women in film

I thought that this article about how women are portrayed in film was really funny but also really interesting to think about.  What is it about these stereotypes that make movies sell, and maybe even more interesting- make women want to go and see them?

Some of my favorite chick flick movies are When Harry Met Sally (girl graduates, doesn't understand men, makes friends with man even though he says men and women can't be friends, are friends for many years, ends up falling for him even though she admits in the last scene that she hates him... and loves him), You've Got Mail (woman runs small-time bookshop but is about to go under, successful male who runs large book conglomerate comes into life, they accidentally date online without knowing that they are rivals, oops!), Amelie (socially inept girl falls for socially inept guy, will she learn to overcome her ineptness and love?), Becoming Jane (successful authoress (Jane Austen) falls for bad boy with no money, they try to make it work, they wuss out... repeat, he marries someone else, she never does.......... I could go on but I won't.

So what I'm getting at is that while I love a good girly movie, the next time I really enjoy a chick flick I'm going to try to figure out why.

New Yorker article, via Cup of Joe