Pepi, Luci, y Bom; continued

So maybe I'm a a little strange, but I loved it.

I think that it's interesting that the topic of film discussion came up in our class because in my personal life I've recently decided that it is time for me to become better versed in film. I had had Almodovar on my to-do list but never really got around to it. Until our class in Monday, that is. And as anyone could presume was the general sentiment in the room during the film (I mean the way that people reacted and nervous polite laughter is always a tell tale sign), it was the kind of movie that left you very confused, not quite sure what you were supposed to get out of it. Which I think is right up my alley since I understand better the subtleties of reading as opposed to the brash demonstrations of many movies. This movie was fun and interesting in that the style was hyper exaggerated to make you feel a little like "WTF?" But by doing this, one gets to get a clearer sense of how "WTF" our established systems of gender are if looked at closely under the microscope.

I loved all three of the women in their ow strengths and the fact that they did not follow the usual movie/television template of three-women-of-differing-backgrounds-and-personalities-that-in-being-friends-collectively-make-up-one-real-person. Each character had her own style and taste to offer to her role, sometimes differing from what she appears to be (ie Luci.) And honestly, isn't that one of the greatest struggles that women face? Being placed in the box of "you're a woman so you're like this?" The fact that this film addresses this and other issues is a great part of what gives it its bite. In fact, one of my favourite scenes was the little sequence of advertisements that Pepi had put together. Not only was it just hilarious and entertaining due to the superficial absurdity of it but it was also really candid and sincere. The issues of "what to do when you have to pee in public", "what to do when you have to pass gas with a lover", and "what to do when you're horny" are legitimate things that women often times have to face in silence because it's considered embarrassing and moreover improper for a women to respond in these scenarios with the same freedoms a man might have.

I think there absolutely is a lot of comedy and entertainment in poking fun at the silliness of our societal constructs but I feel even more important than this is the fact that when we blow up these images and scenarios we our allowed to see many of our mannerisms for what they really are, laughable, we are then confronted to question them.

--Jheanelle G.

p.s. I think my post might have saved funny because I hit the back button by accident, sorry :)