Women’s Week: Girlhood, Oscar’s Curse, and Herzog Hits on Women – Cathryn Atkinson reports

Does multiple-Oscar contender Boyhood unintentionally demean girls? Current buzz points out that Richard Linklater’s epic tale explores the bright future of Mason, the young male protagonist, while tracing the ongoing collapse of confidence and gradual demoralization of his sister, Samantha (Lorelei Linklater). Meanwhile, two new studies present further evidence that women’s ambitions in the film industry are being scorched and torched. But there’s also a positive note this week: Werner Herzog finally gets it – he says he wants to make more movies with female protagonists. Read on…