Bring on 2019!

I am not sorry to see 2018 draw to a close. It was a rough year—personally, politically, cinematically. So many ultra-violent movies came out this year (Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, Deadpool 2, Mission: Impossible – Fallout, Venom, The First Purge, Halloween, The Nun, etc.) and Hollywood’s portrayals of women are still very damaging (i.e. predominantly objectified and sexualized). The majority of top grossing movies still portray men as heroes and women as eye candy for men—in spite of the #MeToo movement (and everything else). Female characters still appear less clothed than men, are routinely silenced and are still being abducted, murdered, disrespected, demeaned and humiliated. Movies that did not show women being continually sexualized and harmed tended to belong to the family genre (Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, Peter Rabbit, A Wrinkle in Time, Mary Poppins Returns, Paddington 2).

Our slow to evolve societies have not had much effect on film. Moreover, although many men recognize that there is a problem they do not seem interested in discussing it and changing things. Indeed, the impression I have had is that men feel threatened and seem fine with maintaining the status quo. I thought the movie Suffragette (2015), even though it is set in 1912, accurately reflects men and women’s attitudes towards women’s place in society (i.e. women are oppressed and desire equality and men are unwilling to treat women as their equals).

I have high hopes for 2019. As our societies evolve and more women filmmakers take their place behind the camera we should see better things on the big screen. On this New Year's Eve I am hopeful... and especially excited to share my new book. Wishing everyone peace and love (and great movies) in 2019!

© 2018 Alline Cormier