Tough Cookie reviews the latest female led action film Haywire starring Gina Carano

“Haywire” Movie Review

I saw “Haywire” exactly a year ago today, and I’m sorry to say that I was rather disappointed. Despite hearing reports of weak fight scenes and uninspired acting, I still had my hopes. You see, I’ve been waiting for a film like this for a while – an action film with a female cast in the starring role who can both act and do all her own action… essentially a stunt actress. It's exactly the…
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Tough Cookie Sharon Waxman compiled a report on the representation of women (or lack thereof) at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival

Sundance: The Rise of Women Directors

The Sundance Film Festival came to a close today in Park City, Utah. And although I was unable to be there this year, I have been keeping tabs on the happenings there and have come across some very exciting news that I just had to share with you all. For the first time in Sundance history, the film festival has an equal number of women directors as it has men directors for its "in competition"…
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Read Variety's 2012 Women's Impact Report and the Tough Cookies who made the list

The Kickin’-A List: 2012 Women’s Impact Report

As we enter 2013, let's take a minute to look back on 2012 and acknowledge the women who kicked serious ass in some of the year's most powerful films and TV shows. Amid all the testosterone-heavy tentpoles and hit pay TV action series of 2012, it was the female characters that really delivered the knockout punches. From the heroines of summer block­busters to the folks that made the smallscreen sizzle, women held their own in…
Posted inMovies, Real Cookies, TV Shows
Superhero Tough Cookies like Batgirl, Wonder Woman, and Supergirl are in all of us

The Superheroes in Us

At this year's World Domination Summit, Chris Brogan said "When we look up to superheroes, it’s because there are aspects of us that we see in them that we want to bring out in ourselves." I couldn't agree more. In fact, I think that's true of any successful, powerful character we see on the big screen (or our personal television screen). The "superheroes" we see in the movies need to be reflections of us, or else…
Posted inMovies, TV Shows
Tough Cookie asks, where are the women directors at the Cannes film festival?

Where Are The Women Directors at Cannes?

I attended the Cannes Film Festival and Film Market earlier this year in May 2012, and was astonished at the complete lack of official festival competition films directed by women. It was a shock felt around the world by many in the industry - women AND men alike. In response, Change.Org created a petition to the Jurors of the Cannes Film Festival, calling them to commit to more transparency and equality in their selection process.…
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Actions speak louder than words, especially in action films

Action Speaks Louder

... than words. So why shouldn't that be true for action films as well? All too often we see that painful moment when the hero has nearly lost, and the villain - so close to victory - decides to reveal his entire evil plan, which of course is used against him as soon as the hero is back on top again. Or how about when the hero and heroine are sharing a brief moment, and…
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