If the events of 2017 have proven anything, it's that we're very far from being beyond sexism in movies. Here are 11 times films were dragged for sexism this year alone—and feel free to read with a side-dish of "Ughhhhhhhhhh."
Literally All of 'I Love You, Daddy'
Louis C.K.'s I Love You, Daddy lost its distribution deal following the New York Times report on the comedian's sexual misconduct. But, based on reviews from critics who saw the film early, that's no big loss. The movie, which centers on the relationship between a 17-year-old girl and a 68-year-old director, is reportedly full of misconceptions about feminism.
Karen Gillan's Outfit in the new 'Jumanji'
Early pictures of the new Jumanji cast were deemed sexist thanks to Karen Gillan's revealing and laughably impractical outfit. Gillan responded to the outcry, saying, "I'd never take on a role that was truly gratuitous for no reason. There's a really valid reason why she's wearing that. My character is really not happy about it!"
'Atomic Blonde's' Bisexual Love Interest
While seeing greater diversity in film is always something to strive for, sometimes the execution is off. Atomic Blonde heavily promoted a love scene between Charlize Theron and Sofia Boutella during its marketing campaign, but some critics felt the relationship reinforced reductive stereotypes and tropes about bisexuality.
The Lack of Women in 'The Fate of the Furious'
The Fast and the Furious franchise is a powerhouse at the box office, but its (rather large) cast skews very, very male. Michelle Rodriguez, who has been with the franchise since the beginning, personally called this issue out in an Instagram post:
"F8 is out digitally today, I hope they decide to show some love to the women of the franchise on the next one. Or I just might have to say goodbye to a loved franchise. It's been a good ride & [I'm] grateful for the opportunity the fans & studio have provided over the years... One Love."
Brie Larson's Conspicuous Absence from the 'Kong: Skull Island'
Coming off an Oscar win and the announcement of her casting as Ms. Marvel, Brie Larson was easily one of the biggest and most bankable stars in this year's King Kong reboot, Kong: Skull Island—which is why it's so weird that she was all but absent from many of the film's trailers and marketing materials.
'The Mummy's' Problematic Female Characters
The Mummy got pretty negative reviews across the board, but The Boston Globe best summed up the film's sexist portrayal of women with the following quote:
"The Betty and Veronica calculus of the female roles—sexed-up brunette vs. true-blue blonde—feels depressingly retro, and there’s the general unexamined queasiness of a naked Middle Eastern babe cutting a swath of destruction through London while an All-American hero and his neurasthenic British girlfriend try to stop her. You don’t have to have read the recent headlines to sense a callowness at play here."
Bikinis Galore in 'Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets'
Who knew bikinis were such popular attire in space? Valerian was criticized for its portrayal of female characters on many levels, but the blatant objectification of the film's (very few) women stood out.
The Uncomfortable Sex Scene in 'Kingsman: The Golden Circle'
If you saw the movie, you know the scene in question. If you didn't, it involved the protagonist seducing a woman and planting a tracking device inside her body by performing an explicit sex act.
The film's star Taron Egerton was so uncomfortable with the scene that he actually refused to shoot it, instead requesting a very specific stand-in: "I said to [director] Matthew [Vaughn] 'I'm not comfortable doing this.' So it’s not my hand—it’s Poppy [Delevingne]'s husband's hand. He saved the world," he explained.
[Spoiler's] death in 'Kingsman: The Golden Circle'
Keep scrolling if you'd like to remain spoiler-free, but many fans were outraged by Roxy's (the lone female spy from the first Kingsman film) death early in the sequel. Maybe don't kill one of the few women?
Johnny Depp Nixing a Female Villain in 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales'
Terry Rossio, who wrote the screenplays for the first four Pirates of the Caribbean movies, revealed earlier this year that Johnny Depp rejected his version of the script for the fifth film in the franchise because it featured a female villain.
"My version of Dead Men Tell No Tales was set aside because it featured a female villain," he wrote, "and Johnny Depp was worried that would be redundant to Dark Shadows, which also featured a female villain." Uhhh....WHAT.
The Poorly-Written Female Characters in 'Spider-Man: Homecoming'
The latest Spider-Man movie failed its female characters in a big way, giving them nothing to do and no real impact on the story.