I wanted to write a funny article about my women only screening of Wonder Woman, I really did. I had plans to do it before I even saw the movie. I even have a draft saved that talks about how we were all given pamphlets about smashing patriarchy, we burned our bras, and swore fealty to the Earth Goddess. Then I saw the movie and I can’t help but pour my heart out and save this previous draft for another day.
I spent all weekend patiently waiting for Monday, something I feel weird typing. I bought a ticket for one of the hotly debated women only screenings of Wonder Woman at the Alamo Drafthouse in Brooklyn. Initially, I wasn’t even planning on going. A friend texted me telling me I should go, so I casually looked at the seat availability to see if I even could. Alamo theaters tend to sell out very quickly (I couldn’t even see GOTG2 until two weeks after it’s release), so I wasn’t expecting any availability. The Monday 7:45 showing had 6 seats left. I got off the subway at the next stop so I could get wifi to buy a ticket. I was late to my sketch writing class.
Watching the reviews pour in over the weekend got me hyped up. I stayed off Tumblr and away from Twitter links because I wanted to go in fresh, no ideas of what to expect. I saw so many women talk about how they had so many feelings. I tried to mentally prepare myself. When the day came, I was really nervous. Sometimes, I deal with anxiety. This was one of those times. I’ve gone to movies by myself a million times, why should this experience be any different?
This was different because this was a theater of women. This was different because it was a film I didn’t ever think would exist. It was released to the public burdened with expectations. I tend to view movies with relative objectivity, but I don’t know that I could with this one.
At this particular theater, you buy your tickets (whether online or in person) and go directly to your seat. Your server then checks your ticket at your seat to ensure you’re where you’re supposed to be. This screening, however, someone checked my ticket at the door–which answered my first question about how would they screen men who decided to buy tickets because they could.
I got to my seat and ordered what I consider to be one of the best burgers I’ve ever had (literally I spent all weekend thinking about this burger). I looked around me and saw a comical amount of glasses filled with rosé, but I also saw a sea of women excited for Wonder Woman. Not only the audience, but the staff—which was only women—also were in the spirit of the event. Just before the movie started, the manager (I think? She didn’t identify herself) addressed the audience, noting what a week it had been. But, we persisted. This movie starring a woman, directed by a woman, has been shattering records—shocker, right? We raised a glass and toasted, cheering, “we are wonder women, hear us roar!”
After trailers for Professor M (which, I wanted to so painfully turn to the girls next to me who vocalized they thought it was the worst trailer ever and explain that this movie was about the creator of Wonder Woman) and Dunkirk (probably not a great move to play a trailer featuring 1000% men before this Wonder Woman screening), the amazingness started.
I cried a lot sooner than I expected. The red hot second tiny Diana showed up and flaunted her tiny bracers, I started tearing up. Watching Diana watch her elders at fight practice, watching these women move so gracefully and fiercely, I couldn’t handle it. It was new. I had never seen anything like it on screen. I’ve never seen women represented this way. Sure, I saw Kill Bill. I’ve seen various lady fight scenes. Wonder Woman is a very, very different movie.
I pretty much cried during the whole movie. This movie is for me.
The shot of Diana standing on the demolished runway after defeating Ares, standing on her own while the men are struggling to their feet, struck the biggest chord for me. I moved to New York in January–away from all my friends and away from everything I’ve ever known. I was at this screening on my own. I’ve always done things on my own. I grew up an only child, I was surrounded by my parent’s friends. I am Diana. I am in a new land on my own, trying to do my best. This shot of Diana reflected everything I have felt since I moved to New York. I am on my own, but I am not alone. I have a purpose and I believe in love. I will come up against men telling me “no” every day. But I will cross No Man’s Land anyway.
The movie ended and I had no words. Actually, I had a lot of words. The words were stuck in my brain funnel and I couldn’t get them out. Thinking about it now and writing about it, I still can’t get the words just right. I still have too many feelings about my feelings.
I can end with this though, to all the readers who are women: we are all Wonder Women, hear us roar.