Just minutes past six o’clock and the parking lot was nearly empty, with the exception of a teacher’s car and a few students who left soon after I arrived. A reason for the low attendance may have been because the recognition of fall sports, which was originally planned to be before the show, was canceled.  Based on all of the negativity towards the event I heard in the hallways, I was expecting a low outcome, but the actual outcome was shocking. Maybe Friday the 13^th wasn’t the best day to plan a movie night at school.

Hollywood is a place some dream of, where people are willing to change every unique aspect of themselves to become famous.  Millions of people from our country and around the world look up to the few lucky persons on T.V. or in magazines whose lives seem so glamorous, almost perfect.  Young girls aspire to be seen as talented and beautiful, like the most recent pop star.  During the past few weeks, women have been depicted in a few different ways, all of which have become popular.  Katy Perry released another of her signature bouncy hits, this one called “Teenage Dream”.  This song is basically about a girl who falls for a guy that makes her feel like she is living a “teenage dream.”  Depending on if you like Katy Perry’s controversial music, this song may be your new favorite.  The song itself may not have any shocking lyrics, but the music video shows many scenes that made Katy Perry the famous pop star she is now.

Eat Pray Love

Liz Gilbert, the main character in Eat Pray Love, is the complete opposite of the girl depicted in Katy Perry’s song.  She proves that women can find their joy in life through adventures, making this a must-see for many girls.  Unlike most “chick flicks,” this movie is not about falling in love or drama, but about an independent, smart woman who is just having fun.  Julia Roberts perfectly captures the main character of this movie, which is based on the book written by Elizabeth Gilbert.  This film has been harshly critiqued by many who basically called it boring and the main character spoiled.  Director Ryan Murphy pointed out how “There are so many rites-of-passage movies for men. Not a lot for women.”  He is saying that it is normal for men to find themselves through exciting experiences, but is not for women, even if it should be.  Eat Pray Love shows that girls can have adventures and find their freedom. 

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

            Some women in our culture are portrayed as having too much freedom, such as Lisbeth, the main character in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.  This is a book about a girl who is genius hacker and gets pulled into helping a journalist uncover the truth about a disappearance.  Her character is wild, with her strange tattoos and intimate relationships.  Lisbeth is very intelligent but her mistakes make her relatable, which is why the book is popular enough to be made into a movie. 

The past few weeks of entertainment have included many different women role models, it’s the choice of all those who are reading, watching, or listening to pick which one to look up to.