chelseamartinez's review
3.0
I always looked for Carina Chocano's reviews in the LA Times the last time I lived in LA... when I moved away I didn't keep track of the fact that she left the paper not long after I returned to Austin. Anyhow, to hear her tell it in this book, for a person who loves movies, being a movie critic, or at least a female movie critic forced to watch the movies of the aughts, is miserable. I enjoyed the essays in this book where she "reviews" some of the films that got her interested in film criticism, but the later essays, although an intriguing mix of personal essay and movie musings, were often about films I either haven't and don't want to see ("Frozen") or saw and agreed with her are terrible in an uninteresting way that may be enraging, but isn't as satisfying to read a mutually enraged review of years later. Possibly reading these in the moment would be better, so I am going to keep an eye out for Chocano's writing again now that I know to look for it elsewhere.
baeofnipels's review
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
i thought this was going to be a book i recommended to people, but i didn’t find that to be the case.
i constantly had to stop and look up words, which is part of the fun when reading some authors (ie Virginia Woolf). but i read some of it aloud and the person listening commented “it’s trying too hard to be smart.” i think my issue is that i learned new words more than i did about the topic(s) the book advertises itself to discuss.
interesting book, was fine w finishing it, but wouldn’t pick it back up and haven’t found myself recommending it. i also originally had it rated a 4 but when writing this review, decided to lower it
i constantly had to stop and look up words, which is part of the fun when reading some authors (ie Virginia Woolf). but i read some of it aloud and the person listening commented “it’s trying too hard to be smart.” i think my issue is that i learned new words more than i did about the topic(s) the book advertises itself to discuss.
interesting book, was fine w finishing it, but wouldn’t pick it back up and haven’t found myself recommending it. i also originally had it rated a 4 but when writing this review, decided to lower it
hannahreadslotsofbooks's review
5.0
This book is fascinating and eye opening in regards to how women are portrayed in literature, television, movies, and other forms of entertainment media. Definitely recommend.
pennyzizzle's review
5.0
I am overwhelmed with love for Carina Chocano’s essay collection. I highlighted, annotated, and reframed my thinking about women in film (and TV) over and over. So smart and funny and heartbreaking. I know I will return to this book again and again.
isabeceral's review
informative
lighthearted
reflective
3.75
I read all essays even though I almost never read nonfiction!!
I neither particularly liked nor disliked this essay collection as a whole. It struggles with the thing that essay collections usually struggle with: Some essays are really good while others are kinda meh.
The author has some really interesting insides into television and wraps them very nicely in theory. I'd recommend it to people who are into pop culture and writing about television. Some of the references are incredibly overused though. I think she mentioned the Stepford Wives in every single essay.
I neither particularly liked nor disliked this essay collection as a whole. It struggles with the thing that essay collections usually struggle with: Some essays are really good while others are kinda meh.
The author has some really interesting insides into television and wraps them very nicely in theory. I'd recommend it to people who are into pop culture and writing about television. Some of the references are incredibly overused though. I think she mentioned the Stepford Wives in every single essay.
mgretzky's review
5.0
I’ve read a lot of feminist essays, but this was one of the best. Chocano approaches familiar subjects (and not just familiar as pop culture, but familiar as a topic of feminist study) in a new way that reveals new insights.