Star Trek
I have been stupidly excited by the new Star Trek movie for months -- months! -- and on a very shallow level I enjoyed it immensely. I loved all of the new actors unreservedly, esp Zachary Quinto and Simon Pegg, and I loved the special effects and the way it was shot, and mostly I loved the story, too just... Uhura. I think it's laudable that they wanted to expand her part, but in so doing they just made her a love interest. YAWN. This article sums up wonderfully my feelings about her problematic portrayal, and those of the other women in the film.
Snippet:
...there are four women in the future who have speaking roles. They are (1) Kirk's mother, (2) Spock's mother, (3) a green girl that Kirk hooks up with in an early scene, and (4) someone's girlfriend. To tell you whose would be a spoiler, but I should probably let you know: after several scenes in which Uhura is established as a strong, independent woman who will not, repeat, not be reduced to a sex object, she does in fact end up dating one of the leads. Also, her uniform still doesn't come with trousers. [...] Basically, ladies need to engage in procreation or procreation-like activities with a Kirk and/or Spock in order to find their way into the world of Star Trek
And that last bit? Makes me sad. Because TOS used to be edgy.
Snippet:
...there are four women in the future who have speaking roles. They are (1) Kirk's mother, (2) Spock's mother, (3) a green girl that Kirk hooks up with in an early scene, and (4) someone's girlfriend. To tell you whose would be a spoiler, but I should probably let you know: after several scenes in which Uhura is established as a strong, independent woman who will not, repeat, not be reduced to a sex object, she does in fact end up dating one of the leads. Also, her uniform still doesn't come with trousers. [...] Basically, ladies need to engage in procreation or procreation-like activities with a Kirk and/or Spock in order to find their way into the world of Star Trek
And that last bit? Makes me sad. Because TOS used to be edgy.