Page 31 - ARUBA TODAY

PEOPLE & ARTS Tuesday 6 June 2017
A31

‘Wonder Woman’ is a hit that even Hollywood can’t ignore

JAKE COYLE wants to make success- business to reflect modern
AP Film Writer ful films, of course. I want society.”
NEW YORK (AP) — Batman my film to be celebrated,” With its action movies and
is the superhero with the Jenkins said before her comic-book films, summer
calling-card beam of light, film’s debut. “But there’s a has long been the most
but Wonder Woman sent whole other person in me male moviegoing season
a signal over the week- who’s sitting and watch- of the year — one where
end that even Hollywood ing what’s happening right even female Ghostbusters
couldn’t miss. now who so hopes, not for are enough to spark a
Patty Jenkins’ “Wonder me, that this movie defies tempestuous culture war.
Woman” grossed $103.3 expectation. Because I But Jenkins and Coppola
million in North America want to see the signal that have some company this
over its debut weekend, a that will send to the world.” season.
figure that easily surpassed Jenkins’ objective ap- Next week, Lucia Aniello,
industry expectations, set a peared to be met by the a writer and director from
new record for a film direct- opening of “Wonder Wom- “Broad City,” will release
ed by a woman and best- an,” a heavily marketed her bachelorette comedy
ed all previous stand-alone $150 million movie that “Rough Night.” In August,
female superhero movies spent a decade in devel- Kathryn Bigelow returns
put together. (There aren’t opment before finally — with her Detroit riots thriller
many and there hasn’t after hordes of other super- “Detroit.” It’s shaping up
been one in 12 years.) heroes — making it to the to be an atypically tough
Strong reviews (93 percent big screen. summer for misogyny at
on Rotten Tomatoes) and “Wonder Woman” didn’t the multiplex.
word of mouth (an A Cin- surpass the openings of Yet researchers who have
emaScore) pushed the film previous DC Comics ad- spent years charting the
into must-see status. Won- aptations: the terribly re- In this May 25, 2017 file photo, director Patty Jenkins, left, and lack of progress for female
der Woman, that Amazo- ceived “Batman v. Su- actress Gal Gadot arrive at the world premiere of “Wonder directors in Hollywood
nian warrior-princess last perman” and “Suicide Woman” at the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles. are skeptical much has
in the spotlight in ‘70s, las- Squad.” But unlike those Associated Press changed.
soed the zeitgeist. By Mon- releases, “Wonder Wom- “High-profile cases, such
day, Warner Bros. had to an” is good enough to play awareness that female di- not my role. But I’m happy as Kathryn Bigelow and
increase its weekend esti- strongly through the next rectors are a force to be to put my work out there.” Patty Jenkins, can dramati-
mate up by almost $3 mil- few weeks. “The momen- reckoned with,” said Paul Cannes juror Jessica Chas- cally skew our perceptions
lion because audiences tum is with us in every way,” Dergarabedian, senior me- tain also drew widespread of how women are actu-
kept coming on Sunday. said Warner Bros. distribu- dia analyst for comScore. applause for questioning ally faring as film direc-
“Wonder Woman” is a hit, tion chief Jeff Goldstein. That’s been especially the quality of the female tors,” said San Diego State
and in a movie industry that That was decidedly not hard-to-miss this summer. characters on view at University professor Martha
has seldom put female film- the case heading into the Sofia Coppola, whose up- the festival. Her fellow jury M. Lauzen, executive di-
makers behind the camera weekend. “Wonder Wom- coming June release “The member Maren Ade, the rector of the Center for the
for its biggest blockbusters, an” came on the heels of Beguiled” remakes the German director of “Toni Study of Women in Televi-
it could be an important disappointing DC Comics 1971 Don Siegel-Clint East- Erdmann,” spoke about sion and Film. “While their
one. It certainly had that films and a lackluster early wood movie from a female the dearth of female film- successes are encourag-
feel opening weekend, summer box office where perspective, last week be- makers. ing, it is important to con-
where droves of moviego- little besides “Guardians came just the second fe- “I found after a while al- sider the larger picture and
ers came wearing “We are of the Galaxy Vol. 2” has male filmmaker to win best ways being surrounded to continue counting the
all Diana” T-shirts, young caught fire. director at the Cannes Film by men doing this job, the numbers of women work-
girls flocked in Wonder But more importantly, Jen- Festival. impression comes up that ing on screen and behind
Woman outfits and even kins and “Wonder Woman” “I try to keep making work it’s maybe not a good job the scenes so we can have
movie stars were blowing burst through Hollywood’s and I have a female point for a woman,” Ade said. a conversation about
kisses at the movie and glass ceiling with one of of view that I embrace,” “I think that’s completely women’s representation
calling it a “game chang- the rarest things: a summer Coppola said recently. “I wrong and I think we need and employment that is
er.” blockbuster helmed by a don’t want to speak so po- much more women doing grounded in a verifiable
“I am a filmmaker who woman. “Maybe this raises litically. I just feel like that’s films. We all want the film reality.”q
Review: ‘He Said/She Said’ is a thriller to savor

Associated Press the story, but it’s also a psy- stranger to them. Their tes- family, which proclaims his
A solar eclipse attracts de- chological thriller about a timony at the trial that fol- innocence.
voted followers who travel marriage, with a plot that lows helps convict Jamie “He Said/She Said” alter-
to the best sites to witness delves deep into obses- Balcombe. Beth’s gratitude nates between the 1999
the phenomenon, aided sions, secrets and how rape to Kit and Laura takes an events and 15 years later
by online forums, maps is viewed. odd turn as she insinuates when Kit and Laura are
and social media. These The best eclipse sightings herself in their lives. When married and expecting
eclipse chasers, who rel- also inspire the best festi- the situation turns violent, twins. Still, the shadow of
ish “celestial mechanics,” vals. Christopher “Kit” Mc- the couple moves to a Beth hovers as the couple
provide the background Call and his girlfriend, Laura London suburb, uses other is fearful that, regardless of
for Erin Kelly’s unusual and Langrishe, are celebrating names and stays pretty their precautions, she may
highly innovative novel, the 1999 solar eclipse at a much off the grid. They also find them. But now another
“He Said/She Said.” Plenty festival in Cornwall when want to escape the very eclipse looms, and the best This cover image released by
of lore about the thrill of they stop the appar- public campaign waged place to view it is the Faroe Minotaur shows “He Said, She
seeing an eclipse imbues ent rape of Beth Taylor, a by Balcombe’s wealthy Islands. q Said,” a novel by Erin Kelly.