Posts Tagged Ellen Page
on DVD: films directed by/ written by women
Posted by Amy Steele in DVD, Film, Women/ feminism on February 21, 2014
Wadjda
Written and directed by: Haifaa Al-Mansour
Starring: Waad Mohammed, Reem Abdullah, Abdullrahman Al Gohani
–a smart, spunky, brave Saudi girl signs on for her school’s Koran recitation competition to earn the remaining funds she needs in order to buy the green bicycle that she really wants even though it’s frowned upon for girls to ride bikes in Saudi Arabia.
The Reluctant Fundamentalist
–A young Pakistani man chasing corporate success on Wall Street finds himself embroiled in a conflict between his American Dream, a hostage crisis, and the enduring call of his family’s homeland.
Directed by: Mira Nair
Starring: Riz Ahmed, Liev Schreiber, Kiefer Sutherland, Kate Hudson
–riveting, intense film that questions intentions, good vs. evil, nationality, identity and prejudice with Nair’s gorgeous, thoughtful, heartbreaking direction.
Touchy Feely
–A massage therapist is unable to do her job when stricken with a mysterious and sudden aversion to bodily contact. Meanwhile, her uptight brother’s floundering dental practice receives new life when clients seek out his healing touch.
Written and directed by: Lynn Shelton
Starring: Rosemarie DeWitt, Ellen Page, Josh Pais, Allison Janney
–quirky, charming, sweet
Adore
–two best friends fall in love with each other’s teenage sons
Written and directed by: Anne Fontaine
Starring: Robin Wright, Naomi Watts
–unsettling topic but with Wright and Watts it’s beautifully acted and as much about friendship as about these affairs with the young men. plus gorgeous, idyllic scenery.
Afternoon Delight
–Rachel, a savvy stay-at-home mom finds herself stuck in a rut of volunteering at preschool auctions, a lackluster sex life and long-gone career. When she visits a strip club to spice up her marriage and meets McKenna, she ends up adopting her as the family nanny.
Written and directed by: Jill Soloway
Starring: Kathryn Hahn, Juno Temple, Josh Radnor
–smart, astute script. unique film.
The Lifeguard
–29-year-old woman questioning her life’s direction, quits her reporter job in New York and moves home to Connecticut. she takes a job as a lifeguard and falls into a friendship with a teenager.
Written and directed by: Liz W. Garcia
Starring: Kristen Bell, Mamie Gumer, Martin Starr
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Choice Quote: Ellen Page
Posted by Amy Steele in Women/ feminism on April 8, 2010
on Juno:
Because she kept the baby everybody said the film was against abortion. But if she’d had an abortion everybody would have been like, “Oh my God”. I am a feminist and I am totally pro-choice, but what’s funny is when you say that people assume that you are pro-abortion. I don’t love abortion but I want women to be able to choose and I don’t want white dudes in an office being able to make laws on things like this. I mean what are we going to do – go back to clothes hangers?
see full interview in The Guardian
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12 Reasons to Adore Whip It!– on DVD
Posted by Amy Steele in DVD, Film on January 24, 2010
Title: Whip It!
Written by: Shauna Cross
Directed by: Drew Barrymore
Starring: Ellen Page, Kristen Wiig, Drew Barrymore
Running time: 111 minutes
Release date: January 26, 2009
ASIN: B002VPTJOA
MPAA: PG 13
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Rating: A
- Directed by Drew Barrymore– Whip It! is simultaneously edge-of-your-seat exciting and inspirational. Just like Drew has been all her life. Drew [who also plays Smashley Simpson in the film] chose a great project, script, cast for her directorial debut.
- Written by Shauna Cross based on her novel. Just the right mix of cool and touching.
- Organized sports are empowering for girls and young women. Being involved helps to build self-esteem and encourage female-bonding. [I played soccer from age 8 through college and also competed in equestrian events, often as part of a team, through Groton Pony Club.]
- Kristen Wiig as Maggie Mayhem—she’s the sweet “aunt” figure for Bliss. Charming performance. More of this Kristen, less SNL please. Juliette Lewis as Iron Maven—she’s scary fierce. You don’t want to mess with her but you also want to hang out with her.
- The realistic love-hate mother-daughter relationship between Bliss Cavendar [Ellen Page] and her mom, Brooke Cavendar [Marcia Gay Harden]. It is okay for a teen to love her mom and not like the choices her own mom made in her life. It is okay for a teen to disagree with her mom. It is okay for a teen to be someone different than who her mom envisions her to be.
- Departure from Juno for Ellen Page. Here she’s not so precocious and witty, but she’s smart and determined.
- Friendship between Bliss [Page] and Pash [Alia Shawkat of Arrested Development]. This is what high school friendships are like. You cry to each other. You disappoint each other. You hold each other’s hair when you puke for the first time at a party. You are honest.
- Women are not sex objects. Women are powerful as jocks. They kick ass on skates and that attracts the men. Sure, they wear fishnets but it has little to do with their overall appeal.
- Bliss falls for a band guy [unappealing and uncharismatic Landon Pigg] and he hurts her and she doesn’t take him back. After letting him know that he blew it. Big time.
- Bliss has a wonderful, loving, understanding Dad [Daniel Stern].
- Other derby girls: Eve as Rosa Sparks, Zoe Bell as Bloody Holly, Ari Graynor as Eva Destruction
- Feminist through and through. Girl power. Women power: directed by a woman, written by a woman, starring women and produced my women.
DVD Special Features: alternate ending, deleted scenes
OUT ON DVD JANUARY 26, 2010
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12 reasons to adore Whip It!
Posted by Amy Steele in Film on October 7, 2009
- Directed by Drew Barrymore– Whip It! is simultaneously edge-of-your-seat exciting and inspirational. Just like Drew has been all her life. Drew [who also plays Smashley Simpson in the film] chose a great project, script, cast for her directorial debut.
- Written by Shauna Cross based on her novel. Just the right mix of cool and touching.
- Organized sports are empowering for girls and young women. Being involved helps to build self-esteem and encourage female-bonding. [I played soccer from age 8 through college and also competed in equestrian events, often as part of a team, through Groton Pony Club.]
- Kristen Wiig as Maggie Mayhem—she’s the sweet “aunt” figure for Bliss. Charming performance. More of this Kristen, less SNL please. Juliette Lewis as Iron Maven—she’s scary fierce. You don’t want to mess with her but you also want to hang out with her.
- The realistic love-hate mother-daughter relationship between Bliss Cavendar [Ellen Page] and her mom, Brooke Cavendar [Marcia Gay Harden]. It is okay for a teen to love her mom and not like the choices her own mom made in her life. It is okay for a teen to disagree with her mom. It is okay for a teen to be someone different than who her mom envisions her to be.
- Departure from Juno for Ellen Page. Here she’s not so precocious and witty, but she’s smart and determined.
- Friendship between Bliss [Page] and Pash [Alia Shawkat of Arrested Development]. This is what high school friendships are like. You cry to each other. You disappoint each other. You hold each other’s hair when you puke for the first time at a party. You are honest.
- Women are not sex objects. Women are powerful as jocks. They kick ass on skates and that attracts the men. Sure, they wear fishnets but it has little to do with their overall appeal.
- Bliss falls for a band guy [unappealing and uncharismatic Landon Pigg] and he hurts her and she doesn’t take him back. After letting him know that he blew it. Big time.
- Bliss has a wonderful, loving, understanding Dad [Daniel Stern].
- Other derby girls: Eve as Rosa Sparks, Zoe Bell as Bloody Holly, Ari Graynor as Eva Destruction
- Feminist through and through. Girl power. Women power: directed by a woman, written by a woman, starring women and produced my women.
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About Me
covering mostly music and books. focus on alternative/indie and women in music, literature and the arts. feminist. vegan. mostly alternative, a bit bohemian. Masters in journalism from Boston University. BA from Simmons College.
Entertainment Realm by Amy Steele is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at entertainmentrealm.comCopyright © 2009. All writing, unless otherwise noted, by Amy Steele.
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