Comments on: Transformers: Just a “Guy Flick”?

By: April D

April D — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:02:12 +0000

Hey Veronica it is good to hear how you have dealt with the poor quality of mass entertainment but we each have our own methods. Simply ignoring something that exists without explaining why it is wrong or needs to change does not, I feel, get you much further than my simple blog either. I applaud your personal efforts to keep something you’ve deemed unsatisfactory out of your life. Me I still keep hoping that with effort things will improve. If people still want to KEEP “getting my money” then how will they know what changes need to be made in order to do so? One step towards heralding in changes is not, in my mind, sticking our heads in the sand to ignore what is completely unsatisfactory, but in calling out and bringing attention to where change is needed. To be clear I’m not as forward acting as I could be by writing letters to actual company owners or movie directors; but to me posting on what angers me about the entertainment offered DOES count as a big step.

And thanks, the belly-dancing was a lot of fun when that photo was taking

By: Veronica

Veronica — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 12:36:25 +0000

Good post, April. But I am a little disappointed. I so strongly believe we have to exercise our power to modify what we are offered as consumers.

My husband & I have boycotted, so to speak, the whole movie industry because of our disatisfaction. The movies are overly violent, over-sexed, poor quality. The theaters sell nothing but poison when it comes to food. So, we said ‘NO’.

We’ve done the same thing with TV. We don’t have cable and never watch tv. Too disatisfied with the commercials, ridiculous shows, ect.

Complaining about it on your blog is good, but they still got your money. We need to remember no matter what our weight, we are still consumers. We need to be more diligent in our choices.

PS – Absolutely love your new belly-dancing photo!!!

By: April D

April D — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 12:44:30 +0000

Tanz that’s awful about Congo. Nothing like trying to tell every audience that the only role suitable for a woman is side-kick

By: Tanz

Tanz — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 09:08:52 +0000

This sort of crap is why I don’t go to the movies anymore, and rarely rent them either. I remember *years* ago seeing the movie version of the book Congo (by Micheal Crichton). I was stoked to see it on the big screen – but I was in for a disappointment. The protagonist in the book is a woman. She’s a brilliant, charismatic scientist. She’s also rash and rude and almost gets the team killed a couple of times but the entire story hinges on her and her brilliance. The movie erased her altogether. She became a background character with just a couple of lines. I walked out of the theatre in disgust.

By: Irrational Thinker

Irrational Thinker — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 18:35:40 +0000

If I haven’t mentioned it before, April, I frigging love you!

I am not into video games or robots (although I LOVED robot wars.) I remember watching transformers as a kid, but just barely. I more liked the toys than the show. That said, though, this is one of the things that boils my blood and gets me ranting until the only man left in the room is my dad (possibly more of a militant feminist than I am.)

It’s pretty shocking to me that Hollywood doesn’t see the earning potential of decent stories with well-rounded (no pun intended) characters. It’s more sad because they’re probably right – most of us have become so disillusioned with the crap they churn out that we would assume any good story would be drained of all life and value before going onto the silver screen.

By: Nathreee

Nathreee — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:45:01 +0000

This is the main reason I don’t go to movies. I’m doing my share of the boycot of bad stories with no real women. Doesn’t seem to be helping mucht though…

By: April D

April D — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 22:54:42 +0000

ladyjaye thanks for the heads up on the comm officer; you’re right I did miss her and don’t feel like paying again to see that small bit unfortunately. I do love the sound of that t-shirt though

By: ladyjaye

ladyjaye — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 20:00:14 +0000

Actually, there is one military female character, but she’s nearly invisible — she was the communication officer and yet barely spoke a line and basically blurred into her male colleagues.

I have no issue with Megan Fox herself, but could the movie be even more Maxim-like non-naked softporn fantasy? You’ll notice that at Sam’s college, all the girls are beautiful, busty and wear revealing clothes. No place for average girls here! Oh, and what do we girls get? John Turturro’s ass.

Also have a problem with Fox’s character when she’s working in her dad’s garage. She’s supposed to be a mechanic (or something like that) and yet she works in a garage wearing a cleavage-revealing top and daisy dukes? Yeah right.

There’s a lot of issues with TF 1 and 2, and its blatant sexism and misogyny is the worse. Makes me want to punch Michael Bay and remind him that teenage hormonal boys are not the only TF fans out there.

Then again, I have a videogame-related t-shirt that reads “Girls play video games too. You’d know that if you go out of the house sometimes.”, from the webcomic Ctrl-Alt-Del. Seems like it’d be most fitting for asses like him.

Next up: the GI Joe movie. Expect LOTS of bitching on my part (considering that my nick’s namesake doesn’t even appear in the movie…)!

By: akasha824

akasha824 — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:48:36 +0000

i loved the part when you mentioned: “just stop with the useless female princess stereotype already mass entertainment!!!”

i think megan fox is hot (girl crush) but i also think that she pouted her way through the film like someone over here commented and yeah, i’m into transformers-i liked the effects.

By: Samira

Samira — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:25:36 +0000

Terrible film & my husband thought so, too. Michael Bay basically stole our childhoods.

Megan Fox reminded me of a blow up doll. Will she be rocking films into her thirties, forties and fifties? Most likely not. Then again it is rare that we watch a woman-age on screen. Sad, because when they do it is simply delectable. Meryl Streep-yes! Kate Winslet-yes.