The nuance of your comments is just perfect. I needed to read your review of The Substance after watching it a few weeks ago. I was not impressed with it and was impressed that I finished watching it, gross as it was. Your comments about sex and the supposed masochism and the inner voice of women was simply exquisite. I really enjoy Nicole Kidman and plan to watch the movie in the next weeks, and am super disappointed that she was not nominated.
Yes of course! I’m a Psychologist and Contemporary Psychoanalyst as well as being a 71 year old female who has lived through these times :-) I live on Oahu, Hawaii
I agree. I thought Substance was stupid, including the (magical realism? not sure what to call it these days) of the hot young girl coming out of Demi Moore's back! I'm looking forward to seeing Baby Girl! Sounds like a much better movie. Just saw The Return last night. It was well made, engrossing!
“The Return” is the original that the series—had a different title, escaped my mind for the moment—is based on, right? I don’t think I’ve seen it, but putting on my list now.
Oh, right!!! I was confusing that with something else. Yes, I saw “The Return.” Pretty great—I love how it captures Penelope’s contradictory feelings re. Odysseus. As for Raph Fiennes—amazing that the same actor could do this one AND convincingly play his role in “Conclave”!!
yes! did you see him in "Strange Days" in the '90s? One of my fav movies of all times...... Binoche is always super great too (they were together in "The English Patient")
I saw about a minute of the preview and chose not to see Babygirl. I don't see what this film and it's portrayal of dominating and submission would do for me...I also didn't see Fifty Shades of Gray. As a woman growing up in the 50s and 60s there are programs still running in my unconscious mind I'm sure, about 'a woman's place' and 'it's a man's world,' but they didn't and still don't include the levels these films go to. As for Botox...I can't say the thought of injecting that anywhere on my body appeals to me, but I would love to look younger. Friends have had issues with plastic surgery and some tell me it's a painful recovery. If they come up with something else, maybe...for now I am learning to accept reality and my mantra is 'if it's good enough for Judy Dench, it's good enough for me."
I’m with you on Botox, etc. I will say that “Babygirl”is nothing like “50 Shades of Grey,” which is a ridiculous movie. But it still might not be to your liking.
Plastic surgery while professing to represent healthy aging. For me this has always been celebrity vanity advancing fakery and misrepresentation as an actor, simply for self promotion and profit. The lack of micro expression in their botoxed performances.
FYI I turned 70 the day before yesterday; fellow aquarian.
And yet part of me keeps drumming, stimming in hypnotic suspense, “Wait For It”. A persistent suspicion that the fat (not perfect) lady has not sung yet, for this certainly is not how I envisaged my/this ending. That was my profession, visionary. Always aspirational, and often successful, but the current state of international affairs. Death, cruelty and destruction as an end game. It does not compute.
Well said: “does not compute.” (BTW, I’m 78 and no surgery, Botox, or anything beyond skin care products. Not bragging—I have friends who’ve done it all—just saying I’m with you on that issue.)
I love your movie stacks. I tried watching The Substance. I made it through a half hour in a state of rage and then realized I didn’t need to continue watching. 😂
I liked the Substance - definitely overt, but I don't mind a bombastic feminist 'lecture' once in a while. I LOVED Babygirl, though, and wish more writers and critics 'got it'. I really enjoyed your thoughtful critique that articulated so much of what was good about it. Halina Reijn and Nicole Kidman did an incredible job. It's so subtle, and definitely has the touch of women's lived experience. It was relatable for me, heart wrenching at times. Harris Dickinson was...stirring. Infinitely better than 50 Shades.
Thank you. I was so disappointed that the film and Kidman were completely overlooked by awards-givers. My theory: For all the naked bodies we splatter all over the screen we’re still a Puritan nation. This film went to a place that made people squirm, especially the Puritan strain of feminism (or would-be feminism.)
I 100% agree, good point. People just didn’t seem to know what to make of it and misconstrued it as a tepid erotic thriller. I’ve been writing an upcoming piece about shame and thinking about this stuff a fair bit. It seems to be a western world thing; it’s like that in Australia too (where I’m from). But I do think, from the tons of American media that I absorb, that you guys seem to have it even worse. Probably the big religious streak in your country.
Happy birthday Susan! And fascinating piece...thanks for your careful, insightful, informed reviews. Even if I don't always agree, I enjoy. And while I'm here, here's a link to my most recent media piece at Ms. online: One More Award Due Baby Reindeer: Best Filming of a Rape Scene. https://msmagazine.com/2025/01/13/baby-reindeer-rape-scene/
Thanks for the link, and looking forward to reading it (even though I hated Baby Reindeer!) Maybe you can also explain to me why Ms. Online wrote me quite a long time ago saying they loved BordoLines and asking if they could cross-post stacks of mine but never actually has cross-posted any of them!
The nuance of your comments is just perfect. I needed to read your review of The Substance after watching it a few weeks ago. I was not impressed with it and was impressed that I finished watching it, gross as it was. Your comments about sex and the supposed masochism and the inner voice of women was simply exquisite. I really enjoy Nicole Kidman and plan to watch the movie in the next weeks, and am super disappointed that she was not nominated.
Thanks so much for your lovely, lovely comments. I’d love to quote some of it, if you’ll permit me.
Yes of course! I’m a Psychologist and Contemporary Psychoanalyst as well as being a 71 year old female who has lived through these times :-) I live on Oahu, Hawaii
I agree. I thought Substance was stupid, including the (magical realism? not sure what to call it these days) of the hot young girl coming out of Demi Moore's back! I'm looking forward to seeing Baby Girl! Sounds like a much better movie. Just saw The Return last night. It was well made, engrossing!
“The Return” is the original that the series—had a different title, escaped my mind for the moment—is based on, right? I don’t think I’ve seen it, but putting on my list now.
Based on The Odyssey. Ralph Fiennes is fantastic !
Oh, right!!! I was confusing that with something else. Yes, I saw “The Return.” Pretty great—I love how it captures Penelope’s contradictory feelings re. Odysseus. As for Raph Fiennes—amazing that the same actor could do this one AND convincingly play his role in “Conclave”!!
yes! did you see him in "Strange Days" in the '90s? One of my fav movies of all times...... Binoche is always super great too (they were together in "The English Patient")
I saw about a minute of the preview and chose not to see Babygirl. I don't see what this film and it's portrayal of dominating and submission would do for me...I also didn't see Fifty Shades of Gray. As a woman growing up in the 50s and 60s there are programs still running in my unconscious mind I'm sure, about 'a woman's place' and 'it's a man's world,' but they didn't and still don't include the levels these films go to. As for Botox...I can't say the thought of injecting that anywhere on my body appeals to me, but I would love to look younger. Friends have had issues with plastic surgery and some tell me it's a painful recovery. If they come up with something else, maybe...for now I am learning to accept reality and my mantra is 'if it's good enough for Judy Dench, it's good enough for me."
Oh, also: They way they’ve marketed “Babygirl” is all wrong. It’s not an “erotic thriller” and it’s not anything like “50 shades of Grey.”
I’m with you on Botox, etc. I will say that “Babygirl”is nothing like “50 Shades of Grey,” which is a ridiculous movie. But it still might not be to your liking.
Plastic surgery while professing to represent healthy aging. For me this has always been celebrity vanity advancing fakery and misrepresentation as an actor, simply for self promotion and profit. The lack of micro expression in their botoxed performances.
FYI I turned 70 the day before yesterday; fellow aquarian.
Happy Birthday!! Doesn’t seem to be the dawning of the Age of Aquarius anymore, does it?
And yet part of me keeps drumming, stimming in hypnotic suspense, “Wait For It”. A persistent suspicion that the fat (not perfect) lady has not sung yet, for this certainly is not how I envisaged my/this ending. That was my profession, visionary. Always aspirational, and often successful, but the current state of international affairs. Death, cruelty and destruction as an end game. It does not compute.
Well said: “does not compute.” (BTW, I’m 78 and no surgery, Botox, or anything beyond skin care products. Not bragging—I have friends who’ve done it all—just saying I’m with you on that issue.)
I love your movie stacks. I tried watching The Substance. I made it through a half hour in a state of rage and then realized I didn’t need to continue watching. 😂
Thank you! And smart move to stop watching. It only gets worse.
I liked the Substance - definitely overt, but I don't mind a bombastic feminist 'lecture' once in a while. I LOVED Babygirl, though, and wish more writers and critics 'got it'. I really enjoyed your thoughtful critique that articulated so much of what was good about it. Halina Reijn and Nicole Kidman did an incredible job. It's so subtle, and definitely has the touch of women's lived experience. It was relatable for me, heart wrenching at times. Harris Dickinson was...stirring. Infinitely better than 50 Shades.
Thank you. I was so disappointed that the film and Kidman were completely overlooked by awards-givers. My theory: For all the naked bodies we splatter all over the screen we’re still a Puritan nation. This film went to a place that made people squirm, especially the Puritan strain of feminism (or would-be feminism.)
I 100% agree, good point. People just didn’t seem to know what to make of it and misconstrued it as a tepid erotic thriller. I’ve been writing an upcoming piece about shame and thinking about this stuff a fair bit. It seems to be a western world thing; it’s like that in Australia too (where I’m from). But I do think, from the tons of American media that I absorb, that you guys seem to have it even worse. Probably the big religious streak in your country.
Yes. We have it the worst, we were settled by religious reformers! I’d love to read what you’re writing about shame. I’m fascinated by it.
Happy birthday Susan! And fascinating piece...thanks for your careful, insightful, informed reviews. Even if I don't always agree, I enjoy. And while I'm here, here's a link to my most recent media piece at Ms. online: One More Award Due Baby Reindeer: Best Filming of a Rape Scene. https://msmagazine.com/2025/01/13/baby-reindeer-rape-scene/
Thanks for the link, and looking forward to reading it (even though I hated Baby Reindeer!) Maybe you can also explain to me why Ms. Online wrote me quite a long time ago saying they loved BordoLines and asking if they could cross-post stacks of mine but never actually has cross-posted any of them!
Good idea from Ms.! Maybe they need to be reminded?
I have reminded them. Maybe you can put a word in!
So well put.
Thank you!