Kick-Ass

admin — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 08:00:00 +0000

Kick-Ass, the movie, ruled. And though I thought the central character's journey was an interesting one, by far the movie appealed to me because of eleven-year-old Hit Girl. I had a big plan to dissect the movie here, but then this gal over at Jezebel totally stole my brain and wrote the most eloquent review ever. (I'll get to that in a minute.)

In a nutshell, this movie made me cringe, laugh, turn my head away from the screen in horror, and many times think, "I'm really uncomfortable with that," followed by, "I think. Am I?" For an action movie that originated in comic form, that's saying something. I usually have clear and distinct opinions about things, and use my mental arsenal of academic blatherings to back it all up. At the end of this film I knew two things for sure:

1) I liked it. It made me think. About violence, gender, and heroes.

2) I disliked intensely the parents who brought their kids (some of whom were as young as six years old) to this film. They didn't even seem distressed walking out of the theater. It was, like, no big deal that their young kids had watched a man being put into a giant microwave and exploding into bits. And now I had to feel shitty for vocalizing my love for gratuitous violence and vengeance-fueled murder because I just endorsed that ideology in front of kindergarteners. So thanks.

Anywayz.

I like super-violent films, I love comics, I love female characters, and so I tolerate a lot of crap movies and am willing to suspend a certain measure of disbelief and accept that some jerk-off was hired to "punch up" a script to sell the movie to a teen male demographic. And I know that if this movie got greenlit primarily because someone managed to get Halle Barry to play the female lead, you probably aren't gonna try to butch her up and have her wear something that would be more realistic for running after bad guys. I get that it's a business run by dudes, for dudes, and that it primarily showcases the fantasies of dudes. But for a small shining moment, we got Hit-Girl. And I am all for a sequel based totally on her.

"In Defense of Hit Girl" over at Jezebel should be read even if you never plan on seeing this movie. It's a great defense of the action genre by a feminist, and not the "it's just entertainment" or the "it's not a movie you should spend time thinking too much about" defense. And for the record, I'm a pacifist and a scaredy-cat. I've never been in a fight, nor do I plan to, but I ♥ violent cinema, especially warrior women characters. It's a thing.

I'm thinking this will make for an awesome Halloween costume, btw.

Cross-posted from Sweet Lady

Written by: Sandra Falero, April 25th 2010

My Dad Is My Hero: Tributes to the Men who Gave Us Life, Love, and Driving Lessons

admin — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 23:21:00 +0000

Edited by Susan Reynolds

Adams Media

My Dad Is My Hero, edited by Susan Reynolds is a passionately spun collection of essays about fathers. What I most appreciate about these narratives is the diversity. Reynolds' choices cover nearly every possible definition of a dad. While the entire collection moves me to contemplate not only my father, but all the male role models in my life and appreciate their efforts, I have my favorite essays in this book.

“The Day Will Rogers Died” by Kathryn Thompson Presley is a poignant story about a father struggling to raise his small daughter alone as he attempts to salvage something from the brutal dust storms ravaging Oklahoma. This story is about lending a voice to those who feel they don't have one at their worst moments.

“Ruffling Feathers” by Wayne Scheer conveys the thoughts of a son to his deceased father. The author displays how differences do not dilute the powerful feelings that exist between dad and son. This dad is dearly loved by the author, and I walk away knowing I was provided a peek into the depth of an intricate relationship.

“The Colonel To The Rescue” by Reynolds herself shows how dads do not have to be blood related. This story takes place when the author is attempting to get out of an abusive marriage. If not for a close friend's father, Reynolds' exit might have been much more traumatic.

“Daddy Versus The Golden Gate Bridge” by Susan B. Townsend makes me smile at the predicaments we get ourselves into as children. The calm words of a father bring reason to a stressful situation. And finally, “Stepping In” by Elizabeth King Gerlach tells the story of a stepfather who is inspired to be an artist and turns the hall into his studio, where he paints instead of watching sports in his off time. It is his dedication and sincere comments that lends to the author's courage to chase her dreams.

This book is full of moving essays that go straight to one's heart. My Dad Is My Hero is for anyone looking for a good, old fashion, comfy, and inspirational read.

Written by: Ann Hite, September 12th 2009