Why this blockbuster movie genre needs to undergo a major shift to better represent women and people of color.
2017 was a progressive year in terms of newer faces leading superhero movies, with films like Gal Gadot in "Wonder Woman" and Tessa Thomps...
Why this blockbuster movie genre needs to undergo a major shift to better represent women and people of color.
2017 was a progressive year in terms of newer faces leading superhero movies, with films like Gal Gadot in "Wonder Woman" and Tessa Thompson in "Thor: Ragnarok," but 2018 needs to be the year that Hollywood fully embraces the representation of all minorities.
On "Salon Talks" Salon's Mary Elizabeth Williams asked film critic Valerie Complex if we are starting to see a sea change in Hollywood regarding proper representation. She responded, "I'm always talking about diversity and getting more people on-screen and getting proper representation, not just visibility. Because sometimes you see these people and you're like 'Oh they're going to be in this movie,' and then they're in it for 10 seconds. You get this representation that isn't very good or is very stereotypical." Complex continued, "We want people to be heroes. We want them to be villians. We want them to be mothers. We want them to be fathers, you know? We want them to be just regular people."
According to Complex, the traditional superhero narrative of a white male saving someone from a burning building is a "tired narrative that we can move on from." Looking ahead to 2018, Complex is excited to see "Black Panther." Considering its star-studded black cast, maybe it is a step in the right direction.
Watch the full episode to learn more about Complex's take on the worst superhero movies of 2017 and how her military experience helped her identify with "Thor: Ragnarok."