Itty Bitty Titty Committee

Rise up, comrades! Here we have an educational feminist propaganda movie dressed as a comedy. A bunch of no so pretty girls doing not so much real work, they partying a little and doing not so much revolutionary work in not so much funny movie. They try to explore their sexuality in not so explicit way. Most of the movie is blaming these white racist, I mean these men who are pigs or something. Except for those dumb but lovely boy toys who are good at licking the female parts.

Wow. Is this supposed to be modern or progressive? I call it both dumb and naive.

I happen to live in a former communist country where the REAL feminism was a daily thing. We have had these really emancipated women who were driving tractors, working in steel mills and doing all possible "male jobs" including serving in military and dying for our country. It was not pretty nor erotic - the daily hard work was no so good for their bodies nor soul. Also they were included in some real revolution and had the honor to be jailed, punished and executed as their male comrades. Not so romantic and not so pretty in reality.

I would recommend to folks who think this is progressive to visit some real place where the women have their revolutionary roles assigned by government like Northern Korea. A year or two could teach them about their prospect in REAL class-less society. It is way different than they think.

Some confused folk might think this naive propaganda movie is somewhat inspirational or funny. I consider this to be a slow and somewhat boring horror movie because I have seen the society where this became a harsh reality. Something like a funny movie about a bunch of mad outsiders who are mad at the oppression of the society and decide to found an activist group called NSDAP. Funny. Real funny.

Rarely have the ideas of social rebellion, political anarchism, and radical feminism reached such an uninspired status. Itty Bitty Titty Committee seems like a gay film for the self-conscious or the quiet homosexuals; a film that they can watch and release their inner-self, yelling at the screen and even going as far as personally siding with the character(s). However, due to its thin and uncertain nature, this film doesn't appear to have much of a thought as to what direction it wants to go in. Political commentary? Humanizing the feminists in general or the characters in the film? The idea of exercising the right of an opinion in a country that fears unpopular ones? These are all discarded while the film attempts to make up its mind.

The story concerns Anna (Melonie Diaz), a young woman working at a plastic surgery clinic and has just gone through a rough breakup. She is inhabiting a life of utter dullness, slogging through numerous patient appointments, and obtaining stress from her sister, whose wedding is right around the corner. When she meets Sadie (Nicole Vicius), a social activist responsible for the "C(i)A" (aka, "Clits in Action," if you couldn't make out the little text reference. The C(i)A works in giving the impressionable public a taste of the strength that women possess, yet are forced to repress in a male-dominated culture. They reject marriage, both gay and straight, defile public landmarks, and stage protests with strong, incorruptible messages feeding on power and deviance. Anna soon becomes consumed in this lifestyle, and her morals and ethics become flipped upside down as her obedient nature is turned into a smarmy, non-conformist personality-change that feeds on ego and narcissistic intentions.

There's nothing more disappointing than a film with an idea that results in a missed opportunity, and Itty Bitty Titty Committee is a grand one. Its idea could instantly brew a fiery sociological debate among pro-feminist and anti-feminist activists based on the content and issues it shows to its audience. Unfortunately, it gives us dull, archetypal anarchists whose motivations seem to not be because of global needs, but shallow personal ones. Our lead characters, mainly Sadie, seem less concerned with how others feel and more concerned about their well-being and personal needs.

Even the monologues delivered by the members of the C(i)A leave a lot to be desired. When we're dropped into a world foreign to our "normal" one in films, we'd like to be provided with a little backstory into the setting, time period, and philosophy of the characters. Consider Red State, Kevin Smith's film that focused on a devoutly religious family that committed atrocities against gays and non-believers. The leading male, Michael Parks, was given a roughly ten minute monologue expressing the motivations of his church in a shivering and unblinking shot. The dialog given to the audience here is disjointed, largely unmemorable, and those unaware of feminist goals or common tactics will not learn very much about them other than they are self-righteous, outcasts in society, and very concerned about how many site visits they'll receive. And they have a talent for swaying Anna with their tactics in only what seems to be a few days.

On the bright side of things, director Jamie Babbit (of But I'm a Cheerleader fame) continues to show promise in her career as a director, as do several of the actresses here, and the soundtrack and cinematography were the two primary things keeping me alert and in-tune with the film. Yet the lack of an introduction on feminism itself, the repetitive state of events, the senseless and absurd ending, and the emptiness of any deeper meaning, Itty Bitty Titty Committee quickly spirals down to the level of forgettable obscurity I'm almost certain it was trying to avoid.

Starring: Melonie Diaz, Nicole Vicius, and Melanie Mayron. Directed by: Jamie Babbit.

Wickedly talented director Jamie Babbit once again has her finger on the pulse of queer culture with this wry romantic comedy in which anarchic punk twenty-somethings vivaciously vandalize patriarchal symbols under the name of the C(I)A (Clits in Action). Fresh out of high school, mundane lesbian Anna has no direction or motivation. Having recently broken up with her girlfriend, she is the maid of honor at her picture perfect sister's wedding and works a monotonous job at a plastic surgery clinic. It's not until she meets foxy Sadie as she's spray painting empowering statements on Anna's office window that she wakes up and finds a purpose. Intrigued, she follows Sadie down a seedy back alley to her guerrilla girls' headquarters and meets the other members—angst-laden artist Meat, brainchild Shulasmith and ally transman Aggie. Even though these rebels are a bit slapdash, their down-with-the-man attitude and infectious style has the precocious baby-dyke fired up and joining the fight! As the estrogen flows during a crucial road trip, frolicking friends and alluring glances ignite a steamy romance between Anna and Sadie that could upset the delicate order of the C(I)A. Set to the inspiring riot grrl music of Sleater-Kinney, Bikini Kill and Le Tigre, Itty Bitty Titty Committee isn't your traditional feminist film: instead, it's an ode to grrl power for the gender-bending queer punk generation.

This film was a lot of fun! As passionate and serious as these anti-male-dominated-society grrls tried to be, they tended not to stray too far from reality and didn't take themselves too seriously. There were lots of hard laughs for me, starting with the name C(I)A and ending with the take-over of the Marcy Maloney TV set! In addition to all the fun and laughter, I also enjoyed the themes of friendship, loyalty, betrayal, and purpose. 10 stars!

this film, which I saw in San Fran and then twice in LA knocked my socks off. Jamie Babbit needs an Oscar....this is fun, factual, funny and for god's sake a really good love story. I think that anna and sadie are sexy and really real as chicks who dig chicks....daniela sea has never been better and guin turner is funny. BUT THE BEST Part is the story. Good old fashion love story set against the funny group of hot chicks trying to change the world. This is so true and real it hurts. It is funny and the best lesbian film I have ever seen. I have seen a lot of them. Cheerleader is really good but this one is so much better. I don't know what film some of you gals are talking about here..only thing I can think is your uptight and then this film is not for you. BEST LESBIAN FILM EVER!!!!!

I saw the Itty Bitty Titty Committee at a screening and was quite surprised. Even though I - as a man, may be not the main target group, I really liked the movie. Director Jamie Babbit makes some very interesting stylistic choices and the camera work is really innovative; that was one reason why I really had fun watching the movie. Besides this the story is very well developed, it as a nice exposition, and before you even notice you are already a part of Anna's (the protagonist) life and in the middle of the IBTC. The actresses do a really great job, Melonie Diaz is already established in the independent movie scene and the Itty Bitty Titty Committee shows why - she has found a very sensitive way of interpreting Anna's part and it is amazing watching her playing this girl. Also to mention are several well-known faces who are also part of the IBTC as Daniela Sea (The L Word) or Carly Pope (Popular). Moreover I was really impressed of the editing that goes along with great music, that completely hits the atmosphere of the movie. So to bring this to an end: As a (independent) film lover I was happy to see the Itty Bitty Titty Committee and can only recommend it to everyone who is interested in good movies. And of course, seeing beautiful women making out is always a reason to see a movie ;-)