Last week, I barely had time to sit down to watch these films, much less write on them. And yet, magically and through considerable care and research, the Bechdel Test Canon keeps forming into being. Last week, I wrote on Julie Dash’s Illusions, Lisa Cholodenko’s High Art, and Wanuri Kahiu’s Pumzi. I wrote my third-to-last post of the series on Agnès Varda’s One Sings, the Other Doesn’t. I posted them to my Twitter feed and Facebook fan page (incentive to follow!), but completely forgot to post them here. Check them out, leave comments, and watch these films.
Archive for the 'Feminist Music Geeks Go to the Movies' Category
The train keeps rolling along with An Angel At My Time.
It’s weird that I wrote about a film with a subplot involving a lecherous critical studies professor on the first day of my cultural studies seminar. Not planned, I swear. Anyway, most of us in the humanities aren’t Kyle MacLachlan in Me Without You. But a number of us are Michelle Williams. Some of us are also Anna Friel at the same time because we have layers, dammit. Here’s to the first day of spring term and, therefore, berets.
I love films about film-making, especially when they involve catsuits and Maggie Cheung. Check out today’s post, won’t you?
I can’t believe we are over halfway through with the second installment of the Bechdel Test Canon. We close out the week with a look at Chantal Akerman’s bewitching Je tu il elle. C’est incroyable!
11
Jan
12
Getting Kicks and Saving Face
A lot of me today. I posted a review of Girls Got Kicks for Scratched Vinyl this morning and my Bechdel Test Canon entry on Saving Face for Bitch just went live. To honor (or inadvertently counteract) GGK‘s spirit, I put on my radioactive pink Converses and went for a walk. Now I think Chantal Akerman, some reading, another visit to Old Love, and a cat nap are in order.
Today’s entry is a double feature devoted to films about lesbian girlhood. You can catch Céline Sciamma Water Lilies and Lucas Moodysson’s Show Me Love on Instant. The original French and Swedish titles are way better (“octopuses” and “fucking” appear), though the American release of Moodysson’s film is named for Robyn’s hit. Let’s watch the Swedish pop star dance like the whole damn world is her Xanadu.
You can also stream Nagisa Oshima’s Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence on Instant. Like the other two films, it’s about raising queer longing out of the subtextual realm. Yet it is very sad. It’s a great teaching aid to explain DADT, even though that’s not what the film is about. Reminds you what a long, strange film career David Bowie has had as an actor. And Ryuichi Sakamoto’s score lives up to its own reputation.
Good stuff here, all I’m saying.
Worker’s rights, worker’s rights! I came back from a sad, heavy New Year’s Day with a post on Made In Dagenham. Bump some Desmond Dekker and buck the system. I’m pretty sure I’m going to follow it up with Darnell Martin’s I Like I Like That on Friday.
