"I see little of more importance to the future of our country and of civilization than full recognition of the place of the artist. If art is to nourish the roots of our culture, society must set the artist free to follow his vision wherever it takes him."
As the loud and obnoxious daughter of an extremely religious Hindu family, I grew up very fascinated with Ma Kali. Considering the fact that her anger defines her and that she is worshipped for her powers of destruction made me feel less like a freak for being so angry all the time. Today I would tell my 12- year-old self that I wasn’t so wrong for being angry at misogyny or racism, but in those days Kali was a figure I could cloak my my impolite opinions in. I reveled in her anger, and didn’t question this until very recently: Why does our anger need to be subsumed by religion to achieve its legitimacy? I’ve always thought of her as "the Avenger," a more radical version of Durga even, but at the time I didn't really ask why most representations of "anger" onscreen need to fit in an "avenging goddess" narrative.
With its thumping soundtrack, glitz, glamour, tragic romance, and frenzied edits, you'd know this thing was a Luhrmann production from a mile away. And if opinions around the Bitch office are any indicator, you either LOVE it or you LOATHE it. To help you further appreciate (or hatepreciate as the case may be) the Great Gatsby, let's look at the trailers all of Baz Luhrmann's feature-length films (don't worry, there are only five) and rate them on what I'm calling The Luhrmann Index.
Andi and I saw this movie on Friday so that you wouldn't have to, but if you do decide to go, besides the obvious product placement—copies of the book pop up nearly everywhere but in sonograms—here’s our list of 10 things you can expect from What to Expect When You're Expecting.
The sixth annual Portland Queer Documentary Film Festival (or QDOC) is happening this weekend at the Kennedy School (nearby our office!) You can check out the full line-up of films at their website, but read through for some of our picks—from peeking inside the Celluloid Closet, to the openly-gay '70s superstar that never was, and a meditation on South African artist and activist Zanele Muholi. And if you're not in Portland, make sure these films and filmmakers are still on your radar!
The Internet echoed with the sounds of thumpa-thumpa strip club music as the trailer for Steven Soderbergh's hotly anticipated film Magic Mike hit the web last night. Why all the hype?
Happy Hunger Games! Do you have your ticket to see a midnight showing of the movie tonight? A bunch of us at Bitch do, and I for one am beyond psyched. (Check back tomorrow for our review!) I've watched the trailers, listened to the soundtrack, and even have my outfit planned—based on the Ironing Board Collective's End of Days style predictions, of course. I have to wonder though, is it wrong to want so badly to see the Games?
Considering that the book series—and presumably the film—is about a not-so-distant dystopian future where the government controls its citizens and makes mandatory the watching of a game where kids battle one another to the death, at what point does this must-see movie mania get just a little too ironic?
Turns out, my man Dinklage is far from the weirdest part of this trailer, which was recut and re-released today. From a tone that makes no sense to top billing for an actor who doesn't even appear until the final five seconds, I'm having a hard time making sense of this project. Let's take a look, shall we?
The Portland Oregon Women's Film Festival, aka POWFest, begins today and goes until March 11th at the Hollywood Theater. From animated, experimental, or "mature themed" (my favorite!) shorts, a local and international showcase, and more than a few powerful documentaries, you'll find a wealth of independent and underrated female filmmakers (I hope you're paying attention, Academy!).
Plus, Guest of Honor Amy Heckerling (writer/director of Clueless!!) will be in attendance for a special screening of her breakout classic, Fast Times at Ridgemont High. (For folks jonesin' for a more '90s nostalgia kick, you can catch the March 11 screening of Nora Ephron's Sleepless in Seattle). Check out the full schedule here.
Click through for some films to watch for, including a documentary on a horrific Army cover-up, a meditation on solitude, and an intimate look at binge-drinking among young women.
The Portland Oregon Women's Film Festival, aka 
.gif)
.gif)
