Women Writers Of The World, Unite! Let’s Help Cheryl Strayed’s, Wild, Get To The Oscars

by @thewritermama on August 29, 2014

Breaking Reviews From The Telluride Film Festival For Cheryl Strayed’s Memoir-turned-movie, Wild

Technically it’s Reese Witherspoon’s adaptation of Cheryl Strayed’s memoir, Wild.

But let’s not be too picky. There would be no Wild, The Movie, without Cheryl Strayed’s book coming first.

But have no doubts that I love you, Reese Witherspoon, for making this book into a movie. ‘Cuz I do.

And I want to see you guys both crush it, and make it to the Oscars!

So I’m posting what I consider the best reviews from The Telluride 2014 Film Festival here.

Yes, yes, the reviewers get to be the judges.

But guess what? We then, get to judge the reviews.

You know me, always doing my part!

Champion More Production Companies Like Reese Witherspoon’s

What would going to the movies be like for women and girls if we had more female producers like Reese Witherspoon?

“But about three years ago, when my producing partner and I started our company, we had a purpose: We wanted to bring forward more female characters in film and have more interesting, dynamic parts for women. There’s a clarity to our work, which is great.” @RWitherspoon

Read the interview at Vulture.com:

http://www.vulture.com/2014/08/how-wild-saved-a-reese-witherspoon.html?mid=twitter_vulture

The Best Of The Wild Reviews From Telluride

Here’s the first one I found after the premiere and it’s a winner!

Deadline Hollywood review of Wild by Pete Hammond

“What better place to premiere a movie about a woman walking through the wilderness than Telluride? This film is about me, which is very strange. But when I was writing the book, one of the things I thought all along the way was that it really isn’t about me. I always wanted to write a story about this journey that was about all of us. And I am just so honored by the film that Jean -Marc made because it really does honor that vision.” ~ Cheryl Strayed via @deadlinepete

http://deadline.com/2014/08/wild-world-premiere-reese-witherspoon-movie-telluride-film-festival-826952/

This one was first, as far as I could tell. Go, Pete!

The second review I found had too many spoilers for folks who have not read the book and was kind of begrudging, so I’m not posting it here.

To that reviewer I would simply say, “A bunch of spoilers does not a good review make.”

In other words, “Go ahead and give away all of the best parts of the movie, why dontcha?”

The Hollywood Reporter review of Wild by Stephen Farber gets third place in timing, but is still a really well-written review.

“The profound precariousness of all her life’s journeys is what makes her hard-won victory so stirring.”

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/wild-telluride-review-729047

Thank you, Stephen!

HitFix.com review of Wild by Gregory Ellwood.

“Witherspoon is so good many will argue this is the best performance of her career.” @HitFixGregory

http://www.hitfix.com/in-contention/review-reese-witherspoon-goes-for-it-all-in-wild

Awesome review. Thanks, Gregory!

Here’s the fifth review I found by Tim Gray at Variety.

As one industry vet said, “The man next to me was copiously sobbing. But you know what’s going to make this film a hit: women.” @timgray_variety

http://variety.com/2014/film/news/telluride-wild-premieres-to-oscar-buzz-for-reese-witherspoon-1201294361/

Another Variety review by Justin Chang

“…a ruggedly beautiful and emotionally resonant saga of perseverance and self-discovery that represents a fine addition to the recent bumper crop of bigscreen survival stories.” @JustinCChang

http://variety.com/2014/film/reviews/telluride-film-review-reese-witherspoon-in-wild-1201294437/

Sadly, I did not think the first review I found by a woman writer was worth reading so it is not include here. It was more a recap of the early hours of the festival with the review of Wild tacked on in a rather non-energetic manner. I noted that this review appeared in a blog of the publication that ran the other review that I thought was not worth reading.

Are there really no headlining female movie reviewers? But if so, this is just sick and wrong and systematic of a studio system that is not serving women viewers.

Eric D. Snider of Complex gives Wild four and a half stars

http://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2014/08/wild-review

Without being anything like a screed or manifesto, Wild comes across as an empowering, emotional tale about a woman taking control of her downward-spiraling life. Many of her experiences are unique to womanhood, and some may only apply to Cheryl Strayed specifically. But there’s also a universality to it, a sense that anyone, male or female, could find inspiration in Cheryl’s it’s-the-journey-not-the-destination story.

Is Wild, the movie only going to please women, as some have said. Well, I don’t know. An awful lot of these positive reviews are from men. And then there are brand new fans like this one…