Valerie Complex, Author at The Mary Sue

Valerie Complex

Valerie Complex is a military veteran, turned freelance writer and movie nerd. As a lover of Japanese animation, comics, and all things film, she is passionate about inclusion across all entertainment mediums.

All Posts

Fast color movie still. Ruth standing with her eyes closed.

Movie Review: Fast Color Gives Us What Other Movies Won’t

Marvel and DC have dished out film after film over the past 10 years, hoping to achieve billion-dollar success. However, neither film house had given fans a substantial representation of women and people of color until Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther. Julia Hart’s new film, Fast Color, aims to change that with actress Gugu Mbatha-Raw as super powered woman on the run in the west, thus giving moviegoers something no film is giving us right now: superpowered Black women.

Pahokee high students standing in graduation gowns in the auditorium.

SXSW Movie Review: Pahokee Will Have You Rooting for Its Hard-Working High Schoolers

What makes this experience so rare is that the audience learns about this small-town community that many have never heard of before. What's important is that you will leave the theater rooting for these students who desire to graduate and excel at life.

Jezebel movie poster.

SXSW Movie Review: Jezebel’s True Story Does Sex Work Justice

Jezebel is a sparkling debut for director/screenwriter Numa Perrier, which its SXSW premiere crowd acknowledged enthusiastically. The film deals with themes many will find unsettling. That’s unfortunate, because there's no reason to be uncomfortable with sex work.

Elle Fanning singing into a microphone in Teen Spirit movie.

SXSW Review: Teen Spirit Doesn’t Know What It Wants to Be

Teen Spirit, Max Minghella’s debut feature at SXSW, isn’t unlike anything you’ve seen before, narratively or aesthetically. Themes of youth and fame come up, wrapped in visuals akin to Nicholas Windin Refn’s The Neon Demon, and while Elle Fanning pours her heart into every performance, neither that, the film’s stylish visuals, nor boisterous pop songs could save it from ultimately being hollow.

Lupite Nyong'o in Jordan Peele's Us.

Movie Review: Jordan Peele’s Us Is Not for the Faint of Heart

Peele explores uncharted territory as he uses the concept of human connection as the foundation for the story and examines how the divide between the haves and have-nots of will lead to the downfall of American society.

Reporting Sexual Assault in the Military: Ciera Bridges’ Experience

Like most youth, Ciera Bridges felt lost. Unsure of the type of career she wanted to pursue, she decided to join the military in hopes of gaining long-term work experience. When Ciera first met the men who would eventually become her harassers, they appeared like welcoming individuals who were ready to help her adjust to life on the base, but things began to get uncomfortable very quickly.

Interview: Women in Pro Gaming Refuse to Be Ignored Despite Industry’s Apathy

Professional Gaming has come a long way since its beginnings in 1980, when more than 10,000 gaming fanatics gathered to compete in the Space Invaders Tournament, but in some ways, it's still stuck in the past.

Rebecca Romijn Loves Her Role on The Librarians and the Example It Sets for Her Daughters

At New York Comic Con, I spoke to Rebecca Romijn about her role on the hit TV show The Librarians (which will soon begin its second season) and how strong female characters are changing the landscape of Television.

Why Gaming Is Therapeutic for Those With PTSD

Video games immerse the player in a virtual world that exposes them to new environments and experiences. Players have a wealth of options to choose from, as gaming graphics and technology of the industry has come a long way. With gaming being a favorite among the world population it is no surprise that gaming can be used as an effective and therapeutic tool in the fight against post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).