Lack of female characters in movies

This is an interested blog article:

http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2007/11/10/6306/

Specifically it mentions the "Bechdel Movie Measure," which I had never heard of before:

In order for a movie to pass the Bechdel Movie Measure, it must have three characteristics:

1. There must be two or more women in it
2. Who talk to each other,
3. About something other than a man.

Seems damn reasonable. The rest of the article is about how nearly all the Pixar animated films fail that measure (except The Incredibles), most recently in Bee Movie, and how, even worse, Bee Movie even uses males to fill traditionally female roles, and ignores the fact that in "real life" female bees do all the real work, and the males only do sex. :)

Anyway, they make a very good point that animated movies, presumably geared to both sexes, are actually teaching young women that they really don't have any significant place in the world. And that blows.

It makes me want to think back to the last few theater movies I've seen and think about whether it passes the "Bechdel Test." The last few movies I remember seeing are: 30 Days of Night, Saw IV, Mr. Woodcock, and Resident Evil: Extinction. Of course, none of these are chick flicks (Dean likes horror flicks), by any means, but still, virtually any movie ought to be able to pass such a simple test.

30 Days of Night had more than 2 female characters (the sheriff's girlfriend Stella, Denise one of the surviving residents, other female survivors, female vampires, the little girl that Stella saves at the end, and various female extras). Unfortunately, I can't remember any specific scenes where 2 women talk to each other about something other than a man. But honestly there probably was, even if it was casual and insignificant. I'd have to give this one a hopeful maybe.

Saw IV had 2 women in it (barely, the female cop and Saw's ex-wife), but I really don't remember them talking to each other about anything other than a man (the two talked about Saw, but that's all I remember). I'd have to give it a fail.

Mr. Woodcock did have 2 female characters (Susan Sarandon as Mr. Woodcock's love interest and the main character's mom) and Amy Poehler (the main character's book agent). But I don't remember them talking to each other, much less about anything other than a man. I have to say this one is a doubtful maybe.

Resident Evil:Extinction had more than 2 women in it (the main character Alice and Claire, the leader of one of the surviving bands). Thinking back, they definitely interacted, and about something other than a man. This one, surprisingly for the genre, definitely passes.