Zack Snyder's Sucker Punch is a Steaming Pile of Sexist Crap

[Silventolin]

And I thought I didn't like it just because it was a terrible movie in general.

[ElisandeWalters]

male heros actually don't get TOLD by a man exactly what to do in their own fantasy world. You have been too kind. SP sold as the way to success' give up your ego and all will be well.' the hero could have escaped, instead she chooses a lobotomy and in that every other wrong in the plot gets righted. I WISH you were right but 'we are not smarter than that.Smart educated and not openly mysogynistic guys (and young women) did not get the mysogynistic parts of this UNSUbtle as they were.

[KennethSorling]

You're holding back. Tell us how you really feel. ;)

[Eldritchfan]

So, I've never seen the movie, but other than the names of the characters, what exactly outrages you about the movie other than having them do male action hero stuff? It had to have something else to get such a non-nuanced response.

[MsSunhappy]

i never even know that this movie is supposed to be feminist

[gentlemanREX]

this is your first video that I have COMPLETELY AGREED WITH! thank you for making this.

[mistaria]

The only thing I'm happy about after watching this is the knowledge that WB has, since this movie was made, scrapped its plans to turn Akira into a NYC-set white washed piece of crap. 

[TheInkySea]

When your ideas of female empowerment is to show off your characters in posies that look like they were ripped from Playboy while holding a gun, you're doing it wrong.

[TheRealLordRama]

I honestly think Snyder is only capable of thought insofar as judging how "cool" things are to him.

[DingoBabyEat]

they were dull, superficial characters thrown into the meat grinder of a bad plot. And like rancid beef that has been disguised with sulphur, the action sequences were pointless and insulting.

maybe I'm getting too old but there was no male fantasy here...and I'm guessing for a generation of teenage boys who have been raised on internet porn, this doesn't float their boat either ...perhaps the box office failure proves my point.

[MizuTakishima3]

The number of dislikes on this video is just mind-boggling. You have a legitimate point and people are just hating because you actually brought it up =\

That said I agree with you 100% on this. The fact that this movie was made by the same jerk-off who's trying to white-wash Akira just makes me want to flip tables even more!

In fact I shall flip a table right now with this highly appropriate Japanese icon! (ジ*`_ゝ´)ジ 彡┻┻

[jmacevoy2001]

I'm a guy and I agree. I'm going into film and I hope I can help flop gender roles on its sides. We live in an evolving world.

[SkyStained]

I'm at an inbetween state with this film. It seemed to try and be feminist and be about how badly women were treated in the 1960s and were objectified by men but failed. Why don't they have real names? Why do their characters not develop? Why, for no reason, are they dressed like modern male fantasies? If they are meant to be fighting against that objectified style why are they so comfortable wearing it?

This movie makes me sad :(

[ahersheykisses]

I totally agree that this is sexist, but what I'm also wondering, what kind of movie would be empowering to women?

[TheInkySea]

@ahersheykisses

Perhaps one that doesn't have to pander to men in such a way that it renders any attempts of trying to show females as anything but objects void.

[sonmortanius]

I liked the movie, though I wish the action scenes weren't a daydream. What I liked was the action, the over the top fantasy of it all. I didn't really care if they were all female, but it was a mental institute for women only if I remember.

Which action movie with a female lead do you like?

[ourabouras]

@sonmortanius I will probably get shit for this but Leelu from the Fifth Element is my number one lead ( then the Bride in Kill Bill, and Sophie in Howl's Moving Castle). Yes I know Leelu can be considered a MPDG but really she has her own quest, plotline, and friends with Bruce Willis being dragged, against his will, along for the ride.

[LicoriceLain]

I don't agree with your distaste for the names, but the fact that these ladies are only empowered in their own fantasies.....VERY fucking sexist.

[coralin378]

I'm sick of people saying this movie is feminist. Zack Snyder is such a pompous asshole "oh I don't want to show her dancing because this film is supposed to be empowering for women". Yea, while you show scantily clad women with crotch shots. Stop pretending you are a feminist, Snyder. Even spill.com, a review site consisting of male reviewers pointed out how that quote was a utter bullshit.

[Sklade]

I completely had the same idea about this movie, although hardly as nicely worded. Sad part being I totally was hoping it wouldn't be as shit as it was. OH WELL, FOREVER DISAPPOINTED..

[Nadesiko85]

agh, finally someone put in words what I think. Suscribed

[Estragogon]

Kate Beaton did something really interesting, and funny, about this kind of portrayal.

Ugh, i try adding the link, but it's the "strong female characters" comic, or 311

[iheartcatsmeow]

I think the fact that "Babydoll's" fantasy is a brothel shows how sexist it is. There was no real need to change the institution setting but for some reason they did. I also think that when it does cut to the brothel parts a lot of the girls are rather willing, sweet pea especially to just stay there. And then of course you have the whole "let me use my sexuality to manipulate" thing.

[Relugus]

@iheartcatsmeow From a narrative standpoint, too, the brothel scenes are unecessary; they clutter the story and dillute the contrast between the real and the fantasy. The fantasy scenes lack dramatic tension and are way too short.

The costumes are unimaginative; stripperific and nearly all black (the laziest colour of all), and too similar. Something more akin to Final Fantasy would have worked much better. Snyder seems to have a thing for dressing men (300) and women as strippers.

[chroniclesofhensley]

Good points. Keep making videos.

[MercuryTraX]

I can understand why some people can't see this movie is sexist. These days, it's so common to see nearly naked women pretty much everywhere: in commercials, music videos and so many other things, it became "normal" to see women the way they are in this movie.

That movie was a piece of trash.

Good video, feministfrequency.

[karacherith]

It's obvious that hacks like Snyder see what people like Whedon are doing, and Snyder thinks, "Oh, brilliant. Feminists love Whedon, and Whedon puts girls in sexy clothing. If I do that, women & feminists & critics will love me, too." Snyder doesn't understand nuance/storytelling/characteri­zation, so he honestly believes that he's made a feminist movie. What's disgusting is that some people bought into it.

[djvbb12]

Totally. Your review is spot on for this movie.

[charliegrej]

I think you're right in pointing out that being armed to the teeth doesn't make a woman (or anybody else for that matter) empowered and we can find countless examples of this in history from the use of slaves in warfare to gladiator combat. Further I have to agree with you that Sucker Punch isn't a movie about female empowerment, quite the contrary the female protagonists are beaten, objectified, and otherwise degraded throughout the entire movie.

[charliegrej]

I don't think that the movie lacks a cohesive plot (not a very good one mind you).The stunning visuals and superposition of three make the plot hard to follow but there is one it's the story of a girl who gets committed by a less than scrupulous step father and her attempt to escape before she is to be lobotomized. The lush battle scenes and the bordello are her escape into fantasy not separate or new story lines. I think it's a very depressing story about exploitation and oppression.

[disbomber]

This is the first time I've seen you so arrogant and strident, and it is totally the right call for this POS movie.

[gammaOrionis77]

I'm all for ass-kicking women (Buffy, I'm looking at you), and I don't necessarily think that being ass-kicking makes a woman NOT a strong character, but... for Christ sake, when is the film industry going to realize that you can't ass-kick in a miniskirt?

[Morbidemind]

@gammaOrionis77 If you've ever watched Buffy, you would have known that she never fights in a mini skirt. And you can not compare this movie with the tv show.

[gammaOrionis77]

I'm all for ass-kicking women (Buffy, I'm looking at you), and I don't necessarily think that being ass-kicking makes a woman NOT a strong character, but... for Christ sake, when is the film industry going to realize that you can't ass-kick in a miniskirt?

[MsGuessit]

Ahh, this sexist pile of crap. The fact that Snyder even came out and claimed that this movie was empowering to women just makes me want to upchuck. Wonderful analysis, as always!

[HiddenAuthor]

Oh so you're against stereotyping females but if females take on a traditionally male role, that's bad?

[adzik1410]

I'm afraid I know a good few women myself who saw nothing wrong with the movie *sigh*

[klaasv]

It has a plot.

[MissPurpleSoul]

My friends liked this movie but i thought it was not only sexist but boring. I tried to tell them that but i couldn't say it better then in this video.

[strtthshw]

I've been trying to tell everyone this. They said I was wrong about it being sexist so I actually went and saw it. Turns out I was right. The fight scenes weren't even that great (and in a movie like that, they should have amazing fight scenes). At least the movie looked pretty.

[skyypoet]

How do you feel about the movie Hanna?

[xxxmikanbouyaxxx]

When I found out that everything they did (all this fighting) was just their imagination, I thought it was a big joke. How many films do you see about males fighting dragons and stuff, then have it only be their imagination. That isn't female empowerment at all. I heard there was a rape scene, or someone got molested or something. A character almost got raped in Watchmen, I heard there was in 300 too (haven't seen it) But what is with this director and rape/sexual assault scenes towards women?

[PetiteOzma]

huh... there's an upcoming lecture here explaning how the feminist agenda of the movie was simply "missed" because there were hidden references to the yellow wallpaper and Moulin rouge and various music videos and if you know all these references then the feminism will reveal itself. I'm debating going to the lecture just to see what this guy has to say... but I'm not buying it. I guess I would need to see the movie first too.

[tehmarchhare]

@PetiteOzma lol. If they have to put this much effort into explaining what the movie was TRYING to communicate, it didn't do it effectively. I know part of Snyder's argument was that ~we, as the audience, watching and objectifying these women is just like the men in the brothel~ however-- I don't want a movie to trick an audience into viewing women as entertainment objects as "satire." Because, regardless of supposed intention, it makes the audience objectify women.

[lolcat23]

Could you give me an example of a good female empowerment movie please? And what would be your answer to jonathan kim's review of the film and critique on feminist views about this movie, feminist views that greatly mirror your own.

[darkmoose84]

Zack Snyder = Good director but awful writer. I liked Dawn of the Dead and Watchmen (the comic is better) and 300 is okay (the comic being one of the few good things that came from Frank Miller), but no, this film is not female empowerment.

I love B-movies and all these dumb Grindhouse films with girl gangs, but what makes them good is that they know they're making something stupid. And that's what I hoped this would be. But when it takes itself seriously, it comes across as greatly offensive

[Natewayde]

The people that liked this film get me so mad when they try defending it by saying "Oh, all that hate is because people didn't understand the plot/message." What hell is to get?

[Koroschiya]

Thank you! Zac Snyder is an overrated hack and this "feminism empowerment" crap in an esentially fanboy's wet dream is beyond pathetic. There can be good action movies with a female lead but Hollywood give us over and over again this softcore crap. I like girls but I don't go to the movies for jerking off. Take note Hollywood, fanboys aren't your main audience. For that reason Sucker Punch flop like most "girl power" flicks.

[ohthesovietkitsch]

From the sounds of it Snyder is trying to intellectually justify the sexism in his film as "lol, totes ironic, guys!" whilst actually USING. SEXISM. to make a PROFIT. Promoting sexism and making money off of those who don't care/notice/enjoy it; as if it wasn't his intention to make money off of those "horny boys" by giving them exactly what they 'want'. Just because you know what you're doing or making is sexist, doesn't make you not-sexist, or your creation ironic and therefore not sexist.

[Relugus]

Snyder employs the team of 5 trope. However, there is a lack of distinct personalities which undermines the point of using said trope. Its reflected in the costumes; all the same colour (unimaginative black), with little reflection of their characters, missing the whole point of costume design and even fan-service.

The film should have stayed in the fantasy scenes and had fun and explored those worlds. Snyder is like a kid doodling in a pad; lots of scribbles but no structure.

[zutandmerde]

I would have liked to see you touch on the way sexual assault was exploited and trivialized in this as well.

Great video. :)

[feministfrequency]

@zutandmerde Ya, that is definitely an aspect worth exploring in this film, it definitely frustrated me on top of everything else.

[yakhannah]

@zutandmerde

Which they were forced to add in:

"To avoid an R rating, a sex scene was cut. Browning said, "I had a very tame and mild love scene with Jon Hamm... I think it's great for this young girl to actually take control of her own sexuality." She added, "[The MPAA] got Zack to edit the scene and make it look less like she's into it. Zack said he edited it down to the point where it looked like he was taking advantage of her. That's the only way he could get a PG-13"

[sloanhadley]

I'm assuming there's so much backlash because it's a Zack Snyder film that is aesthetically distracting, i.e. 300. People don't like it when you ruffle their feathers about something they never noticed, because a gun in a woman's hand is, like, totally powerful, right? This video didn't even delve into the "plot" of the film that is entirely based around sexual trauma (handled abysmally), and maybe someday people will actually think about what Sucker Punch is doing by what it ISN'T doing.

[Encaramelada]

When I finished watching this clip, I just thought "I love you!" and a fat grin placed itself upon my face. Thanks for posting!

[GreenHatTrick]

I don't want to live in a world where women can't feel empowered by slaying dragons.

[rebelliouspixels]

@GreenHatTrick - There are many ways to slay a dragon. It does not always have be through the use of brute force.

[Nightmare060]

@rebelliouspixels Do you even know what it means to "SLAY" a dragon? Slaying implies killing. And thus there are very few ways OTHER than brute force to do so.

[feministfrequency]

@Nightmare060 You are clearly lacking in imagination, struggles whether physically or emotionally can be handled in a multitude of ways, sadly Hollywood almost ALWAYS goes for violence, I would like to see some metaphysical, emotional, creative, imaginative slaying happen more often.

[Nightmare060]

@feministfrequency Even if you use magic or any sort of contrived superpowers, either way you are still using "Brute force" To kill it. Besides it was a rather short sequence that adds to the point that the whole film was about the women ESCAPING from oppression. But NOOOO! They are dressed in skimpy clothing so that MUST make them sexist now doesn't it? The film was stupid, we agree with that. But as far as pushing gender equality, there was little substance to really do either way.

[rinkagamine991]

So true!!! THANK YOU !!!

[bluez3023]

what makes a strong female character? Is it really sexism if people see strong male characters as half naked men punching people, and change the gender to attempt to get the same effect? Would you like it more if they weren't "attractive"and in full body armor?

[abruptum018]

Read any interview with Zack Snyder in the past few months and you'll learn that one of the main points of this film was to mock the typical horny comic-book geek and what they like to see in movies. It's all done with (less-than-subtle) irony. Feel free to debate this.

[feministfrequency]

@abruptum018 well if he *was* trying to "mock the typical horny comic-book geek" then he failed miserably.

[KingKossie]

Well said. Even beyond the sexist nature of the film, it's also a complete mess. It's fractured, boring and lacks any concievable message or purpose for its own existence. I'm glad this piece of garbage didn't make a dime at the box office.

[qshoe1989]

I saw this today, and feel the same way. GROSS.

[interrogatemedia]

thanks for this video. i've gotten seriously upset by many critics who have tried to champion this film for its "feminism." i really hate when the word and the movement get coopted to explain a male director's absolute failure.

[TristanBinney]

There's an interesting analysis of the movie on the Boston Area Rape Crisis Council website that I highly recommend people read. I understand your anger towards Hollywood, but if you look past all that, there are actually some strong and empowering themes within this movie.

[barnesm23]

Thanks, was considering going to see it, but after that I give it a miss.

[toyboatblue]

Question: did you watch the movie? There's no comments on anything that I didn't already glean from the trailers, so it's impossible to tell.

I haven't seen it yet, but from what I've read it sounds more like Snyder set out to make a movie about disempowerment and objectification and ended up creating objectifying imagery through shoddy execution and perhaps a desire to attract audiences both ways.

[UniversalKiwi]

I think a strong female character is a woman with some kind of strength other than physical strength.

[dgabbless]

okay this is freaking me out man. he more i watch these videos the more i agree with her. i agree with everything she said about this movie. now heres my issue. in all of these videos i have watched its about men portraying women in lesser roles and the society being male centred, and it is the mens fault in the cases provided. do you think that without 50% of the societies consent this would just magically happen?

[imgrabbinpills]

This movie was bad for many reasons, and the sexism in it was the least of it's offenses. It was just a bad movie all around. Saw the trailer, thought, "There's gonna be no plot, but at least the action will be cool."

Was right on the first part, but not on the second. Even the action was mediocre at best.

[squirrelywrath2]

There was a review done by Jonathan Kim on "whattheflick" that argues about how this movie in fact could be empowering, is facing more criticism then it deserves, and quotes lisa simpson to do it. I would be curious as to your analysis of that review, as it is from someone who is actually a very intelligent speaker. Though I should also note out of fairness that he says its a poor movie with almost no real characters. (I remain unbiased as I have yet to see the movie and probably will not)

[tauceti1234]

Aw, and to think I was actually desperate enough for a strong female character that I was willing to lower my standards to "yes she is dressed up for men, but she blows things up and I like explosions." I think I'll just watch Watchmen again instead.

[GimmytheGothicEgg]

Zack Snyder has admitted that it's basically 'ironically sexist,' but you've already made a video about that.

[pottoco]

Why did you go see it in the first place? God knows, I'd have to be dragged dead to ever show up at a Zack Snyder film, especially after tearing the soul out of Watchman. And now Superman, seriously? We should just go back to Tim Burton making Superman with Nicolas Cage, that would actually be less annoying... until it came out, at least.

[TRyanArnold]

Did you actually watch sucker punch? I'm sure you're not off base with your critique, but it seems like your criticizing it but didn't make it clear that you actually sat through it. Also, Akira is being made with white actors? seriously?

[Sal0pe69]

lol don't worry about the "shit ton of money" thing, the movie bombed so far

[lookit87]

Terrible, terrible, terrible movie.

"I guess women can only kick-ass when they embrace the hyper-sexualized image that teenage boys have of them." - Zack Snyder

[xKeehl]

Guys I have heard talk about this movie all say its terrible and how it has no story and such. So at least not all men are watching this thinking its awesome because of the "hot chicks". They don't see the sexism in the movie but at least they know its terrible.

[DWinch]

Do you find Kill Bill offensive? I agree with all of your stuff, I am just curious.

[GiantKukri]

I wish I could agree with you but the dialogue pissed me pissed me off so much I really didn't watch it.

[Erioas]

They're white-washing Akira?!

[TWON123]

My reaction to this movie was actually different. For me I actually can't get over the nuances I interpret from the film. The fact that it's so overtly visual and exaggerated is the more interesting aspect of the film for me. As I was watching the film I couldn't believe how the women's bodies were just so blatantly shown for us to consume like pin up girls and I couldn't stand watching it until it hit me that the film has to be self aware of this that I looked beyond the bodies and visuals..

[dapokey]

Being a feminist, i actually doubted this movie till i saw it. I LOVED this movie. The plot was complex and the girls looked like the comic. I saw this movie with my bestie. The costumes were actually appropriate for the story. they work in a whore house against their will. they were like sex slaves trying to escape. using their smarts to conquer the males that stood in their way of escaping. *shrug* you can be mad about it, but from an acting/script/ visual stand point the move was beast.

[feministfrequency]

@dapokey Yes, the clothing was appropriate for the context, but I'm criticizing the context, it seems a little too convenient that Snyder decided that the story was going to take place with sex workers... It could have been written in so many other ways and still been able to talk about women fighting back against oppression, but it didn't, it dwindled down into a ridiculous video game. Also, they clothing is actually NOT appropriate in the fantasy sequences...

[nozero1]

@feministfrequency More to the point, why is this female asylum filled exclusively with hot women? If Synder really cared about representations of women, he might have at least hired some actresses over 40. Couldn't see "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" having the same issue with its male cast.

[strtthshw]

@dapokey As a non-feminist and someone who went to school and studied acting, script, animation, visual effects, and a whole bunch more commercial art poopery...I have to (respectfully) disagree. Lol.

[tehmarchhare]

@dapokey They didn't work in a whore house against their will. That was just a layer of Baby Doll's imagination. So, while you could argue that it made sense for her to relate the asylum where they're sexually assaulted to a brothel and thus: those costumes made sense-- there was absolutely no reason for those costumes in the fantasy setting. Unless you mean the male fantasy setting. Maybe the whole story was from Blue's perspective. Then what they're wearing would make sense. But it wasn't.

[ohthesovietkitsch]

@dapokey Uh, no, Babydoll is insitutionalised. Her fantasy, Snyder decides, will be a brothel - we don't even know if the other girls ever existed at all as we don't see them in the 'real' world. And they never really use their 'smarts' - the Wise Man tells them what to do throughout the film, they just manipulate an unfair system that is never truly questioned beyond bubblegum girl-power.

[StephLorenzo]

what would you improve about this movie? what would make it not sexist for you?

[rebelliouspixels]

@StephLorenzo - Look up a trailer remix called "Disney Punch", I'd say that is a good impression of what that might look like. It imagines the Disney princess fighting for liberation from their own movie representations AND they do it with their clothes on and without any Rambo gun fights.

[MechaSixVII]

@StephLorenzo there's honestly nothing redeeming about sucker punch in any sense.

[Stephen3132]

Doesn't look like a female friendly movie at all and really shows the failings of the Bechdel test for determining how woman friendly a movie is.

[feministfrequency]

@Stephen3132 agreed, the Bechdel Test doesn't determine the quality of a movie.

[MsPenchi]

I was so embarrassed when I suggested this movie to my date! I only read the synopsis about it.

So what happens? I take my date to see a movie that would have been properly titled "whores with guns" ...couldnt look him in the eye the rest of the date T.T

[Zamzagas]

meh... i knew you were going to say something like that. Still i was hoping for you to "waste your time" doing a more substancial criticism. I mean, it's what you always do, and you always seem to make your point with valid arguments.

This video was pure rage.

I enjoyed the movie very very much, and i think most people got it wrong =S I dont know if it was about women empowerment, maybe. But sure it was a good movie, and entertaining as hell.

[Aymelek]

@Zamzagas Couldn't agree more. I'm a woman, I also happen to be a lesbian, and I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. The depth and the commentary on femininity is astounding, I'm very impressed. :)

[eileenj2]

but isn't that what comic book heroines look like?

[Rawr98]

i just started watching your videos and instantly I started to notice sexism and misogyny around me.. I like your videos, they've opened up my eyes, but i'd also like to see alternatives, y'know, what *can* we do, instead of pointing fingers. We need changes, not just revealing other's mistakes.

[listenheed]

The "mold of the male action hero" doesn't even make a strong /male/ character. Though I'm a fan of a lot of action films, too many of them are structured as stereotypes avoiding explosions and carrying guns.

[ChannelNumberKyle]

Even without the blatant misogyny, the movie was incredibly terrible. I'm not going to lie, a movie with giant robot samurai, dragons, robots, steampunk, and zombies should not have been able to fail to keep me entertained on a purely mindless level... it even failed there.

[phil23777]

Ok, most of the times I'm completely oblivious to sexism in pop culture and only manage to notice those discriminations by really analyzing the stuff and thinking about it.

But THAT, I saw the trailer in theater and I told myself "is this a joke? Really, are they being sarcastic and all? this is just fucking SEXIST!"

[0Angel0A]

You can be as powerful and awesome as a man, BUT ONLY IF YOU'RE HOT AND GUYS CAN LOOK AT YOU. NO EXCEPTIONS, EVER!!!!!!1

I would seriously love to see a leading female character with a face and body just as weathered or plain as the stock found in lots of male characters. It'd be a refreshing change of pace from the cookie cutter round-face-flat-belly-big-boob­s-and-rear criteria that never seems to get a break.

[ohthesovietkitsch]

@0Angel0A A THOUSAND TIMES, YES. You just articulated what has been really getting my goat about other comments. We have to be pretty even when fighting. Oh, and don't let anyone be fat - fat men are for laughs, fat women are for derision and hatred. No butch. No challenging masculinity (not really; we'll let the girls hold the reins every once and a while - sell it back to 'em as a gimmick), or body types, or whiteness. Be young(-looking), always.

[pureevilfnord]

I think I have figured out what bothers me about your videos. I am subscribed and I pretty much agree with you down the line, but I feel your videos basically preach to the converted. Those that might not agree with you need some positive examples to contrast with the negative. If some 12 year old girl sees this video, it would be nice to give her an alternative movie to see that will show what real empowerment looks like.

[SchrodingersPet]

@pureevilfnord i agree

[patodruida]

Not to defend Sucker Punch but if you are to criticise a film, it might be much more productive to address whatever weak points you believe it has instead of just dismissing it as a whole in a rant full of anger and adjectives but lacking in substance.

I was looking for material to assist my girlfriend in a Women's Studies class she teaches and I'm afraid this particular video is useless because you just vent but fail to substantiate your criticism.

I'm sure you can do better.

[feministfrequency]

@patodruida I'm not going to waste my time doing a full criticism of this movie, I'd rather spend my time on movies/tv shows that are more nuanced and require a deeper analysis, however, if you are looking for resources about the movie I posted links to other reviews on my website.

[sphinooccipital]

@feministfrequency Didn't you know you, as an official not-privileged-enough feminist, are morally obligated to drop everything you're doing to be sure that this person's girlfriend's Women's Studies class assignment can be completed with minimal thought? Aren't you aware that your whole reason for putting up this video--and the sole criteria by which it may be deemed useful--is not to share your own thoughts but rather to make someone else's Women's Studies assignment easier?

[agent42q]

@feministfrequency Ok can we hear about those shows and movies then? If you have a passion for that let's hear about those!

[AmericanBlackCaucus]

@feministfrequency I am a man, a father of two girls, and a Feminist and I follow you religously to learn as much as I can so that I can make a better world for my daughters but you really threw me for a loop here. Just last I night I used your bechdel Test video to teach a group of African American males about feminism and sexism in film. The conversation got around to Sucker Punch (we all saw it this weekend) and all of us came away with something different.

[AmericanBlackCaucus]

@feministfrequency The pedophile father, the male gaze, the "lobotomization" of all women in society, the Rapes and her trying to survive the horror is what we got from it. I am disturbed that we could be so off. Please recommend movies that I can use to educate young Black boys around our feminist values. Also did you not find redeeming whatsoever the fact that the movie addresses the constant threat of Rape and sexual exploitation in our society?

[haphazardry]

@patodruida It boggles my mind that you think it's @feminstfrequency's job to do your girlfriend's homework for her.

[luenaiya]

@patodruida Couldn't agree with you more and i'm a woman!

[wawaspa]

Yeah, that's how it looked like from the trailer. Did you buy a ticket for this? Ask for a refund.

[DolzaB]

Well I wonder. Putting women "into the mold of of the male action hero" doesn't work, so what would work? Is Salt a good female action hero? Is it even possible for to have one? John Rambo isn't a 'strong character' he's a death-dealing machine and void of any personality beyond inventive ways of maiming or killing everyone in front of him. THAT's an action hero. From the criticism I'm guessing you'd have to create an entirely new genre... (love your vids though <3)

[SaramisKismet]

@DolzaB You can have a strong male character that doesn't kill everything in sight; the same can happen, but doesn't ever seem to, with women characters. (Actually Rambo isn't a strong character, he's a strong archetype as in he has muscles, not as in he's written well. Strong women characters don't have to have abs.)

[feministfrequency]

@feathernote I saw a brief preview of Hanna at WonderCon this weekend, and while the young woman is not sexualized (which is really refreshing and great!) she is an ultra violent assassin, which I think merits it's own criticisms.

[SenniyuRiyo]

I also watched the movie and had to puke everytime BabyDoll winked with her hilariously long and deer-like eyelashes. It was horribly and evidently pornographic to me. plus, there are no real dialogs, no empathy or sensibility for the (really sad) history of all the characters. I wished for some interesting plot to pop up from the middle of the film, but all you get is dragon and nazi asskicking and underage girls in fetish porn dresses. What the hell, Hollywood?

[PetiteOzma]

I'm curious why you took down the other version that I commented on before. Anyway Warner Bros is the the company that took Supergirl's name out of the film adaption of her own origin story (Superman/Batman Apocalypse) the director Lauren Montgomery had to beg almost to let her be on the cover and the "sexy evil" version is the one they use, so clearly Warner Bros has no faith that a truly empowering story can sell and when they make one they try to hide it from the consumer.

[DonnaQuel]

Though I completely agree with what you're saying, I'd like to see you, for once, say something positive about something GOOD.

Isn't there ONE thing in the world you DO like? Instead of showing people how misogynistic pop culture is, why don't you show us some exceptions?

[pureevilfnord]

@DonnaQuel That's what I've been saying. Positive examples are harder to find, but they're out there. This channel can come off as strident and negative. I agree 100% about Sucker Punch.

[RainmanStudios]

@DonnaQuel But she has - I think you should go and take a look through her videos. While she does point out a lot of negatives, namely the misogyny in pop culture, she brings up a lot of positives to contrast said negatives.

[mooshikishi]

i literally squealed when i saw a new vid from you! and i screamed really loud when i saw that it's about sucker punch! i love you anita! i'm one of your biggest fangirls!

[ButterflyRedrum]

You go, girl!

[squirrelywrath2]

I am shocked it took you this long to make this video lol

My only concern would be that I dislike the framing of the feminist point of view as one that women have and men fight. (ex by making this sort of movie)

The type of sexist ideas and gender roles that form the back bone of sexism are ideas that society en mass holds and imposes in the form of roles for women AND men. Men's roles often being better ones does not mean that they are not externally defined.

[00GreyEyedGirl00]

I have no idea what you're talking about! These women have guns and beat-up people, this clearly means that they are empowered women! We can make them as fetisized as we want all we gotta do is add a gun and BOOM! Female empowerment and feminism!

I'm being sarcastic of course but the sad thing is that a lot of people agree with my above false statement. Then I tell them that it only shows sexual and physical power, then they say, "what's wrong with that?" *facepalm*

[mooshikishi]

@00GreyEyedGirl00 apparently, a lot of males think fetishizing women is empowering them. i have friends who are "good guys" who think this! it's just frustrating. we still have a long way to go.

[froggymicwop]

@00GreyEyedGirl00 the thing is, women tend to be denied sexual and physical power in the media (and in most cultures). it's sad to say, but this film's portrayal of women is better than a lot of what's out there. most action movies ignore women completely unless the leading man needs to fuck something.

[aaa2sing]

AND IT MAKES NO SENSE.

[maybeilljoincia]

Nothing constructive to say, but you are my hero. Completely agree with you.

[babileilei]

I know this wasn't the point of your video, but they are WHITE WASHING ANOTHER ASIAN-INFLUENCED MOVIE?!? I am so sick and tired of that. When I went to grade school, there was a large Asian majority (I'm Latina). I also live in a very diverse area, so I'm very sensitive to how Hollywood feels minority characters should be cast, especially Asian characters. Come on, Hollywood! How stupid do you think we are? This is part of the reason I rarely go to the movies anymore...

[PetiteOzma]

@babileilei I can't even see the cover of the movie Hachi: A Dog's Tale without cringing... it's a movie starring Richard Gere which tells the true story of a dog's loyalty but instead of the actual setting of the events (1920s Japan), it's set in modern America with white people. It's one thing to take Seven Samurai and make Magnificent Seven it's another to take a real event and replace the people it happened to with white people.

[TheAllieB12]

When I first saw the preview, I thought the exact same thing. I would have loved for an intense criticism, though - like a movie critique and review of the ways in which this movie is NOT empowering in any way.

Maybe that could be a good topic to cover in the future... what kind characteristics would/should a woman have in a movie/pop-culture role to be empowering?

Enjoyed this - and the title made me laugh :oP

[juanra85]

Your commentary should be in the DVD/Bluray bundle. Amazing. Thanks also for sparing me another bad movie. Doing scholarship in gender and the media does make it hard to watch things that are even remotely sexist and racist (and ageist, able-ist, capitalist, etc.), so knowing when to avoid something that could give me an aneurysm is always good news.

[SazzyIsSnazzy]

@juanra85 hahaha that would be amazing to hear her commentary through an entire movie!

[Psypomp]

Do you write for Persephone Magazine? If not, I'd encourage it. You have great things to say.

[bfab2011]

 FIRST lol always kind of wanted to do that.

[celticlord88]

i thought the same exact thing. stupid movie. thanks for the review.

[RainmanStudios]

holy shit I love you.

[Mjhaider1985]

Very susinct.

[celticlord88]

i thought the same exact thing. stupid movie.