Special Coverage: Movie Mix

Does "Working Girls" Still Work?

Ariel Dougherty, On The Issues Magazine. September 5, 2008.
Is a film about prostitution made in 1986 relevant to the realities of sex work today?

Hollywood Gets Muslims Wrong, Again

Wajahat Ali, Huffington Post. August 29, 2008.
"Traitor" tries to combine blockbuster plot mechanics with important, philosophical musings about our complex post 9-11 world: it fails.

Women Film Critics: An Endangered Species?

Jennifer Merin, The Women's Media Center. August 27, 2008.
The lack of female voices in film criticism is a manifestation of an industry that favors male-oriented movies and audiences.

Protest over Use of the Word 'Retard' in Stiller's 'Tropic Thunder' Misses the Target

Annabelle Gurwitch, AlterNet. August 15, 2008.
We can't let art turn into syrupy, sanctimonious after-school specials just to avoid being labeled as offensive.

George Clooney to Make Movie About Gitmo Detainee Salim Hamdan

Amol Rajan, Arifa Akbar, Independent UK. August 15, 2008.
The film will be based on The Challenge, by journalist Jonathan Mahler, which portrays the fight for a fair trial for Osama bin Laden's driver.

Out-of-Body Image: Women See Themselves Through Eyes of Others

Caroline Heldman, Ms. Magazine. August 14, 2008.
This sort of self-objectification impairs women's body image, mental health, motor skills and even sex lives.

The 'Chick Flick': A Primer on Love

Chelsea Kaplan, The Frisky. August 12, 2008.
Romantic comedies or dramas can teach us a host of lessons about dating and relationships.

I.O.U.S.A.: A Surprisingly Entertaining Look at America's Debt Crisis

Jessica Mosby, The Wip. August 11, 2008.
If you're willing to shell out the cash to see I.O.U.S.A., you'll be surprised at how enjoyable a film about America's economy can be.

Why Every Politician Should Go See "Swing Vote"

Arianna Huffington, Huffington Post. August 7, 2008.
"Swing Vote" offers a cynical and entirely apt commentary on the sad reality of real-life politics.

Want to Learn About Politics? Go to the Movies

David Sirota, Creators Syndicate. August 1, 2008.
Many filmic treatments of Washington present a more hard-edged political reality than most of today's so-called journalism.

Hollywood: Not a Good Place for Women With Opinions

Melissa Silverstein, Huffington Post. July 31, 2008.
Katherine Heigl regularly speaks up about sexism in Hollywood. For that, she is labeled ungrateful and her career has been declared dead.

Batman's Take on 9/11 Era Politics? Drop the Fearmongering

Michael Dudley, City States. July 25, 2008.
"The Dark Knight" warns against what happens when a society abandons its principles out of fear.

Did Hollywood Execs Finally Get the Memo That Women Can Carry Movies?

Marjorie Rosen, Women's eNews. July 21, 2008.
A bountiful crop of summer movies starring women is outshining the usual male-driven action flicks. Let's hope studio heads get the message.

John Cusack: Bypassing the Corporate Media

Joshua Holland, AlterNet. July 12, 2008.
Cusack's anti-war polemic, War, Inc., continues to defy expectations, despite the traditional media's dismissive reception.

Sci-Fi Heroes Take on the System

Roya Rastegar, ColorLines. July 9, 2008.
Two new indie features blend science-fiction and political critique.

Will Smith's 'Hancock' Fiasco

Eileen Jones, AlterNet. July 5, 2008.
"Hancock" is supposed to be a wry commentary on the pressure of being Will Smith, but the message gets lost in a big-budget Hollywood train wreck.

WALL-E: A World Without Us

Michael Dudley, City States. July 1, 2008.
Stores are overfilling with WALL-E merchandise that will soon clog our landfills. Yet this new Disney movie bills itself as pro-environment.

Zeitgeist Films: The Only Woman-Run Film Distribution Company Celebrates 20th Anniversary

Melissa Silverstein, Women & Hollywood. June 27, 2008.
Founders Nancy Gerstman and Emily Russo talk about how to thrive in the indie film world.

Brick Lane: A Nuanced Look at an Arranged Marriage

Melissa Silverstein, Women & Hollywood. June 24, 2008.
Brick Lane tells a story rarely heard or seen in popular culture: an immigrant woman's experience in an arranged marriage.

The Success of Women Documentary Filmmakers

Melissa Silverstein, The Women's Media Center. June 20, 2008.
Female documentary filmmakers have achieved a level of success that has eluded women in the fiction film business.

The Unsexiest Movies About Sex

Lauren Wissot, Spout Blog. June 20, 2008.
Five movies that would make for a wonderful addition to those abstinence-only programs George W. loves so much.

"Uncounted" Shines Spotlight on Our Corrupt Voting System

Marta Steele, OpEdNews.com. June 18, 2008.
A must-see documentary for the large percentage of our population unaware that a large percentage of votes aren't counted.

Young and Restless in China

Cynthia Fuchs, PopMatters. June 17, 2008.
"Young & Restless" showcases the tension between capitalism's promises and realities in contemporary China.

If You Like Apocalypse Flicks, You Might Like Shyamalan's 'The Happening'

Eileen Jones, AlterNet. June 16, 2008.
M. Night Shyamalan's latest film is about an airborne mystery toxin that causes people to kill themselves -- and it's not bad.

Clint Vs. Spike: Eastwood Misses the Point of Lee's Criticism

Trey Ellis, Huffington Post. June 11, 2008.
As is typical in this kind of exchange, the white accused of racism fails to understand the subtlety of the black complaint.

Freedom and Feminism in Jennifer Fox's "Flying"

Britt Wahlin, AlterNet. June 11, 2008.
Filmmaker Jennifer Fox turned her camera on women around the world and came back with a radicalized view of feminism and freedom.

Hollywood Tells Women to Settle for Schlubby Losers

Natalie Krinsky, The Frisky. June 9, 2008.
When are we going to see a slacker, overweight female lead who's married to her bong score with a hot, successful dreamboat?

Will the Success of Sex and the City Force Hollywood to Stop Ignoring Women?

Melissa Silverstein, The Women's Media Center. June 3, 2008.
Sex and the City killed at the box office. Maybe now Hollywood will stop only making movies geared at teen boys.

Indiana Jones and the Fridge of Nuclear Doom

Michael Dudley, City States. May 28, 2008.
The new Indiana Jones movie marks a new low in American cinema for its disturbingly casual use of nuclear weapons as a narrative device.

New Film Gives Glimpse of Our Water Future in 2035

Prabhakar Deshpande, India Water Portal. May 27, 2008.
A fictional look at how humanity copes when things are coming down to the last drops of water.

Indiana Jones: Is Spielberg Too Rich and Famous to Be Good Anymore?

Eileen Jones, AlterNet. May 26, 2008.
Spielberg's inventiveness fails a half-hour into the latest Indiana Jones, but the rest of the movie coasts on its zillion-dollar budget.

Cusack and Scahill Go After War Profiteers on Amy Goodman Show

Amy Goodman, Democracy Now!. May 24, 2008.
A conversation about privatized war with John Cusack, producer of the new film, War, Inc., and Blackwater author Jeremy Scahill.

HBO's "Recount" Takes on the 2000 Election

Isaac Fitzgerald, AlterNet. May 23, 2008.
Watch HBO’s Recount. Remember Florida 2000. Get mad, then let’s all prepare to get even.

What Makes a Movie Sexist?

Lisa Kansas, Punkass Blog. May 22, 2008.
Is Iron Man sexist, or just an accurate reflection of sexism in our society?

John Cusack's War

Jeremy Scahill, The Nation. May 22, 2008.
War, Inc. is more than just a spoof of the corporatization of war; it's a powerful, visionary response to the cheerleading corporate media.

Hollywood Is Becoming the Pentagon's Mouthpiece for Propaganda

Nick Turse, Tomdispatch.com. May 22, 2008.
In the new film Iron Man, the people cast as terrorists take the fall for what the U.S. has done in the real world.

Why War, Inc. Is Must-See Political Filmmaking

Anthony Arnove, Huffington Post. May 21, 2008.
John Cusack's bold new film War, Inc. is an antidote to Pentagon spin and the corporate punditry who continue to get the war in Iraq so wrong.

John Cusack: Outsourced Warfare Represents a "Radical, Dangerous, Disgusting Ideology"

Joshua Holland, AlterNet. May 19, 2008.
An interview with Cusack about his latest film, War Inc., which takes the outsourcing of military operations to the absurd.

'Prince Caspian': Sugarpuff Christian Propaganda Dressed Up As a Dark Children's Movie

Eileen Jones, AlterNet. May 19, 2008.
This movie is so long, so slow, so cheesy, so pumped full of phony computer graphics that there's nothing to stop it from making a billion dollars.

A New Documentary Draws Stark Parallels Between Chile Under Pinochet and the Post-9/11 "War on Terror"

Sophia A. McClennen, AlterNet. May 17, 2008.
A Promise to the Dead: The Exile Journey of Ariel Dorfman is an indictment of torture and a powerful study of individual and collective memory.

"She Became the Poster Child for Torture": An Interview with "Standard Operating Procedure" Director Errol Morris

Emily Wilson, AlterNet. May 17, 2008.
In his new documentary, Errol Morris revisits Abu Ghraib, asking tough questions about what was and wasn't revealed in those famous photographs.

Hollywood's Selective Outrage

Dennis Perrin, Huffington Post. May 7, 2008.
The air-brushed Hollywood stars that populate PSAs aren't likely to tackle truly controversial issues any time soon.

Young at Heart

Sue Katz, Consenting Adult. May 6, 2008.
Young@heart, a film about a choir of elders whose repertoire includes the Ramones and the Clash, proves that rock n' roll will never die.

WH Campaigns Need Shot of Hollywood

Jeffrey Ressner, Politico. May 1, 2008.
If there's one thing Hollywood heavy-hitters excel at, it's shamelessly manipulating audiences. Why don't politicians take advantage of their talents?

Life Will Never Return to Normal for an Injured Vet Like Tomas Young

Liliana Segura, AlterNet. May 1, 2008.
Phil Donahue's documentary Body of War offers a chilling view of how the lies that led us to war changed the life of one Iraq veteran.

5 Things to Remember When Making a Political Comedy

Cole Abaius, Film School Rejects. April 30, 2008.
When it's not tragic, politics can be hilarious. Here's a guide to political comedy that is actually funny.

Gitmo Injustices Get Satirical Treatment From Harold & Kumar

Eileen Jones, AlterNet. April 26, 2008.
The iconic teens come face to face with the injustices at Gitmo -- and young audiences are going to eat it up.

Intelligent Design Propaganda Is Coming to a Theater Near You

Lauri Lebo, AlterNet. April 24, 2008.
With "Expelled," proponents of Intelligent Design prove that they are much better at marketing than they are at science.

The Demise of the 'Chick Flick'

Sarah Seltzer, RH Reality Check. April 21, 2008.
Studio heads are bewildered that big-budget chick flicks are bombing. Maybe they should stop making movies about rich, thin, white women.

Poland's Painful Past

Vera von Kreutzbruck, The Women's International Perspective. April 18, 2008.
Legendary Polish director Andrzej Wajda talks about the Katyn massacre.

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Aside from being the most popular art form of all time, movies can also be a powerful tool for social change. This content file seeks to celebrate both the joy and power of the silver screen.

While we'll give weight to socially conscious and underrepresented movie-makers we acknowledge the significant cultural trends evident in even the most wispy Hollywood fare. And, yes, there will be the occasional review.

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