Manifesto

Hey y'all,

I finally wrote the manifesto for this blog. Check it out in the links section!

Or look below:

Better late than never.

In an effort to eliminate or at least make people aware of the poor representations of women on screen (movie screen, television screen, computer screen), I have decided to create a critical blog entitled "The Women Within." I strongly dislike labels, but I will say I have several feminist tendencies which will be helpful in my quest for a higher portrayal of female intelligence in life - art - and especially - cinema.

Unfortunately, it seems as if the changes and benefits the feminist movement of the 1960's instilled didn't last very long. I hope to do a timeline of the feminist film cycle in The Women Within as soon as possible. To nutshell it: by the mid 1980's, all of the progress that had been made in previous years by women and men of all different professions and art forms reversed itself with the advent of silly, trite romantic comedies which initiated a negative connotation towards women. Those connotations still hold fast today and it looks as if they're in for the death grip of the century. 2008 looks like the worst year for women in quite a long time.

These are the rules:

1. I must see every new release of 2008 which has a female protagonist, either in theatres or on DVD.

2. There is no genre bias, but I will pay close attention to films whose themes revolve around the world of classic women's cinema (1930-1950). Themes: romance, weddings, children, sacrifice, friendship, etc.

3. Comparisons between classic women's cinema and the cinema of today is acceptable.

4. The blog must be updated on (at least) a weekly basis.

5. I will do my best to bridge the knowledge gap between myself and other art forms in order to give a fuller representation of "the" woman of today. This includes art, literature, music, and journalism, with special notice paid to advertisements directed towards women.

Ultimately, my personal goal with this venture is to grow as a woman as a writer, and as a theorist. Women are more than vessels in poofy wedding dresses and hookers with a heart of gold. I know that in my heart. Now I'm going to try and prove it.

1/21/08

Any updates to this manifesto will be noted and dated.

Also,

Expect a different kind of review for 27 Dresses this week. You're in for a lulu.