I am not like this. In fact- this is what I am like. I give you ---
Tonight's Trip To The Cinema To See WHIP IT With My Friend Pete.
INT. PETE'S CAR - NIGHT
We are on the way to the cinema.
KID
Do you think Ellen Page is hot?
PETE
Yeah, you?
KID
Yes, very.
PETE
I like her.
KID
She's a lesbian.
PETE
Really?
KID
Yeah, I think so.
PETE
Oh. How do you know?
KID
She's been on The Ellen Show like 15 times.
PETE
That doesn't mean she's a lesbian.
EXT. CAR PARK - TWENTY MINUTES LATER
We are walking towards the cinema.
PETE
Drew Barrymore is hot.
KID
I dunno. She's a bit...
PETE
Chubby.
KID
Not in all films, in some
films she has the chub. She was
hot in The Wedding Singer.
PETE
Bit chubby.
KID
Maybe.
PETE
In Charlie's Angels she was pretty
chubby. But not in the second one.
KID
What is her least chubby film?
PETE
E.T.
KID
I mean as an adult.
PETE
Don't know. Jerry Maguire?
KID
She's not in Jerry Maguire.
PETE
You sure?
KID
Very sure.
PETE
I'm sure she's in it, and she's chubby.
KID
She's not in it. It's Renee Zellweger.
PETE
Is she chubby?
KID
No.
INT. CINEMA - TWENTY MINUTES LATER
The film has been going for a while... The Kid has made Pete sit in the front row.
KID
So what do you think of the front row?
PETE
It's alright.
INT. CINEMA - AN HOUR LATER
Ellen Page's character puts in a mouthguard.
KID
Do you think she's hot with a mouth guard thing?
PETE
Even hotter. What about you?
KID
Yeah. Pretty hot. Do you prefer Juno Page or Whip It Page?
PETE
Whip It. You?
KID
Don't know.
PETE
I've always preferred her in this.
KID
What do you mean?
PETE
This is one of my favorite films.
KID
You've seen it?
PETE
I've got it at home. It's one
of my favorite films.
KID
Really? Why?
PETE
It's just nice.
KID
It's a weird film.
PETE
It's nice. Kind of a chick-flick but nice.
INT. CINEMA - AN HOUR OR SO LATER
The credits begin to roll. Pete looks happy. It's about the 9th time he's seen the film, I now realize.
KID
You know at the end of KICK ASS,
when McLovin shoots the screen,
at the end, is that, like, to
set up a sequel?
PETE
I thought that. Yeah.
KID
Okay.
PETE
What do you think of WHIP IT?
I love it. It's great. Bit of
a chick flick but great.
KID
Since when did you like films like
this, you normally watch all
the weird Japanese shit?
PETE
And WHIP IT. I really like WHIP IT.
KID
Why?.
PETE
(warm)
(warm)
It's nice. Drew isn't
chubby in it.
KID
You're scaring me.
As for WHIP IT: the film is kind of cool. Kind of very weird, also, but that's no bad thing. Ellen Page is amazing. Not just because I think she's hot; but because she brings TRUTH to her characters in a way that is rarely seen, she just seems like a real HUMAN; which you'd think would be easy to do but most actors struggle with it. I've noticed this when directing, when I say "um, could you act more like a real human? just be human! Jesus!" most actors don't take that direction too well, haha. Anyhow-- Ellen Page is great; worth seeing the film just for her great acting.
Posts
lmao. this was genius. and I really want to see the film now!!! x
ReplyDeleteThat's hilarious!
ReplyDeleteEven though Drew Barrymore is chubby by Hollywood standards, I think she's really adorable, and sometimes, really elegant.
The film sounds interesting, though. And I know what you mean about Ellen Page. I'm not a huge fan of Juno, but she's really, yeah, human.
This entire movie is awesome, and you two are funny...you should do this more.
ReplyDeleteI've just got back from watching it at the cinema. Really enjoyed it!
ReplyDeleteIt's kind of funny to read your post, 'Gender, Male Privilege & the Movies' and then check out this one.... It's kind of like a joke, right? Was it planned that way?
ReplyDeleteHey Ester - indeed, reading one then the other probably is a strange experience. It may even seem hypocritical.
ReplyDeleteIt's always this changing, swaying line, I feel. On the one hand, I think I am vary aware about gender issues. But at the same time, I identify very much in the male gender. And going to the cinema with my friend Pete and chatting about girls and actresses is fun.
Reading this -- I can see how the 'chubby' talk could seem offensive, or could imply that 'skinny is better' or something like that. But I just wrote out what we were talking about, because it was funny that night. It makes me cringe a bit now, but then; y'know, I've had the same conversations with girls and I've known girls who have the same conversation with girls.
What it all means and how this fits in to me talking about male privilege. I don't know. It's related, but then it's not related. Who knows! It's complex! I'm a hypocrite, I guess. I have flown around the world doing gender work; yet at the same time, I'm a guy and I like hot women and I don't want to oppress that part of me completely, y'know?
Sorry, I'm not making no sense. I'm just rambling. Let me know your thoughts!
Well I now remember feeling deeply frustrated when I first read this, and it took a lot of self-control to keep my comments to a minimum so I didn't come off as obnoxious or ignorant. I am a big fat (also known as chubby) hypocrite myself, so I keep in touch with the fact that I don't have a right to preach. Although I don't have a right, I do have a forum.
ReplyDeleteI will say, now that I have given it more thought, that "being aware of gender issues" is not the same as doing something to make it different. I don't know what you mean when you say that you have flown around the world doing gender work (I haven't researched you or what you do, exactly). But I consider 'making it different' as one person or group giving up some power, or making sacrifices, and the power and respect is given to somebody else. And even the men who are "aware of gender issues" don't want to do that.
For example, would you and all other educated men and women willingly give up funding all the comedy films that rely on the objectification and degredation of women for half their jokes?
Probably not. Nobody expects anybody to.
I do appreciate that you once (or probably more than once, if it's on your radar) wrote about gender inequality. I really do. It's an important first step.
I would like to point out that it is the same kind of hilarious degrading comments [in popular modern comedies] about women that continue to teach young people that women do not have real value or worth beyond how long their legs are, how full their lips are, how they look in spandex. This casual socialization of our young will continue to perpetuate disrespect, sexual assaults, and domestic violence, all which are overwhelmingly targeting women, and which begin with the misoginy engrained in our culture.
To say that you "like hot women" is the same as saying "I like convertible cars" or "I like tacos." ...Only those THINGS you like cannot feel the ways women can when we are turned into objects; fat, skinny, pretty, ugly, feminine, or masculine objects.
"Identifying with the male gender" does not intrinsically mean that you are required to objectify women for kicks. And I know that was a private conversation, and I know those conversations exist everywhere in our society. I have played a role in the objectification of women as well.
...So those are my thoughts. I know all of this looks like I am pointing a giant finger at you, but really you are just the first male I have ever had this diologue with, and it is one that is important to me. If I layed all those thoughts out on my husband all at once, he would shut his ears almost immediately (and probably be LARGELY annoyed).
So I am sorry your blog happens to get the brunt of me finally articulating my thoughts. You are normal, and you know it. This is regular discourse, but it is frustrating discourse to hear when I think about raising a daughter in a culture that encourages women to sell their bodies and self-respect for the praise of men.
I agree with what you're saying.
ReplyDeleteBut as evenly as you've been trying to comment, you are also attacking me a fair bit. But it's okay, I deserve it. But I think you need to be careful; because, as you imply with your husband; the reaction will usually not be productive!
Part of that, yeah, is that I'm male; and having someone show me what an ass I'm being is not going to be nice. But the other part of it is that I'm human. When you say " it is frustrating discourse to hear when I think about raising a daughter in a culture that encourages women to sell their bodies and self-respect for the praise of men," you are talking about me, and that is hurtful not as a man, but as a human.
But I am not trying to detract from your comments; the essence of which is completely correct!
It's unfortunate that you don't know what I mean when I say I've worked with gender issues; unfortunate because this is an anonymous film blog, and is not something I use as a forum for everything I do with my life. But I can say this and hope you'll trust and believe in me, even though you have no reason to: when it comes to gender, I am not silent. I am one of the least silent people you'll meet.
"But I consider 'making it different' as one person or group giving up some power, or making sacrifices, and the power and respect is given to somebody else"
I agree. And I've kept this post and this dialogue up. Do you know how hard that is? This blog post and this conversation is a great teaching, for everyone, and I look like an ass who objectifies women! Yet I'm KEEPING IT here, despite the post not representing who I am, what I do, or how I feel about this topic at all! I think most men would delete this blog/your comments/etc.. I am trying to be open and trying to accept where I am wrong. It's not easy.
"And even the men who are "aware of gender issues" don't want to do that."
I disagree mostly, based on my experiences -- Of the men I know who are engaged in the topic, most dedicate their heart and souls to letting go of those privileges. But you may have a different experience. But I agree with you in principle because; no group of any power or privilege has ever backed down without a giant fight. That's unfortunate; and I'm sure you're probably right with that comment, it's just not my experience. And if you think I fit into that category, I'd ask you not to judge me in that way yet; keep reading, keep sticking around, I'm not the bad guy.