Emma McGorray

It's true that men and women are different, but this is a movie with a target audience of children, meant to appeal to boys AND girls. Just because there's a female protagonist doesn't mean it's "embarrassing" for men to watch. This is not about the stereotypical tastes of men and women--it's about profiling narratives with female protagonists as relatable only to women and enjoyable only to women. Not to mention that the movie has large elements of action, something stereotypically enjoyed by males. It's insulting for the original reviewer to imply that males would be embarrassed to enter a theater that "entices female viewers".

Jun 23 - 05:14 PM

Abigail Merchant

People are groomed to like specific movies according to their sex--women and chick flicks, dudes and action. This line grossly generalizes men and women's tastes in movies. It is not fact. And I agree with Emma--the film simply has a female protagonist. People need to stop seeing the male protagonist as the neutral slate for any film.

Jun 23 - 08:05 PM

Avery Beckett

"Men and women are different."

Ugh, knock it off. This schtick wears thin.

To assume that a man wouldn't DREAM of seeing a film involving a female protagonist is to ignore the fact that the majority of films have always had male protagonists, and women have been conditioned through centuries of storytelling to relate to male-helmed stories -- and still, SOMEHOW, magically be able to find the value in them. It's high time for the egalitarianism to flow in the opposite direction, and have males be encouraged to relate to female protagonists. Shockingly, men and womens' interpersonal conflicts aren't as OMG SO DIFFERENT as you traditionalists like to pretend they are.

Then again, I wouldn't expect someone so brazenly proud of gender roles to understand this. Go back to your precious, boy's club, testosterone-sanctioned entertainment, and forget I said anything. You're a lost cause.

Jun 24 - 11:54 AM

Carson Daves

Oh, right. The reason males like action is because they are groomed by the evil patriarchy to not like girly things. This is why young boys would rather play with water guns and action figures instead of dolls and tea party sets. We need to make all genders the same by forcing boys to embrace girly things and vice versa. Because gender differences is a socially ingrained concept and has nothing to do with basic biology at all. Can I have some more denial juice please?

Jun 24 - 12:55 PM

Carson Daves

@Emma: "It's insulting for the original reviewer to imply that males would be embarrassed to enter a theater that "entices female viewers"."

Many males would be embarrassed if they were caught watching a typical princess movie, something that entices female viewers. The fact that this movie contains action and comedy that appeal to males should be something that discourages them from embarrassment for watching a princess movie. I think this is what the reviewer meant and I see nothing offensive or insulting in that. Again, it's not insulting to imply that males generally feel embarrassed for watching a typical princess movie. It's a true statement.

Jun 24 - 01:38 PM

Emma McGorray

@ Carson But why do males feel embarrassed to watch a typical princess movie? Does watching a movie about a princess who wants to overcome adversity and live happily ever after strip you of your masculinity?

I'm not gonna argue with you further, because I know I'm not going to change your mind. I don't quite understand how you can ignore the effect society has had on gender roles, and I don't quite understand how you can cling so tightly to such a backwards, sexist viewpoint of the world. (This isn't in reference to your reply to me but to all of your comments.)

Jun 25 - 07:27 AM

Carson Daves

@Emma, because that is how boys are. A boy who grows up in a vacuum may react differently, but say if that boy has friends who are boys, then those boys would definitely make fun of that boy for watching princess movies. That is just the way boys are. It's not societal programing -- in fact, society is programming boys to be more like girls. A boy who asserts his masculinity in this society will be stamped with ADD and put on pills until he calms down. If you leave boys to their own devices, they will naturally veer toward masculine things and see embracing femininity as weak. In a perfect world by your definition, maybe boys will not feel embarrassed watching princess movies -- but in this world, they do. And the reviewer was simply being truthful in pointing that out.

This is the truth. It is not "backward". You were programed by society to see gender from an unnatural standpoint, where male and females are the same and should be the same -- it is simply not the case nor is your view natural by any means.

Jun 28 - 12:08 PM

Abigail Merchant

Actually, yes. You took the words right out of my mouth. It is entirely social, not biological. I'm glad I didn't have to line that out for you.

Jul 3 - 11:56 PM

Carson Daves

Looks like sarcasm is another part of life that you need to learn, Abigail, because it is absolutely biological and not at all social. Boys veer towards masculine things because of biology, not society. Same with girls and femininity. There is no denying that a boy's body is built for physical challenges (masculinity) while a girl's body is built to comfort and nurture (femininity). There is also no denying that boys and girls brains are naturally wired to function with their bodies. This is why boys usually prefer action movies and girls prefer romantic movies. It can all be traced back to basic human biology.

How girls are being encouraged to act like boys and boys are being encouraged to act like girl nowadays, however, are social changes that are unnatural to basic human psychology. And it doesn't take a genius to see the negative repercussions of that in modern society.

Jul 6 - 12:27 PM

Anthony Pizzo

I can only assume that you're trolling me at this point.

Jun 24 - 02:40 PM

Carson Daves

No, I'm proud that the stereotype for my gender is that it discovered, invented, and built the civilization that you're allowed to enjoy today.

Jun 24 - 01:43 PM

Avery Beckett

... How the hell do you both discover a civilization, and then build it? Like every other xenophobic "biology"-thumper I've ever met, you are perfectly content to take credit for the men who came before you, and were clearly a lot smarter than you are. Nice try.

Mr. Bloom, I actually read your review and I can see what your intentions were; it was just this one pesky sentence that ended up getting all the attention. You've since apologized for your all-inclusive wording like an adult, so please don't feel like this is being directed at you.

Jun 24 - 02:09 PM

Carson Daves

Who discovered the country you're living in? Invented the computer you're typing on? And built the house, desk, chair that contain you? Smarten up, Avery. These are all the qualities associated with masculinity. Even today, men are constantly inventing and building the world around you. I'm sorry that you are indoctrinated by the media to think we're bumbling idiots, but in reality we are the creators of civilizations and societies as you know it today.

Jun 24 - 02:58 PM

Carson Daves

Like I said. Point it out. Otherwise, you have been completely schooled in a logical argument, trolling or not.

Jul 6 - 07:30 PM