:002008-05-08T22:12:00.000-05:00Great post. And yes, I'm late to this party but th...Great post. And yes, I'm late to this party but there is so much to comment on my head is spinning and I've rewritten my comment twenty times so I'll just say:<BR/><BR/>Wasn't the Drew Barrymore Charlie's Angles released in the summer to big box office? Doesn't that count as a super chick flick summer blockbuster that the tween girls loved? They made a sequel. <BR/><BR/>For some reason I think this whole question of women in the movies representing actual women or visa versa is just silly. I will speak for the masses and say that people go to the movies to be entertained. Always. Documentary, narrative, art house, crappy first feature made by a neighbor. If you aren't entertained on some level then it's just not your taste. That's it. Move on. There is no crisis here. Summer is for fun but it's not like you won't be able to find something award worthy or deep to watch. I mean look at all the options one has now to view television, movies, and videos. And in a few months there will be nothing but chick flicks or actors chewing on the scenery trying to win their Oscar. <BR/><BR/>On a final rambling note, I can't stand Sex in the City. I think it's degrading to men and women and my list as to why is long and boring but overall it's a stupid soap opera dressed up in $2,000 Manolo Blahnik's.<BR/><BR/>Bring on some Hell Boy II!Carlahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02078268714821565805noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5256317.post-2156633901533633162008-05-06T22:45:00.000-05:002008-05-06T22:45:00.000-05:00I'm proud to say my wife hates "chick flicks". Th...I'm proud to say my wife hates "chick flicks". That doesn't mean she only wants to see the big action blockbuster (though she is as excited to see the next Indy film as I am), but I have the feeling she wouldn't measure up as a "real" woman by these standards.Michael Corleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01441107947600810769noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5256317.post-15517145791918255352008-05-06T16:56:00.000-05:002008-05-06T16:56:00.000-05:00Well, I will quit saying "tentpole" when I am cold...Well, I will quit saying "tentpole" when I am cold and dead.<BR/><BR/>It's actually pretty descriptive of how these movies hold up the whole studio for the year and let them take chances of unknown or smaller movies. <BR/><BR/>Anyhow, I often think of how Grandma would watch action movies, TV shows, etc... and that she might have known, intellectually, that those movies may have had guys in mind, it didn't mean she wasn't going to watch Jean-Claude Van Damme save an arena full of hockey fans with his kickboxing skills.<BR/><BR/>The barriers most exist in the minds of pollsters, bureaucrats and critics. Folks watch what they want to watch, read what they want to read. And assuming everyone else in your gender is going along with you seems a bit silly.The Leaguehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04836241071795980225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5256317.post-13658557963081343152008-05-06T16:32:00.000-05:002008-05-06T16:32:00.000-05:00First of all, can we do away with the phrase "Tent...First of all, can we do away with the phrase "Tentpole summer features"? You shouldn't use tentpole unless you're camping or you're a teenage boy explaining why you can't go to the front of the class to write on the chalk board.<BR/>I know movies are expensive to make, but scripts aren't expensive to write, and Hollywood is pretty much way short on creative ideas these days and seems to be dying for a few good scripts. (I mean, they're doing sequels to movies that nobody liked in the first place, and most of their "new" ideas come from pre-existing comic books or remakes of old shows)<BR/><BR/>The more I think about it, though, I guess the more I see your point. What the hell does a "female summer blockbuster" look like, anyway? I'm not sure. Most summer blockbusters tend to be action flicks, which traditionally I guess makes them more "male oriented", but those are just the movies which tend to make piles and piles of money. And who gets to decide what a female movie is, anyway? Maybe the whole differentiation is completely artificial and ridiculous- an exercise in imposing (and therefore reinforcing) traditional notions of gender upon an audience which no longer fits so neatly into these stereotypes.J.S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/03903186469796595837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5256317.post-18098984384655147002008-05-06T12:04:00.000-05:002008-05-06T12:04:00.000-05:00To some extent, that's my gut reaction more for ca...To some extent, that's my gut reaction more for calls for better comics for women more than my reaction to how movies are green-lit. Making comics, if you really care and are apssionate, is something you can do entirely on your own. And creators like Lea Hernandez have been doing so for years.<BR/><BR/>The level of bureaucracy in Tentpole summer features is intense, and I understand its much more difficult to get that movie up on the screen.<BR/><BR/>However, there are no such barricades for comics. You can write and draw your strip and post it online for next to nothing. You can apply to projects like Dimestore's recent online Comic Book Idol competition, Zuda, etc... <BR/><BR/>My primary gripe with Dargis's article, though, was that she never clearly articulates what she thinks should be the next summer movie. This was a favorite tactic of my film school instructors: complain about the movie, try to "deconstruct" (which I get and believe in), but then they would always refuse to make any suggestions about what direction a narrative should have taken. <BR/><BR/>As a rule, nobody likes it when you harp on a problem unless you're also willing to come up with a solution. I understand the role of criticism, but it doesn't do anyone any good if you can't provide examples for the reader to compare and contrast.The Leaguehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04836241071795980225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5256317.post-62543753327939023722008-05-06T11:30:00.000-05:002008-05-06T11:30:00.000-05:00I'm just tired of people whining about movies not ...I'm just tired of people whining about movies not getting made for various demographic groups. Here's the thing- if you want a woman's movie to be a summer blockbuster, go write one. I'm pretty sure Hollywood isn't in the habit of turning down high quality scripts that they think are going to gain a wide audience, no matter what the subject matter. I don't think there's a warehouse out there full of awesome "girl movie" scripts that aren't being made becasue of some sexist Hollywood agenda. Hollywood is interested in only one thing- money. To the women who would complain about a lack of female Hollywood blockbusters, I would respond by saing- go write one. I'd be willing to see it if it looks like an interesting movie, but I'm not going to go see it just because it's a "girl movie", and I don't think many other people will, either.J.S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/03903186469796595837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5256317.post-1230122511549899392008-05-06T08:41:00.000-05:002008-05-06T08:41:00.000-05:00I'm with Mcsteans. Emily enjoys summer movies as m...I'm with Mcsteans. Emily enjoys summer movies as much as I do.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5256317.post-32461138650514884862008-05-06T08:33:00.000-05:002008-05-06T08:33:00.000-05:00Immediately after Ryan brought up this subject at ...Immediately after Ryan brought up this subject at dinner last night, I interjected, "what about Sex and the City, Travelling Pants, Mamma Mia, Made of Honor?". Apparently, as Ryan has explained, none of these movies are what Dargis has in mind. I'm kind of reaching here, because I've always kind of looked forward to the summer season and am puzzled to have another woman speaking for me saying there's nothing I should like. It does indeed sound like she wants the more 'Oscar quality' movies opening in the summer, but that's just not how the system works. Big dumb escapist (but sometimes awesome) blockbusters come out in summer, then September/October bring us movies that are deemed not good enough to compete in early summer and Halloween slasher movies. THEN it is time for the awards season so that the movies will be fresh in the minds of voters. These generally carry over into January. (Also around Thanksgiving is when the holiday movies start to show up. Sometimes earlier if we are unlucky.) February is where the crappy movies get dumped.<BR/><BR/>This is a pretty widely recognized cycle and I'm kind of surprised Dargis doesn't understand this. It's not going to change soon, either. Look, I may be an exception that I enjoy dumb summer blockbusters, but from what I've heard and read - a lot of other women do, too. Do I wish there were more women in the leads? Sure. I would love to see more Sigourney Weavers blowing up aliens. But that doesn't mean I don't enjoy watching Ironman, either. I will agree with her on one point and that is that I'd like to see more women directors. I'm not sure what the problem is there (is it the studios that won't hire them or the movies they are trying to get made not marketable or they're just aren't that many of them?), so I won't get into that.<BR/><BR/>I'm also confused by the term 'real' women. Are we seeing 'real' men on the movie screens? When's the last time we saw the League or Steanso (as AWESOME as this would be) jetting around in an iron suit or flinging a whale into the ocean? That's what most summer movies are about - escapism and fantasy. Not watching some 'real' woman (me) driving through Starbucks in her CRV with her golden retriever (Mel). Actually that's not a bad idea....need to get started on screenplay now......<BR/><BR/>Sorry about the rambling :)mcsteanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13340293646440856741noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5256317.post-69767450867480265862008-05-06T04:11:00.000-05:002008-05-06T04:11:00.000-05:00The only movies I can remember Mrs. menos dragging...The only movies I can remember Mrs. menos dragging me to are "Love Actually" and all the Bourne Movies. Hm. It seems my wife has really good taste in film. Anyway, what surprises me is that no one has successfully replicated the "Titanic" phenomenon, which is the only example I can think of of a female-centric blockbuster? Can anyone think of other examples?Fantomenoshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14131779138744656544noreply@blogger.com