Biopics are Biosweet!

So I wanted to write about Frieda Khalo, one of my favourite artists, when Aaron suggested to me that I should write about the best female biopics. Which is a fabulous idea, because, well... I really like making lists.

It seems that most biopics center around great and powerful men (i.e. Ali, Raging Bull, Pollock, etc.) Which is great, of course, but where are all the women?? My friends, they are here.

So without further ado, I give you my top five favourite female biopics:

#5) Erin Brockovich:

Tagline: She brought a small town to its feet and a huge corporation to its knees.

Julia Roberts plays the title character, a single mother who starts off unemployed, and then becomes a legal assistant and brings down a huge California company accused of polluting the water supply to their small down. I like unpolluted water, and I like Julia Roberts, so this one is a winner for me.

Read the real story here!

#4) Marie Antoinette:

Tagline: Let them eat cake.
(Could it be anything else?! Of course not!)

Lots of people didn't like this film. Personally, I fell in love with it. It does a fantastic job of humanizing the child queen. It is quite clear that Sophia Coppola took a *lot* of artistic freedom with this piece, but she manages to make the viewer sympathetic to the girl, where in most cases people saw her as a villain. Marie Antoinette lived like a rock star, and I'm fucking jealous! (You know, aside from that whole French Revolution thing...)

Read the real story here!

#3) Walk the Line:

Tagline: Love is a burning thing.

Those of you who know me, may know of my complete adoration of Johnny Cash. He's a legend and one of my favourite artists. Walk the Line, however, was not only about him, but about his love affair with June Carter Cash. Aside from being one of the most passionate and romantic films I've ever seen (and I'm talking about real passion and romance here, not the phony stuff) it showcases what a tough and independent chick June was. Plus, Joaquin Pheonix and Reece Witherspoon did all their own singing, which is completely amazing to me.

Read the real story here!

#2: Elizabeth:

Tagline: Absolute power demands absolute loyalty.

I chose this as the #2 film on the list because not only is the film brilliant, but Elizabeth I is one of the strongest female figures in history. Often called "The Virgin Queen" because she decided never to marry, she held down the throne for 45 years. The film is a thing of beauty, and depicts her frustrations and the difficulties she faced as queen.

Read the real story here!

#1: Frida:

Tagline: Prepare to be seduced.

Ah, finally, I get to talk about Frida Kahlo, one of my all-time favourite artists. The film follows her life from the tragic accident that crippled her and kept her in immense pain her entire life (eventually claiming part of her leg,) through her tempestuous marriage to painter Diego Rivera, her lesbian exploits (though much downplayed in the film) and trips to America, all the while exhibiting her brilliant talent as a painter. Frida Kahlo was a strong willed and influential artist, and Selma Hayek is brilliant in her performance. Please watch this movie!

Read the real story here!

All are fabulous movies showcasing strong, human women, with all their opinions and flaws. Check them out!

On Boing Boing today (thanks Dr. Jacobs) there's a link to the top ten badass Bible Verses. Along with being extremely funny (and possibly offensive to those of you who are religious, though I doubt it,) it got me thinking about women and religion. I'm not a religious person, so I don't know too much about the bible ladies, but I do know a little bit about Joan of Arc (Check out this link for a full history of the woman.)


Joan of Arc was a French woman in the 15th century. She lived during the time of the 100 Years War, and when she was younger, her village survived several raids. Sources conflict about when she actually first started hearing the voices of Saints, but most agree that it was about the age of 12. She claimed that they told her to "drive out the English and bring the Dauphin to Reims for his coronation." When she was 16-17, she began her quest to accomplish this task. After much hard work, the Dauphin Charles granted her permission to be placed at the head of the army, an act of sheer desperation.

No one really knows how involved she was in the following battles. Traditional scholars seem to think she was mostly useful as a boost of morale. However, modern scholars have concluded that she a "skilled tactician and a successful strategist." However, most historians agree that her aggressive direction lead her to a brief yet successful career with the army. During her battle against the main English stronghold she was hit in the neck with an arrow, but still returned to the field to lead the final charge. Badass? Uh, YUH! She was also hit on her helmet by a stone cannon and a crossbow wound on her leg, and still kept going. (Three separate events, btw.)

After her capture at Burgundy, she attempted escape several times, including jumping out of her 70 FOOT TOWER. She was put on trial by the English, where she demonstrated remarkable intellect, especially for being so uneducated. From Wikipedia: "Asked if she knew she was in God's grace, she answered: 'If I am not, may God put me there; and if I am, may God so keep me.'"^[40] The question is a scholarly trap. Church doctrine held that no one could be certain of being in God's grace. If she had answered yes, then she would have convicted herself of heresy. If she had answered no, then she would have confessed her own guilt."

Joan of Arc was sentenced to death at the age of 19. She asked that a cross be held in front of her while she was burned at the stake.
(See the Joan of Arc article at Wikipedia for more details on her sentencing.)

So like I said, I don't really know much about biblical ladies, but Joan of Arc is a historical hero. At the age of 17, she enjoyed enormous military success, and survived a crossbow wound, an arrow through the neck, and a blow from a stone cannon, only to be burned at the stake by the forces she was fighting against. In the five centuries since her heresy charges and death, the charges of heresy have been overturned, and she has been named a saint.

Also, she was a pretty damn cool cartoon character.

"We're not anti-boy, we're pro-girl." -Molly Neuman

So way back when, -back when being in like... September...- I had to meet with my prof, Dr. Dale Jacobs, (who is not affiliated with Team Dale Jacobs, btw) and discuss the "overall project" of my blog. After a discussion of the types of powerful women I wanted to talk about, he suggested offhand writing about Riot Grrls.
Which is a fantastic example of a movement for the empowerment of women, and a post I've been thinking about writing since I started the blog.

I've been putting off writing this post for a while, because it is so very complex.

Basically, Riot Grrl is a movement that came about in the early 90s, founded by a bunch of girls who were fed up with being affiliated with the punk rock scene, but not having any real voice within it. According to Kathleen Hanna of Bikini Kill, this is partly because many felt that punk rock was created by and for boys. According to Wikipedia, the term Riot Grrl can be traced back to the Mount Pleasant Race Riots of 1991, where Jen Smith of Bratmobile is quoted as saying "This summer's going to be a girl riot," and "We need to start a girl riot." This lead to the creation of a zine called Riot Grrl, which covered topics such as rape, body image, eating disorders, self defense, politics, etc.

From here on out, it gets a little crazy. Basically, a whole bunch of rad girls united to form a scene where girls were considered important contributers. This includes bands such as Bikini Kill and Bratmobile (who deny being exclusively responsible for the Riot Grrl movement, though it seems pretty obvious that they had a big hand in it, and are still considered influential in feminist movements) Joan Jett, Yoko Ono, Nico, The Slits, Lunachicks, etc.
However, as with most social movements, the action was not confined to one outlet. Artists such as Carolee Schneeman and Barbara Kruger were considered important or influential in inciting the movement, as were writers like Gertrude Stein and Angela Davis. It was a multifaceted movement for female empowerment and love. It gave a voice to girls everywhere, and promoted an environment of free speech and belonging.
The movement was considered to be very DIY (Do-It-Yourself) and the girls were often involved in self publishing and zine writing, and recording their own music.

Sadly, the movement (in its original form) didn't last very long, due to media misrepresentation and the common assumption that "riot grrl" meant "anti-men." (See post title.) However, as with any social movement, the effects of the Riot Grrl movement are still being felt, in current day girl-centric music festivals and bands/artists.

To close, a quote from Bikini Kill's myspace page sums up Riot Grrl attitude quite well:

"I'm so sure that lots of girls are also in revolution and we want to find them. Sure our revolution has a lot to do with making ourselves important enough to start a revolution, but we also don't care about this... Because what makes us feel good without hurting others IS good. This society isn't my society cuz this society hates women and I don't. This society doesn't want us girls to feel happy or powerful in any way....MY GIRLFRIENDS WANT REVOLUTION GIRL STYLE NOW. "

P.S.: Wikipedia is my best friend for all the info! (Due to the fact that I was about four when the Riot Grrls first started out, I didn't know much about the chronology, etc...)

Chicks with guns... tattoo guns, that is...

July 12th, 2006, marked a very special day for me. It was the first time I ever felt the buzz of a tattoo gun, pushing permanent ink into my skin. Before my appointment, when I was talking to my parents about getting the tattoo, they did not tell me that I shouldn't get it, just that I shouldn't get it in the highly visible area I had originally planned. My parents aren't exactly conservative. My mother and stepmother both work in the car factories here in Windsor, and have the mouths of sailors, and my father rides a Harley and has his own fair share of tattoos. The problem they had with me getting a tattoo on my arm was that "It looks trashy on girls." (Not in general, just on girls.) "It's not lady like." This is where I wondered "What does "ladylike" mean, anyways? In this day and age, when women enjoy the same rights and privileges of men, and do the same jobs, shouldn't the gendered rules of etiquette be revised?

Since these statements, the idea of tattooed/pierced women in power has become very interesting to me. And who better to showcase this concept than the girls of LA INK?

Tattooing is an industry that, historically, has been heavily associated with males. At least in Western society, it has. (In some Eastern societies, it has always been women who do the tattoos!) This is something that the owner of High Voltage Tattoos and portrait-expert Kat Von D has spoken of in the past. It seems to be a common misconception that tattoo artists are always men. Kat Von D's shop seems to have broken the mold, employing three female tattoo artists (Kat Von D, Hannah Aitchison, and Kim Saigh) as well as a female shop manager (Amber "Pixie" Acia.) The only male employee is black-and-grey legend Corey Miller.

I think LA Ink is an important show because it helps to dispel the gender myths regarding tattooing. Not only are there female artists, but there are many female clients. And guess what, mom and dad? All four girls are heavily tattooed, including their arms! How unladylike! Tattooing has become an attractive career choice for creative women. There's even a female tattoo convention! Check out this link for some details.

Tattoos are becoming more and more popular, and more acceptable in society. Here's hoping that along with this popularity and acceptability comes a greater acceptance of tattooed women. And if not, so what? It's your body, use it like a canvas and feel beautiful, regardless of what others might think!

Happy Hallowe'en!

*Sigh*
The air is crisp, the leaves are changing colours, and the Jack-o-Lanterns are out. This can only mean one thing. It's Hallowe'en! Hoorah! (In case you couldn't tell, I'm slightly excited.)
And with Hallowe'en comes responsibility.... What? No. I'm just kidding. What I meant to say, is that, with Hallowe'en comes some awesome (and some not so awesome) movies!

Now typically, horror movies with female leads generally fall into the following categories:

1) Really bad/predictable characters in otherwise (relatively) scary movies.
Think Sarah Michelle Gellar in The Grudge (although I will warn you, with everything in me, to avoid the Grudge 2. Truly awfuly.) The movie was mildy scary, enough to make me a little anxious when I was alone in my basement after the viewing. However, Gellar's character, Karen, is very one-dimensional, and actually pretty boring. I'm sure feeling a connection with the lead character(s) isn't the top priority when it comes to a horror movie, but come on! At least make us care about whether or not the character is tortured/strangled/whatevered by a wet ghost in desperate need of a haircut.
Also noteable in this category: Shelley Duvall in The Shining. LOVE this movie, but god damn is she wimpy. Judith O'Dea in the original Night of the Living Dead. I'm a zombie movie buff, and this is pretty well the pioneer movie for all zombie movies to come, but Barbara was nothing short of frustrating.

2) Really good characters in otherwise really bad/predictable movies.
Think the girls from The Descent. This movie had some potential. The premise was interesting and there were some pretty neat scenes, but it lost me at the cave monsters. But the girls were tough as nails, with all their pick axes and covering themselves in blood and killing weird cave dwellers. It's kinda sad that some really strong female characters were wasted in such an appallingly un-scary movie.
Also noteable in this category: Kate Beckinsale as Selena in Underworld. Okay, maybe the movie isn't technically a horror movie, but it's got vampires and werewolves, which should have made for a sweet showdown. However, there's no two ways about it, the movie was not good. Too bad, because Selena knew how to kick some ass.

3) Really bad/predictable characters in really bad/predictable movies.
Think Camilla Bell in When a Stranger Calls. The only thing frightening about this movie was how fucking un-scary it was. Camilla Bell had my roomate and I yelling the typical forewarnings at the screen, i.e.; WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? HE'S CLEARLY RIGHT FUCKING THERE! WHY ARE YOU DOING THAT! Blah character, blah movie, save your time and energy and pick something, pick ANYTHING else to watch.
Also noteable in this category: Rahda Mitchell in Silent Hill. Those of you who've played the videogame, know how creepy it can be. So what went wrong with the film? So, so much went wrong, that's what. Bad acting and a bad script make for a very bad movie. Fail status all around. Paris Hilton in House of Wax also gets a nod, because, well, Paris Hilton in anything is bound to be un-good.

So what do we learn from this? Well, aside from the exception of the Good Characters in Bad Movies, we learn that most female characters in horror movies are predictable, have bad reasoning skills, and generally have no depth.

Here's the thing though. Not all horror girls are like that. The horror genre gives some really good opportunity for girls to be complete ass-kickers.
Here's a list of the best of the best:

Girls Who Rock at Being Not Terrible in Horror Movies:

10) Carrie White (Carrie, 1976): I'm a big Stephen King fan, but usually his book-to-movies are not the best. Carrie is an exception, and is a classic. The best thing about this movie is how much you feel for the character! The poor girl is pushed around, intimidated and picked on all her life, from her teachers to her classmates, and to her mother. Eventually she snaps, and lots of gory death ensues.


9) Jennifer Hills (I Spit on Your Grave, aka Day of the Woman, 1978): A very graphic and disturbing movie, not for the faint of heart or weak of stomach. A very nice girl has some very not nice things happen to her at the hands of some really bad men. She decides to get revenge, and it's not pretty.


8) Erin (Texas Chainsaw Massacre, 2003) The original TCM is, without a doubt, better than the newer one, but Jessica Biel put in a pretty decent performance as the only survivor of the wrath of Leatherface. Why did she survive? Because she was smart! p.s: Leatherface is terrifying in both this and the original, but in this one a crazy hitchhiker pulls a gun out of her no-no spot? Awesome? Yes!


7) Sydney Prescott (Scream, 1996) You can say all you want about Scream, but I still consider it to be one of the finer horror movies that have come out in the past decade and a half. It managed to rejuvenate what some considered to be a dying genre, by making horror creative and original again. Sydney is a smart girl, she makes smart decisions when it comes to battling Ghost Face, and she's got some biting one liners to throw in there too. Makes for a great character who we all have fun watching. Way to kick some ass, Syd.


6) Cherry Darling (Grindhouse: Planet Terror, 2007): The chick has a machine gun for a leg. I think that says it all right there...


5 Buffy Summers (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, 1197-2003): The tv show, not the movie. It deserves a mention because you really can't talk about kicking supernatural ass without bringing up Buffy Summers. The girl knows how to take down a vampire or two. Forget the last few seasons, seasons 1-4ish were golden.


4) Nancy Thompson (A Nightmare on Elm Street, 1984): Why do I like Nancy in this movie? Well, in a time when most teenaged girls in horror franchises were dumb and expendable, Nancy was the smart girl that figured it all out. I'd like to think I'm a pretty smart girl, which means that I can identify with Nancy, and I applaude her horror-movie-choices.


3) Alice and Rain (Resident Evil, 2002): I'm not usually a fan of videogame-to-movies, but I'll make an exception for this one, specifically because I like zombies (all kinds of zombies, dead ones, live ones, infected ones, you gottem, I wantem) and I like girls who are total badasses. And really, is there any other word for these girls? I think not.

2) Selena (28 Days Later, 2002) Now I may be slightly biased, but this has to be one of the best horror movies ever made. It is smart and has a lot to say about human nature. Selena is a character who starts off acting tough as nails. After her partner is infected with the "Rage" virus, she hacks him apart, without a moment's hesitation, and tells Jim (Cillian Murphy) she'd do the same to him. But when it comes down to it, we see a softer side of the tough girl, which lends her character a ton of believability. Overall, a fantastic movie, and a character you can empathize with. Plus, she's pretty damn cool.


1) Laurie Strode (Halloween, 1978): I like to think of Halloween as the best of the horror franchises of the 70s and 80s (think A Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Chucky, etc.) It certainly introduced the Bad Guy Who Won't Just Fucking Die Already. And it also brough us a heroine who was both smart and relatively believable. She was allowed to be scared, but she is still seen as a strong character, she can still stand up to the Invincible Michael Meyers. Basically, this movie is awesome.


And there you have it, folks. Girls with some metaphorical balls. Sorry if I missed your favourites. Honourable mentions go to Ripley from Aliens, only left out because Aliens is sci-fi more than horror, and Janet Leigh, the original Scream Queen, not included because her characer was kind of a wimp.

In conclusion, here's some advice. Don't go upstairs instead of finding a way out, don't investigate any strange noises at night, and don't pick up any creepy hitchikers, and you should survive this Hallowe'en.

You all get free cars!

Hi. My name is Tanya, and I'm an Opraholic.

Okay, maybe comparing myself to an alcoholic, minus the alcohol plus the Oprah, is a little extreme. But I sure do like the lady a whole lot, and I think it would be silly to not mention her in a blog dedicated to great women.

If anyone can say they have a rags-to-riches story, it's Oprah. She was born in Mississippi and raised in Tennessee, and didn't receive her first pair of shoes until she was six. Now she's pulling in arou d $250,000,000 per year, from her daily talk show, radio show, magazine, etc. She seems to be one of the hardest working women in the public eye. She has also made history by becoming the first female African American billionaire in the history of America. She has also helped quite a bit in the careers of others, most noteably Rachel Ray and Dr. Phil. Bob Greene and Dr. Oz don't seem to be doing too bad either.

The reason I really like Oprah is that, unlike lots of other wealthy celebrities, Oprah has chosen, repeatedly, to give back to the world. Her most recent work, The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy, is a school where young South African girls can "dwell in possibilities." Oprah has never been quiet about her passion for learning, and with the Leadership Academy, she has created a place where girls who might not otherwise get an education, can share her passion. The Leadership Academy is part of a larger program, Oprah's Angel Network, which provides funding and grants to organizations and programs serving underprivileged communities. To date, the Network has provided funding for 60 new schools in several different countries. Earlier this fall, all donations made to the Angel Network went to help families who were affected by Hurricane Katrina. I think it's great that she is not only dedicated to helping people in third world countries, but is also dedicated to helping people in her own country. She also helps others find ways to give. One of my favourite Oprah challenges was the "Pay It Forward" challenge. Every audience member received $1000, with the challenge to spend the entire amount in a way that would help other people. You can read the amazing stories here. What a fantastic idea!

Oprah also makes me a happy panda because her show topics are so very diverse, yet they always seem to have a common theme: becoming spiritually fulfilled, finding what makes you truly happy, following your passion, and educating yourself. And I must say, that sounds pretty darn good to me. Also, many of her shows, magazine articles, and web page sections are dedicated specifically to helping women of all races, ages, and sizes, feel beautiful. Whether it be spotlighting the Dove girls to showcase real beauty, recruiting Stacy London to help you find the perfect pair of jeans, or having guests like Bob Greene and Dr. Oz to share health and wellness secrets, Oprah's message seems consistent: feel beautiful, because you are.

Plus, she gives away free cars. That's pretty awesome.

Sidenote: I really think everyone should visit the Dove link, because the Campaign for Real Beauty is fabulous and everyone should know about it.

I <3 Harry Potter

So I have to admit, I've been in a bit of a slump this week. These journals are supposed to be a commitment, we're supposed to set aside a certain amount of time each week to allow (or force) ourselves to write. Well, last week was no good. A dead kitty and a sick boyfriend (who gave the sickness to me, to my dismay) and a house full of paint fumes do not a good environment make. (Sidenote: totally unrelated events...)
But it's Monday. I never thought I'd be so happy to welcome this usually dreary day.
But this Monday is a symbol of the recommencement of normal life! (I'm pretty sure "recommencement" is a word...)

So I was feeling particularly uninspired, until I read this post over on a classmate's blog, and I was inspired enough to write novel.




I'm rather fond of Harry Potter, and all things Potteresque, the brain child of author J.K. Rowling.
Now, I think Rowling's story is pretty amazing. She'd been a schoolteacher for years, and created the character of "Harry Potter" in 1990, well before the story was published. It took quite a while (and quite a few publishers) for the Harry Potter series to catch on. But once it did,
it turned pretty much every eleven year old into a Potter-fiend, suffering from an addiction that might be likened to that of a crack addict.

Aside from having an imagination I would die for (and a fortune I would kill for,) what makes Rowling so damn special?
Well, according to Forbes magazine, she is the first author to become a billionaire. (Thats right, billionaire. Whoever said there was no money in writing?) She was also on their "Celebrity 100" list twice, last year in the number two spot (just after Oprah.) The list details the 100 most financially successful celebrities of the year.
Her books have also sold over 250,000,000 copies world wide, making them nearly as popular as the bible. (If you are my facebook friend, you know what I have to say about that.)

This is all fine and great, but what she did that really mattered was much less financially-oriented: She got kids reading. She got kids to use their imaginations, and invest emotionally in some really great characters. She created a world that mirrored our own, with all its prejudice and bigotry, with all its hierarchy and classism, but she also showed how much good can exist in this sort of world. She showed us characters born of pure evil, but she also gave us characters full of hope, compassion, selflessness, and above all, love. She showed us that it is okay to have flaws and to doubt yourself, she showed us that it is okay to be a misfit, because sometimes, it is these flaws and social stigmas that allow you to become a stronger and better person.
/end rant of adoration

So why is J.K. Rowling important as a woman? I mean, any one of the above accomplishments can, (and most likely have) been done by men. (I'm guessing that's also true of most/all of the women I praise.)
Well, a little piece of interesting information I found on my trusty sidekick Wikipedia states that her publisher requested she write under a pen name because "London-based publisher, Bloomsbury feared that the target audience of young boys might be reluctant to buy books written by a female author."
So good ol' Joanne raked in billions and has inspired children all over the world. And to think, the didn't believe she would sell, simply because she's a woman. Reminds me of a post written by another classmate...


p.s: Sorry blog class, for not attending today (Tuesday.) I'm waiting out the last of this stomach flu, and you are all too nice for me to want to give it to you!