Cuties

[Emily Lake]

I find it a bit off-putting that the movie is about 11 year old girls, and features them behaving very provocatively, incorporates a lot of sexualization of children on the verge of pubescence, and claims to be a commentary on the over-sexualization of girls... while being rated for Mature Audiences.

 

[ronburgundy]

Sounds like the original and still most pervasive cancel culture, the right wing, is at again, and showing that conservatives are oblivious to the nature of satire.

Well, it isn't satire. The tone is serious. The director clearly states that it is a critique of the hyper-sexualization of young girls in our culture. The movie is about how a young immigrant girl navigates her conservative, immigrant background and the hyper-sexualized milieu that exists in her adopted country.

The controversy reminds me of the one surrounding the movie Kids.

Humor is a common but not a neccessary feature of satire. Satire can merely spotlight some aspect of society to foster critical examination of it.

Also, even if "Cuties" isn't attempting to prompt critique, it doesn't mean it's endorsing or glorifying or promoting the behaviors either. It may merely be being honest about some aspect of life. There is nothing remotely unusual about girls that age and younger mimicking the most sexual dance moves of their culture to the most sexual songs of the time. My step sister and niece did the same thing back in the 80's, and my first "girlfriend" in the 70's at age 7 got on stage with girls from age 6 to 16 in skin tight outfits and danced sexually to "If you want my body and you think I'm sexy" while all their parents and families cheered. Odds are this wasn't the first time those young actresses in Cuties had tried those "dance" moves.

Hell, there is a reality show dedicated to mom's who exploit their kids in dance competitions by having them perform sexualized dance moves in skimpy outfits, such as this "Country Cuties" episode of "Dance Moms". Who wants to bet that those mom's are among those "outraged" about this movie.

 

[ruby sparks]

I think it's worth throwing into the mix what the director has said:

"..director Maïmouna Doucouré has explained that she and those who have criticised her movie are actually fighting the “same fight” ".

"Doucouré, meanwhile, has said the film aims precisely to denounce a culture that inappropriately sexualises girls".

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-...ix-controversy-maimouna-doucoure-b448315.html

Whoops, I see that J842P (and possibly others) have already cited the director.

 

[OLDMAN]

If your going to be a world class dancer, athlete or anything, you have to start at a very young age. The question now becomes one of material that is age appropriate.

 

[repoman]

If your going to be a world class dancer, athlete or anything, you have to start at a very young age. The question now becomes one of material that is age appropriate.

For boys would the analogy be them aping the violence, occasional drug use and sexual prowess (being a ladies man) of adult men because they are "cool" role models to look up to?

 

[southernhybrid]

I think it's worth throwing into the mix what the director has said:

"..director Maïmouna Doucouré has explained that she and those who have criticised her movie are actually fighting the “same fight” ".

"Doucouré, meanwhile, has said the film aims precisely to denounce a culture that inappropriately sexualises girls".

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-...ix-controversy-maimouna-doucoure-b448315.html

Whoops, I see that J842P (and possibly others) have already cited the director.

She had a piece about why she did the movie in WaPo, ( I think it was WaPo ) this morning where she explained what motived her to do the movie. It made perfect sense to me. She was merely warning about how little girls are being sexualized at a very young age, often due to the influences of social media. I remember her saying something about how little girls notice that the sexiest acting woman get the most attention. She had studied different groups of young girls for quite awhile before making the movie. She was trying to show what young preteens are dealing with these days. It could be seen as a warning to parents, or a statement about the sexualization of women from late childhood and on. I have no watched the movie dnd doubt I will have the time, but I respected the director's reasons for making the movie.

Imo, the criticism are an excuse for our puritanical conservatives to criticize the left without having an inkling of why doing such a movie can have value. Maybe I will watch the movie tomorrow if it's still on Netflix while my husband takes his nap. The movie wold likely bore him, but it might hold my attention since it sounds as if it has interesting characterization and some opportunities to learn.

I have a 9 year old granddaughter. From a discussion I had with her about a year ago, I had the impression that boys were already flirting with her, although she didn't really seem to know what was happening. So, I am certainly concerned about the sexualization of little girls. They don't really understand what's going on and they can be easily exploited. I got the impression that perhaps that was one of the points of the movie. I guess I need to watch it, if I can find the time.

 

[repoman]

this is a good example of this excessive early sexuality of boys being used as comedy. It is a bit cringey, but whatever. At any rate this is one of the funniest review rants I have seen

 

[repoman]

At 19 minutes in he says about Milk Money :

So that's Milk Money, a creepy premise with a creepy delivery. Maybe if this was made in France as an independent film with a hard R, maybe something could have come from this.

France always know how to deal with this stuff, lol.

 

[Jason Harvestdancer]

Humor is a common but not a neccessary feature of satire. Satire can merely spotlight some aspect of society to foster critical examination of it.

Also, even if "Cuties" isn't attempting to prompt critique, it doesn't mean it's endorsing or glorifying or promoting the behaviors either. It may merely be being honest about some aspect of life. There is nothing remotely unusual about girls that age and younger mimicking the most sexual dance moves of their culture to the most sexual songs of the time. My step sister and niece did the same thing back in the 80's, and my first "girlfriend" in the 70's at age 7 got on stage with girls from age 6 to 16 in skin tight outfits and danced sexually to "If you want my body and you think I'm sexy" while all their parents and families cheered. Odds are this wasn't the first time those young actresses in Cuties had tried those "dance" moves.

Hell, there is a reality show dedicated to mom's who exploit their kids in dance competitions by having them perform sexualized dance moves in skimpy outfits, such as this "Country Cuties" episode of "Dance Moms". Who wants to bet that those mom's are among those "outraged" about this movie.

Watched that ...

First thing, the artist in me was impressed. I cannot dance, I look like a marionette with its strings tied in knots being jerked around at random. I guess my Latin blood didn't come out true there and I'm the result of two generations of marrying "the blonde". I was mightily impressed with their ability to move in ways that, after 40 years of trying, can't even come close to being able to do.

Then, once I remembered the subject, I wished they had displayed their skill with a different routine.

But wow, I wish I could move that skillfully.

 

[Gun Nut]

It’s a real concern. Girls’ bodies often show physical development that far outstrips their emotional development or actual physical development. Having breasts doesn’t mean you are ready for sex or sexual attention from boys and men or that your body is ready to carry a pregnancy. Much less that you are ready to deal with any of the consequences of sex.

Which is more or less the theme of the film, as I understand it. Have not seen it myself.

The idea that simply documenting something on film causes it to happen more is not an argument I have ever seen substantiated. It seems more like magical thinking (the psychological kind, not Pagan-y kind) than any sort of logic.

Pagan-y kind?

the Harry Potter kind versus the Logical Fallacy kind.

 

[GenesisNemesis]

Oh well, I guess the left is full of pedophiles then. Time to stop being a leftist, I suppose!

... /sarcasm