F--K the Rules

I loved Rachel Getting Married, the empathy with the addict was new to me and powerful. in fact it really shook me up. I have a long history with the subject. Hence, my bias. I got it, though, the writer's perspective and the actor's performance--- here is a girl (woman) you could love. here is what the inside of her head looks like when she's not high; ashamed, defiant, fragile. here is what she struggles with and that was a revelation to me. I'm very picky about the kind of movies I'll go see. Generally I don't like blockbusters, the narrative is predictable, the conflict and its resolution, predictable. what would happen if the girl didn't get the boy? how could that story be rewritten?

look, I love Sex and the City, I really do, but there is a nagging issue for me; they all get the guy, except Samantha, bless her slutty heart. she leaves her boy toy boyfriend. But Carrie gets BIG. It couldn't be any other way. but why? even i wanted that ending, i want happily ever after even though to a great degree I don't believe in it. in any event, I love stories with strong female characters whose search for happiness or whose journey (whatever it may be) doesn't end with her "getting the guy." and they are hard to find. it's so deeply deeply embedded in our culture we assume it axiomatic. but it's not! it's been created so therefore it can be revised. and btw I hate that book, He's Just Not Into You. man, talk about perpetuating stereotypes. why is it only women have to be reminded of this, and when women are reminded about this, it becomes a cultural phenomenon. and I also hate The Rules. another high water mark for thinking women everywhere. a total throwback to the 50's when men where men and woman had to use her "wiles" to ensnare him. you know why that book was so popular b/c men and women were so confused after the first and second wave of feminism, that no one knew what to do, so it was easier to revert back---- to a kinder, gentler, simpler time when behavior was codified, and people were strangled by it.

here's another question, why aren't all women feminists? I'm seriously confused. and now I'm going to offer Hillary Clinton some advice. But first congratulations, Secretary of State. Excellent. Now, hire an image consultant. I know, I know--- but listen, we live in a time that is dominated by image, by verisimilitude. I get this from Susan Sontag so I know what I'm talking about. Just because something looks good to you in the mirror doesn't mean it's going to reproduce as an image of "you." You need an expert to determine that. Your image is hurting you, you are between a rock and a hard place, I know, all that gaff about "cleavage." But don't let that get you, don't be afraid to be a woman, that is what you are. My sense is that you're trying to hide that, opting for masculine with a feminine edge. A kick ass image consultant can revamp that. call me, we'll do lunch.