What Superhero Films Can Learn From "Charlie's Angels"

[el_bryanto]

An article by Brett White. This is stuff probably most people here know; but its a nice summation. The author does also acknowledge that the Charlies Angels movies aren't classics, and they do in some sequences move into objectification.

History has a way of erasing the achievements of women, possibly because the sexism of the time tried real real hard to squash that success. For example, Joan Rivers hosted a late night talk show from 1986 to 1988, yet that rarely gets brought up even as late night show hosts are constantly shuffled around -- and networks always pull another man out of the deck. Certain segments of comic book fans have moaned and groaned about the perceived "forced gender equality" that's come with the launch of new superhero series with female leads, forgetting the fact that "Dazzler," "Ms. Marvel," "She-Hulk" and "Spider-Woman" held down ongoings in the '70s and '80s. Spider-Girl kept a series going for one hundred issues, which is a feat that Moon Knight, Doctor Strange, Ant-Man and other higher profile male characters have never been able to pull off. Places like Tumblr are the only place where you will learn about the total badass triumphs of people like Eartha Kitt and Joan Jett. Roseanne Conner, Phoebe Buffay, Mary Richards, Sweet Dee Reynolds, Carla Tortelli, Elaine Benes, Sally Rogers, Liz Lemon, Leslie Knope and Lucy Ricardo are all characters that happened, yet people still say that women can't be funny.

. . . The real surprising thing about both "Charlie's Angels" movies? I mean, aside from it being an early '00s time capsule thanks to the involvement of Tom Green and Destiny's Child. The women never turn on each other. The three of them never backstab each other, they are never catty with each other and they never stop believing in each other. Dylan gets a little bit nervous when it seems like Natlie might marry Luke Wilson's character (see? Early '00s!), but they talk it out like adults in act two of "Full Throttle," totally sidestepping all passive aggression. Because we rarely get to see women have lengthy interactions in superhero properties, seeing functioning female friendships in an action movie from 15 years ago felt really new.

Anyway thought I'd share.

Bryant

[DetlefK]

1. "Pacific Rim" inspired me to a different measurement for women in movies.

No, I'm not talking about the "Mako Mori"-test named after that female, asian character. When Pacific Rim came out, it was hailed as a feminist movie because it was an action-movie with a strong female main-character. Bullshit. Mako Mori was just another ankle-clinger for a good-looking, brooding, muscular, aryan guy in his 30s.

But Mako Mori is useful as the anti-thesis: What if the gender-roles were switched?

Mako Mori is a 20-something female nerd secretly lusting after and creeping at an older, battle-hardened male veteran.

What if Mako were a 20-something male nerd secretly lusting after and creeping at an older, battle-hardened female veteran? And in the end she falls for this guy who was yapping after her like a puppy the whole time?