GWSS Spring 2008 Section A

As one of the lighter films of the semester, I felt that Leaving Normal was a less progressive film than many others we have seen in class. The characters did not push the boundaries as Thelma and Louise did nor did it really question any of the binaries we have been studying in class. Although still a good and enjoyable film, it did not catch my attention as other films have in the past. For me, this was a tame and contained Thelma & Louise .

My favorite film this semester was by far Thelma and Louise; The film came out historically when women were finally discussing sexual harassment and rape and the courts were started to recognize them as illegal actions. I can only imagine the effect the film would have had on women at the time it came out. Even today, the film addresses issues that are still prominent today and speak to many women,even myself. I love the way Louise allows Thelma to go through a sort of self realization process and how it opens her up. My favorite scene by far is when they obliterate the truck driver's rig and drive away stealing his hat. The fearless way in which they stand in the convertible with the pistols in their pants makes me want to do it myself. To me, the film is inspiring and reminds women that they don't have to put up with all that crap. It also reminds me of how far we haven't come as women since the release of the movie and how the themes addressed in the film are still pertinent today.

Posted by Jean at 12:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Overall, I disliked the film Leaving Normal. I thought that the plot was not risky enough; it had normal characters (no pun intended), like the chauvinistic male and the quirky female they encounter on the road to Alaska. Moreover, I did not like the film because of the dynamic between Marianne and Darly. Although they are very different characters their chemistry did not work like the unique chemistry shared between the women in Boys on the Side. I also thought the acting was pretty terrible because it came off as amateur work (i.e. the scene where Marianne refuses to go with the truck driver).
However, a film I did enjoy was Thelma and Louise. Not only was it ground breaking in its representations of females on screen, the acting was outstanding. Both leading characters played the part perfectly and their relationship on screen seemed real and genuine. This movie broke boundaries and was unapologetic in doing so. Also, I thought the ending was brilliant. I never expected that this movie would end with the women choosing their own destiny, instead of being subjected to authoritative punishment, as many road movies end (i.e. the way the police gun down the characters in Set it Off). Most importantly this film was my favorite of the semester because it was truly empowering and not because of the use of violence against men. It was empowering because it portrayed women taking their lives into their own hands, saying I have had enough of patriarchy and I am going to rebel against it. I will never forget the scene with the truck driver. It was hilarious because I am sure many women, like me, have been in a position where you are caught in the male gaze and it makes you feel extremely uncomfortable. Thelma and Louise, though, take that power away from the male and teach him a lesson. I will forever think of this as a rebel film that had powerful lead female characters, who took action when enough was enough.

Posted by Brittany Brouillette at 09:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The film Leaving Normal was very different for me. When the movie first started I thought it was a joke, with the fake scenery and the cheesy acting done by Maryanne, it was hard to keep my attention. As the film went on I was still confused for the most part, but eventually opened up to the differences the film portrayed. I thought that Maryanne acted very childish throughout the film and was extremely annoying. I also thought the script was out of order in some parts. The film was hard to follow a lot of the times, but towards the end of the film I started liking it. I liked how everything finally came together at the end and everyone ended up happy.
My favorite film in this class was Adventures of Priscilla: Queen of the Desert. I thought this movie was hilarious and heart-warming. The characters in this film were perfect for the parts they played and the film kept my attention the entire time. I never got bored or wondered when it was going to be over. I thought the film portrayed many different binaries from sex to gender. I thought the end of the film was also perfect because the little boy finally met his dad and ended up getting to travel with him. I also loved their drag shows and the music in the film. This movie was by far the most enjoyable film of the semester.

Posted by Alias22 at 09:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In the end, I did enjoy the movie we watched this week. There were times that I found it annoying or completely unrealistic. However, I am glad that in the end the ladies ended up together. The ending surprised me. I was sure she was going to leave Alaska with the truck driver, I am glad she didn't.
They made it look too easy for all these women to become best friends, but once you could get past that, and the annoying red-headed lady, the movie sent out a great message; don't give up. These ladies were dealt bad card after bad card, some of which they dealt to themselves, but they made it. Even if the faltered a little, in the end they came together, built their house and made a new life for themselves. It was a little cheesy, but on the surface, I think, it was a good movie.

So over the whole semester - what is my favorite movie?
I would have to say Thelma and Louise. In class was my first time ever seeing the film and I thought it was awesome. I am sorry I never saw it before, but now I want to add it to my own collection. It is an empowering movie, where two bad ass chicks take to the road and don't take any shit. Maybe some scenes were a little extreme, but that is what film is for. I think after watching that movie, ever woman wanted to hold a gun. Maybe not even shoot it, but just feel the cold metal against her hand, just to feel the power it holds.
Thelma and Louise is a movie every woman should see.

Posted by Stephie Bjork at 07:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I did not enjoy the film Leaving Normal at all. I think this was due to the choice of the actresses in the film. I found Marianne to be extremely annoying and much too passive to view for two hours. Though I know she is attempting to find herself through the road after leaving an abusive husband, but I did not find the characters intriguing at all. I think I would have enjoyed the film more if the character, Marianne was played by a different actress. Looking back, I find the story to be an interesting one. I could not find any character to identify with as Marianne was so naïve and a complete child. I found the characters to be very stereotypical and hard for anyone to identify with. I did enjoy how there are two complete, opposite strangers and they grow into a family. I did enjoy the end of the film with the completion of their home in Alaska, but found myself to be extremely annoyed throughout the film with Marianne. She acted like a dim-witted schoolgirl who was incapable of doing anything. I find that personality to be extremely annoying and difficult to watch. She did not even seem to develop as the film progressed. She had her occasional outbursts at Darly, but never changed. I also found the movie to be extremely corny. I do not think it was up to par with any of the other films we watched this semester. It lost my interest very early in the film with the bad and corny writing. It was not realistic at all in comparison to the other road films and was very cheesy and aggravating to watch a character like Marianne continue to speak when I just wanted her to speak up for herself and progress as an individual.
My favorite film this semester was Adventures of Priscilla: Queen of the Desert. Not only was this film hilarious, but it was completely unexpected. I came late to that class that day so I did not hear any summary of the film before it started. It was a great film in my opinion. It kept my interest with the dynamic characters and the witty writing. It was unlike any movie I have ever seen. It stood out with the feathers and singing from the other films we watched because it was based on a homosexual’s view of the road as a means of escape and an individual journey. It brought in a whole new situation that would have never entered my mind. Drag queens on the road in the outback? I loved the film. The singing scenes and the mocking between characters left me laughing in my seat. Not only was the film funny, but it also addressed some serious issues like discrimination as the men in the outback fought with anger as they discovered the woman was actually a man. It also brought in the double life that many men feel that they have to have with a career as a drag queen. It addressed such issues while still keepin the film entertaining and witty.

Posted by michael scott at 03:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I very much enjoyed the film this week. It has a certain element to it that I think the majority of people are able to relate to. Often times in life we are searching so hard for something that we never allow ourselves to actually sit back and enjoy it when we may have found it. failure after failure is easy to relate to most people. We remember our failures and they stick with us. OFten times it's much more difficult to remember the successes. Plus, the scenery in alaska has been something always appealing to me. I would love to move someplace like that someday. My favorite film of the semester was actually Easy Rider, the first film we watched. The absolute freedom of that film was unparalleled in any other film for some reason. I know legistically there were other films where freedom was implied, but Easy Rider had already achieved that at the beginning. I can't really describe it, I just loved it and now own it and have made many people watch it. Also, the discussions I have embarked on because of it have been incredible. That may play a big portion of why I liked it so much.

Posted by fairb076 at 01:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Overall I liked Leaving Normal. I thought it was creative and showed a women's struggle. there were some things in the movie that I didn't like as much as others but overall I thought the film was good. I liked the fact that these women were complete strangers in the beginning of the film. It felt more dramatic, more intense and a less typical female friendship. I didn't like the fact that these women were seeking families. It was weird to me that this filmed made it seem as if women were only searching for homes, families and love. I think there is a lot more to life than this and so this part of the film kind of bugged me. At the end, I enjoyed the pseudofamily at the end of the film because it reminded me more of my own. It reminded me of the formations that people make and call "family". Overall, I liked the film and the independence that the women found through finding each other.

My favorite film of the whole semester was probably Set It Off. I can't really explain exactly why but the women taking control with violence in the hood appeals to me. I thought this film was pretty intelligent because it viewed this film in a womens' view. This film showed women with their children, working and trying to get out of the hard life. I also liked it because it formed serious friendships and also some relationships in the meantime. The end of the film was extremely emotional. I liked how the poilceman filnally realized what he had done wrong and the reason for the girls' actions. Overall, I really liked this film. There are other films I also liked throughout the semester like Boys on the Side, The Grace Lee Project, Priscilla, etc. I didn't really like Easy Rider, Vagabond, Girl on a Motorcycle and The Straight Story because they were extremely slow moving, and the story line was boring.

Posted by lil suzy greenburg at 12:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I had mixed feelings about Leaving Normal because there were characteristics that I liked and disliked. First, I liked the ending of the movie since it was happy and they finally stopped running and settled down together. This idea of a happy ending hasn't been achieved without someone dying in every other movie so I was relieved throughout the movie. Some other things that I liked were the relationship that the two strangers had, and the fact that the main character ran away from her husband after he hit her. I am fed up with women staying with their man whether he is abusive, verbally and emotionally abusive, or even a cheating on her. On the contrary, there were also things that I disliked for example, the acting wasn't very good in my opinion or too dramatic. Another thing that I didn't like was the fact that every single thing went wrong for them and serious of bad events went on until the very ending of the film.
As for my favorite film, I would have to say Boys on the Side because I liked all of the actresses and the characters they played. It was my first time seeing the movie and I realized that I liked it even more than Set It Off. I thought the relationship was so strong between the women that seemed like they had known each other forever. It was very precious and I almost came to tears, a couple of times. Those are the type of movies I enjoy with plenty of drama and an overall happy ending. Also, when I say drama I mean relational drama in chick flicks, not when a bunch of things go wrong and there appears to be no hope for anything positive.

Posted by Carmel at 11:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"Leaving Normal" was not the most compelling film we've watched this semester, in my mind. I think the story of Marianne and Darly's journey is an important one to tell, but we've seen it before. Curt beats her and the women escape via the road. I think in light of all the films we've watched having to do intensely with identity politics, this film falls short of sharing the same important message of what identity is and how the road scuplts it. It didn't dive into homosexuality like "Boys On The Side" or into a sense of what it meant to ascribe to a certain culture like in "Pow Wow Highway." Rather it told the same story of women who did not have strength finding strength on the road, and since "Thelma and Louise" did the best job of portraying this, what's the point of making a substandard version of the same message. I think if we had watched this film before we delved so deeply into identity politics on the road, I would have enjoyed it more.
My favorite movie of the semester that I hadn't seen before was "Set It Off." I thought that not only did it have a compelling outline of how badly some people need upward mobility, it was also badass. I really just enjoyed watching it: when each woman goes through some turmoil which changes them and makes them fed up with the system, when Cleo drives through the wall of the bank, heck, even that weird sex scene where Blair Underwood drags a chain over Jada Pinkett Smith's bum. I thought it was great entertainment, but also showed us how unfair the system can be, and how some people, no matter how hard they try, cannot outrun it. Then again, as with Stoney, some people can. My favorite film that I had already seen was "Little Miss Sunshine." I remember the day we watched that, the title came up on the screen and I got the warm fuzzies. It is such an incredible movie. Never before has the family dynamic been portratyed in such a quirky, tragic, beautiful way. I love how they complete each other, how they can't start that damn bus without each member there. I'm forever in love with that movie and the way it shows that no matter how horrible things can be within a family, they are still the people who you can always count on, who will keep you moving, and who will make you strong.

Posted by Bonnie and Louise at 10:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This film was not my favorite. One problem I had with it was the fact that there really was no character development. Yes, Marianne and Darly change in the film, but it is very abrupt and almost out of character for them. For example, the moment when Marianne all of a sudden is screaming and swearing at her husband on the phone--I thought it was kind of funny because it was SO incredibly different from how her character had been up until that point. Her character just bothered me in general because she acted so childish. There is nothing wrong with being sensitive and more quiet--a lot of people have a hard time making decisions, but Marianne acted like something was wrong with her most of the film. I think Darly had some funny lines, but overall the dialogue was pretty cheesy- especially when Harry had his few moments in the narrative.
Out of all of the films we have watched it is hard to pick a favorite because I really liked most of them. I think The Straight Story would be at the top of my list. I really like the actor that played Alvin, Richard Farnsworth. I've seen a bunch of David Lynch films, and I liked how different this one is compared to the others. Compared to the other films we watched I liked the simplicity of this movie. It is just such a sweet and endearing story. Others I loved were Thelma and Louise and Adventures of Priscilla: Queen of the Desert- wonderful films!

Posted by boli0066 at 01:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I did not love Leaving Normal, but I did not hate it either. The only thing that really annoyed me about the movie was the 2 main characters. I guess that is weird to say, seeing as they are central to the movie, but oddly enough, I still kind of liked the movie. With Marianne and Darly's characters, I just felt like I'd seen it before many times over. I know this movie came out a while ago, but I still couldn't help feeling the unoriginality of it, even for the time. Marianne's character was so helpless it was hard to watch. I did however enjoy some of the one liners in it.

Overall though, I would have to say my favorite film of the semester was Priscilla Queen of the Desert. Maybe it is because I know someone that is going through a similar struggle, but I really liked the movie. Plus, I liked watching their drag shows throughout the film.

Posted by dadov003 at 10:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Despite Leaving Normal being guilty of a stereotypical beginning (including the ever so poignant bus montage), the film managed to redeem itself through more realistic portrayals near the close of the film.

I must agree with several of the other blog posts concerning Marianne. Marianne's mannerisms seemed directly transfered from her five year old self. Her cadence of speech hints that she never quite knows how she is going to end a sentence, and when she smiles bashfully at the end, I always felt like she was proud of herself for simply completing a thought. After watching the film, it seems that perhaps this was a device to demonstrate Marianne's vulnerability. This makes sense because as the film progresses, Marianne loses much of this mannerism, and reverts back to it only when in tough situations.

Darly also embodies a stereotype, albeit a gruffer one. Darly's nonchalant exterior can grow tiresome, particularly when she insists on deprecating herself, almost to the point of boastfulness. The scene with the bonfire where teh two compare "battle scars", and swap stories of their indiscretions seems trite. However, this conversation does develop the plot, because it gives Darly's return to Alaska more emotional depth.

Overall though, the I enjoyed the film, particularly the ending. I thought the directors could have easily turned the story into a heterosexual "fairy tale" of sorts by pairing Marianne with the Romantic Harry. Similarly, we could have seen the return of Darly's daughter, wrapping up the entire story in a nice bow. Also, I enjoyed that the two Alaskan boys they "adopted" remained in the picture. The women did not abandon them as soon as their own lives became more stable. I believe the film ended with a nice balance of unresolved issues and "feel-good" friendships.

My favorite road film for the class would have to be Set it Off. Although I cannot pinpoint my exact place of fondness for this film, I think it lies in the mixture of being genuinely funny with a moderately realistic (and simultaneously heart wrenching) ending. I would have been disappointed to see all four women escape, something that would never ever happen in the real world. The film also did a terrific job of illustrating how frustrating and debilitating poverty can be. The film is not over-bearing on either side. Although the audience will laugh, this is not a comedy. There is also extreme violence, but not gratuitous. Set it Off is a film I will definitely watch again outside of class. Girl on a Motorcycle? Probably Not.

Posted by labo0056 at 09:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

At the beginning of "Leaving Normal" I was not very fond of the movie. It just seemed strange and I didn't care for Marianne at all. As the movie progressed, I began to like it more. Overall, I it was not my favorite road film.

My favorite film would either be "Thelma and Louise" or "Little Miss Sunshine". I really liked "Thelma and Louise" because of the truly feminist power portrayed through their outlaw journey. I also have always been a fan of "Little Miss Sunshine" because of it's quirkiness, humor and overall good road film. There were a few other films that were interesting and enjoyable from the semester. Such as "Boys on the Side", and "Set It Off".

Posted by jung0175 at 09:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Continue reading "Dear Dad," »

Posted by S. at 04:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I didn't really enjoy Leaving Normal. It was very hard for me to find a character that I could identify with or even liked. Marianne was weak, childish and naive. The men were all perverts, abusers or saps. I found Darleen to be obnoxious. Most upsetting were the portrayals of the Alaskan native boys. Apparently the director thought the most realistic way to play Indigenous people was to jump around like apes... I found this to be very offensive and unbelievable.
My favorite road movie from the semester was Powow Highway. I am taking an American Indian studies class this semester and the information presented in AMIN class lectures and this film provided a great connection for me. I don't like Powow Highway because of it's exceptional acting or script, I don't think that the movie was exceedingly great in either aspect. I like this movie because it was refreshing to see Indigenous people instigating the action in a plot line instead of marginalized on the periphery like in Priscilla or Leaving Normal. Also, it provided an an example of what Indigenous people are like today, a culture that is still very much alive. In Priscilla and Leaving Normal, the Indigenous characters are caractures of realistic people. Powow Highway provides viewers with a story about American Indian people that is still very relavant today.

Posted by chri1645 at 04:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)