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Define "Chick Flick" - I think "Transporter 2" and "Aliens" are both Chick Flicks - Who's In?
This might shake up some interesting comments. So let's see. I have my own definition of a "chick flick". Basically, if you have sympathy for or care about any characters, especially if the characters are kids or portray motherhood - then it's a chick flick. End of definition.
So, given that, "Aliens" which is one of my fav all-time films, is definitely a chick flick. I think it's great that all the strong characters are women (or at least female), but that's not why it's a chick flick. It's a chick flick because you care about the little girl. And, for a maybe fleeting instant, while Sigourney Weaver and the big bad Momma Alien are fighting it out (just after Weaver screams something like "Leave her alone, bitch!" to the Momma Alien), anyway, just for a slight bit, one can (I know I did) feel for the Momma Alien even given her general bad-assness and threat to all the humans, not to mention the "male" android (who plays the only sympathetic, effective male role). I took our two older kids when our son was 9 and daughter was 6 to see "Aliens" and still think it was a fine choice. Liz (who is about to turn 30) HAS always been a bit aggressive, but that was going on before she saw "Aliens".
Ok so to the movie I recently watched that prompted me to start this discussion is "Transporter 2". I watched it on the early shift this morning (which for me means 3-6AM) while You Tube was uploading a couple of video slide shows. Anyway, the original "Transporter" was IMHO a guy movie. Lots of fast driving, cool cars, fights, things blowing up, stuff like that. Oh yeah, and totally unbelievable and unsympathetic. There was a female lead and she was cute and all, but that movie didn't play the motherhood card or the child card.
BTW - short political statement here (maybe you'll buy it) - by "chick flick" and "guy flick" I in no way, shape, or form am implying a value judgement not do I even think gender. I know plenty of women who love to watch guy flicks. And I'm not opposed to chick flicks, I enjoy many of them, but I don't always like the mix, when what could be a pure guy flick has some obligatory chick flick elements (possibly to increase the date night receipts?). Hey I'm also one of those "One loves one's BBC" guys, Masterpiece theater, all that. But if I want to watch a car chase/blow things up movie, I don't want to be distracted by chick flick elements.
Specifically, in Transporter 2 the part played by the mother (Amber Valletta) is great. She's a believable, not to mention beautiful actor, but I cared too much for her motherhood role for it to be a guy flick. Compare that to the evil female part of Lola played by Kate Nauta (a cross between the talents and proclivities of #6 of the Crazy 88s, the really scary young woman (Juri Manase) in "Kill Bill" and the athleticism and custom of Darryl Hannah as Pris in "Blade Runner". No one would ever think #6 or Pris engendered sympathy or concern, while Amber Valletta did.
So, therefore, Transporter 2 is a chick flick.
Do you buy that?
So, given that, "Aliens" which is one of my fav all-time films, is definitely a chick flick. I think it's great that all the strong characters are women (or at least female), but that's not why it's a chick flick. It's a chick flick because you care about the little girl. And, for a maybe fleeting instant, while Sigourney Weaver and the big bad Momma Alien are fighting it out (just after Weaver screams something like "Leave her alone, bitch!" to the Momma Alien), anyway, just for a slight bit, one can (I know I did) feel for the Momma Alien even given her general bad-assness and threat to all the humans, not to mention the "male" android (who plays the only sympathetic, effective male role). I took our two older kids when our son was 9 and daughter was 6 to see "Aliens" and still think it was a fine choice. Liz (who is about to turn 30) HAS always been a bit aggressive, but that was going on before she saw "Aliens".
Ok so to the movie I recently watched that prompted me to start this discussion is "Transporter 2". I watched it on the early shift this morning (which for me means 3-6AM) while You Tube was uploading a couple of video slide shows. Anyway, the original "Transporter" was IMHO a guy movie. Lots of fast driving, cool cars, fights, things blowing up, stuff like that. Oh yeah, and totally unbelievable and unsympathetic. There was a female lead and she was cute and all, but that movie didn't play the motherhood card or the child card.
BTW - short political statement here (maybe you'll buy it) - by "chick flick" and "guy flick" I in no way, shape, or form am implying a value judgement not do I even think gender. I know plenty of women who love to watch guy flicks. And I'm not opposed to chick flicks, I enjoy many of them, but I don't always like the mix, when what could be a pure guy flick has some obligatory chick flick elements (possibly to increase the date night receipts?). Hey I'm also one of those "One loves one's BBC" guys, Masterpiece theater, all that. But if I want to watch a car chase/blow things up movie, I don't want to be distracted by chick flick elements.
Specifically, in Transporter 2 the part played by the mother (Amber Valletta) is great. She's a believable, not to mention beautiful actor, but I cared too much for her motherhood role for it to be a guy flick. Compare that to the evil female part of Lola played by Kate Nauta (a cross between the talents and proclivities of #6 of the Crazy 88s, the really scary young woman (Juri Manase) in "Kill Bill" and the athleticism and custom of Darryl Hannah as Pris in "Blade Runner". No one would ever think #6 or Pris engendered sympathy or concern, while Amber Valletta did.
So, therefore, Transporter 2 is a chick flick.
Do you buy that?
Tags: Film, criticism, reviews
Views: 37
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Perspective Internet Marketing on -
Bruce! Wow, lots of man-liness....hehe Ok, I can buy into your reasoning. I have never seen such a skillful, and tactful way in explaining how an action movie could be a chick flick...but I love it...!
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Permalink Reply by Bruce Brown on
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Thanks, Ty. To further the discussion, I enjoy Jane Austen movies (and the endless re-makes) and I'm also a fan of Quentin Tarantino. However, I don't think, however, that the two should mix. Well, unless Uma Thurman had the lead - as Penn Gillette said, "Uma Thurman is allowed to do anything she wants to do!" (Actually I made up that exact quotation, but he did once say something sorta similar, about 20 years ago, and I remember it because I agree!)
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Permalink Reply by Bradley Coxe on -
My yardstick was anything that got shown on Lifetime was a chick flick.
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The Wrestler - Saw it two nights ago at Carmike Cinemas on Market Street with visiting son-in-law. After I explained my definitions of "chick flicks" vs. "guy flicks", his opinion, the next day after the movie had settled in, is that it's a "failed chick flick". I thought it a bit better than failed, but definitely a chick flick. Why? Two elements: characters we're supposed to empathize with/care about and a romantic subtheme. They also played on the bad father/strong daughter theme. So even though there was a lot of violence and some sex (I wouldn't call it gratutious, more like obligatory), it fails as a guy flick IMHO and is OK as a chick flick, also IMHO. What I liked about it was that we had enough info to see three flawed characters each come to grips with who they are and their core values and then take irrevocable steps, each realizing the inevitable outcome. So this one is an easy call - a chick flick.
Was in brief Twittversation yesterday with Sarah Barbee of Fussbudget Promotions - Sarah made reference to the film "The 300" after 3rd Street Plaza hit the 300 member mark. That movie is clearly a guy flick. Despite some heroic quotable (but I won't) statements by some female but mostly the male characters, this is another easy call. It lacks car chases, but cars were pretty scarce in Sparta.
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