On Valentine’s Day, this blogger finished a project in which he watched thirty “chick flicks” in thirty days to “understand the opposite sex”, subtitled, “One Guy’s Exploration of Romance Through Movies Loved by Women.” As the title suggests, the majority of the movies he watched were run-of-the-mill rom-coms, which, while a guilty pleasure of mine when I feel like turning off the brain after a long week, really don’t offer a well-rounded representation of women’s experiences or woman-made film. This got me thinking about what an feminist film project would look like, and whether I, Die-Hard Couch Potato, was up to the challenge. And if by “up to the challenge” one means “already sitting on the couch every night with laptop in lap,” the answer is yes.
I have a long, conflicted history with film and movies, and only in the last few years have I developed the patience and vocabulary to explain what I like and dislike about certain films. The sad truth, what with all the money and production work put into one movie, is that most of them are crap. And yet movies are one area of pop culture that is worth evaluating through an anti-oppression lens, 1) because movies are consumed by so many people, and 2) because movies communicate so much about our cultural values. I don’t expect that movies present a perfectly tuned feminist or anti-oppression message, so much that I want to see an authentic narrative that, like any good story, sheds light of understanding on what it means to live, imagine, and dream. I’m particularly interested in how the stories of girls and women are represented on film.
After sharing the original “chick flicks” project on Facebook (where you should be one of our illustrious fans), one reader offered this awesome list:
1. Born in Flames.
2. The Battle of Algiers.
3. Sophie’s Choice.
4. The Piano.
5. Gone With The Wind.
6. In The Mood For Love.
7. The Last Unicorn.
8. Tootsie.
9. Fay Grim.
10. Some Like It Hot.
11. His Girl Friday.
12. Code 46.
13. Terminator 2.
14. The Secretary.
15. A Star is Born.
16. After Life.
17. Ties That Bind (Su Friedrich)
18. The Color Purple.
19. East/West.
20. Alien.
21. The Accused.
22. The Secret of NIMH.
23. What’s Love Got To Do With It?
24. The Joy Luck Club.
25. Steel Magnolias.
26. Fried Green Tomatoes.
27. Foxfire.
28. French Kiss.
29. Working Girl.
30. The Way We Were.
As a fan of Amy Tan as an adolescent, The Joy Luck Club was a favorite I wouldn’t mind revisiting as an adult (see also, Fried Green Tomatoes, where I’d like to revisit the erasure of the primary lesbian relationship put forth in the novel), and I still love Alien (all of them! even Resurrection!) and the Tina Turner biopic.
Unlike the originator of this project, I will be limited to what is available via Netflix or cable (thus I doubt my ability to get ahold of all of the movies listed above). With my schedule will not be able to complete the project in thirty days, though I do promise to write a review of each. Movies I’ve watched recently that could be included in this list are Maria Full of Grace, Towelhead, Every Fucking Day of My Life, and Ginger Snaps, but I will gladly take suggestions for more of any genre in the comments. Like I mentioned above, I am interested not in the perfectly feminist movie, but in narrative movies that interrogate what it means to be female in any context.
Please give a short description of each film along with the title. I hope to have my first review up before Monday.
Also, this project needs a name. Because “chick flicks” is too condescending a term to reclaim.
Love & Basketball!
It is about a female athlete, starting in high school and continuing after college. It focuses a lot on how differently she is treated than her also athlete love interest because men’s sports are taken seriously. And it focuses a lot on how she is pressured to be more feminine rather than athletic.
The plot is nothing groundbreaking, but the characters are really well done. And it is really good.
“The Ladymovie project”
“FemFilm 30″
umm…that’s it for me. I can’t think of any movies that haven’t already been suggested.
Some of my favorites with strong, interesting female main characters:
Happy Go Lucky (drama/comedy) – an optimistic, always-looking-on-the-bright-side young woman navigates the challenges and serious downturns of everyday life.
Long Kiss Goodnight (action/adventure) – Geena Davis stars as a kick-ass CIA agent, just recovered from amnesia (and living the life of a sweet, stay-at-home mom).
Things You Can Tell Just By Looking at Her and Nine Lives – both by Rodrigo Garcia – intertwined vignettes about different female characters, glimpses into their lives.
Dirty Dancing (this one probably doesn’t need a description, right?) – sexual awakening/growing up of an idealist, intelligent – but sheltered – young woman in the 1960s.
I know I’m forgetting some, but these are some of my favorites.
Also, I second Fried Green Tomatoes, Steel Magnolias, What’s Love Got to Do with It?, The Accused, Terminator 2, and Gone with the Wind. :)
I’m glad to see you doing this, Lauren, and psyched that you’re pulling from my list off Facebook. It seemed like an idea that was ripe for subversion. What would be really great is to get *that guy* to also watch these films and see how his mind gets blown. Not sure that I’d need to hear all his thoughts on it, but I’m glad that I’m going to get to hear yours. If you’re ever interested in a dialogue around these movies (or others — I always love to talk cinema), feel free to contact me. I’m on Twitter @circlesoffire, and searchable on Facebook via my name. Best of luck!
2 Days In Paris? Maybe.
The first movie that popped into my head was actually Transamerica. I’m woefully ignorant about what transfolk’s reactions to this movie were, but in terms of narrative scope and depth of character, I think this movie fits the bill.
And out of left field, how about Stick It: teenspirational sport movie about female gymnasts marching to the beat of their own drummers or whatever. I watched it on network tv once, not expecting much, and was pleasantly surprised. Certainly not the best movie in the world, but an impressive addition to an anemic genre.
Also Tank Girl, because it’s bad, badass, and awesomely bad. And for most of my adolescence I wanted to be Jet Girl (I will never accept Naomi Watts as a blond.)
Oh, God! Of course! Has anyone mentioned Heavenly Creatures yet? Best friends escape into dream world, are “accused” of being lesbians, threatened with being separated, try to escape through murder. One of the best depictions of ambiguously platonic adolescent female friendship I’ve ever seen (up until the gruesome matricide, that is).
OK, last one, I promise: V.I. Warshawski. Probably just as bad as Tank Girl, if not worse, but it has Kathleen Turner kicking major ass as a hard-boiled Chicago P.I., and I absolutely loved it as a preteen. Probably because one of the main characters is a young teenage girl with a lot of spunk.
Oh – I loved 2 Days in Paris! Plus, Julie Delpy starred, wrote, directed, and composed the music for it.
(apologies if this repeats an earlier post; never commented here before so not sure if I’m in moderation or just needed to enable cookies–the movie list temporarily drew me out of lurkdom)
Also strongly second many of the movies on the list above (and The Long Kiss Goodnight) but have to add these:
Thelma and Louise !!!!
Personal Best
Rush
A League of Their Own
The Hours
Better Than Chocolate
Somewhat problematic but maybe worth including is
Heaven and Earth.
And I guess being made for TV disqualifies it, but if not, The Women’s Room is terrific.
(and living the life of a sweet, stay-at-home mom)
Teacher.
Juno.
Transamerica. Rachel Getting Married.
I would suggest Femme Films. Because what we’re talking about is feminine identities, whether feminine means acting like a “woman” or having a vagina, right?
Sorry – didn’t include the descriptions.
Transamerica is about a trans woman who learns that she fathered a son before her transition and how she deals with the repercussions.
Rachel Getting Married is about a young woman who is released from rehab for her sister’s wedding and how their family deals with love, loss, and addiction.
Although a kid’s movie (that I love), The Golden Compass has a badass female lead character.
Haven’t seen it, but Whit It?
By that I mean, Whip It, the roller derby one also containing Ellen Page.
I’m seconding herong’s suggestion of Transamerica. Felicity Huffman was fantastic in that.
My suggestion goes to Volver. A woman runs a restaurant that doesn’t belong to her while covering up a self-defense killing, taking care of her teenage daughter, hearing of–and discovering the truth about–an alleged haunting by her own mother’s ghost, and hiding another secret of her own. All kinds of other hijinks ensue. Bonus points for an amazing performance by Blanca Portillo in a supporting role.
Real Women Have Curves.
Fire – The film’s director and screenwriter is Deepa Mehta (known for tackling feminist issues in her work).
Fire was the first Indian movie (though the characters mostly speak in English) to portray a homosexual relationship between two women. It revolves around the daughter-in-laws of a conservative, Hindu, middle-class household and how the bindings of patriarchy draw the two women to eachother.
It sounds like you have more than enough good suggestions, but I also recommend Double Happiness, which is the first thing I saw Sandra Oh in. She plays a young Chinese woman who is trying to become an actress but also has to live with her traditional parents who just want her to get married. It’s directed by a woman named Mina Shum and it’s from the early 90′s.
Superstar – The Karen Carpenter Story
Powerful discussion of eating disorder, body image and celebrity culture – all acted by Barbie Dolls. You can find it on youtube.
Company of Men
A representation of pure misogyny. Aaron Eckhart acting is perfect as a businessman who decides to destroy a woman’s life.
But I’m a Cheerleader
A fun and campy – and ultimately quite sweet – satire of homosexuality reeducation camps. RuPaul costars as a masculinity coach.
Death Proof
Tarrantino’s most explicitly female focused film, by casting stunt woman Zoe Bell in the lead (playing a stunt woman), he presents a fascinating discussion of female action stars.
The Brave One
About the experience of being a woman confronting the fear of crime living in the city. Jodie Foster is, as always, fantastic.
Jodie Foster’s role as Clarice Starling in Silence of the Lambs is a definitive strong female hero.
I also want to second Dirty Dancing, Tank Girl, Transamerica and Rachel Getting Married.
A disappointing number of my favorite films are by men, but Bend It Like Beckham is directed by a woman and stars two women! I wish they had stuck to what I heard was the original concept, which was to leave out the male love interest and make it a lesbian romance, but I still like it. The main character is a soccer fanatic who joins a local team and tries to keep it a secret from her conservative parents. It really covers a lot of things – sexism, racism, the generation gap – but it’s quite a funny film.
Rabbit-Proof Fence.
Three little girls. Snatched from their mothers’ arms. Spirited 1,500 miles away. Denied their very identity. Forced to adapt to a strange new world. They will attempt the impossible. A daring escape. A run from the authorities. An epic journey across an unforgiving landscape that will test their very will to survive. Their only resources, tenacity, determination, ingenuity and each other. Their one hope, find the rabbit-proof fence that might just guide them home. A true story.
Water.
The film examines the plight of a group of widows forced into poverty at a temple in the holy city of Varanasi. It focuses on a relationship between one of the widows, who wants to escape the social restrictions imposed on widows, and a man who is from the highest caste and a follower of Mahatma Gandhi.
Actually i’d recommend any of Deepa Mehta’s films -Fire, Earth, Heaven & Earth – she is a great director.
Beautiful Kate directed by Rachael Ward,
A writer, Ned Kendall, is asked to return to the family home by his sister Sally, to say goodbye to his father who is dying. The family home is in a very remote and isolated area. While back home, Ned starts having memories of his beautiful twin sister and himself when they were children. These memories awaken long-buried secrets from the family’s past.
I wandered over from Yes Means Yes!, just going through sidebars on feminist blogs, and I’m a total movie geek. Unfortunately my tastes run to explosions, violence, and martial arts, so finding unproblematic plots is…almost impossible.
That said, seconding recommendations on The Long Kiss Goodnight and, unbelievably, Stick It – it has great messages about female strength and friendship, and for once the triumphant part of the movie isn’t “sticking it” (sorry) to the b*tchy girl that picked on you, but about all the girls showing solidarity together.
Another favourite of mine is G.I. Jane. O’Neill is unapologetically aggressive and competent in a closed male culture, and “suck my dick” will remain one of my favourite parts of that movie. (although later viewings cause me to frown at the attitude towards homosexuality, it’s a realistic depiction of how it’s currently viewed by the American military, so.)
Oooh, and yes – Whip It was also fun. Pretty standard sports movie, but also girl-positive. And interesting to see the male lead relegated to the “obligatory love interest” role for once.
there are some pretty awesome Chinese female directors as well like Yin Lichuan & Li Yu…. check out this amazing lady Esther Eng
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/hkedition/2010-01/23/content_9365379.htm
Seconding Rabbit Proof Fence. How about:
Amelie – The story of a young woman who tries to give her life meaning by doing good deeds for others. Not directed by a woman, but..Audrey Tatou is so wonderful as Amelie, and certainly a strong, female character.
Persepolis – A beautifully animated film about a girl growing up in Iran during the Iranian Revolution. Directed by Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud, who also wrote the original graphic novel based on Satrapi’s life.
Pan’s Labyrinth – a young girl faces monsters, both real and fantastic. Set during the Spanish civil war.
Like Water For Chocolate – three sisters and the choices they make. Based on the novel.
Muriel’s Wedding – great Australian film, Toni Collette and Rachel Griffiths play friends dealing with family dysfunction, body image, disability, romance.
Run Lola Run/Lola Rennt – German film about a strong young woman affected by choices and coincidences.
Carrie – the Stephen King story. Says so much about fears surrounding female sexual power.
Coal Miner’s Daughter- Sissy Spacek in a biopic about Loretta Lynn, groundbreaking country artist.
Not sure if it is exactly what you’re after, but:
Boys Don’t Cry – written and directed by Kimberly Peirce. Hilary Swank plays a transgender teenager. It definitely isn’t a ‘chick flick’, and I’m not sure it is even about what it means to be female, but it’s definitely concerned with gender and what it means to be a man/woman. Plus Hilary Swank is awesome.
Ha, Better than Chocolate, Rachel Getting Married, and But I’m a Cheerleader are TERRIBLE movies. Rachel’s sister in Rachel Getting Married is like a caricature of a “horrible evil addict.” Seriously was this movie created just to demonize drug users…or just to be unpleasant to watch? She’s a rich self-absorbed spoiled brat who wishes she had real problems for some reason and whose being high *killed her brother*. Overkill much? The other two, I just had to laugh at how terrible they were while I watched those. Especially “Better Than Chocolate”…talk about cliche and stupid.
My favorite lesbian movie is “Saving Face.” Its about a Chinese-American lesbian couple, a surgeon and a dancer. I relate to the surgeon in certain little ways. It’s also a mother-daughter movie…the surgeon’s mother is pregnant out-of-wedlock so she is disowned by the grandpa and moves in with her daughter. Its really sweet and funny.
Surfthechannel.com has some movies and TV shows.
How about Contact? A Jodie Foster movie about a scientist searching for extraterrestrial life. It weaves some feminism through it without being a feminist movie.
Long Kiss Goodnight (action/adventure) – Geena Davis stars as a kick-ass CIA agent, just recovered from amnesia (and living the life of a sweet, stay-at-home mom).
ms honeybee, YES!! I got this for my mom on Mother’s Day several years ago, and I think she’s burned holes through the DVD from watching it so much. Glad to see another fan!!
Frida: Salma Hayek plays Frida Kahlo, Alfred Molina plays Diego Rivera, directed by Julie Taymor. Phenonmenal film. One of my “desert island” flicks. I still can’t believe Molina didn’t get an Oscar nomination for this. Who’d he piss off in Hollywood?
Norma Rae: Sally Field plays “Norma Rae”, the fictionalized character of the real-life kick-ass union organizer Crystal Lee Sutton. Sister Sutton died recently of cancer after being denied coverage from her insurance company.
Girlfight: Michelle Rodriguez plays a young woman who becomes a boxer. Directed by Karyn Kusama.
Hairspray: The original one by John Waters, dammit! Ricki Lake plays an overweight teenager who becomes the “star” of the local TV dance show while standing up for integration.
North Country: Charlize Theron stars in the fictionalized account of the real-life story of Lois Jenson. She won the first major sexual harassment case in the U.S. Directed by Niki Caro.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fabulous Stains!: Diane Lane plays the leader of a punk band of young women. One of my favorite rock and roll films.
Chocolat: Juliette Binoche plays a drifting, unwed mother without religious convictions who scandalizes a small town in France when she…refuses to go to church, opens a chocolate shop during Lent, shelters a woman from her abusive husband, encourages townsfolk to follow their dreams, welcomes Roma people, enjoys a sex life with Johnny Depp, that sort of thing.
Whale Rider: Another one directed by Niki Caro. Keisha Castle-Hughes plays a young Maori girl destined to lead her tribe despite the patriarchal wishes of her grandfather.
Sunshine Cleaning: Directed by Christine Jeffs. Amy Adams plays a single mother who starts a cleaning company that specialized in crime-scene cleanup. I wrote about it here after my daughter and I saw it at the theatre.
Vicki Cristina Barcelona: Where to begin? Sexual adventure and artistic exploration in Barcelona. And Javier Bardem is HOT. Try to forget it was directed by Woody Allen.
Frozen River: Directed by Courtney Hunt. A white woman and a Mohawk woman, both poor single mothers, fight desperate circumstances by smuggling people across the Canadian border.
Jackie Brown: Pam Grier plays both sides against the middle and wins.
and…..(because you can never get enough of women kicking ass)
Wanted: Angelina Jolie kicks major ass as an assassin. This one was filmed in Chicago—if you liked the fight scene on the “el” in Spiderman 2, you’ll love the “el” scenes in this one!
Kill Bill (1 & 2): shut up! My mom liked this almost as much as the Long Kiss Goodnight. That’s as good a recommendation as any.
oh….and if “An Education” is still playing at the theatres in your area, run, don’t walk! to see it. I hope Carey Mulligan takes home the Oscar.
Ginger Snaps: Indie Canadian horror flick about two sisters, lycanthropy and menarche.
I want to second the “Fire” recommendation. It’s a really great movie.
“Julie & Julia” is a really interesting movie about two women living very different lives and the psuedo mentor/mentee relationship that exists between them.
Another one for the list is “Real Women Have Curves.” It’s a coming of age story about a young Mexican American woman who discovers her own agency (both sexual and otherwise) and leaves her family for college.
I’d prefer to see Ruby in Paradise over Sophie’s Choice. Sophie may be a complicated female character, but she’s also a young writer’s masturbatory fantasy and is seen and understood entirely through his eyes. Frustrating.
I have to second Norma Rae, Real Women Have Curves, Steel Magnolias, and Persepolis.
Another great film with strong female characters, and discussions of racism:
The Secret Life of Bees : Set in 1960s South Carolina, it’s a film about a pre-adolescent white girl searching for her abandoning mother, who finds herself becoming part of a family of strong (and unmarried!) black women.
Company of wolves, spirited away and the 1939 The Women for something light. Maybe Orlando and conceiving ada, but I’d hesitate to recommend these wholeheartedly after Tilda Swinton’s spectacular fails.
This may be kind of controversial, but Catherine Breillat is one of my favorite directors. Her movies are pretty explicitly feminist, but they do live up to the mission: exploring being a woman in society.
I think her best film is the Last Mistress. It’s about a woman and a man in a really dysfunctional but comfortable relationship. It’s very timeless (in the sense that it’s a historical piece, but feels very modern).
I have to second Carrie. I think horror movies have a really good way of getting at our cultural baggage.
I think Transamerica is very interesting when it comes to understanding what makes a person a woman. It is about a transwoman who is mid-transition and still learns how to be a woman, so the film shows how much of a social construct gender is
I’d suggest Patti Rocks, despite its X rating. I love it because it’s one of the few films directed by a woman, one of the few films where older women are allowed to be interested in sex, (instead of knitting booties and waiting for grandchildren), and one of the few films where marriage isn’t automatically assumed to be the answer for every woman’s problems. I’ve watched it, and no, nobody gets naked, nobody is raped and nobody is murdered. The sole reasons for the X rating seem to be
A: a middle aged woman taunts two young men, using sexual language, and
B: Patti refuses to marry the man who got her pregnant, because he’s an irresponsible jerk.
I suppose if the two men had raped and murdered the two women, then it would have gotten a much more commercial R rating.
So many good movies listed!
I second Chocolat and But I’m a Cheerleader and also put forward Monster (starring Charlize Theron in a role she won multiple awards for, written and directed by Patty Jenkins, about the life of Aileen Wuornos, a sex worker) and for a bit of fun, My Big Fat Greek Wedding.
One more. Notes on a Scandal. Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett.
Also, Waitress starring Keri Russell. Themes include abusive marriage, unwanted pregnancy and delicious pies. Written and directed by Adrienne Shelly, who also has a role in the movie. Interesting note – according to wikipedia, Shelly was murdered by a construction worker in her home and her husband has since started a foundation in her name that gives an annual award for films opposing violence against women.
The Good Girl (2002), with Jennifer Aniston, John C. Reilly and Jake Gyllenhaal. Surprisingly good performance by Aniston.
I would second a LOT of the suggestions on here (Amelie, But I’m a Cheerleader, Monster, Kill Bill, North Country, Friday, Run Lola Run)
But I’d also suggest:
Lost in Translation (written and directed by Sophia Coppola, a young newly wed woman and a older male actor—both American, meet randomly while in Japan and form a friendship.)
Ghost World (Friends, Enid and Rebecca, graduate from high school and occupy themselves by pranking a middle aged man, which ends up complicated for everyone involved.)
If you’ve got the nerve for it, Teeth is a comedy/horror film about vagina dentata. I strongly recommend it. Also, Saved confronts a lot of the issues facing adolescent girls while poking huge holes in Evangelical culture (thought is has a few touches of racism that I thought were entirely avoidable).
I’m male, so I’m not sure how much weight people will or should put on my comment, but I really wanted to make sure Miyazaki’s “Nausicaa of the Valley of the Winds” got mentioned. The main character is a really wonderfully strong woman — practically every other scene involves everyone around her freaking out, and her calming them down. Also, whether or not the director was thinking of this in feminist terms, Nausicaa models the very-important-for-feminists strategy of going around patiently telling everyone about clearly established truths, even though most of them just ignore you and act like idiots. And of course — SPOILER ALERT, though you can probably see it coming anyway — at the end, the long-prophesied hero, depicted in prophetic art as a bearded man, turns out to be Nausicaa herself.
Oh, and another vote for Long Kiss Goodnight. Cooks do that!
Oooh Whale Rider is sooooo good. I second (third? fourth?) that.
And I’ll defend Rachel Getting Married. Yes, it’s a bit cliché, but the women acting in it are simply superb and there is deep truth in the interactions of the family. I cried.
Iron Jawed Angels – about the female suffrage movement in the US. Excellent performance by Hillary Swank.
Harold and Maude- comedy/romance/drama about the relationship between a liberated, rebellious older woman and a young man in the 1970s.
The Crying Game- action/drama amazing film that somehow ties together the IRA, transgender life, and prostitution.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fabulous Stains- cult classic about an all-girl punk group’s rise to stardom
Also, I second Amelie, Thelma and Louise, Born and Flames, and But I’m a Cheerleader.
The Dreamlife of Angels- a French film about two young women who become unlikely friends.
Big Girls don’t Cry- a German film about two teenage girls and how their friendship is affected when one of them finds out her father is cheating. She plots to get back at the mistress and her daughter with tragic results.
Closer- a movie about relationships
The Origonal Sin- She’ll make you fall in love with her, steal your money, come back and steal the rest, then put rat poisin in your tea, shoot her boyfriend for you and try to save your life.
Also I love the Waitress and Ginger Snaps.
Boys Don’t Cry has to go on your list–it will break your heart, but it will be worth it. It starts Hillary Swank as a gay girl trying to pass as a guy in a conservative southern town. Chloe Sevigny plays a major role, too.
A few more:
Heathers- 1980s highschool drama classic, a sort of predecessor to Mean Girls
Wait Until Dark- Hitchcock thriller/horror starring Audrey Hepburn as a blind woman (but thankfully not portrayed as a helpless one).
Woke up this morning thinking “How could I forget Jackie Brown & An Unmarried Woman?” But see someone already mentioned that, so seconding it, and Real Women Have Curves & Ruby In Paradise &Ghost World & Girlfight and & most of La Luba’s and all of Spilt Milk’s recs, esp Carrie (I’m one of the few who seems to think the sequel also had a ton to recommend it, granted the first did it better).
So, An Unmarried Woman — especially interesting to see the *huge* difference in how much was taken for granted back then; it would now be considered massive progress to get back to ’79 era attitudes in some ways, especially reproductive freedom.
Also:
Brokedown Palace
two by Susan Seidelman-
Smithereens–prototypical early 80′s punk movie, tons of energy. Desperately Seeking Susan (and also with Rosanna Arquette, Baby, It’s You)
& since people are describing reasons for their choices in some case, reiterating some from earlier that you might no already know:
Personal Best — Best! Track Movie! Ever! By miles. Intense friendship and on/off romantic relationship ‘tween two hurdlers/heptathletes (Mariel Hemingway & Patricia-I’mdrawingablank, a real heptathlete) who are simultaneously helping each other out and competing for spots on the Olympic team. One of my favorite films ever and a million miles better than I just made it sound.
Rush — True story by a female author with a female lead (Jennifer Jason Leigh) and a female director (Lili Zanuck) in a traditionally male genre (crime/undercover narcs). Genuinely great movie that deserved vastly more critical and commercial attention.
I’d like to agree with Latinist. I haven’t seen Nausicaa, but Miyazaki often features strong female characters in his films. I’d recommend Princess Mononoke (a young woman, raised by wolves, battles humans to save the forest where she lives) and Spirited Away (a young girl must save her parents from a curse while being helped and hindered by gods and spirits) as well.
A few suggestions that I don’t think have been mentioned:
The Incredibly True Adventures of Two Girls in Love- Two high school girls from very different social and economic backgrounds face the world as they fall in love.
Nine to Five- Three women overthrow their “sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot” boss.
Maborosi- A young woman remarries after her husband’s mysterious suicide, but still seeks meaning in the wake of her grief.
Sakuran- A prostitute in Edo-period Japan deals with the (im)possibility of love.
Nana- Two girls with the same name meet by chance. One dreams of being a famous musician, while the other girl’s life revolves around her boyfriend. After getting to know each other, both girls’ lives change significantly.
And I can’t summarize this film because I haven’t seen it, but Kamikaze Girls/Shimotsuma Monogatari is a film about the friendship of two girls that I’ve been meaning to watch…
Going over my list of favourite and well-loved movies reinforces for me how many of them are male-centric. Ouch. This is not news, but something of a painful reminder. I can’t say that I have a lot of movies that speak to me anything particularly powerful about women and womanhood(s). (Although the Alien series is a personal favourite!)
But I can offer up some general movie recommendations that incorporate positive and/or interesting women in significant ways: Le voyage du ballon rouge, Heathers (admittedly, my love for this movie is probably perverse and this may not fall under the heading of “good” cinema), Sukkar banat (also by a woman director), Secretary, and Omohide poro poro.
Bonus: haven’t seen it yes, but have heard that it is incredible, by Canadian director Patricia Rozema: When Night Is Falling
Someone above mentioned Saving Face, which I just got my hands on and am eager to watch.
WTF. FFS Brandon Teena was a trans man not “a gay girl trying to pass as a guy”.
This sounds like a great project, Lauren! I’m looking forward to your reviews. It appears that you have plenty of great suggestions, but I just wanted to point out two films (recommended by several commenters) that I really disagree with:
1. Transamerica: Many, many trans activists have slammed this movie for being transmisogynistic. I haven’t seen it, but I would definitely take trans people’s word for it since it’s a film concerning their lives.
2. Lost in Translation: Oozing with white privilege.
I know there is no perfect feminist film, but these two movies are particularly problematic.
Movies I especially second:
Boys Don’t Cry. (I cry every single time.)
But I’m a Cheerleader. (this movie so helped me out as an uber-closeted dyke teen with a fundamentalist Christian mother.)
Real Woman Have Curves. (When I saw this for the first time, I was struggling with an eating disorder, so it really affected me in a good way.)
Persepolis. (one of my favorite movies, hands down.)
Death Proof. (bad-ass ladies. ’nuff said.)
Muriel’s Wedding. (taking on the marriage industrial complex with a side of self-esteem plus yay female friendships? What’s not to love?)
Also:
Thirteen.
Itty Bitty Titty Committee.
My Summer of Love.
OMG I love the Swinton and all of her weirdness! What did she do?!
…and seconding Jadey’s WTF about Boys Don’t Cry. Great movie, but not about a gay girl.
Another one here for Run Lola Run. I loved that film.
Swinton, I believe, is one of the many devoted Roman Polanski supporters. This breaks my heart in many ways.
I also agree with Dawn. that Transamerica and Lost in Translation are movies that have been pointed out to be problematic in some ways. Not that being problematic is automatically a reason not to *watch* a movie – hell, Gone With the Wind is problematic – but it does bear consideration on how this impacts what one gets out of it (and whether one pays for it, in my case). In the case of Transamerica especially I question whether it does actually represent trans women very well.
P.S., would it be possible to delete my wonky comment at 55? I didn’t realize I’d hit post that soon and it’s just taking up space.
Bagdad Cafe- a German film about two women in the American Southwest dealing with having been abandoned by their husbands. The movie starts out in German, but the bulk of it is in English. Very funny.
Gal Young ‘Un- a little known movie, filmed in Florida, and based on a story by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. It’s about a middle-aged woman dealing with her husband’s teen-aged mistress.
Both of these films are directed by men, but both of them show women as strong, intelligent people, capable of dealing with their problems without masculine guidance.
Fun project! I’m looking forward to it. Here are some movies that I don’t think have been mentioned:
Different for Girls – About a trans woman who reunites, post-operation, with a childhood friend who stood up for her in high school.
The Turning Point – The story of two women who were childhood friends and ballet dancers. One chose to start a family, one to pursue her ballet career. It’s a good look at the choices women are/were forced to make between family and career.
Little Women – Based on the novel by Louisa May Alcott. Making women its central characters, it follows the lives of four sisters.
Victor Victoria – (From Wikipedia): “A 1982 musical comedy film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer that involves transvestism and sexual identity as central themes.” It stars Julie Andrews as a woman who pretends to be a male who impersonates a female. It explores gender roles in an interesting and funny way.
The Magdalene Sisters – A movie about teenage girls sent to the Magdalene Asylums–actually existing homes for “fallen” women, run by the Catholic Church. It explores how society defines what constitutes a “fallen” woman and how women’s sexuality is policed.
WTF. FFS Brandon Teena was a trans man not “a gay girl trying to pass as a guy”.
This. I read the description and thought “is there another film called Boys Don’t Cry starring Hilary Swank that I am not aware of?”
I forgot about Julie & Julia. That one really is pretty satisfying from a feminist viewpoint.
Not many films about older women on the list. I vote for Swimming Pool (wonderful older woman – meets young woman and self discovery ensues film). Saving Grace and Calendar Girls are British films that are pretty mainstream but the protagonists are over 40 and satisfyingly sassy.
I also think Veronica Guerin starring Cate Blanchett is a great example of a strong female lead in a traditionally male genre and not enough people saw it.
I’m sad that no one else has mentioned Love and Basketball. I bet it would have been a really popular feminist movie if the lead characters were white. Sad day.
First of all, have to add another vote for Persepolis and Ghost World. Love those movies.
But one of the best movies I’ve seen about women, love and relationships is an Indonesian film called Berbagi Suami or Love for Share. It’s written and directed by a woman named Nia Dinata. Aside from taking on the issue of polygamy in Indonesia, it follows the lives and loves of three women whose stories intertwine in interesting ways.
Unfortunately, I don’t know how available it is, but it’s worth a look if you can find it!
I second Baghdad Cafe. Great movie!
Also:
Passionfish: with Mary McDonnell and Alfre Woodard, directed by John Sayles. An actress becomes a paraplegic after a car accident and has to move back to her family home. Sounds schmaltzy, but it is touching and hilarious and very sexy.
The Women: the original with Joan Crawford, Roz Russell and Norma Shearer. A wife discovers her husband’s affair with a shopgirl and her girlfriends get bitchy.
Mrs. Miniver: Greer Garson is the matriarch of a British family during WW2.
Mrs. Henderson Presents: Judi Dench buys a theatre and decides to save her business by featuring all-nude revues.
All About Eve: Bette Davis. Enough said.
“I also think Veronica Guerin starring Cate Blanchett is a great example of a strong female lead in a traditionally male genre and not enough people saw it.”
YES. Veronica Guerin was an amazing woman.
All About Eve I also second.
Great project!
I enthusiastically second Frozen River, which is really wonderful, and Passionfish – and speaking of John Sayles I would add Casa de los Babys, which is about a group of American and European women who have traveled to a fictional Latin American country to adopt babies, and they have to spend a certain amount of time there before they can officially adopt, so the film mostly revolves around their interactions in the hotel where they are all staying.
Also: Crooklyn. Made by Spike Lee and based on a fictionalized version of his childhood in 1970s Brooklyn, it focuses on the relationship between his sister and mother, and the girl’s coming of age.
Vera Drake: it’s about a British woman who performed illegal abortions in the 1950s without even her family’s knowing about it. (I think it’s based on a true story but not sure.) I understand that much of the script was improvised by the actors – it’s a really powerful story and perfectly executed.
The Stepford Wives (the original with Katherine Ross, not the cringe-inducing remake). You’d think it would be dated – maybe a little, but it holds up very well overall and is a great story with two really interesting female leads.
Osama – about a girl who dresses up like a boy (women and girls aren’t allowed outside without a male escort) so that she can get a job to support her family. Also, this was the first film to be made in Afghanistan since the Taliban banned filmmaking in 1996.
Women’s Prison by Manijeh Hekmat -a story that spans 18 years in a women’s prison in Iran
Raise the Red Lantern
Also, I don’t know if you’d be able to find it or not, but Moolade is a really great film by Ousmane Sembene. Its about a woman in Burkina Faso taking in some young girls who ask her to protect them from female “circumcision”.
I’d also like to second (or third – or whatever):
But I’m a Cheerleader
Persepolis
Run, Lola, Run
Thelma and Louise
Kill Bill 2
I’ve only skimmed the thread, so I may be seconding some of these.
Sophie Scholl – EVERYONE SEE THIS MOVIE RIGHT NOW! The true story of three young German students, members of The White Rose, executed for high treason by the Third Reich. It focuses on Sophie, and the power with which she lives her last hours. I’ve only seen it once, and that a long while ago, but it has haunted me.
A League of Their Own – I know I saw this mentioned. Besides female friendship, it’s a really wonderful, authentic movie about sisters who fight, but still love each other at the end of it all. Plus, baseball!
Sense and Sensibility – Again, sisters, and all the friendship and chaos that entails, with the added bonus of being Jane Austen.
A Very Long Engagement – Matilde looks for her fiance, who was supposedly KIA during WWI, and Matilde? is amazing. Has the added bonus of being anti-war.
La Vie en Rose – Marion Cotillard won an Oscar for her portrayal of Edith Piaf. It’s a heartbreaking, complicated, glorious biopic of a complicated, glorious woman, and it pulls no punches.
The Guitar – a woman discovers she has terminal cancer, which spurs her into changing her life completely. It’s better than I make it sound, I promise.
Annie – The 1982 musical. It manages to be a lighthearted, but affecting, musical about a bunch of miserable orphans and their miserable caretaker during the Great Depression, without being too treacly. Carol Burnett gives Miss Hannigan humanity as well as hilarity.
Mirrormask – Similar to Pan’s Labyrinth and Coraline, in that a young(ish) girl enters a fantasy world that is pretty freaking creepy and has to put things to right. Less nightmare fuel than the former; about on par with the latter. One of my favorites.
Pan’s Labyrinth – seconded.
Marie Antoinette – I’m surprised no one has mentioned this. It’s a little fluffy, sure, but it gives humanity to one of history’s most reviled women.
Elizabeth R – the BBC miniseries – Hands down the best Elizabeth adaptation I’ve ever seen.
Legally Blonde – I’m sort of ashamed to admit how much I like this movie, but whatev. It’s all about Elle learning to love herself, right?
Frida – seconded.
Battlestar Galactica: Razor – It doesn’t make much sense if you don’t watch the show (which you should), but it’s all about Admiral Cain and her lover, Gina, a Cylon who may also be an informer, as well as Cain’s (female) protege. The look on Cain’s face when she realizes that Gina was a plant, and the reaction that follows, is just mind-blowing.
Waitress – seconded.
Run Lola Run – seconded. Poor Lola, being in love with such a moron.
Has anyone else noticed that a large number of movies being mentioned are non-Hollywood (i.e. indie or produced in other countries)?
Actually, I would love to second Love and Basketball! I have seen it (well, parts at different times, when working with teens who rented it all the time….).
My Life Without Me: a young woman finds out she is dying of terminal cancer, and she makes a “to-do” list to finish before she dies. Making videotapes of herself for her daughters to watch after her death, visiting her father in prison, etc. Poignant. Directed by Isabel Coixet. Sarah Polly plays Ann, Deborah Harry plays Ann’s mother, Alfred Molina is Ann’s father.
This thread will now become my Netflix queue.
Just chiming in that no, Boys Don’t Cry’s central character is not a “girl”, gay or otherwise. I was really surprised to see more than one commenter bring this up as a “female” experience! I thought the feminist/queer community had this whole conversation in like the early 2000s about how “trans dude” /=/ “butch lesbian”.
That said:
I haven’t seen it in over a decade, but I remember Citizen Ruth as an amazing movie. Ruth, addicted, pregnant, and in trouble with the law, finds herself the center of a struggle between antichoice Christians and “prochoice” feminists who still fail to see Ruth as a person capable of making her own choices. Touching, hilarious, and close to home.
I don’t understand how Transamerica shouldn’t never ever be mentioned, but it’s ok to mention Gone with the wind and Some like it hot. Double standards? Because both of the films are super offensive in my book. I actually watched Transamerica using my own critical judgment, did not like everything, but thought that for the reasons I mentioned in my previous comment it was interesting.
Hi, Orlando,
If you’re responding to me (and Dawn), then I’m pretty sure neither of us used the phrase “never ever”. Personally, I offered a contrary opinion based on my interpretation of this list being “by and about real women” as some kind of criterion for authenticity. I completely recognize that “authenticity” is difficult to judge, particularly in the case of what makes a woman (and this is especially fraught when it comes to trans women*), but considering that Transamerica has been called out by some trans women not only for not representing trans women well but also for better representing cissexist notion of transness, then maybe it isn’t a movie that someone would want to watch in order to appreciate actual trans women.
Genuinely, I think that what we are doing now is an interesting exercise and a great way to get cool feminist and women-positive movie recommendations out there, but it’s also an opportunity to be mindful of other problematic aspects of the films we enjoy. I say again that this is not a reason to never ever watch these movies; just a very good thing to be aware of and to incorporate into our experiences. Honestly, I am open to people sharing with me oppressive aspects of movies I love that I did not glean myself (for example, House of Sand and Fog is one of my favourite movies of all time, but I recently learned that what I thought was a positive representation of Iranians is not at all, which does change how I share the movie with other people).
I will say that I do think that the suggestion of Boys Don’t Cry to me is even more problematic right now than Transamerica because so far I think only one person has made it very very clear that they realize that the main character is not a woman, even though he is played by a woman. Again, not because I hate this movie and don’t think people should watch it, but because the title of the post is “by and about real women”. (Admittedly, only one of the movies I shared was by a woman, so clearly complete adherence is not something I’m striving for, but I really want more people to be clear that they know Brandon Teena is a man, considering he was killed because people thought he was a woman pretending to be a man.)
*related awesome post by Mercedes Allen, The Prequisites to Woman
Ooh, I also wanted to link this thematically-appropriate video that incorporates a lot of the movies (and some TV shows) that we’ve been celebrating on this post: Charmax’s I’m Your Man (various viewing options available; a series of clips from several TV shows and movies, which listed in the description on the site under “Source”, set to Patricia Monaghan’s cover of “I’m Your Man”; lyrics here.) Have fun getting that song out of your head.
Blog posts by trans women discussing Transamerica that I meant to include in my second-last comment:
Lisa Harney @ Questioning Transphobia: Digital Ventriloquism: The Ethics of Speaking About Minorities
Gudbuyt’jane @ eponymous blog: Cissupremacy: The Hollywood Edition
Done linking now! :) Also, just to be clear, my last comment with the video is meant to be related to the OP and general ensuing discussion, and not to these specific comments on problematic aspects of some movies.
Jadey, I’m with you. I think adding “real” to the title was a misnomer, but I was being reactionary to the “30 Chick Flicks guy.” I don’t want to exclude any kind of woman.
I have seen “Boys Don’t Cry” but not “Transamerica” because of the drubbing it took in the blogosphere. If there are any other movie suggestions that center transwomen I’d love to add them to the list.
any and every film by Margareta von Trotta
any and every film by Agnes Varda
any and every film by Marleen Gorris
any and every film Chantal Akerman
any and every film by Kim Longinotto
Daughters of the Dust by Julie Dash
and too many more to have time to list
but so interesting to read other’s lists…thanks!
Got to back up Jadey on the Boys Don’t Cry thing. It just feels a bit squicky in a list like this.
I have to really second Orlando, despite the main character being a man for a big chunk of the film. Throws up a bunch of really interesting stuff around gender and history and what happens when those things shift around a person. Also, it’s incredibly funny.
P.S. I was just wondering yesterday about the fact that there’s no equivalent to “chick flicks”, no term to denote films made for and about men which women wouldn’t necessarily be interested in…which is the assumption about chick flicks and male viewers and why someone created the term. Obviously, the vast majority of films would fall under that category if we had a term for it (rage reels, dude duds, or how about just Men’s Movies and let’s call a spade a spade???)….
Anyway, on and on it goes with the idea that women’s experience can and should be noted because only certain people would care to know about it, while assuming that men’s experience is universal and therefore not needing to be categorized.
Orphans, if it can be found. (Two sisters trying to negotiate an adult relationship while dealing with a family legacy of addiction.)
I’m gonna put down Sympathy for Lady Vengeance.
Here’s a good review on it: http://www.ferdyonfilms.com/?p=392
Gold Diggers: A kid’s movie, kinda. Two girls (city girl moves to the country and befriends the ‘bad’ girl of town, Christina Ricci and Anna Chlumsky) go to this mountain following the legend of gold being in it. Good for young girls, though not very awesome dialogue.
North Country: Charlize Theron. True story of women working in a mine in the 80s in Minnesota and getting a class action lawsuit against sexual harassment in the workplace.
Those are the first two I can think of that I really like.
As I think I’m the first person who mentioned Boys Don’t Cry, just wanted to be very clear that the reason I did is because a) it is written and directed by a woman and b) it deals with issues of gender in general. It’s also a fantastic performance from Hilary Swank. Maybe Million Dollar Baby would have been a more appropriate suggestion, under the circumstances. Sorry if anybody has misunderstood, as I’m well aware that Brandon Teena was not a woman.
Also second the poster who suggested Battlestar Galactica: Razor. It wasn’t as good as I’d hoped it would be, but still well worth the watch. Michelle Forbes as Admiral Cain is brilliant, and Kara Thrace remains my favourite female character on any television show ever.
I just saw “The Missing” starring Cate Blanchett and I thought it was pretty good. I felt there were some problems with the treatment of the Native American characters, such as the captured Native women–in several scenes they seemed to just be missing, with all the focus being on the white captives. On the other hand, Cate Blanchett’s character was very strong and capable–she’s a single mother in the old west, a doctor, with her own ranch and a non-marital sexual relationship (which she does keep hidden from her daughters, though). She even tells her daughter, “Don’t ever make yourself pitiable to get something from a man.” She’s a bit racist, but that’s shown to be a flaw. Her daughters are both strong and capable as well. The actual fighting and tracking is most often done by the men, but honestly that’s fairly realistic for the time. I felt it was a believable portrayal of a strong woman for the time period. Of course, I’m a big fan of westerns, which sadly don’t often have that.
I also have to say Legally Blonde. Yeah, it’s a silly movie about a rich white girl who saves the day with FASHION!, but I like that she decides the guy she went to law school for but only wants her as a status symbol is a jerk and turns him down, she stands up to her professor’s attempt to coerce her into sex, and she discovers that she enjoys law school for the fulfilling career it can give her, and the guy at the end who appreciates her for herself is almost more of an afterthought. Overall, pretty good for romantic comedy type flick.
Caramel – Lebanese film (Arabic/French language with subtitles), directed by a woman who also plays the leading role. It’s about a group of young women who work in a beauty salon in Beirut, and explores all kinds of issues including sexuality, hymenoplasty/virginity in a Muslim marriage, caring for aging relatives, class/race issues in the post-colonial society…
It’s altogether a really sweet, poignant, beautifully done film, and very female-centric – all the lead roles are women of various ages.
@ su friedrich–
i had thought the term `buddy movie’ was a (rough) equivalent to ‘chick flick’. I heard the term more in the 80s and 90s than I do today, though.
As I think I’m the first person who mentioned Boys Don’t Cry, just wanted to be very clear that the reason I did is because a) it is written and directed by a woman and b) it deals with issues of gender in general. It’s also a fantastic performance from Hilary Swank. Maybe Million Dollar Baby would have been a more appropriate suggestion, under the circumstances. Sorry if anybody has misunderstood, as I’m well aware that Brandon Teena was not a woman.
I don’t think it was the suggestion that people were angry at so much as someone else’s comment that it was about a gay girl.
I think “action movie” is often assumed to mean a movie directed at a male audience and not of interest to most women. Of course, like “buddy movie,” it has none of the condescending / trivializing tone of “chick flick.” Also, both buddy and action movies indicate a particular genre, whereas “chick flick” suggests that being aimed at women *is* a genre, so there’s no need to differentiate.
Monsoon Wedding: Probably one of the few films about family dynamics and romance that doesn’t come off as completely fake to me.
Desperately Seeking Susan: Half screwball comedy, and half a feminist take on the glut of escape from suburbia movies we had in the 80s.
Holly, your first recommendation was very clear. My apologies, I didn’t single you out by name, but yours was the comment recommending that movie that I felt definitely didn’t misrepresent Brandon’s identity (there was one that clearly did and another that just wasn’t very explicit – I think that reading this thread so many times may have also artificially inflated the number of recs I thought I read for that particular film!).
****Fried Green Tomatoes****
The male equivalent of a chick flick is a “prick flick”.
Vera Drake. Tale of a woman who performs dangerous but much-wanted abortions before legalization in England. Morally complex with great performances.
Oh! Me and you and everyone we know, by Miranda July. About an awkward romance between two ordinary, flawed, middle-aged people (man and woman). And a subplot about two teenage girls exploring their sexuality.
Kay wins for the title. Thanks to the rest of you for bloating my Netflix queue!
I’ve got some ideas brewing, but the streaming Netflix thingie broke and I’m waiting for another one by mail. There will be another post up by the end of next weekend.
I really liked the film Saving Face. It is about a Chinese-American mother who gets pregnant after her husband dies and moves in with her daughter who is a lesbian. It is a really cute romantic comedy. Most of it takes place in Flushing, Queens and the director is a Chinese-American woman.
I want to second the Lebanese film Caramel. It’s amazing!
http://stagevu.com/video/tfxaomdzrfds – Born In Flames
http://stagevu.com/video/lhrrdgiyyklo – The Battle of Algiers
http://stagevu.com/video/dnxgppzmhnlv + http://stagevu.com/video/eitfozwvbxnd – Sophie’s Choice part one and two.
Just watch them online? And I mean watch on a site, not download. stagevu usually has good quality. letmewatchthis.com is great for finding films, and if they’re not on there, just Google them. I’d get them all (or as many as possible) if I had the time.
On another note, watch Horrors instead. Women in Horrors kick ass these days.
I also have to say Legally Blonde. Heh. One of my union brothers was an “extra” in that; he’s in the scene they filmed in the Illinois Senate (with a suit on, which is….definitely not his usual attire. I think he was supposed to be a senator. ;-)
I’m glad you’re doing this, especially since I took a Women Directors class last semester. A few really good movies we watched in that class are: Eve’s Bayou, Sweetie, Craig’s Wife. You should watch pretty much anything by Jane Campion. Dorothy Arzner, who directed Craig’s Wife, was another director that stood out in that class. I also thought of Thelma and Louise after reading your post.
“Out of Africa” -Streep and Redford. Not perfect, but it explores complex relationships and double standards. There are some great feminist quotes from both main characters.
And “Little Women” is one of my all time favorites.
Ooh — just found this via feministing.com. I’m a film major; I think about this all the time.
I second a lot of these films, and I’m going to spend Spring Break working on the rest of the list…and here are some more:
“A Woman Under the Influence” — one of the most powerful, beautiful films I’ve ever seen. Gena Rowlands is a housewife who falls into despair. Terrifying and heart-breaking.
Wendy and Lucy, directed by Kelly Reichardt (she just lectured at my school last week and she’s awesome): a girl and her dog on a cross-country adventure. Ends somewhat morosely, and one could argue that the lead isn’t a strong character, but it’s an interesting look at ‘slipping through the cracks’ of society…
“In Her Shoes” — somewhat meh, meh, Cameron Diaz meh, but it’s about two adult sisters who learn to love each other and themselves and come to terms with the legacy of their mother.
In other news, anyone heard of the Alison Bechdel movie test? (author of Dykes to Watch Out For)
1. It must have more than one woman in it, who
2. talk to each other, about
3. Something besides a man.
I’m trying to apply this test to movies now.
Death Proof: A movie about women denying male sexual demands. A sort of rape-revenge film that punishes the abuser with girl power.
Whip It: Though a sub-plot revolves around falling in love and heart break, ultimately, it is a film starring women, directed by a woman, and based on a book written by a woman. These derby girls are tough and go after what they want, without being “masculinized”.
Bend It Like Beckham: Girls playing soccer in an environment that only invests interest in male athletes.
Jennifer’s Body: Although the movie’s plot centers around a woman being corrupted by a man, and consequently, a zombie Megan Fox begins to devour men, I love this film’s interpretation of girl-on-girl politics. Diablo Cody really captures what it’s like to be an 18 year old girl, particularly in respect to best friend dynamics.
Ghost World- Another tale of female friendship. Thora Birch’s character Enid is sassy, and knows what she wants, but is flawed, just as any teenage girl is. Enid is the personification of high school ennui and confused self-discovery.
Also, I have to refute the Saving Face recommendations. Although it attempts to present unique perception of womanhood, the writing is terrible, it relies on the tired trope of the restrictive Asian kinship/ controlling family clan, the directing is not strong…It’s just not an enjoyable film.
Just FYI, unless someone has already posted this, but the only movie on the list that doesn’t seem to be immediately available on Netflix (it says “save for later” rather than “add to queue”) is East/West.
The First Wives Club: Three college friends reunite and pull each other up after each is dumped by their husband.
Hi Holly,
I am the one who was snarky about “more than one person rec’d Boys Don’t Cry; what’s wrong with this picture”. I did it in a bit of a hurry on my way to work this morning (excuses excuses), and in my rush conflated your earlier mention of it with another poster’s. That was lazy on my part. Your post was very clear. Sorry if I caused you any distress.
/we now return to your regularly scheduled thread
Ladies, please, some of the movies mentioned have been remade twice or even more, so could you please mention which , , you mean? With , the remake wasn’t just an update, it was a negation. Katherine Hepburn, June Allyson and Winona Ryder were 3 totally different Jo Marches. I think Kate is the iconic one but your results may vary. And if you’re choosing a , I think it’s Judy Garland’s, rather than Janet Gaynor’s or Barbra Streisand’s. Hey, did you know Streisand wanted ELVIS for her version? Would that have been cool or what?
, absolutely. I can’t think of anything else like it.
I’d like to remind everyone of some of the earlier women of Hollywood. Eleanor Powell was one of the best dancers ever at MGM, and one of the best partners Fred Astaire ever had when they made . It’s a crying shame that she did what women used to do: she quit working when she got married! (to actor Glenn Ford). Who does that anymore?
Mae West wrote for herself and made sure she was onscreen 98% of the time. See anything of hers.
I’d like to speak up for one of my favorites, which won 9 Oscars. . This cast just drips charm. Vincente Minnelli directed the musical about a family of women who are raised to be courtesans.
Whoops! somehow all the titles I thought would come out in italics were DELETED instead. The movies I referred to that were remade: Little Women, Sense and Sensibility, A Star is Born–and the one that was remade and totally changed in the process, the Stepford Wives. Eleanor Powell danced with Fred Astaire in Broadway Melody of 1940.Barbra wanted Elvis for her version of A STAR IS BORN. The movie that drips with charm is GIGI. I’d like to second THELMA AND LOUISE. Sorry about that.
I have to recommend Monsoon Wedding, directed by a woman and has a fantastic female lead and even better female supporting actor
XXY:
An Argentinian film about a young hermaphrodite played by actress, Inez Efron. Female director as well!
Vanity Fair – strong woman in imperial times trying to get ahead, great, complex female lead.
The Quick and the Dead – female gunslinger kicks ass in the old West.
In other news, anyone heard of the Alison Bechdel movie test? (author of Dykes to Watch Out For)
1. It must have more than one woman in it, who
2. talk to each other, about
3. Something besides a man.
I’m trying to apply this test to movies now.
As Lauren points out in her first review in this series, passing the Bechdel test doesn’t mean a film is feminist. I think it’s more interesting in overview – looking at the percentage of films that fail.
(And seeing how things fail, too – I wrote a paper a few months ago applying the test to some Moliere plays, and while the ones I talked about had more than one female character, I pointed out that even where they talked to each other about non-male things, it was all about the household.)
My suggestions:
Whip It was a cute Ellen Page movie about a girl deciding to take control of her own life.
I’m surprised I havn’t seen Hard Candy on this list yet. This also stars Ellen Page as a teen who turns the tables on a pedophile. Great movie.
Becoming Jane, historical period film about Jane Austen.
Chocolat had a few great women characters(Judi Dench was great).
Elizabeth I about Queen Elizabeth’s ascent to the throne.
Josie and the Pussycats, corny I know, but still a cute girlpower movie.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the original movie that spawned the series, about a high school girl who is chosen to slay vampires.
There are a few action movies starring a strong female lead: Tomb Raider, Doomsday, and Resident Evil, to name a few.
There are a few that I havn’t had a chance to watch yet, so I’m not giving a description: Teeth, Amelia, and the new Alice In Wonderland, and The Runaways(about Joan Jett) look promising.
I’m surprised no one’s mentioned Shirley Valentine.
How to Make an American Quilt.
And Norma Rae.
Whip It is a recent movie just out on DVD – a great, sporty, positive story about girls, sport, mothers, and friends. Starring many amazing actresses, and directed by Drew Barrymore. Also, Roller Derby!!!
One of the most feminist and interesting movies for teens I’ve seen in a looooong time.
The Contender and Shut Up And Sing are two of the best films about strong women that I know. The former (the Joan Allen-starring Contender; there are other films of the same title) is just kick-ass, while the latter, a documentary about the Dixie Chicks, is great for showing women at their toughest I thought.
Becoming Jane, historical period film about Jane Austen.
Bleh, I didn’t like it at all. It felt like it removed everything about Austen or her work that was interesting by making it a generic romance.
What about Mona Lisa Smile? I am actually not too sure how I feel about the film. But it does revolve around (white, middle/upper-middle class) women characters.
Oh, two more movies that I watched a few years ago and enjoyed tremendously:
Eve and the Fire Horse – about a nine year old girl born into a Chinese immigrant family and in the year of the Fire Horse (some Chinese communities believe children born in this year to be the most troublesome and headstrong).
Yesterday – It was nominated in 2005 for an Academy Award (Best Foreign Film). The movie follows a young mother (named Yesterday) living in Zululand, South Africa who is diagnosed with AIDS. I was especially moved by Yesterday’s relationship with her daughter.
**There is also a Bollywood movie called Chak De! India – about a fledgling women’s hockey team and how they surpass barriers of religion, language, caste and economic status to become a strong, successful and cohesive team….the coach is male though.
Speaking of transphobic movies…somebody mentioned The Crying Game? I haven’t seen it but I know about it specifically because of how transphobic it is.
Also “hermaphrodite” is usually (maybe always, idk) considered derogatory btw.
Speaking of transphobic movies…somebody mentioned The Crying Game? I’ve never seen it but I know about it specifically because of how transphobic it is.
Also “hermaphrodite” is usually (maybe always, idk) derogatory btw.
Pedro Almodovar’s Volver is one of my favorite movies about being a woman.
Iron-Jawed Angels with Hillary Swank… fantastic depiction of Alice Paul and the suffragettes.
It’s been a while since I’ve seen these, so they might not hold up, but:
I Like It Like That by Darnell Martin.
Celia by Ann Turner.
I’m all about Volver. The realism of the relationships between the women of that film is pitch perfect.
I can’t believe no one mentioned What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? Bette Davis plays one of the best villains in cinematic history – an alcoholic former child star, known in her prime as “Baby Jane,” who has fallen from grace and abuses her disabled sister (a formerly successful actress played by Joan Crawford) in their rotting Hollywood mansion. A very nuanced view of woman-on-woman violence.
I also vote for Volver. The women are complicated, multifacited, and imperfect, like real life.
Pan’s Labyrinth
Frida
Coraline
Based on what’s available to me, Volver or I Like It Like That is next.
XXY is about an intersex teenager, hir confusion muddling through first romance with an equally confused closeted gay teen boy, hir protective parents and their fear of the teen’s future life chances – surgery and hormones, or not – and attitudes of the friends of hir mother, rather conventional plastic surgeon (hey, this is an Argentinian movie) and wife, parents of the gay teen. I thought the movie did a good job with all these relationships, and captured teen awkwardness and angst well. Definitely worth seeing.
Ma Vie en Rose : another gender movie, about a very young transgender child, socially labeled as a boy, who longs to be a girl. Director is male. The 8 year old star wants to have very traditional feminine behavior and dress – hir favorite fantasy is a princess cartoon. The movie is from Belgium.
Antonia’s Line, by Marleen Gorris, 1995 Oscar for foreign language film. Three generations of women who live on their own terms.
Harchickgirl – I LOVE “Shirley Valentine”. It gets props, to me, for being not just about a woman, but a COMEDY, about a MIDDLE-AGED woman, with a female lead, who is the wittiest character in it. And it passes the Bechdel test with flying colours when she talks to multiple other women about all sorts of stuff, and because more than half the named characters are female. It also shows a naked, not-21-and-skinny-with-perfect-hair-extensions woman as sexual and healthy and attractive. And without denigrating motherhood or marriage, it shows a housewife whose kids have grown up and whose husband barely notices her any more examining the void and seeking more than “this little life” she is living because of all her lost potential. It is a simply oustanding film, and hilarious to boot. I cannot recommend it enough to anyone, feminist or not, but especially to a feminist.
Maybe this should only be seen in a movie theater to really get the full effect, but “Jeanne Dielman” by Chantal Ackerman is phenomenal!
Also, documentaries would be ideal for a list of this kind. Basically, you could just cull the archives at Women Make Movies and get some great stuff. To second some other suggestions on this site, “Real Women Have Curves” and “Volver” are great. “The First Wives Club” and “Riding in Cars With Boys” are sort of guilty pleasure movies for me, but I would recommend them too.
I’d recommend “Sliding Doors” if you’re looking for a romantic comedy that doesn’t suck. The typical male lead in a romantic comedy (total loser, really manipulative, but also clearly likes the girl in some way or another) is present as a character, and he definitely loses out. It also passes the Bechdel test (rather surprisingly, since there is no scene in the movie where two men talk to each other about something other than a woman, as I recall).
I second the Pan’s Labyrinth recommendation. That movie has some extremely strong women.
I want to second the recommendation for Antonia’s Line. It is one of the best movies I have ever seen. It’s all about the beautiful things in life, and it’s definitely a celebration of women. It follows generations of a Dutch family and the strong women who carve out life on their own terms. It was written and directed by a woman.
Lukas Moodysson’s films Together and Show Me Love have great female characters.
Producing Adults- Finnish film about the relationship between two women who work at a fertility clinic. Also interesting are the relationships they have with the men in their lives.
The Dead Girl- Directed by Karen Moncrieff. With Toni Collette, Piper Laurie, Don Smith. The clues to a young woman’s death come together as the lives of seemingly unrelated people begin to intersect. Oh yeah, and Brittany Murphy is phenomenal as the titled dead girl.
The House of Mirth- Based on the novel by Edith Wharton. Turn of the last century flick about a woman’s (precarious) place in privileged society. Mesmerizing performance by Gillian Anderson.
High Art- directed by Lisa Cholodenko with Ally Sheedy and Radha Mitchell. Woman on woman action and art photography.
Not that it’s particularly relevant- but I can never miss an opportunity to plug Short Bus. Transformative film by John Cameron Mitchell and a cast of dozens whose honesty and bravery in exploring their relationships through their sexuality never fails to teach me something new about myself and those I love. It is the only movie entirely about sex that is never pornographic.
Did I miss the mention of Precious?
And a wholehearted second to Girlfight and The Long Kiss Goodnight- nothing is better than when women unapologetically kick ass.
For some lady-focused epic/action-y movies, I remembered a couple:
Hua Mulan – the classic story, still lots of fun, and not the terrible Disney version. I’ve only seen the newest 2009 version, but there are a few filmic incarnation that are supposed to be cool (other than the Disney version). I enjoyed it immensely, but I won’t pretend it’s more sophisticated than an awesome action epic (with obligatory romance angle, yes).
Agora – Rachel Weisz stars as the famous Greek philosopher Hypatia in this imaginatively augmented biopic. (Warning: falls into the darker skin = more evil trope; also, fairly anti-religion, particularly Christianity; also, seriously graphic violence, including against women.) I watched this one very recently, and while I enjoyed having such a cool lady at the middle of all the action, I was struck by how much a woman could be objectified in the midst of her own damn story. A extra love “interest” was added in the form of her Christian slave who is obsessed with her (along with a couple of other guys who are obsessed with her, none of whom seem to interest her in the least), but I found his affections completely creepy, especially toward the end of the film. Just leave the lady alone with her astrolabe, guy. Your lust does not define her.
Julia
This film, starring Jane Fonda and Vanessa Redgrave, is probably overlooked by anyone born after 1970: it’s neither “hip” nor “modern” and has no kitsch value whatsoever. It does have, however, a compelling and important story about *women being brave.* And they are not being brave for the usual, socially-approved reasons–no one is trying to, say, save the pretty little orphans or rescue a family member in distress. No, Julia is being brave for moral and ethical reasons (i.e., fighting fascism in the Resistance), and Lillian taps into courage she didn’t know she had to help her best friend by smuggling money into Nazi Germany.
It was the first grown-up film I ever saw, and it had a profound impact on me: I had never seen women portrayed like this, independent, strong and with a sense of self that didn’t depend on men. The feminist message was, in fact, why my mother took me to see _Julia_ in the first place; and I have had the biggest girl crush on Jane Fonda ever since.
One more:
Children of Men. A superb movie with incredible female characters, who are heroic (in an action movie) not by successfully employing violence, but by leadership, maternity and midwifery. A brilliantly subversive feminist film.
I definitely recommend reading this review by feminist blogger Amanda Marcotte, which raised the righteous ire of Bill Donohue, which is another way of saying it is awesome.
http://www.helium.com/items/392877-movie-reviews-children-of-men
I watched Tim Burton’s Alice today and I think it’s a great film about a girl who fights dragons and has wonderful adventures, and for her efforts she isn’t rewarded with a prince charming, but with a nice fullfilling career.
Handmaid’s Tale–scary dystopian view of what society will look like if Christian Conservatives get more control.
Death Becomes Her–Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn discovering the Secret of Eternal Beauty! You will laugh your ass off.
The Hunger–Catherine Deneuve as the sexiest vampire ever, seducing (or is it being seduced by?) the charming Susan Sarandon.
And I totally second Terminator 2, Love & Basketball, Frozen River, Pan’s Labyrinth, But I’m A Cheerleader, Monster, and Fire.
Oh yeah, how could I forget:
Mermaids–Teenage girl figuring out how to grow up, single mom figuring out same, and little sister who just wants to be a fish. Wonderfully quirky. I’ve read the movie and seen the book, and personally I identify most with the fish girl :-)
The Witches of Eastwick–Three women use witch powers to rule the town, engage in fun poly relationship with the devil (Jack Nicholson), and then get rid of him when he starts to mess up their lives.
The Craft–Teen witches gone bad. I hated the ending and the “good girl” main character, but I’m putting it on here because it’s fun, spiritual (at least to dark pagan occult types such as myself), and totally female-focused.
How about Personal Velocity? I don’t think anyone’s mentioned that yet, and it is a terrific example of female experience that’s directed and written by a fantastic female filmmaker, Rebecca Miller.
See also: The Private Lives of Pippa Lee and The Ballad of Jack and Rose.
My favorite movie of all time is Cold Comfort Farm. I also quite like Sense and Sensibility and He’s Just Not That Into You (which despite the title has examples of guys misreading, too, which I found delightful).
I will always prefer the 80s movie Blue DeVille (which is sadly ONLY available used on VHS) to the later Thelma and Louise which seemingly stole a lot of Blue DeVille‘s themes because both women triumph in it instead of driving off a damn cliff. It is irredeemably 80s, though.