Please recommend me some good (real) feminist films

[palomatoast]

I've just watched Poor Things and need eye bleach. I stupidly only vaguely read the blurb and a quote from the lead Emma Stone about how it's about female emancipation and the patriachy. Well it's definitely about the patriarchy alright.

Please recommend me some good (real) feminist films, ideally directed by women. I need to cleanse my soul.

Probably not what you're expecting but one of the most feminist films I have ever seen is Monsters vs Aliens, I love that film! It's not billed as feminist but then as you've discovered, things that claim to be feminist are often horribly disappointing handmaidenesque pornified shite-ola.

If you haven't seen it, watch it!

Erin Brokovitch
Silkwood
Made in Dagenham
Tracks
Wild
Nyad
Three Billboards
The Swimmers

Desperately Seeking Susan. It's absolutely brilliant.

also if anyone is looking for some songs about feminism i recommend paris paloma

Place marking, thank you OP

And Aliens! Female protagonist, female villain, female computer, female tough Marines, motherhood as a big part of the plot.

Recently watched Joy with Jennifer Lawrence. Not a 'hard hitting' film particularly but the dynamics between the women in the film are interesting. Really explores the idea that 'a woman's place is in the wrong'

Also The Shining. Wendy does run around screaming a lot but turns out to be very tough and resourceful!

The most latest version of Little Women.
And also Anne with an E

Bhaji on the Beach.

Wicked little letters in on Netflix shortly. Cast is mainly women. Passes the bechdal test with flying colours. Funny too.

Thank you all for the film recs. Everyone around me won't stop recommending Poor Things as being the ultimate feminist film and all watching it did was make me realise how popular "feminism" is such a tremendous gift to so many men.

Just watched Mrs Harris went to Paris on Netflix. That had plenty of resourceful women in it and themes of the roles we take on. Was a very gentle film and some beautiful scenes.

Tell me about it. I've now had 3 different conversations with women who've told me they think it's a "feminist film". I've explained why I think it's actually extremely misogynistic and have watched the scales falling from their eyes in real time. How on earth have women been tricked into thinking this is what liberation looks like?

I don't want to put spoilers here in case anyone has the misfortune of watching it but it takes 4th wave (anti-motherhood, pro-sex work) feminism to its extreme.

Terminator 2 - directed by a man, but very inspiring portrayal of a woman and mother.

Unbelievable on Netflix - true crime dramatisation of two female detectives solving VAWG crimes.

Suffragette
Made in Dagenham
Hidden Figures
Misbehaviour
Erin Brockovich
Working Girl (1980s film with Melanie Griffiths)
Promising Young Woman
9 to 5
Educating Rita
The First Wives club

A couple of years ago I saw a film at the cinema called 'She said' - it's about the female reporters who broke the Harvey Weinstein sexual abuse story. It sounds boring, like how could they make a whole film out of that, but actually it's really good, quite moving in places, and jaw-dropping (re the truth of what happened, how they tracked down some of the victims, and the bravery of the victims too) in others. Carey Mulligan's in it. Recommended

I really enjoyed Daughter's of the Dust

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daughters_of_the_Dust

Glad I'm not the only one who finds the entire idea of Poor Things nauseating and foul.

IMO, the best feminist films are often those that simply portray things how they should be. Which is why everyone is recommending Alien and Aliens. Ripley is simply a very capable person and most of the people around her treat her with the relevant respect. When they don't it's for reasons other than her sex or because they expect her to earn their respect same way they would any man they didn't know.

Everyone has already mentioned Alien/Aliens though so I'll add that the academic Janice Hocker-Rushing wrote an interesting essay on mythic themes in Aliens, contrasting Ripley and the aliens as positive and negative female archetypes. Ripley as protective mother and the aliens as vengeful furies, likening it to Sumerian myth and Inanna's descent into the underworld to confront her sister Eriskagul (who's namesake we have on these forums). The alien itself is often regarded as "female" with a lot of, uh, imagery. Which probably adds to the horror element for men given that and the whole inversion of rape elements. Much could be written about the themes in Aliens.

Anyway, haven't seen mentioned Colossus starring Anne Hathaway. Great film, feminist movie certainly. One of my favourites. Should take away the taste of Poor Things.

IMO, the best feminist films are often those that simply portray things how they should be.

Yes that's exactly why I love Monsters vs Aliens so much. It's about a woman about to enter a disappointing marriage in which she's expected to take second place, transforming into a "monster" who fights aliens and realises that she loves working as a team along with the other monsters, that's who she is and it's the life for her. It's not that all women should reject relationships with men for the sake of it - but that a woman should be free to be herself, be fulfilled and enjoy her success even if it doesn't look feminine. And it's not "a feminist film" - it's just a story in which that happens.

Yes. It does several things excellently well:

• A woman rejects being defined by being a woman (expected to take second place to her husband's TV weatherman career)
• Said woman isn't required to be less feminine because of that - she's mpt shown as bad for wanting a beautiful wedding and a romantic honeymoon in Paris (not Fresno).
• She's treated as part of the team by the male members, neither superior nor pandered to, just accepted. Interactions with Hugh Laurie's Dr. Cockroach especially endearing.
• Has the line "But I wanted a real kitten. Hanging from a real tree!"

Feminism isn't (or shouldn't be) about replacing one expected societal role with another expected societal role. Even if TPTB deem the new expected societal role is now Approved and Worthy. Nor about saying if you're this sex you're better than that sex. It should be about your sex not determining your role or your status but letting you make your own choices and succeeding or failing based on who you are.

Moving from Sci-Fi to (light) Horror, the movie Ginger Snaps is an oldie but a goodie dealing with feminist themes. It's not a comedy but there are moments that crack me up. The girls' mother in some ways is a hilarious portrayal of taking feminism too far (yes, yes - that is possible! :D ) and the gore is fairly light for those who aren't much into horror. Definitely a feminist movie, though.

Oh, and I mentioned Colossal with Anne Hathaway, right? I mean, I know I did but I'm going to mention it twice. Love that movie.

My favourite line is when she says "The name's GINORMICA". She literally has a moment where she decides not to shrink back into her old self.

I also like it when she doesn't get to go to Paris and reacts to the news by saying "Fresno." There's an edge to it where she's just starting to realise she's angry. It's not a shallow transformation, it's about the deep disappointment and anger that women are expected to suppress.

And yes I agree about the femininity. She doesn't change her own femininity and that's not seen as bad. She's kick-ass, but that's not equated to becoming male or masculine. The "feminine" gendered stuff she leaves behind is being expected to put up with shit and be a support system to her fiance.

This now appears to be the Monsters vs. Aliens thread.

Sorry

I am making a list from the thread of films to watch!