These movies make for a perfect binge on International Women’s Day
AT A GLANCE
Women, they have minds, and they have souls, as well as just hearts. And they’ve got ambition, and they’ve got talent, as well as just beauty. I’m so sick of people saying that love is all a woman is fit for. — Louisa May Alcott, Little Women
On International Women’s Day, we celebrate the many contributions of women to our society. It’s also an important day for shedding light on gender equality and women’s rights. One of the best mediums to do so is through film, if only because it is accessible to many. Here are 10 movies that center around women and why they make the perfect watch for International Women’s Day.
Little Women (2019)
By now, Greta Gerwig is considered a household name for moviegoers after the success of her Barbie film last year. While Barbie makes for a good watch for empowering young women, Gerwig’s take on Louisa May Alcott’s 1868 novel Little Women works just as well. It’s a faithful take on the story with a star-studded cast including Saoirse Ronan (Lady Bird, The Lovely Bones), Emma Watson (Harry Potter), and Florence Pugh ( Midsommar, Oppenheimer), to name a few. In the film, Ronan takes on the role of Jo March and shows much of what women had to deal with in the 1800s.
Mona Lisa Smile (2003)
If young men have Robin Williams’ Dead Poets Society, young women have Julia Roberts’ Mona Lisa Smile. The film centers around Katherine Ann Watson who teaches art history at the prestigious women’s university Wellesley College. It takes place in the 1950s, just as Western feminism was about to hit its second wave tackling gender norms and what it means to be a modern woman. As Katherine takes on her teaching role, she challenges her students to aim for something more than just marriage.
Mean Girls (2004)
No, we’re not referring to the new musical movie based on the same film. Mean Girls centers around Cady Heron (played by Lindsay Lohan) as she navigates her way around high school after being homeschooled for most of her life. After befriending two social outcasts, the newly–formed trio plots against the high school’s popular girls’ clique known as the Plastics by having Cady infiltrate their squad. But, as Cady finds herself climbing up the social ladder, she starts to find herself in too deep after ending up as the new leader of the clique. The film does a good job of balancing the humor and tackling the many issues young women are likely to face during their high school years, making it so fetch as the coming-of-age staple for many.
Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961)
Audrey Hepburn’s role as Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s is referred to by many as the original Manic Pixie Dream Girl (a term used to refer to quirky female characters that serve only to provide support to the male leading role), but to call her character such would be a disservice. While her eccentric traits and unusual antics tick off the trope’s checklist, the film focuses more on Holly rather than leading man Paul Varjack (played by George Peppard). It shows how Holly goes through each roadblock in her life as she tries to let go of her impoverished past for one of glamour in New York City. As we follow her story, we get a glimpse of a woman defying the gender dynamics of the time and taking charge of her path. Perhaps the only flaw in this film sticking out like a sore thumb would be Mickey Rooney’s severely outdated and racist portrayal of a Japanese man.
Legally Blonde (2001)
Elle Woods (played by Reese Witherspoon), a fashionable sorority queen, is dumped by her boyfriend after he decides to date a law school student instead. Hoping to win him back, she enrolls in Harvard Law School. Unfortunately, many of her peers view her as nothing more than the “dumb blonde” stereotype. Despite this, she rises through the ranks to prove them wrong and ends up interning for one of the university’s most respected teachers. Watching Elle Woods go past the stereotypes lumped against her and ultimately making a name for herself makes this a powerful watch.
Gone Girl (2014)
David Fincher is a master of creating spine-chilling thriller films and Gone Girl is one of his best. Rosamund Pike assumes the role of Amy Dunne, the wife of writer Nick Dunne, played by Ben Affleck. On the night of their fifth anniversary, Amy goes missing, leading many to question if Nick had murdered her. As things unfold, we uncover more about their marriage through Amy’s point of view. It’s a compelling watch that keeps you glued to your seat. As we watch Amy power through and plot her next move, we get a sense of her struggles that are similar to what some married women face in their daily lives.
The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
The Devil Wears Prada makes for a beautiful watch for fresh grad women still looking for their place in the world. It revolves around Andy Sachs (played by Anne Hathaway) as she tries her best to be the assistant of a notorious editor-in-chief Miranda Priestly (played by Meryl Streep). Although things start rough for her, barely able to keep up with Miranda’s demands, she slowly learns the ropes and manages to adapt.
Birds of Prey (2020)
Birds of Prey makes for a fun watch as we follow DC’s Harley Quinn (fantastically played by Margot Robbie) in her newest adventure. Joining her on the adventure are other iconic DC heroines like Huntress and Black Canary. Together, they must protect a young pickpocket named Cass after she steals a precious diamond from the notorious crime lord Black Mask.
Kill Bill Vol. 1 (2003)
Who said women can’t be badass? Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill Vol. 1 stars Uma Thurman as The Bride, a former assassin part of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad led by her former lover Bill. After deciding to settle down with a newfound lover, her wedding is sabotaged by her former assassin colleagues. She seeks them out one by one to wreak vengeance upon them. It’s Tarantino at his finest, delivering a (literally) bloody good action flick.
Lost in Translation (2003)
We end this list with a film by Sophia Coppola, an icon for women in cinema. Her accolades through the years have been many, having scored an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Cannes Film Festival Award, to name a few. Lost in Translation follows Bill Murray as Bob Harris, a Hollywood star who arrives in Tokyo to film a series of Japanese commercials. He strikes up a friendship with Charlotte, played by Scarlett Johannson, the wife of a celebrity photographer. Together they pass time and bond, finding ways to enjoy their stay in Japan. What makes this film so touching is how much Coppola put herself into the story, as it invokes much of the fear and uncertainties she felt before her career took off. She also channeled much of the feelings she had felt in her strained relationship with her former husband Spike Jonze. Overall, a beautiful passion project that makes for a pleasant watch.
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