Monday, December 01, 2008

By Marijke Rowland
mrowland@modbee.com

last updated: July 03, 2008 11:41:10 AM

It seems only appropriate that this Fourth of July weekend sees the opening of another superhero movie.

Will Smith crashes into a theater near you today as "Hancock." Fine, he is a cranky superhero. But he is still a superhero and not a superheroine.

This summer, like so many past, has been all about the hero and not the heroine. We've got Iron Man, Batman, the Hulk, Hancock, Hellboy. How many superheroines are there?

Well, we've got firestarter/sidekick/love interest Liz Sherman in "Hellboy II: The Golden Army." But, seriously, what kind of superheroine name is "Liz Sherman"? That won't look good on a marquee.

What gives? Why can't girls leap tall buildings in a single bound. What's wrong with "It's a bird, it's a plane, it's Superwoman!"?

Certainly, there have been some superheroine films. "Supergirl." "Catwoman." "Elektra." But they all shared a common theme — basically, they sucked.

So, why can't, or won't, Hollywood make a good superheroine film?

My guesses are money and a simple lack of imagination.

Strong female characters exist in television a plenty. Sure, they don't always wear a cape or fly a magic plane, but we need only to look at all the tough-as-nails detectives, lawyers, doctors and vampire slayers to know they are out there and can be done well.

But in Hollywood, the old adage that women can't open a film is still taken very much as gospel. But I think that is, pardon my hick, total hooey.

Really, if you think about it, a superheroine film might do even better with the target audience. What do teenage boys and young men like? What do teenage boys and young men think about all the time? What do teenage boys and young men obsess over?

No, not video games. OK, video games is one of the things.

But the other is us ladies. Hello, duh.

So, for once, maybe a little sexist objectification could work for us. They say just getting your foot in the door is half the battle, right?

Which, if "Catwoman" and "Elektra" are any indication, is where movie studios have gone wrong. They've gone total objectification, too little kick-assification. "Elektra" was like a Victoria's Secret commercial with kung fu.

What brings in the superhero audience is great action sequences. I think if they can see women who look great in a great-looking action sequence, they'll come to the theaters just as happily (if not more so) than they do now to see big muscle-bound guys in great-looking action sequences.

So, Hollywood, give us a good action story and just watch the fellas coming running. And, guess what, you might even get a few more gals in the door, as well.

Elsewhere around the Scene:

Catch Modesto rockers Anthem on Saturday at the Queen Bean in Modesto.

Performing with the Modesto Area Music Association Award-nominated band will be the Monterey act Letter to Leaders. The all-ages show starts at 7 p.m. More at www.myspace.com/anthem. ...

Looking for something a little more ambient? Then check out Shadow Fax (aka former MAMA Award-winning band Transport member Jason Rivers) on Saturday at the Fat Cat Music House & Lounge.

Rivers now performs experimental electronica as Shadow Fax. He will perform music off his new, all-originals album, "Last Resort."

Show starts at 8 p.m. Visit www.myspace.com/djshadowfax. ...

And finally, Modesto native and recent "Top Chef" contestant Ryan Scott has taken over as the new executive chef and partner at Mission Beach Café in San Francisco.

The eatery was a popular pie and pastry spot in the Mission District and will present a new lunch, dinner and weekend brunch menu under Scott.

The Los Banos High graduate was the former chef and manager of Myth Café in

San Francisco and competed on the fourth season of "Top Chef," the popular Bravo TV reality show. Scott joins co-owner and pastry chef Alan Carter and proprietor Bill Clarke at Mission Beach Cafe.

For more on the restaurant, visit www.missionbeachcafesf.com.

Bee entertainment writer Marijke Rowland can be reached at mrowland@modbee.com or 578-2284. Read her blog SceneIt at thehive.modbee.com/sceneit.

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