Special Coverage: Movie Mix

Honeytrap Lies and Women Spies

Rosie White, American Sexuality Magazine. November 21, 2008.
Female spies have been the subject of cultural fascination since Mata Hari, but the realities they face are quite different from fiction.

In Praise of Baadasssss Supermamas

Stephane Dunn, Ms. Magazine. November 15, 2008.
The women in Blaxploitation pics didn't accept victimization and often fought for causes larger than themselves. Imagine what they would do today.

Jesus Politics: Religion in the 2008 Election

Cynthia Fuchs, PopMatters. November 13, 2008.
A new documentary looks at the troubling -- and mystifying -- mix of religion and politics in America.

Landmark Films About the Fight for Racial Equality

John Farr, Huffington Post. November 11, 2008.
The movies that help illuminate the centuries-old struggle for racial freedom and equality in America.

Oliver Stone's "W." -- A Catastrophe Worthy of the Worst President

Eileen Jones, eXiled Online. October 22, 2008.
You can practically feel Oilver Stone sitting behind you, breathing on the back of your neck and willing you to see the brilliance of his vision.

The Lee Atwater Story: Meet the Man Responsible for Karl Rove and the GOP's Hate-Driven Politics

Isaac Fitzgerald, AlterNet. October 16, 2008.
A new documentary by Stefan Forbes shows the origins of the GOP's playbook -- the manual of scare tactics on which McCain's campaign is based.

Portrait of an Army Cemetery: An Interview With the Directors of HBO's "Section 60"

Katie Halper, AlterNet. October 15, 2008.
"When you stand there and see the rows of tombstones ... you realize what the price of war can be."

Is 'Taking it to the Streets' Worth the Bruises, Tear Gas and Arrests?

Mark Engler, AlterNet. September 29, 2008.
The 1999 protests against the WTO were dramatic enough to inspire a new feature film, but did they actually make a difference?

FLOW: The Film that Will Change the Way You Think About Water

Tara Lohan, AlterNet. September 27, 2008.
The Sundance hit "FLOW: For Love of Water" is taking the country by storm and waking people up to our water crisis.

Sex on the Beach: What 80s Bikini Comedies Tell Us About Gender and Class

Greta Parry, PopMatters. September 25, 2008.
Though 1980s beach films seem objectifying and antifeminist, they offer a utopian space where class and gender hierarchies begin to dissolve.

The "Battle in Seattle" and Beyond

Stuart Townsend, AlterNet. September 18, 2008.
How do we create meaningful protest?

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.

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About

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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