Monsters vs. Aliens: A Feminist Film

SPOILER ALERT!!!
IF YOU WERE PLANNING ON SEEING THIS MOVIE I AM WARNING THAT I MUST WRITE ABOUT THE DETAILS BECAUSE IT IS JUST TO AMAZING TO KEEP TO MYSELF…IF YOU HAD NOT PLANNED ON SEEING THIS MOVIE-YOU SHOULD…AND YOU SHOULD TAKE EVERY YOUNG GIRL YOU KNOW!
OK-so I am not quite sure what just happened but I think I just saw a feminist film made by Dreamworks. I did not expect that to happen. It was a simple Monday during Spring Break and I decided to take my 9 year old son to the movies…Monsters vs. Aliens in 3D was the best option.
I just assumed all would be status quo as the movie started with our heroine getting married to a “newscaster” who tells her on the wedding day that instead of going to Paris for their honeymoon, they were going to Fresno where he would interview for a new job-she would have to suck it up and be a part of their new “team” so that SHE could make HIS dreams come true..blah..blah..blah..
Then a meteor struck…her…she grew ginormous and was taken away by our government and given the name Ginormica! (Really) So I knew the film had taken a turn when we close in on a random and stereotypical couple at make out point (the impending aliens were preparing to attack). But in the car was a cute boy, shyly singing and avoiding a very assertive young women who moved in for some lovin’. The boy freaked and pushed her away…she was pissed. Then the aliens landed…the boy screamed and jumped into the girls’ arms and she carried him up over the hill to view the alien! SHE wanted the lovin’…SHE was pissed….She CARRIED him!! Now this was a new story!
This meteor had given Susan superhuman strength. She grew huge and was immediately put to the test and asked by our government to battle the aliens. She agreed…with the stipulation that she would be “released” and allowed to go back to her normal life. Well, she then proceeded to kick some alien-ass! She fought the alien on her own…when she asked her other monster friends for help she yelled “I am doing it all!” They helped her but she was large and in charge!!
So as the story progressed…Susan or Ginormica…was excited by her new power. She realized that she would never let anyone take it away from her. When it was taken by the evil alien leader she went after him and TOOK HER POWER BACK-literally. She owned it! She used it to save the world from the aliens. Everyone embraced her. Her mom, in the end, even told her that she knew some day her daughter would save the world.

Ginormica surprised herself when she realized that it took “getting struck by a meteor” to realize what a jerk her financee was. She kicked him to the curb in the end and left with her band of misfit monsters to continue saving the world. It was amazing. Not corny, not unrealistic (other than the monster/alien thing)…it was inspiring!
I do not know who these writers are…I do not know much about who runs Dreamworks other than they have made many great kids movies that I have seen with my son. I certainly do not know if anyone intended this to be a feminist film…but it is. It really, really is. You know, I read the post from Courtney about the end of the Women’s movement and was not sure what to think. But I now think that this movie is part of what she meant. Today, the women’s movement is about little accomplishments, little corners of world speaking the truth and people like me and you recognizing it. I am excited about this film and I hope you will all enjoy taking someone you love to see it.
Other fun things about the movie- references to the “convenient truth”, ET, close encounters and the Beverly Hills Cop jam session….
PS-Stephen Colbert as “The President”-PERFECTION!
Happy Monday!