Cinematix Problematix

Grease: Look at Me, I'm Misogyny

Today, we’re talking about Randall Kleiser’s 1978 hit, Grease. Based on the 1971 play of the same name, the film opens by introducing us to teenaged lovebirds Danny Zuko

Mrs Doubtfire: Weary Wives and Double Lives

Today, we watch a movie that asks the question: Can women really have it all? Family, career, a clean house..And the answer is yes — if they are a man. Released in 1993,

South Park: Bigger, Longer, & Uncut: Cartoons, Cussing Kids, and Canada

And today, we're discussing Trey Parker's 1999 animated musical South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut. Anyone familiar with the Comedy Central show knows creators Trey Pa

Twilight: Forks, Fangs, and Faux Feminism

And today, we’re talking about Catherine Hardwicke’s 2008 film Twilight, based on the book series written by Stephanie Meyer. It tells the story of an introverted teenage

Airplane: Jokes, Jets, and Jive

Today, we’re talking about the 1980 film Airplane, written and directed by Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, and Jerry Zucker.This irreverent parody tells the tale of Ted Strik

Weird Science: Sexy Simulations and Statuory Situations

Today, we're talking about John Hughes' 1985 film Weird Science, which sees high school geeks Gary and Wyatt Create Lisa - a computer-generated girl that will be the answ

Wild Things: Sex, Swamps, and Sin

And today, we’re talking about John McNaughton’s 1998 film Wild Things. It takes place in a steamy, affluent Florida town where the hot, popular high school teacher Sam L

Heathers: Croquet, Corn Nuts, and Cruelty

And today, we're talking about Michael Lehmann's 1989 high school black comedy Heathers. It follows the most popular girl clique in school completely composed of girls na

[RERUN] Revenge of the Nerds: Frat Boys, Boobies, and the Horny Underdog

[In honor of the passing of Donald Gibb, we're re-releasing one of our Revenge of the Nerds episode in his honor. R.I.P, Ogre.] Today, we’re talking about the 1984 comed

Mommie Dearest: Wire Hangers, Wigs & Wholesale Wickedness

And today, we’re talking about 1981’s Frank Perry film Mommie Dearest. Based on the best-selling book by Christina Crawford, it depicts in VIVID detail the abuse she suff

Pretty Baby: Pretty Disturbing and Exploitative, Baby

And today, we are talking about the 1978 Louis Malle film Pretty Baby which tells the story of a 12-year old girl (Violet) who grows up in a brothel who can't seem to wai

The Blind Side: White Saviors, Suburbs, and Sandra Bullock

And today we’re talking about 2009’s John Lee Hancock film The Blind Side. It tells the inspiring tale of a woman named Leigh Ann Touhey who finds it in her affluent, whi

Tootsie: Gimmicks, Gaslighting, and Faux Feminism

And today, we're talking about 1982's Sydney Pollack film Tootsie. It follows unemployed actor Michael Dorsey who decides to impersonate a woman to land a role as a saucy

Crash: More Like a Multi-car Pile-up of Racist Tropes

And today, we’re talking about 2004’s Crash, written and Directed by Canadian Paul Haggis, who seemed to fancy himself the perfect person to examine LA's complex race iss

Tropic Thunder: Simple Jack and RDJ Pretending to Be Black

Released in 2008, Tropic Thunder is what happens when Hollywood decides the best way to mock its own ego is to crank it up to deeply unhinged levels. Ben Stiller, Jack Bl

Saturday Night Fever: Disco Moves and Dangerous Dudes

And today, we’re talking about John Badham’s gritty 1977 disco classic Saturday Night Fever. It follows the life of Tony Manero - a handsome yet emotionally immature youn

Fatal Attraction: Betrayal, Boiled Bunnies, and Hubbies Behaving Badly

And today, we're covering Adrian Lyne's iconic 1987 film Fatal Attraction. It follows Dan Gallagher - a successful lawyer and happily married man who thinks he can have a

Cruel Intentions: Sex, Sleazy Bets, and Some Step-Sibling Incest

Today we’re diving into Cruel Intentions (1999), the teen remake of Dangerous Liaisons where rich French sociopaths are reimagined as extremely horny Manhattan step-sibli

Love Actually: Love Is, Actually, Full of HR Violations

Today, we’re talking about Richard Curtis’ 2003 Christmas classic Love Actually. This ensemble film shows nine interconnected stories of love’s various forms. From the un

Problematic Princesses: Muted Mermaids, Stockholm Syndrome, and Kissing Colonizers

And today, take a little trip with me. Once upon a time, there was a man, and that man drew a mouse, and from that mouse grew an empire. In that empire was a whole slew o