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Children's films with good female leads

95 replies

AlmaMartyr · 05/05/2011 08:00

Sorry if this has already been done. I was wondering if anyone can recommend any films with good female lead roles. My DD is 2, coming up on 3 and DS is 1. We have quite a few Miyazaki films which seem pretty good (Kiki's Delivery Service, Ponyo, Spirited Away) and Mulan. The Princess and the Frog isn't bad. What else can people think of? I'm sure there are more with good roles in them but can't remember them all.

OP posts:
Goblinchild · 05/05/2011 19:53

Mulan?

wrinklyraisin · 05/05/2011 19:53

OMG Paper Moon had me bawling for days.....

I love Coraline and Fly Away Home.

But for a 2-3 year old I think your only options are books and the mush that's on Cbeebies. I would stick with books.

Besom · 05/05/2011 19:53

Pan's Labyrinth was too scary for me never mind my dd!

Besom · 05/05/2011 19:52

Really, High school musical? That's great - I wouldn't have thought it. Would it be suitable for a 3 yo dd who likes singing and dancing?

I was going to say Bolt as my dd watches it - nothing too scary involved.

exexpat · 05/05/2011 19:51

Um, I'm assuming people mean Labyrinth (U-rated film from the 80s, featuring David Bowie) rather than Pan's Labyrinth (more recent arty dark fairytale, 15-rated)?

LuckyWeKeptTheCot · 05/05/2011 19:47

old Disney film with young Jodie Foster - Candleshoe. Loved it and DD odes too.

Fly Away Home
Pollyanna (With Hayley Mills - old but DD loves that too - she's 7 though)
Fab female (also young Hayley Mills) in Whistle Down the Wind - but too old for your girls maybe. Although DS loved it from age 3.
Totoro
Tangled - when that comes out on DVD
Bugsy Malone - the magnificent Tallulah (also Jodie Foster)

Leon, True Grit and Paper Moon have fantastic females - but for older kids. Keep them in mind!

pjani · 05/05/2011 19:43

They are probably too young for Whale Rider, but get it anyway and keep on hold for a few years. It's a magical film and one of my favourites.

Spirael · 05/05/2011 19:38

Ok, having checked out my DVD collection at home, I can add:

The Incredibles (Elastagirl)
The Rescuers (Bianca)
The Wizard of Oz (Dorothy)

StewieGriffinsMom · 05/05/2011 19:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MillyR · 05/05/2011 19:33

The High School Musical films. There was a discussion on this section a while back about how strong the female leads were.

MillyR · 05/05/2011 19:24

Spirited Away

Original poster
AlmaMartyr · 05/05/2011 19:07

Thanks for all the suggestions, a lot of these are probably best for older kids but good to know for the future.

Smugaboo - I was a bit surprised at Pan's Labyrinth too, I saw that as an adult and it terrified me. I couldn't even watch most of it so I guess I must be a wuss too.

I ordered My Neighbour Totoro this afternoon, I haven't seen it and would quite like to anyway. I saw the thread that Fennel was talking about wrt to children who watch less TV/film growing up with less stereotypes and it made a lot of sense. I never watched much although I did read an awful lot of rubbish thinking about it.

OP posts:
ChateauRouge · 05/05/2011 16:00

I hesitated to post about children of this age watching films... but my children didn't watch any films at all until over 4 [cats bum face]

Totoro and Jungle Book were the first things permissible though.

southeastastra · 05/05/2011 15:46

surely a 2 year old wouldn't understand half these films would they?

StewieGriffinsMom · 05/05/2011 15:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Firkytoodle · 05/05/2011 15:25

Oh and Hoodwinked. Granny is an extreme sports enthusiast and Red riding hood is able to look after herself. Subverts the whole fairytale business.

Shrek?

Chicken Run

SardineQueen · 05/05/2011 15:21

Must admit I've not spotted any sexism in the Dahl books either. In the twits there is a great thing about how people who are beautiful on the inside are always beautiful on the outside, irrespective of what they actually look like IYSWM. Really remember that one.

And in the witches the little boy lives with his gran who is brave, strong, kind and generally wonderful. The ending is so sad/happy isn't it - that because he's a mouse it means that they won't outlive each other by years

FanjoForTheMusic · 05/05/2011 15:21

Again, aimed at an older audience than your LOs, but City of Ember has a young strong female lead.

Firkytoodle · 05/05/2011 15:17

Also Ever After which is a spin on the princess tale. The main character is clever, opinionated, interested in social issues, stands up for herself, brave and able to defend herself - if I recall correctly at the end she rescues herself (from Richard O'Brien!) before the prince gets there.

smugaboo · 05/05/2011 15:17

The Smurf Movie. Shows girls that as long as they are attractive to boys, they can like, live in the village too.

Oh wait a sec ...

hatwoman · 05/05/2011 15:16

Coraline is brilliant - but way too scarey for little ones. maybe ok from 7-8 onwards, depending on how robust

Firkytoodle · 05/05/2011 15:15

Inkheart- just watched it with DD (6). Filled with books and strong female characters. Cornelia Funke writes the most fantastic books- the princess knight and pirate girl (picture books) and others like Igraine the brave.

The Spiderwick chronicles- the girl is a fencer and fights off the trolls when they attack.
At the moment DD is heavily into Dr Who as well. She adores Coraline which I think has already been mentioned.
When DD was younger we watched a lot of Hilltop Hospital (surgeon Sally, although Nurse Kitty is a sap), maisie mouse and Meg and Mog.

smugaboo · 05/05/2011 15:12

Good God, who recommended Pan's Labyrinth? Even for older children its really scary and sad. But brilliant. Maybe I'm a wuss.
Labyrinth on the other hand - I'll admit to a pre-teen crush on David Bowie in that one.

SueSylvesterforPM · 05/05/2011 15:11

I think Roald Dahl matilda is good, theres the kind woman , the superficial woman and the trunchbull, and the man isnt heroic (devito) hes a slimy scummy individual.

Jumanjii? I remember dunst being quite more clever than the brother.

Harry Potter ? hermoine

HandDivedScallopsrgreat · 05/05/2011 15:08

Marmalade Atkins was my hero!

Charlotte Coleman who played her died ever so young of an asthma attack though. She was only 33 Sad