I'm not talking about looks, or body type. In fact, modern cinema is replete with tiny Kristen Stewart body types throwing around giant burly men and taking male punches with equanimity. I'm not a fan of that. Contrast with Gina Carano in Haywire where you have a woman who can believably knock a full grown man on his bottom. That I do like.
I'm talking about interests and goals. Susan in Monsters vs. Aliens (sorry, @MrsWhattery , I meant Ginormica!) isn't judged or condemned for wanting a perfect wedding, being taken to Paris by her fiance or having a make-over at the start of the movie. She moves on to other things like battling radioactive snails that are trying to eat Paris, but she's still delighted to be going to Paris. The film doesn't mock her original desires or her bridesmaids or other people. It's feminism as freedom from a fixed societal role. As opposed to feminism as condemning a particular societal role. I was reading that other interesting thread on here right now about how someone feels there's a lot of judgement against young women who are having kids or being stay at home mums. That's kind of what I'm getting at. Ripley in Aliens, Susan in MvA, Lena Headey in The Sarah Connor Chronicles (another good feminist TV show, imo). All of them show women who are strong (none of them especially butch as you raise it though there's nothing wrong with being a butch woman) without being judgy. There's a trend in modern Hollywood movies to show women as strong at the expense of others being weak, or at other societal roles being wrong.
I'm very much in the Feminism = Freedom from Sex-based Societal Roles camp. Which is at odds with some people who think Feminism is condemnation of "traditional" female roles. (I don't like the term "traditional female role" but it'll do to convey the viewpoint even though it's not one I share).
So for me, movies and shows where a woman is simply able to be capable and be accepted as that are feminist movies.
Not exclusively. I've mentioned Colossal which deals with domestic abuse, and controlling relationships. But I feel a character like Ripley where she is simply a very capable person and accepted as such, is actually more feminist than say that Charlie's Angels movies where women are unrealistically better than everyone around them seemingly because they're women.
Who is the better Feminist icon? Ripley - working alongside others, stepping forward to lead because she is the best but still getting along with and working with everybody. Or She-Hulk going on about how she is better able to handle being a hulk than Bruce because she's a woman and then twerking with Megan Thee Stallion?
That's actually what I'm getting at. When I wrote feminine I wasn't meaning as an antonym to butch. And I wouldn't! I don't see being butch as being less female. I hope nobody else got that from my post.
Anyway, OP just wants something to get Poor Things out of her head so I'm going to recap my list and maybe add a couple:
- Colossal (starring Anne Hathaway. A favourite movie)
- Alien and Aliens. Ripley is the best. Vasquez is second best.
- The Sarah Connor Chronicles. Sci-Fi TV show that ran for two seasons with Lena Headey stepping into the role of Sarah Connor. Very well-written show, lots of unexpected turns and one of the strongest female characters you'll ever see
- Ginger Snaps. Light horror movie with two young girls dealing with becoming adults and some heavy feminist overtones.
- Haywire. Gina Carano in a James Bond style role, but more gritty.
- Ms. Marvel. The TV show. The actress is beyond charming and in a Muslim family the feminism takes on additional elements. You don't need to watch the Marvel movies to get into the show and honestly, it's a lot more subtle and characterful than the movies it shares a universe with. Very positive as well. If OP just wants some wholesome and positive pallete cleanser, this will do it.
If I think of any more, I'll add them.