Films with a feminist angle

[rosiepony]

Hi everyone, I’m looking for films with a feminist angle to watch during this lockdown.

I watched Silence of The Lambs last night with my DD for the first time in ages. I was reminded how brilliant it is, how it centres Jodie’s role and shines a critical light on all the male characters although they’re exaggerated for entertainment. I also had new reflections on Buffalo Bill and his ‘woman suit’ although I won’t go into that for fear of being banned! Quite timely given what’s going on though!

Anyway, I’d be grateful for any recommendations. Thanks.

The Wife -- on Netflix

I’m going to lower the tone even more!

The recent Charlie’s Angels - the women are bad ass and they win
Ditto the latest Terminator

Wonder Woman - a rare superhero film I actually enjoyed, and fun to see a woman starring and being a bit goofy
The Wife - interesting film starring Glenn Close on Netflix
Jane Eyre (any version)
Roma
The Philadelphia Story- Katharine Hepburn is wonderful
Bridesmaids 😁

I love Pride and Prejudice, but don't see how it's particularly feminist (or otherwise).

Strong, interesting, 3-dimensional female characters are the focus.

Women constrained by patriarchy and gender stereotypes, taking control of their destinies in different ways and with different degrees of success.

Feminist film doesn't, I think, simply mean women get the best of everything.

Also; The Favourite (not sure where it's available)
Midsommar - brilliant eerie film starring Florence Pugh. Wicker Man vibes.
Lady Macbeth - also starting Florence Pugh. Similar set up to Lady Chatterley's Lover but turns very dark.

Joy with Jennifer Lawrence as well. Loved that one!

Oh, I got the name of the film wrong, it's "On the Basis of Sex". Now I've figured that out, I can see it's available on Amazon Prime. Will also check out the RBG documentary too, thanks!

Steel Magnolias is a great film. Its feminist in the way all the central characters are women, the men just incidental and good rounded characters.
I liked a film recently called Little on Sky Movies, its a comedy role reversal of the old Tom Hanks film Big. Quite formulaic but with some good female characters.

"Strong, interesting, 3-dimensional female characters are the focus."

Elizabeth is a strong and interesting characters. Jane is probably the second most important character and is pretty one-dimensional. The other sisters aren't. I suppose some of the other women are interesting characters, but not sympathetic e.g. Lady Catherine, the mother.

"Women constrained by patriarchy and gender stereotypes, taking control of their destinies in different ways and with different degrees of success."

Well, I suppose Lizzie did refuse to marry Mr Collins, but apart from that there's not much 'taking control of destiny'. Obviously, those were the constraints of the time.

"Feminist film doesn't, I think, simply mean women get the best of everything"

No, but it's not just any film about a woman either.

"Lady Macbeth - also starting Florence Pugh. Similar set up to Lady Chatterley's Lover but turns very dark."

That was very good, on BBC i-player recently.

Winter's Bone. A great performance by Jennifer Lawrence and good supporting cast including her friend and the hardbitten women in the "enemy" family. I love the scene where Marideth Sisco sings as well.

I LOVE pitch perfect!! Especially the first one. Lots of digs at sexism.

One that’s often overlooked is Legally Blonde. It’s literally about a girl’s journey from valuing herself based on boyfriend and “marriageability” to being a kick ass professional. The “enemy” girl turns out to be an ally. And most importantly - in a reverse of film normality, all the neutral roles (could be men or women without affecting the plot) are played by women.

And I love Legally Blonde. As a frequently underestimated blonde, it was great! And reversing the tired trope of women being horrible to each other, which I love.

Oh yes Legally Blonde is a great film

The second legally blind film doesn’t measure up though. Are you looking for action movies? As a PP said the latest Mad Max movie is almost a feminist parable. There is also Pride and Prejudice With Zombies if you like that kind of thing.

I've recently watched Hidden Figures, about the black women who worked for the NASA's space missions in the 1960s. Really enjoyed it. It didn't only shine a light on the racism, but the sexism too that these women had to fight against on a daily basis.

@TooMinty was streaming on Netflix.

Ladybird is also on Netflix and is incredible. The Wife has also been on and is so good for exposing patriarchal impact! Very subtle but brilliant.

Portrait of a woman is meant to be spectacular.

Pieces of Me - recent doc on Toni Morrison was amazing!

Hidden Numbers is fun but brilliant.

Rafiki - film about lesbian couple in Kenya - female director refused to change the ending so it got banned in Kenya

Just about the say Hidden Figures, great film.

Far from The Madding Crowd - love love the latest version of that with what's her face in it.

In addition to the great titles already mentioned, Daughters of the Dust is outstanding.

Thanks @Gwynfluff! I have Netflix so can check it out, and your other recommendations

terrigrey - was it the Carey Mulligan version? I loved that and also the remake of Testament of Youth is a good one.

Niki Caro, the director of North Country, also made Whale Rider, about a young Maori girl who wants to become chief of her tribe and who feels it is her destiny (as it is to ride whales) in spite of the opposition she faces for being female. It is a gorgeous movie. Just a lovely family drama with real heart.

Lady Macbeth - also starting Florence Pugh. Similar set up to Lady Chatterley's Lover but turns very dark

The source material pre-dates Lady Chatterley's Lover by about 75 years. It's based on a novel , Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District, by Nikolai Leskov. Shostakovich turned into a brilliant opera.

Re films A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night

www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/film/2015/may/24/a-girl-walks-home-alone-at-night-review-mark-kermode

and The Breadwinner are fabulous and avoid that "sisters together" vibe which I find a bit toe curling.

www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/film/2018/may/27/the-breadwinner-review-nora-twomey-deborah-ellis-kabul

Wild Rose with Jessie Buckley and Julie Walters is great too. It's a film about the lives of Jessie Buckley and to some extent her mother. It's not pushing a feminist agenda, just telling their story, in which men are absent or peripheral.

Ginger Snaps is a very clever and very funny werewolf movie featuring a female werewolf and her sensible little sister.

Little Women