Feminist films?

[msrisotto]

I've just watched "Mone Lisa Smile" which was set in the 1950's (America), Julia Roberts being a feminist role model at a finishing school. I liked it.

Do you know of any films with a feminist main character or a feminist angle?

Sorry, 10, got a bit carried away there.

There's a British film called Made in Dagenham coming out soon which looks like it will be a good feminist film. It's about women workers at Ford car factory going on strike in the 60s.

have you tried the Studio Ghibli animations bobdog? My Neighbour Totoro is fine for that age group as are some others but you'd have to check.

Nanny McPhee? Haven't seen but the Nurse Matilda books it is based on are great.

Matilda, of course.

Did I mention Waitress? I know I did on another thread. That was written/directed by a woman and is all about a waitress leaving her relationship with an abusive insecure idiot, while pregnant, and making pie.

Seem to remember Fried Green Tomatoes At The Whistle Stop Cafe was good but ages since I watched it.

sorry - last post not WRT kids films!

Freid Green Tomatoes is a great film.

Ditto Working Girl, mind you I was liked Sigourney Weaver's character better than Melanie Griffiths.

er....Alien?

The Incredibles.

Mrs Incredible really kicks ass and is way more together than any of the men. Oh, and Edna is hysterical as well.

I also was pleasantly surprised in Avatar when the main FEMALE character got to kill the bad guy NOT the chief male character. She rushed in and saved HIM, not him, her which was a nice change.

I like Mirrormask too. There is a bloke in it but he's a liar and flakey and certainly doesn't do any rescuing, she has to work it all out herself.

I watched The Hours for the first time a couple of weeks ago. Don't watch it if you're not up for being put in the mood to slit your wrists .

I thought the Incredibles focussed too much on Mr I though when he was so boring compared to the others.

Elastigirl as Mrs Incredible did a bit too much housework for my liking

[folds arms]

Shrek (the first one) and Toy Story 2 (because of Jessie) are about the only films I can stick the dcs in front of with a clear conscience

MarineIguana we teach Shrek in school (secondary) as challenging stereotypes and manipulating 'genre expectations' (high-brow, non?)
Kids love it and I get to watch it every year - yay!

Not Matilda, SHJ?

Fed up with the dearth of female characters (not even good characters, just female ones at all) in childrens films. Fantastic Mr Fox for example. Was Mrx Fox the only female creature (other than presumably dead hens etc)?

Why? It's not like female badgers/moles/gophers/whatever are any more difficult to draw is it?

Seriously think Japanese kids films are the way to go.

Ooh good idea Elephants- kids have just developed a bit of a Roald Dahl Thing so we'll have a look at Matilda...

and Tante- I've been watching Shrek on and off with different dcs since it came out. The bit where Fiona and Shrek fall in love (the fly lolly and the snake and frog balloons) still makes me all misty eyed

bobdog- My Neighbour Totoro and The Cat returns, Kiki's delivery service.
There is Ponyo too, but it is a reteling of 'The Little Mermaid' so of course the boy and the girl end up together (after he passes the test)

WOuld Juno pass the Bechdel Test?

Interesting post about Pixar's Gender Problem.

I didn't like Juno much, not sure why. I was told it was brilliant and empowerfulising and all that stuff but aside from a great soundtrack and some good wise-cracking, it was a bit made-for-TV. Is there anything more to women that their reproductive potential? Not rilly!

God! Pixar are awful

someone on that link mentions Violet in the Incredibles as a plus point to the film. I rate Violet about the worst Pixar female character ever. She made me cringe- all that hiding behind her hair being shy humourless and obedient and all in all eclipsed by her little brother. She was just a cipher and a plot device...

(I remember at the time someone from Pixar saying something along the lines of she was a pretty good Archetypal Teenage Girl as apparently teenage girls aren't happy in their own skin (hence invisibility as one of her super powers) and want to be alone (hence force field being the other)

ffs! have they ever met any teenage girls??

...sorry. Rant over. I do loathe them though

Fire by Deepa Mehta. Amazing film. Earth and Water are also excellent.

Frida by Julie Taymor.

Riding in Cars With Boys by Penny Marshall.

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi.

Pedro Almodóvar's films are very feminist too, but since he signed the Polanski petition I can't bring myself to watch any more of them.

Films.. forty eight posts. Women trafficking petitio.. thirteen posts.

There is more interest in talk than walk always. Put the world to rights i.tellectually and prove a point but anything that relates to the real horror is always less well attended.