aradia22

We need to stop having this conversation. I am so tired of this conversation. By that I don't mean that I'm upset with any of you but that the collective "we" as a society (and more specifically the people who analyze culture on the internet) need to stop having this conversation. With every Twilight or Hunger Games or Bridesmaids or female driven movie (or often franchise) whether it features a female protagonist or has a large female fanbase (often both) we have the same people shouting "see! Women want to see women on film!" and analysts coming to this radical conclusion like it's something they just discovered. At the same time, any time something fails we have the opposite conversation about how women can't lead a (usually an action) movie and people bring up Ripley and Sarah Connor. It comes up often enough that I haven't even seen those movies and I know those characters' names offhand. We put so much pressure on female creators and female-driven properties. Is it feminist? Is it sexist? Is it not feminist enough? Does it have problematic gender roles? I think these are worthwhile avenues of inquiry to pursue but we need to stop tearing some things apart while not holding other things accountable. I will admit that I keep myself in a bit of a bubble. I do. I primarily watch movies and shows and read books, etc. either created by women or prominently featuring at least one (but usually more) female character(s). Even in that bubble things aren't perfect. OK, that's enough sleep deprived rambling for the moment.

By the time the actual awards shows roll around I usually have some kind of opinion but I rarely see any of the movies nominated (other than the animated ones) and I often don't even watch them before the next year's award show. I'm usually not excited to see most of the movies and even if I am interested in them, they're usually not the kinds of things I want to see in the theatre where people could be disruptive and I have to experience it with a group and be influenced by their reactions.

For the longest time I kept getting Like Water For Chocolate confused with A Walk in the Clouds with Keanu Reeves that involves chocolate at some point. I don't know. I've never seen the latter in its entirety but there was a while when they were both on premium cable all the time. LWFC is alright but for me it was unsatisfying and neither fun enough nor enough of a serious prestige pic. I remember liking Amelie but I really need to sit down and watch it again. I found Coco Avant Chanel incredibly boring. The story lacked complexity and it didn't even satisfy as a glamorous period piece. I don't get L'auberge espagnole. I know people love it and that there are sequels but... no. It never really went anywhere. I enjoyed The Princesse de Montpensier when I saw it. It's your typical serious period piece. That is, there's all the melodrama but everyone's either whispering or shouting and they don't try to film everything like a perfume commercial. I don't think it's for everyone but I liked it. I saw the trailer for Haute Cuisine and was excited. The actual movie was a bit of a letdown. There are better movies that tell the same story. This one lacked both complexity and heart. I need one or the other. My real recommendation for a French movie is Romantics Anonymous. I thought it was so adorable and also very French. I watched The Lunchbox on a plane which is how I think I've watched all 3 or 4 Bollywood movies I've seen. It's very enjoyable. It's not a masterpiece but it has enough conventional storytelling to entertain you in that way and swerves enough into making unconventional indie movie choices that it keeps you surprised and engaged. It's a quieter, more mature version of a romantic comedy without all the deep angst of some of those romantic dramas. 200 Pounds Beauty is the only Korean film I've seen so far. I was entertained but it's like you took a conventional romantic comedy and then poured a giant bucket of crazy over it. Two people cut their hands and bleed dramatically in this movie. That's at least one too many. I also watched Wadjda on a plane. I think it manages to get a feminist message across without being too heavyhanded and while still being respectful of the culture and religion it portrays. It confronts ideology but it's more about people than ideas.

A lot of endings don't stick with me or leave me unsatisfied but a great one is the ending to Roman Holiday. It's still a little unsatisfying but in a good way. It wouldn't be nearly as strong of a movie with a different ending and I think that's what makes the difference. It's not a crazy twist. It's realistic and heartbreaking and leaves things open but not in a cheap way that's just begging for a sequel or makes it clear that the writer ran out of ideas.

I think it depends what you're talking about when you say best and worst. For instance, an article of clothing can just be aesthetically pleasing or interesting out of context. But a costume is intended to serve a specific function within the story and communicate something about a character. So a gown might be gorgeous but if you put it on a character who is supposed to be a struggling artist having difficulty paying her rent it hampers the film's believeability.

So I'm just listening to the Hercules soundtrack again as I add it to my Spotify playlists... it's a process as I make the switch from iTunes to Spotify. Oh my God, I love it so much. And it's not even one of the better Disney Renaissance movies. Not to take anything away from newer animated movies, Disney or not, but do you remember, do you really remember how magical these things used to be? Having a moment.

I think this production was actually better than The Sound of Music. Everything ran more smoothly, the acting was generally better, the sets were more attractive, etc. However, TSOM had highs and lows. Peter Pan was kind of average and boring throughout. Also, TSOM is just a superior musical. It has better songs and a better book. Peter Pan can't help but pale in comparison even though I think the cast and production did a better job here.

Yesssss. Now that's out of the box thinking I could get behind.

Is it just me or was every character other than Peter and Wendy really underdeveloped in this version? Did they cut stuff? I felt like we knew more about Tinkerbell and Tiger Lily and other characters in different versions of Peter Pan.

"That way he'll go on forever. As long as children are young and innocent." Has Peter Pan always been this creepy?

OK, sure, Wendy's eye color magically changed when she grew up.

This is off-topic but I find Forbidden Broadway juvenile, repetitive, and highly overrated.

Kelli O'Hara has a nightly ritual of longing for her children that someone doesn't involve calling the police.

Christian Borle's arms now have a twitter account. Just thought you should know. https://twitter.com/ChrisBorlesArms

"You're the most wonderful boy in the world. Is there anything you can't do?" Recognize the unrequited interest of every female character he encounters.

That was the worst swordfight I've ever seen.

"Peter Pan the Avenger!" Nice try, Allison Williams.

You know that scene with Allison Williams really hammered home how embarrassing it is to beg for applause like that. Oh my God, guys. What if they did The Lion King live?

A minute long commercial with the minions from Despicable Me shouldn't bring me more joy than a live TV theatrical production. But it does. Yeah, I said it.

I know it's prerecorded but did they ever even practice with the orchestra to get the timing down?

I'm not going to criticize Allison Williams for her lack of expression because she doesn't even get to sing to a flashlight.

It's the clapping part. I CAN'T.

They really need to cut down on the complicated staging and play to an audience. It loses a sense of fun and energy when they're doing a theatrical piece without the audience.

Kelli O'Hara gets this year's Laura Benanti MVP award. Give her a Tony already.

Where did Allison's voice go? I don't think she was prepared to sing for the whole show.