If you're like me, and you're a movie buff, chances are you hate chick flicks. Not because they're about women (although I suspect this might be a reason why many movie critics don't like them), but because they're bad. They often have dull or cliched plots, they are so emotional as to be cheesy, and the entire premise of the movie is a bit superficial and doesn't probe the audience to think deeper about an issue. But chick flicks are treated unfairly.
When's the last time you heard someone--critic or moviegoer--bash a "guy movie?" I'm talking about movies like "Napoleon Dynamite" and "The Terminator." Neither of these movies, in my opinion, had much substance. They were both mindless flicks offering either stupid humor or eye-catching action scenes. Nobody said anything negative about these two films--at least when compared to chick flicks like "27 Dresses" and "P.S. I Love You." In fact, on the popular film review website RottenTomatoes, "The Terminator" got a whopping 100 percent! This rarely happens on RottenTomatoes! A perfect score is usually saved for classic movies like Dr. Strangelove or Schindler's List. You know, movies that were actually good.
In my media class, we're constantly discussing how the media portrays certain groups of people. Along with the portrayal of groups comes the perception of groups--usually also generated by the media. Because of film critics, we're taught that "guy movies" are "good" and "chick flicks" are "bad." If you were to read many of the film reviews on RottenTomatoes, you would find that female critics themselves often bash "chick flicks" and praise "guy movies." Why does this happen? Is it because women are led to believe that their experiences are somehow less valuable? Or is it just that men are more successful at getting attention (i.e. praise for movies like "The Terminator") that they don't deserve?
Either way, it's time to come to a conclusion about bad movies: they need to be condemned for their material, and not for which gender they attract.
Showing posts with label gender stereotypes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gender stereotypes. Show all posts
Monday, November 14, 2011
Monday, October 3, 2011
Another Show That "Gets It"
Some of you may have seen Fox's new show "New Girl," starring Zooey Deschanel. "New Girl" follows the story of Jess (Deschanel's character) and her relationships with her three male roommates. This new series has gotten some great reviews and stellar ratings. The reason I think this show has been doing so well is because audiences have been looking for some originality that's been lacking on networks since "The Office." From just the first episode (posted above) it's plain to see this show greatly deserves this attention. It is also clear that "New Girl" portrays its female character (and by extension, women in general) in a positive light.
For one thing, Jess is quirky and original. Other than her tears and chick-flick-watching binge due to her break-up with her boyfriend, Jess portrays very few female stereotypes. "New Girl" is intent on showing that Jess is her own person. She sings to herself, showers in her bathing suit, forgets to shave her legs, and makes cute comments about nearly everything. Her unique personality does not change based on her company. She acts the same whether she is with her female friends or male roommates.
Along with Jess's relationships with the two genders, "New Girl" also focuses on how men and women relate to each other in general, without giving either gender preferential treatment. Winston (played by Lamorne Morris), one of Jess's roommates, struggles with treating women in a gentle manner. During Jess's emotional breakdown, he sits down next to her on the couch, looks her in the eye, and yells, "stop it!! Stop!" Another roommate, Schmidt (Max Greenfield), is almost too gentle, and tries to be taken seriously by his female coworkers. Her third roommate, Nick (Jake Johnson) is also trying to get over a breakup, and his story tells the "male side" of relationship troubles.
With its quirky humor, originality, and fair view of the genders' strengths and weaknesses, "New Girl" is sure to please audiences and to have several more seasons. I know that I will be watching the episodes to come. TV could use a few more characters like Jess.
Monday, September 12, 2011
My Thoughts on "Jersey Shore"
I hate "Jersey Shore." For infinite reasons. If you are unfamiliar with this show, "Jersey Shore" basically follows the pathetic lives of six young people who live in a house together for a relatively short period. They waste their time and money by going to parties, getting drunk, calling in sick to work, obsessing over superficial matters, and having petty fights with each other. But one of the reasons I dislike this show so much is because of the way it portrays women.
For example, during this particular episode (posted below), the plot focuses on the relationship drama between Sammi and Ronnie. During the entire saga, Ronnie is very controlling and takes every opportunity to exert his authority over Sammi. He physically blocks Sammi when she tries to intercept a phone call from a guy who claims he "hooked up" (teenspeak for " has been intimate") with her. When she does get to the phone, he refuses to leave the room when she asks him to do so, and instead stands there, yelling insults at her. The argument ends when he forcefully yanks the phone out of her hand and hangs up on the person to whom she had been speaking. Regardless of whether or not Sammi did anything to anger Ronnie, these actions are unacceptable. Ronnie is trying to exert complete authority over his girlfriend. When he refuses to respect her privacy and disrespects her physical boundaries, he is not treating her as a person, but as an object. It scares me to think that millions of teenagers-- including hundreds of thousands of young women-- watch this show and find it entertaining. Shows like these send subtle messages about accepted behavior and the type of person young people should aspire to be. The degrading messages towards women do not stop with this one relationship, either.
As the episode progresses, we see endless examples of women being subjugated by men. Deena is accused of stopping a man from having sex with a woman at a party, and the guys in the house all become furious with her. Although Deena claims she was trying to protect a friend, her explanations are lost to the men who believe it is a man's right to have sex with any woman he wants, whenever he wants. Later, Deena also makes a sandwich for a man who criticizes her cooking. Aside from being eyeroll-inducing, these actions are also offensive. They encourage women watching the show to think that they must always please men, no matter what. They also push the stereotype that all men must look for cheap, easy ways to have sex with women and must be demeaning towards the opposite sex in the process. And the degradation of women doesn't stop there. Oh, no. By the end of the episode, ALL the women living in the household will be subjugated in some way.
Nicole, also known as "Snooki," is the most famous of the "Jersey Shore" women. She is also the dumbest one. This fact alone truly bothers me, but more on that later. For the entire hour, Snooki is seen either acting stupidly or saying dumb things. Before going out to party, Snooki practices her backflips in the living room, trying to make sure that her "kooka" (the "cute" nickname she gives her vagina) doesn't show. When she returns home to have sex with a guy she explains that it's easy for men to have sex for a long time when they're drunk, or when "his penis is drunk." The show cattily pokes fun at Snooki's intelligence at the end when she explains that if she were president, "everyone would be tan, and all the radios would play house music." It really irritates me that Snooki must come across as stupid in order for the show to be successful. By doing this, MTV hints that all women need to be unintelligent in order to be liked. And that's not the only message they send.
Jenni, the last lady in the house, is seen picking up dog crap while the men lazily sit back on the couch and laugh at the dog who left her the present. Throughout the episode, the women are seen as nothing more than servants who are expected to please men in any way possible. I noticed that whenver an argument arose between the two sexes, it was very rarely a man who apologized first. Also, when it was a woman who apologized, the man hardly ever recognized or accepted her apology. In Ronnie's case, he used his girlfriend's apology to manipulate and control her even further.
There is no reason for this show to even be on the air, let alone have so much popularity and influence as it does. As we're learning in class, the media can often be a mirror of society. Shows like these will only continue to be influential if we give them that power. And there is no reason for us to do that. I hope to see television shows that lift up women and empower them in the future.
http://www.mtv.com/videos/jersey-shore-season-3-ep-13-at-the-end-of-the-day/1660579/playlist.jhtml
For example, during this particular episode (posted below), the plot focuses on the relationship drama between Sammi and Ronnie. During the entire saga, Ronnie is very controlling and takes every opportunity to exert his authority over Sammi. He physically blocks Sammi when she tries to intercept a phone call from a guy who claims he "hooked up" (teenspeak for " has been intimate") with her. When she does get to the phone, he refuses to leave the room when she asks him to do so, and instead stands there, yelling insults at her. The argument ends when he forcefully yanks the phone out of her hand and hangs up on the person to whom she had been speaking. Regardless of whether or not Sammi did anything to anger Ronnie, these actions are unacceptable. Ronnie is trying to exert complete authority over his girlfriend. When he refuses to respect her privacy and disrespects her physical boundaries, he is not treating her as a person, but as an object. It scares me to think that millions of teenagers-- including hundreds of thousands of young women-- watch this show and find it entertaining. Shows like these send subtle messages about accepted behavior and the type of person young people should aspire to be. The degrading messages towards women do not stop with this one relationship, either.
As the episode progresses, we see endless examples of women being subjugated by men. Deena is accused of stopping a man from having sex with a woman at a party, and the guys in the house all become furious with her. Although Deena claims she was trying to protect a friend, her explanations are lost to the men who believe it is a man's right to have sex with any woman he wants, whenever he wants. Later, Deena also makes a sandwich for a man who criticizes her cooking. Aside from being eyeroll-inducing, these actions are also offensive. They encourage women watching the show to think that they must always please men, no matter what. They also push the stereotype that all men must look for cheap, easy ways to have sex with women and must be demeaning towards the opposite sex in the process. And the degradation of women doesn't stop there. Oh, no. By the end of the episode, ALL the women living in the household will be subjugated in some way.
Nicole, also known as "Snooki," is the most famous of the "Jersey Shore" women. She is also the dumbest one. This fact alone truly bothers me, but more on that later. For the entire hour, Snooki is seen either acting stupidly or saying dumb things. Before going out to party, Snooki practices her backflips in the living room, trying to make sure that her "kooka" (the "cute" nickname she gives her vagina) doesn't show. When she returns home to have sex with a guy she explains that it's easy for men to have sex for a long time when they're drunk, or when "his penis is drunk." The show cattily pokes fun at Snooki's intelligence at the end when she explains that if she were president, "everyone would be tan, and all the radios would play house music." It really irritates me that Snooki must come across as stupid in order for the show to be successful. By doing this, MTV hints that all women need to be unintelligent in order to be liked. And that's not the only message they send.
Jenni, the last lady in the house, is seen picking up dog crap while the men lazily sit back on the couch and laugh at the dog who left her the present. Throughout the episode, the women are seen as nothing more than servants who are expected to please men in any way possible. I noticed that whenver an argument arose between the two sexes, it was very rarely a man who apologized first. Also, when it was a woman who apologized, the man hardly ever recognized or accepted her apology. In Ronnie's case, he used his girlfriend's apology to manipulate and control her even further.
There is no reason for this show to even be on the air, let alone have so much popularity and influence as it does. As we're learning in class, the media can often be a mirror of society. Shows like these will only continue to be influential if we give them that power. And there is no reason for us to do that. I hope to see television shows that lift up women and empower them in the future.
http://www.mtv.com/videos/jersey-shore-season-3-ep-13-at-the-end-of-the-day/1660579/playlist.jhtml
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