GWSS Spring 2008 Section B

Leaving Normal was a film that was mediocre for me. It ranked right in the middle of all the others that we have watched throughout this course. I could relate to the characters (Darly more than Maryanne) but I did not enjoy the storyline. The reason why I could relate to both is because there are times when things just go wrong, one after another, and there just does not seem like anything will go well again. Like Darly (when her car got trashed) I would really try to remain optimistic but that last event, the one that breaks me, will cause me to give up all hope for everything else. Maryanne plays that side where she accepts things as they are, whether good or bad. Even when Maryanne had no other place to go but to stay with her sister and accept whatever plans her sister had made for her, she accepted that outcome. It was obvious that Maryanne was not happy staying with her sister but she did not express that dislike. Maryanne was not the one to scream and yell out of anger or frustration, but Darly changed that. There was a scene where Maryanne was seen calling for her wedding ring back, it was a shock because she was screaming and demanding. Overall it was a good movie but probably not one that I would go rent.
My favorite film out all the ones we watched in this course was Little Miss Sunshine. It was the only film that I liked all of the characters. It is probably a film that I would watch over again in my spare time.

Posted by Lulu at 10:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Leaving Normal was a movie that captured the intensity of a friendship that can develop suddenly and without cause between two women. Although I believed that parts of the movie were too cliched to be really enjoyable some portions of the film were, in my opinion, well done. The interplay between MaryAnn and Darly was perfect at times. For example when Darly reveals that she abandoned her baby shortly after its birth MaryAnn has to reconcile that new information with the little history she has with Darly. Their friendship is not based on a long history of trust and friendship. That means in one way their friendship is fragile. But this move ends up demonstrating that their friendship is the most important thing they have and the most certain thing that they trust about themselves -- that they are there for each other even when the rest of the world does not care.

My favorite film this semester was Little Miss Sunshine. I thought it painted a wonderful picture of the way American families can be dysfunctional and beautiful at the same time. The characters int he movie were not successful representations of what society expects of "dad" "mom" "grandfather" and "daughter." But the characters were so full of life and desire and desperation that they were lovable and worthy of respect despite their faults. That is an important message to send. At the same time the movie was a lot of fun.

Posted by ludme002 at 10:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I would have to say that I didn't particularly enjoy Leaving Normal. To me it seemed like the film just wasn't believable enough; I couldn't relate to the characters at all because their actions and the plot didn't seem possible. I felt like Darly and Marianne befriended each other too quickly and easily; maybe it would have made sense if they had been friends, and known each other, like Thelma and Louise, before heading out for Alaska. They're sudden pairing-up with each other seemed a little too convenient for me.

My favorite film of the class is probably Boys on the Side. I liked this film in largely because of the lead actresses, as well as the intriguing plot. It threw me for a loop when Mary-Louise Parker's character was revealed to have AIDS, which really made the plot interesting to me. I also felt that the film was very empowering for women and that that was a welcome thing to see in a film, especially as it had non-negative portrayals of lesbians.

Posted by Emma Zoch at 02:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I didn't enjoy Leaving Normal as much as other films we've watched this semester. I felt that the characters weren't very well developed, and Maryanne particularly bugged me. She didn't seem believable to me. Clearly she is a dreamer at heart, but I didn't feel any sense of understanding or reality in her character. Darly on the other hand was well played in my opinion. Her emotions felt real and i felt i could relate to her unlike Maryanne. The plot also seemed a little dull to me. Perhaps because after watching thrillers like Thelma and Louise and Set it Off there wasn't as much going on.

My favorite film that we watched this semester was Thelma and Louise. While it certainly could be judged/viewed as a male bashing film, it exerted a sense of female empowerment that made me walk away feeling satisfied and proud to be a woman. I love Susan Sarandon as an actress in general, therefore i was a slight bit partial to the film as well. It was a fun and interesting film to simply watch for surface value and entertainment, however i really enjoyed the analytical opportunities it offered as well.

Posted by sigmundfreud at 12:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Leaving Normal didn’t strike me as a very developed film. I appreciated it because I took into general society and the time in which this film was written into account. With that being said the plot was generic to me; that could also be because of the order in which we watched the films throughout the semester. Films that we’ve watched previously that also had dealings in women on the road left a much more multi-dimensional taste with me. I was indifferent to Marianne and where she had come from—which was really unfortunate.

Favorite road film as I’m sure many would say would be Thelma & Louise. It’s the ultimate “women on the road” film; working with multiple references and layers that allude to societal situations. Gina and Susan, as brilliant as they are, truly make connecting with the film an eye opener for people who are unaware of the underlying meanings of ‘road films’. And for those that are familiar with certain characteristics of road films are then taken for a real invasive ride with these females. Overall script is well done and artistic direction of film goes where it needs to go in order to make this story of these two women entirely believable. I lovezzzz it.

Posted by muen0036 at 08:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Thanks for playing along. It's been fun. Love, Thelma.

Posted by Jenny at 03:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I worry I am becoming like you.

Continue reading "Dear Darryl" »

Posted by Courtney at 01:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I really enjoyed the film, Leaving Normal. At the beginning of the film, I wasn't so sure. It started out slowly and a bit boring, but towards the end I really had a sense of the characters and how they were feeling and what was best for them. I would consider this movie one of the top five of the semester but my ultimate favorite would have to be Boys on the Side. Any film that can move me to tears is a good film in my book. I loved the different characters in the film and how they all had different goals in their lives but they all took the same road to reach their individual goals. I also liked the emphasis on female friendships in the film, which seems to be a recurring theme throughout female road films. There wasn't a film I didn't enjoy this semester. Thanks.

Posted by bella at 05:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Continue reading "Mothers" »

Posted by cici at 05:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So "Leaving Normal" was a horrid movie. Horrid. The character that was really pale with black hair has got to be one of the least convincing actresses I've ever seen. The characters in general, with the exception of the wild child, were totally cheesy and easy to predict. The wild child woman, though, made me laugh and made me cry and made me feel what she felt. She did an excellent job at portraying her character and the only part of the mocie I liked was her and her wit. This movie had a cool theme, almost, but the way in which the characters interacted with each other just made me sick. I see myself in the wild child woman and it made me happy to see that someone, whather fake or real, had the same ideas and mentality as me. I most likely would recommend this movie to others just so that I could watch it with them and rip on the pale chick that always runs away. Not my favorite movie (as if the other ones were good) but whatever.

Posted by ZoraMonkey at 02:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I wish I pushed down harder, longer, again

Continue reading "Frank Ginsberg- Little Miss Sunshine" »

Posted by ZoraMonkey at 02:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Although I found the story line of Leaving Normal to not be as strong as many of the other films we have watched in class, I like the message I received from it. I have noticed from my own experiences traveling that the journey often begins because of a feeling of needing to leave the everyday routine and doing something different, but then it ends with a feeling of wanting to return and a sense of comfort. Leaving Normal reminded me of how the road can often provide appreciate for the things that we have and for who we are, which I think has been represented in each film that we have watched in some way.

One of my favorite films that we watched in class was The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert because I think that it is one film I would have ever been exposed to had I not taken this course. I like how it incorporates diverse personalities and perspectives with the road being what brings them together. I also find the film to be very forward thinking in the way they depict family and what some people would call alternative life styles. The way in which each individual experiences the road is different along with what they gain from, which I find to be a very realistic interpretation and allows viewers to learn about how the word affects others like and unlike themselves.

Posted by Gertrude at 11:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I am not sorry I got away.

Continue reading "I'm not sorry I got away..." »

Posted by tranx246 at 11:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Continue reading "I wish I could turn back time..." »

Posted by Holly Golightly at 11:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I didn't not like Leaving Normal. I thought the characters where very one dimentional, the writing was incredibly bad (I understand that parts were supposed to be cliché), and the stories that were constructed seemed incredibly inconsequential and bland. The main character, Marianne, had this supposedly strange and influential back story, yet I feel I don't understand what happened at all. How long was she even with her abusive husband? Christine Lahti, whom I have enjoyed in other shows, was able to bring punch-up the humor a little bit, but still, I felt all of the comedy was incredibly stressed. In the end, I didn't care about who was doing what, where the baby was, if Marianne will get with Harry (Who plays a super creepy guy in Twin Peaks!), or what will happen to their lives.

My favorite film would probably be Priscilla, Queen of the Desert for many reasons. I felt it was an incredibly well thought out story, and used many interesting actors (action stars!). Many of the scenes in the film are very memorable and used great cinematography. I think as well, the story never treaded into dubious water in regards to drag queens, homosexuality, and sexism.

Posted by tris0020 at 11:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)