Brave and Magic Mike

The number of unfinished book reviews I have keeps growing, and yet, I keep writing movie posts instead.

Brave

I was somewhat hesitant going in because much as I think "princess defies gender norms and doesn't want to marry" stories are necessary, I've consumed quite a few of them and have complicated feelings because I tend to be pretty stereotypically feminine. I liked it much more than I was expecting to, though I do wish Pixar's first female protagonist didn't have to be princess.

Also, the little I've seen of Brave merchandise confuses me. I want Merida's pretty dress, yes. But I also want her bow and arrows!

Signed,
Girl who liked Susan best in Lion, Witch and Wardrobe and ran around with construction paper bow and arrows

Also x2, this may not be the best movie to watch with your mother if your relationship is (much, much) less than ideal.

Signed,
Oh god that was awkward

( Spoilers )

Magic Mike

Somewhere on DW, I read that this was a film in which all the men were basically valued for their sexuality and their looks, while most of the women had careers. It's an interesting look at the lives of two male strippers, done through the point of view of a young, directionless guy who gets taken under the wing of an older male stripper and introduced to the business. I feel this is a fairly standard trope, but one that's rarely done with male protagonists.

I was very interested in how traditional masculinity was both parodied and upheld in the movie; the strippers are playing directly to female fantasy (it seems to be a het-based club, not gay), but in a way that resembles how many romance novels uphold the narrative of pursuer and pursued.

It barely passes the Bechdel test, but I like the main female character a lot, and there's another side female character the film does interesting things with. On the other hand, there are a lot of basically nameless, voiceless women in the crowds, as well as various romantic interests of the male strippers. So the film doesn't completely escape the male gaze despite the objectification of the main male characters' bodies. I don't actually think this is a bad thing; it feels much more descriptive than prescriptive.

And like I said, I'm still noodling at all the ways stereotypical notions of femininiuty and masculinity, of power and control, get played out.

Also, I actually liked Channing Tatum.

And there are a lot of tearaway pants. A LOT.