Tag: Gender

Spoiler-Free Review: The Fall starring Gillian Anderson & Jamie Dornan

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Stella Gibson (Gillian Gibson) is a cop in a league of her own!
Stella Gibson (Gillian Anderson) is a cop in a league of her own!

This show is brilliant, and really made me look at American television women in such a new and terrible light. I had seen an episode of “The Mysteries of Laura” and I know that I am comparing apples and oranges, but was really struck by the childishness and immaturity of women in their 40’s often seen in American TV and the Fall, Happy Valley, Broadchurch (these British shows) are such contrast.

We women live in a world in which we constantly have to think about our safety not only from Spector as the stranger lurking in the bushes stalking us we work on a computer in our home, but also from Spectors- the personal lying, manipulating, abusing us as he did to his wife, neighbor, grief patient, etc.

Obviously, Anderson’s Stella is simply incredible. My second favorite actress on the show? Olivia. Girl is adorable and a straight up talented actress. 

–Various comments from Slate readers

Man f*cks woman. Subject: man; verb: f*cks; object: woman. That’s OK. Woman f*cks man. Woman: subject; man: object. That’s not so comfortable for you, is it?

The media loves to divide women into virgins and vamps, angels or whores. Let’s not encourage them.

 -Some of my fave lines (from Stella)

Do you love cop shows, but want something w/ a different perspective?  Do you love well-developed, multi-dimensional characters, especially strong women?  Then, you need to check out this psychological thriller (on Netflix) ASAP!  This show is NOT for everyone!  If SVU scares you, avoid this show.  The Fall contains some (troubling) images/scenes that will linger in your mind for days. 

Jim (John Lynch) & Stella have a complicated relationship.
Jim (John Lynch) & Stella have a complicated relationship.

Metropolitan Police Superintendent Stella Gibson (Gillian Anderson) from London is flown to Belfast, Ireland (by a former colleague, ACC Jim Burns) to investigate why a certain murder case is taking longer than 28 days.  She dresses in silk blouses and black skirts (not like a man) using her brains AND beauty.  While Stella is going over routine paperwork and interviewing local detectives, a similar murder occurs.  The victim is a tall, brunette, professional single woman in her early 30s.  Rumors fly in the media that a serial killer is on the loose, and Stella springs into action. 

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Dr. Reed Smith (Archie Panjabi) & Stella share convo/drinks.

Archie Panjabi left ABC’s The Good Wife (which garnered her fame/awards) to play a supporting role on The Fall.  Yes, it’s THAT good!  Almost all of supporting characters are  quite strong, and we learn something about each as the eps go on.  There is eager/brave Officer Harrington, partners McNally and Martin, and the (female) victims, among others. 

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Paul Spector (Jamie Dornan) takes a selfie.

As for that Fifty Shades guy, well, he’s a VERY fine actor, too (I was surprised to discover).  Jamie Dornan plays Paul Spector, loving family man by day, serial killer by night.  That’s NOT a spoiler- we know who the baddie is from the pilot ep!  Paul is a hubby, dad to two young kids (Olivia and Liam), and a bereavement counselor working w/ the government.  The viewer sees two sides of the story- very unusual in cop shows (Law & Order: Criminal Intent did that a bit).  Paul truly lives two lives, fooling people closest to him while carrying no guilt.  At one point, I was reminded of the monologues that Shakespeare wrote for his more compelling villains- Edmund, Iago, etc.  Those speeches (directed to the audience) makes viewers into (unwilling) co-conspirators.   

From the Terrace (1960) starring Paul Newman & Joanne Woodward

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terrace_boating

Alcoholism, dysfunctional families, romance, infidelity (w/ its gendered double-standards), and America’s obsession w/ money and power are  the main themes in this (ahead of it’s time) melodrama.  I watched it last night (on Netflix); of course, Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward (who were married for 2 years at that time) were the draw.  Wow, if you want to see some HOT onscreen chemistry, check out their scenes together (first half of the film)!  As for Newman, he’s the definition of Hollywood’s total package (looks, presence, talent, the ability to be both humorous and serious, etc.) 

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In 1946, Aflred Eaton (Newman) returns to suburban Philly after serving in the Navy (WWII) to the loving arms of… his household staff.  His parents checked out long ago.  His father (Leon James) puts all his heart into his steel mill and mourning someone who will never return.  His mother (Myrna Loy) has turned to alcohol and another man.  A private nurse lives with her- a great shock to Alfred.  As his best pal, Alex Porter (a young and dapper George Grizzard), says he “needs to get out of that house” and their expectations.  Like many young folks, Alfred heads to NYC.

In a few months time, Alfred falls in love with Mary St. John (platinum-haired Woodward), a blue blood from Delaware.  She is engaged to another man and her parents would not approve of Alfred’s “qualifications,” Alex quickly explains.  “There are all types of qualifications,” Alfred slyly retorts.  After winning Mary’s hand, he starts working with Alex on designing/selling small planes on Long Island, but grows tired of being left out of the decision-making.  (The business was financed by the Porter family.)  An accident of chance propels Alfred into the society, then business, of one of the wealthiest financiers on the East Coast.  Alfred throws himself into his work, repeating his father’s mistake, and neglects Mary (not content to sit at home alone in their fancy Manhattan apartment). 

Into the Woods (NOW PLAYING)

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NOTE: This is a SPOILER-FREE review.

The Witch (Meryl Streep) wishes to reverse a curse to restore her beauty.
The Witch (Meryl Streep) wishes to reverse a curse to restore her beauty.

Anything can happen in the woods…

I saw this movie musical last weekend with my parents; they are both big fans of Meryl Streep.  We didn’t know what to expect, since we hadn’t seen the play or read up on many details.  I just thought it was a reimagining of several fairy tales with songs.  It was directed by Rob Marshall (who has an unexpected hit with Chicago).

The Baker (James Corden) and his wife (Emily Blunt) wish for a child.
The Baker (James Corden) and his wife (Emily Blunt) wish for a child.

We were pleasantly surprised to see that Emily Blunt was a key role- she plays The Baker’s Wife.  The Baker is played by a likeable Everyman type, James Corden, who is from the theater world.  These actors had good chemistry together and made a quite believable couple.  They were the center of the story. 

The Wolf is played by Johnny Depp.
The Wolf is played by Johnny Depp.

Stay a child while you can be a child.

The Wolf (Johnny Depp in a small role) has a song about the deliciousness of Little Red Riding Hood and Granny; this bordered on controversy because of the lyrics.  The song was changed from the original version (which was heard by playgoers).

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Cinderella’s stepmother is played by Christine Baranski (center).

Fans of The Good Wife will get a kick out of seeing Broadway vet Christine Baranski and Tammy Blanchard (who had a recurring roles on the courtroom drama series).  I got a kick out of their outlandish hairstyles and clothes.  And the trying on the shoe part- well. you’ll see! 

Cinderella (Anna Kendrick) is indecisive about The Prince.
Cinderella (Anna Kendrick) is indecisive about The Prince.
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Cinderella’s prince is played by Chris Pine (right).

Careful the path they take, wishes come true, not free.

Anna Kendrick seemed to be miscast as Cinderella; she even admitted that she thought she’d be cast as Red.  The two princes have a hilarious duet along a waterfall (Agony)!  Chris Pine, who actually looks good with a bit of a beard (unlike many men), said he did a Captain Kirk (William Shatner) impression at one point in the number.  (I’m sure the Trekkies out there will notice it.)  Pine did a good job with the material, I was surprised to see! 

Aside from Streep, Blunt, and Corden, young Daniel Huttlestone does a good job.  You may remember him from the latest Les Miserables film, where he also sang.  Tracey Ullman provided some bits of comedy as Jack’s irritable/critical mother.   

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Jack (Daniel Huttlestone) with his cow and mother (Tracey Ullman).

One reviewer (IMDB) commented: “I think that the later half of the movie, after the ‘happily ever after’ scene, was not given the same attention as the first half of the movie.  It felt like someone stepped in at the last moment and said: Hey, movies shouldn’t be allowed to have a happy fairy tale ending anymore. Let’s add some grim to it.”  In response, a theatergoer said: “The stage show has a two act structure that works a lot better. The first act is the fairy tale happy ever after. The second, which takes place roughly a year later, is what happens when you get your wish but are still unsatisfied and want for more. The second act is really a metaphor for greed and looking a gift horse in the mouth.”  If you want more analysis of the film, check out this podcast ep!

Being Mary Jane (Season 1)

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SPOILERS: Don’t read this review if you have not yet seen or don’t want to know details from Season 1 of the BET drama series Being Mary Jane.

Mary Jane on her primetime TV show "Talkback"
Mary Jane on her primetime TV show “Talkback”

I discovered this fabulous TV show 2 weeks ago (thanks to Netflix), and binged watch the pilot movie and 1st season over 3 days!  Being Mary Jane is set in Atlanta and centers on an ambitious, gorgeous, and very complicated (therefore relateable) TV talk show host named Mary Jane Paul (Gabrielle Union).  She’s in her mid-30s, black, and has never been married- VERY common in the U.S in our modern times.  Women of color will be (especially) able to relate to this show.

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David & Mary Jane have a hard time breaking up

Hey, it’s not ALL about glitz and guys (as may seem from the ads).  Aside from two loves- the fallen family man, Andre (Omari Hardwick) and IT entrepreneur, David (Stephen Bishop), Mary Jane (real name: Pauletta Patterson) has to juggle a complicated (extended) family, close girlfriends, a closeted gay pal, among others.  The supporting characters add flavor to this multifaceted drama. 

In the movie pilot, Mary Jane discovers that the man she’s been seeing for the last several months (and fallen in love with) is already married when she steps on his wedding band while retrieving his clothes- how awful!  She promptly kicks Andre out of her house and turns the water hose on him- kinda funny.  This sets the tone of the show- you rarely get what you expect. 

Girls' night in
Girls’ night in

At work, Mary Jane has a strong alliance with her executive producer, Kara (Lisa Vidal), a powerful Latina in her 40s.  Her time-consuming job has taken a toll on her marriage, causing much regret.  These BFFs talk about everything, no matter how uncomfortable!  They have a long-term plan to gain more power, so that they can present stories they feel are more socially relevant.  Kara is tough because she has to be, but when it comes to her two sons, she can get emotional.  In one ep, she admits that her ex-husband, John, is the better parent. 

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Niecy talks with Mary Jane

Mary Jane has been a positive role model to the teenaged Niecy (Raven Goodwin), the eldest daughter of her older brother, Patrick (Richard Brooks).  However, Niecy has a serious self-esteem problem (considers herself  to be ugly) and pregnant with her second child.  When she confesses that the father is her Filipino-American boyfriend, Dante, Patrick comments how these [immigrant] boys are “trying so hard to be thugs” to fit in with the black kids.

Mary Jane gets Niecy an appointment with her close/long-time friend, Dr. Lisa Hudson (Latarsha Rose), a sought-after OB-GYN (ironically celibate).  Lisa has a tendency toward depressive moods, though she’s religious (referring to God and The Bible on several occasions).  Like Mary Jane, she’s also single and has a lovely house all to herself.

Patrick (a recovering cocaine addict), his white/much younger girlfriend Tracy, and their young kids have been living in the family home for the last three years.  He helps his mother keep track of all her meds.  Patrick, a rather stoic man who once managed the hottest club in town, even provides some relationship advice to Mary Jane.  

The “baby” (and future hope) of the family is Mary Jane’s younger brother, Paul Jr, a cute, smart and charming college student in his mid-20s.  It boggles the mind that he is selling drugs on the side, until he explains wanting pay back his parents for the tuition, room, and board they’ve provided.  In on ep, he gets legal help via Andre, who’s old pals with a cop.     

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Mark (one of my fave characters) anchors a news show

Aside from her neighbor/co-worker, Mark (Aaron D. Spears), Mary Jane has another male supporter- her father Paul, Sr. (veteran actor Richard Roundtree).  He was in the armed forces, then a commercial pilot, and eventually the first black board member on an airline company. 

Mary Jane with the most solid man in her life- her dad

In one poignant scene, Paul, Sr. softly admits to his daughter “sometimes, I wish she’d just die” about his fading wife, Helen (Margaret Avery from The Color Purple).  He adds: “I hope you get to experience love like that someday.”  Wow…  It turns out that Helen suffers from lupus.  Later on in the series, Helen laments the loss of her looks to Mary Jane (which she had so much pride in).  I’ve NEVER seen any series, focusing on a single woman, that rings this true-to-life emotionally (not unlike SATC and Girls).

Rock the Casbah (2013)

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The acting is great- all were convincing as Moroccans with good accents and French language.  The highlight was Nadine Labaki’s performance, though a secondary role, she stole the scenes with her funny “bitchy” attitude and added many comic relief along with her Grandma.  Nadine is famous Lebanese director known for “Caramel” but she is also an acclaimed actress. The multi-talented Hiaam Abbas who appears in many foreign movies, she manages to reincarnate the role of a Moroccan mother with strict high values and morals.  -IMDB reviewer

Miriam (Nadine Labaki) and Kenza (Lubna Azabal) sit at each sside their mother Aicha (Hiam Abbas) during their father's wake.
Miriam (Nadine Labaki) and Kenza (Lubna Azabal) sit at each side their mother Aicha (Hiam Abbas) during their father’s wake.

This stereotype-defying film (a mix of comedy and drama) was part of the Arabian Sights Film Festival in DC.  It was written/directed by Laila Marrakchi, a young Moroccan woman.  I saw it this Fall (with 2 members of a movie Meetup) at the French Embassy; the main language in the film is French (with a good mix of Arabic and English). 

The ladies of the Hassan family find their thoughts drifting to the past.
The ladies of the Hassan family find their thoughts drifting to the past.

When patriarch Moulay Hassan (Omar Sharif) dies, his extended family, employees, and community gather at his palatial estate (in Marrakech by the coast) for his funeral.  We meet his strong widow, Aicha (internationally-renown Israeli Arab actress, Hiam Abbas, from The Visitor).  Moulay’s daughters are all quite unique women; there is NYC-based actress/black sheep Sofia (Morjana Alaoui) with her young son, glamorous/dramatic housewife Miriam (Nadine Labaki)- on the verge of an affair, and straight-laced/religious professor Kenza (Lubna Azabal) whose teen son wants to act on Broadway.  Sharif appears in a few scenes, adding a magical element of this fine film.       

Three sisters with very different lives come together.
Three sisters with very different lives come together.

We are put in the shoes of the outsider, Sofia, who has recently separated from her director husband (an Irish-American).  She hasn’t been home in many years; it was too painful to face the past (we learn why) and she has made a moderate success of herself in the U.S. (usually playing a terrorist).  Sofia’s adorable 6 year-old son, Noah, is excited about experiencing a new culture and playing with a large crew of cousins.  He’s hesitant to eat the new foods. 

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Noah bonds with his grandfather, Moulay (Omar Sharif), in a few scenes.

When her reddish-haired grandmother comments that Sofia shouldn’t have married a “foreigner,” Sofia good-naturedly reminds the older lady that she was once a foreigner (being a French woman).  “But I married a Muslim and an Arab,” the grandmother says with a sly smile.  As the days go by, secrets are revealed about another sister, their beloved housekeeper Yacout (who raised all the girls, as well as her own son), and Moulay.  Sofia, who yearns for openness and honesty, is frustrated by (more conventional) sisters.  However, she doesn’t have to live in the strictly stratified, dualistic society (people pray in the morning, but don’t necessarily shy away from alcohol and dancing later in the day).