Modern Film Flaws: Feminism is Not One Size Fits All

Feminism: Misunderstood, misused and undeniably important. Feminism is, as defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the “belief in and advocacy of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes expressed especially through organized activity on behalf of women’s rights and interests.” And, despite centuries of effort, somehow the sexes are still not treated equally and feminism is still very much needed. While it may not be a revolutionary idea that sexism still exists in the world, it somehow always shocks me when the continued discrepancy between genders is publicly revealed, for instance, through films. Recent films and media have pulled this continuing sexism into the spotlight, and they have also brought attention to another issue: The misuse of feminism. Recently, people have been taking things too far, using feminism to turn beautiful concepts into things that are considered “bad” or “weak.” I think the continuation of these tropes would be incredibly dangerous for the next generation of young women. First, let us look at the recent Barbie Oscar snub, where Greta Gerwig, who created one of the most talked about and critically acclaimed movies of the year, was left out of the Best Directors Category, and Margot Robbie, the star and a critical producer of the film, was left out of Best Actress.

Director Damien Chazelle Flexes with “First Man”

Damien Chazelle is rapidly cementing himself as one of the most talented young filmmakers working today. Although it would be fair to accuse “First Man” of being a vehicle for director Damien Chazelle to show off with a somewhat thin screenplay underneath, I’m very much down to watch Chazelle flexing for the next 50 years. He brought me back to my childhood and made me feel like I wanted to be an astronaut again.

The Big Short Supplies What Viewers Demand

The man behind Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy may seem like an unlikely choice to helm a film educating its audience about the economic principles behind the American real estate market. But The Big Short — an adaptation of Michael Lewis’s nonfiction book about the 2008 collapse of the housing bubble that left the country in financial crisis — is exuberantly directed by Adam McKay, who absolutely nails the telling of this tragic story. McKay succeeds by turning a distressing topic into, at points, a comedy. The Big Short follows three separate stories of investment experts who bet against the housing market. Whereas everyone else believes the market to be rock solid, it is actually supported by high-risk loans doomed to fail.