Serenity (mainly because I love Kaylee. And Zoe.) A League of their Own Erin Brockovich Alien(s) Muriel s Wedding If These Walls Could Talk Possibly: Contact, The Abyss Films with lots of femininity stuff to talk about: Memories of a Geisha Pretty Woman And, because I m stuck in the eighties: The Breakfast Club, Little Darlings
The Colour Purple Boys on the Side All about my motherVolver As with most Almodovar movies, female characters are c entral. It s a beautiful, fun, funny, moving film. Three generations of women cope with the harm imposed by a patriarchal family structure The Emperor s New Groove Although this doesn t pass the Bechdel-Wallace Rule, it is the most woman-friendly animated Disney film. The female character is a wife and mother who doesn t die, she s smart and witty, and she s the first pregnant woman sho wn in a Disney movie. The Descent A horror movie with strong, kick-ass women. A group of female friend s go caving, only to get trapped in the cave with a whole bunch of monster thing s. Aside from being a great and truly scary horror film, the interpersonal relat ionships between the women are very interesting. Lots of womanly camaraderie, ev en if most of it breaks down by the end. Pan s Labyrinth A beautiful, beautiful film from Spain. A fairy tale for grown-ups s et during the Spanish Civil War. Sympathy for Lady Vengeance A Korean revenge flick. A woman who has been (wrongl y) imprisoned for murdering a child gets out of jail and takes revenge on the ma n responsible. Chocolat A woman opens a chocolate shop in a repressed town and changes the live s of many of the townspeople. Of particular interest is a woman who leaves her a busive husband. A Price Above Rubies An Orthodox Jewish woman leaves the faith. A wonderful depi ction of some of the problems within the Orthodox community that aren t generally discussed. Pumpkin A sorority girl becomes disenchanted with sorority life as she builds a relationship with a disabled man. A Thousand Acres I didn t particularly like this movie, but it s a very provocative interpretation of King Lear. Personal Velocity Real Women Have Curves Lovely and Amazing The Hours Pleasantville Run Lola Run Amelie Boys Don t Cry Mean Girls Marie Antoinette Friends with Money The Devil Wears Prada Secretary
Up the Sandbox with Barbara Streissand, about feeling trapped as a housewife and h aving fantasies of a public life North Country about sex discrimination at work Iron-Jawed Angels about the struggle for American women s suffrage Me and You and Everyone We Know , because I love how the amazing Miranda July wrote , directed, and starred in it Ever After , for having a rather feminist spin on a fairy tale I agree with so many of the other responses, too. Especially Pan s Labyrinth (which is deserving of some critique but has an amazing young female hero) and Volver ( I absolutely loved how this entire movie centered on a full and dynamic cast of w omen).
Beautiful and But I m a Cheerleader are two of my favourite movies ever. They are both quite simple and even follow typical Hollywood formulas, but I still love them for the real life struggles they go through. Beautiful is a very relatable movie about a young girl who has a sad and lonely ch ildhood and compensates by trying desperately to conform to patriarchal standard s of beauty and become a beauty queen. You watch her grow up and her life still revolves around nothing but being voted the most beautiful, what is in her mind a prerequisite for being a worthy human being and being loved. But I m a Cheerleader gets very stylistic and over the top and just highlights how a bsolutely ridiculous gender roles are and how much pain people go through in the ir attempts to conform to these absurd rules of gender.
Down with love http://hotfilezone.org/threads/123254/ Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Lost in Translation. Dance, Girl, Dance. Not one of thes e greats nor any other films directed by women made it onto AFI?s 100 Years, 100 Films list but they?re on ours. The Tenth Anniversary of AFI?s 100 Greatest Movies List got us to thinking, espe cially when we noticed that of 400 films nominated for AFI?s list, only 4.5 were directed by women. Without knowing who?d been on AFI?s nominating committee nor what instructions they were given, we thought it would be interesting and fun t o see whether AWFJ members a diverse group of strongly opinionated and outspoken professional women film journalists who care passionately about the movies and i ndustry they cover would develop a list substantially different AFI?s. Without is suing directives nor suggesting that only films made by and/or about women be el igible, we asked members to suggest titles they?d like to see on AWFJ?s Top 100 Films List. All titles submitted were placed on the ballot, members voted, votes were tallied. The result, presented in alphabetical order, is an eclectic, perh aps somewhat surprising collection of titles. It?s neither politically nor acade mically correct, and it?s far from definitive. But it can be said to reflect our women?s perspective, and we?ve annotated each title, indicating why it?s favore d. We had so much fun compiling our list, we?ll probably do it again. Meanwhile, we hope you?ll enjoy reading our list as much as we enjoyed putting it together . AWFJ?s TOP 100 FILMS - 2007 (in alphabetical order) THE ACCUSED (1988): Somewhat based on the true story of a 1983 gang rape of a wo man at a New Bedford, Mass., bar, the movie stars Jodie Foster (her first Oscar) as the sexually provocative and damn near indomitable working-class victim who refuses to go whimpering into her trailer and pretend it never happened. Her per formance is both vibrant and vitriolic, while still conveying, in the film?s ble akest moments, the embers of fear and resignation that remain after white-hot an ger fades. (Eleanor Ringel Gillespie) ADAM?S RIB (1949): Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy triumphantly play out the battle of the sexes, as lawyers with gender inflected ideas about the law. (Mar tha P. Nochimson)
THE AFRICAN QUEEN (1951): Quintessential Hepburn/Bogart matchup in a leaky steam vessel on the Lumbasi River. Not only can Kate?s classic Presbyterian spinster, Rose Sayer, hang with the toughest of men, her wit and intelligent determinatio n lift the level of discourse. Despite the leeches and broken props, Sayer never compromises her personal beliefs. (Sheigh Crabtree) ALL ABOUT EVE (1950): Fasten your seatbelts for Bette Davis as the aging Broadwa y diva who has everything but wants more, balancing love and work as her connivi ng prot?e Anne Baxter makes life turbulent. (Carrie Rickey) ALL ABOUT MY MOTHER (1999): All the world s a stage in Pedro Almodovar s Oscar-winne r, which represents the full flowering of his trademark screwball melodrama style as he weaves wildly disparate elements into a hilarious, compassionate and utter ly unforgettable whole. (Carol Cling) ALICE DOESN?T LIVE HERE ANYMORE (1974): Scorsese?s rare moment of being in touch with his feminine side. (Susan Wlosczyzna) ALIEN (1979): Still the reigning action film that neither exploits nor over-femi nize its no-nonsense, take-charge heroine (SW) AN ANGEL AT MY TABLE (1990): Stunning biopic of New Zealand s Janet Frame, misdiag nosed as a schizophrenic, who emerges as her island nation s literary eminence in Jane Campion s portrait, prickly as it is plush just like its subject. (CR) AN UNMARRIED WOMAN (1978): Almost laughable in some ways now (really, she LEAVES the wonderful Alan Bates?) but a groundbreaker in taking women?s issues serious ly at the time. (SW) AMELIE (2001): Jean-Pierre Jeunet s aggressively sunny romance pits a quirky wallf lower (Audrey Tatou, Olive Oyl s flesh-and-blood cousine) against the troubles of the world and the wallflower wins, brightening the lives of her Montmartre neigh bors and even finding a love as eccentric as she. Gloriously nutty valentine to oddballs everywhere or sickeningly sweet French pastry? Count me among the besot ted: Jeunet s digitally tweaked and sweetened Paris is whimsical perfection and Ta tou s crooked smile could turn vinegar to honey. (Maitland McDonagh) ANNIE HALL (1977): With her endearing rambles, stylish ties and vulnerable night club singing, Diane Keaton turned Annie Hall into a household name. One of Woody Allen?s most beloved movies and plenty to ?La-Di-Dah? about. (Lexi Feinberg) THE APARTMENT(1960): Billy Wilder?s revealing corporate sex comedy evolves into something surprisingly pungent. Shirley MacLaine?s is the archtypical ?hooker wi th a heart of gold.? (Joanna Langfield) ARMY OF SHADOWS (1969): Simone Signoret gives a brilliant and understated, but s earing performance as a true war hero. (MN) BABETTE?S FEAST (1987): When a lonely French woman in need of help is accepted i nto an extremely religious and provincial 19th century Danish community, she exp resses her gratitude by preparing an extraordinarily lavish repast for the kind but dour citizens, and opens their sadly repressed souls to sensual pleasures. B ased on a Karen Blixen novel and brilliantly directed by Gabriel Axel, the film? s a gentle and entirely convincing reminder that life comes with many gifts inclu ding spirits and fine food intended to be fully enjoyed. (Jennifer Merin) BEING JULIA (2004): Annette Bening s uneasily aging diva commands the limelight an d an illicit lover half her age with complete exuberance. It is a spirited portr ait of a woman with a deflating ego who delights in revenge against an opportuni st who has done her wrong. (SC) BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM (2002): It?s delightful to see a young woman excelling at w hat has traditionally been man?s sport, especially when she?s able to realize he r dreams within the culturally complex community of middle class Indian immigran ts in London, eventually managing to balance family loyalty with personal ambiti on and growth. (JM) BORN YESTERDAY (1950): Could anyone ever forget Judy Holliday?s Oscar winning ex -showgirl Pygmalion? (She even beat out All About Eve?s Bette Davis and Gloria S wanson in Sunset Boulevard for the gold). And, oh that card game! (JL) BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY?S (1961): A flash of Audrey Hepburn?s smile and Henry Manci ni?s haunting ?Moon River? are enough to make anyone fall hopelessly in love wit h this movie. Cynics need not apply. (LF) BRIEF ENCOUNTER (1945): The ultimate star-crossed romance between two married strangers (Trevor Howard, Celia Johnson) inspires a poignant drama that represents a more successful union: the one between writer Noel Cowa rd and director David Lean, whose lyrical imagery suggests the emotions Coward s s tiff-upper-lip characters can hardly bring themselves to express. (CC) BRINGING UP BABY (1938): An engaging comic portrait of female power, as Katharin e Hepburn takes on science, the law, and the forces of nature. (MPN) CARRIE (1976): Captures every single horror about getting your period for the fi rst time and then some. (SW) CASABLANCA (1942): Could Michael Curtiz, Howard Koch, Julius J. and Philip G. Ep stein s doomed wartime romance, the most quoted, imitated, rapturously praised, pa rodied, pastiched, closely analyzed, effusively adored movie ever made, possibly be as good as you remember? Nothing could be, you think, until you catch a glim pse of a familiar scene in a video store or on late-night TV and you re hooked all over again. Casablanca s secret isn t one iconic scene, a single immortal line of d ialogue or one knock out performance: It s that every line, every performance, eve ry scene is exactly right: The result sings like celestial clockwork. (MM) CENTRAL STATION (1998): Fernanda Montenegro was Oscar-nominated for her Performa nce in this small Brazilian gem about a lonely retired schoolteacher who, in an uncharacteristic act of compassion, helps a little boy find his father. Packing her actor?s ego away, Montenegro looks every bit the sallow, care-worn alcoholic with droopy basset-hound eyes and a dour set to her mouth. Hers is a world-clas s study of bitterness dissuaded, of scorn swept away, of possibility and optimis m stumbled upon after too long an absence from her life. (ERG) CHINATOWN (1974): Robert Towne and Roman Polanski s neo-noir thriller unfolds in t he poisoned paradise of sun-washed California, where at the right time and the r ight place, anyone is capable of anything. The bad guys win, the good guy such a s he is couldn t find a peacock in a chicken coop and the real rain never comes, j ust a carefully controlled gush of stolen water to be squandered on rich people s desert lawns and fish ponds. Jack Nicholson s Jake Gittes blunders in where Philip Marlowe and Sam Spade would have feared to tread, and the 70s and the 30s collaps e into a black hole of casual corruption and amoral cruelty. (MM) CITIZEN KANE (1941): Everyone knows Orson Welles ultimate toy train set is one of the greats technically innovative, stylistically audacious, thematically profoun d, overflowing with brilliant bits of cinematic business. What they forget to sa y is that it s a blast, a miracle of youthful cheekiness tempered by razor-sharp i nsight. And, Mr. Bernstein s recollection of the girl in the white dress might be the most bracingly rueful words of song or pen since John Greenleaf Whittier the pure, distilled essence of nostalgic longing, bittersweet regret and sad self-de lusion. (MM) CLUELESS (1995): Jane Austen s Emma gets an absolutely fabulous make-over and the result is fresh, funny and too totally adorable for words. That the trendy frivo lity of wealthy, pampered California teens can still look so adorable in the tox ic age of Paris, Nicole and Lindsey is astonishing, but Amy Heckerling s nimble co medy of manners has brains and heart to match its bubbly good looks. (MM) COAL MINER?S DAUGHTER (1980) The greatest inspirational showbiz saga to showcase a female performer?s rise, stumble and survival. (SW) DANCE, GIRL, DANCE (1940): A story of a dancer, played by Maureen O?Hara, filmed by Dorothy Arzner, a rare woman director during the studio system period, that comically emphasizes the difference between the ways men and women look at women ?s bodies. (MPN) EARRINGS OF MADAME DE? (1953): A married baroness, a dashing diplomat and a pair of earrings that keeps returning to the baron and poisoning the well of marital propriety Max Ophuls shimmering tragedy in 3/4 time glitters like a perfectly cut stone. His restless camera glides with consummate grace as his doomed lovers ar e hemmed in by expensive knick-knacks and hypocritical mores. The troubles of th e fabulously rich and carefree have never seemed so shattering. (MM) ENTRE NOUS (1983): Miou-Miou and Isabelle Huppert glow in Diane Kurys sympathetic story of provincial women who marry men in postwar France and find in friendshi p the emotional sustenance and professional encouragement that their marriages l ack. (CR) ERIN BROCKOVICH (2000): A down and out single mom reaps the rewards of becoming a world-class do-gooder. Based on a true story, and it still rankles that Julia Roberts, when accepting her Oscar for playing the part, forgot to mention the wo man who really lived it. (JM) ET THE EXTRA TERRESTRIAL (1982): This cinematic ode to a young boy s loving relati onship with a lost, fragile alien is filled with unparalleled wonder and kindnes s, thanks to the perfect director-screenwriter pairing of Seven Spielberg and Me lissa Mathison ( Black Stallion ). (SC)
FANNY AND ALEXANDER (1982): Ingmar Bergman s return to childhood and farewell to c inema masterfully balances lightness and dark amid a poignant tapestry of charac ter studies that highlight the transformative power of art and the realization t hat to live life fully one also must accept death. (SC)
FAREWELL MY CONCUBINE (1993): A friendship forged in the fires of the famed Peki ng Opera School is tested by betrayal, lust, heartbreak and 50 tumultuous years of Chinese history in Chen Kaige s lavish melodrama. It s the perfect balance of epi c sweep and emotional intimacy, dedicated to the proposition that the heart know s what it wants but doesn t always get it. (MM) FARGO (1996): In between sit downs to satisfy her pregnancy-related food craving s, a rural police chief (Frances McDormand?s exquisite, unforgettably quirky per formance won her an Oscar) matter-of-factly resolves a gruesomely grizzly crime spree wondering all the while why and how such horrendous things could occur on s uch a beautiful day. (JM) FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH (1982): Jennifer Jason Leigh?s lessons in the reali ties of romance are heart crushing. (SW) FRIED GREEN TOMATOES (1991): A big soggy but hard to resist. (SW) FRIDA (2002): A work of art. Julie Taymor?s colorful portrait of a tortured pain ter bursts with energy and style, and stays emotionally grounded through a heart breaking performance by Salma Hayek. (LF) FUNNY GIRL (1968): Barbra Streisand s triumphant movie debut as Fanny Brice, the B roadway sunbeam attracted to shady men. Reprising the role she originated in the stage musical, Streisand exhibits moxie as the comedienne secure in her talent and insecure in her romantic attachments. (CR) GAS FOOD LODGING (1992): One of the early and most memorable movies in the Ameri can indie film movement. Alison Ander s debut feature tells the story of a working single mother and her two very different daughters. Featuring Brooke Adams, Ion e Skye, and the under-appreciated Fairuza Balk. (Marcy Dermansky) GHOST WORLD (2001): Thora Birch ruins Steve Buscemi s life in Terry Zwigoff s comic book adaptation, Ghost World, but the pain at the heart of this achingly true, oft en hilarious film lies in her dissolving friendship with Scarlett Johansson. (MD ) GONE WITH THE WIND (1939): No one else survives with such panache and power as S carlett does. (SW) GORILLAS IN THE MIST (1988): Environmentally aware before it was chic, this stun ning biography of endangered ape activist Dian Fossey takes us into a world wort h protecting. (JL) THE GRADUATE (1967): They may say this is about a recent college graduate but th is is a story about Mrs. Robinson s insatiable libido that dictates the film s actio n and suspense and culminates in a surprise elopement. (SC) HAROLD AND MAUDE (1972): They re hardly anyone s ideal romantic couple, but the disa ffected rich kid (Bud Cort) and the freewheeling, lust-for-life septuagenarian ( Ruth Gordon) bring out the best in each other and symbolize the winds of change s weeping not only the midnight-movie circuit but Hollywood itself. (CC) HEAVENLY CREATURES (1994): Kate Winslet s luminescent debut performance in this pr e- Lord of the Rings Peter Jackson film is not to be missed. When female friendship s go wrong, mothers beware! (MD) HIS GIRL FRIDAY (1940): If Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell talked any faster, Ho ward Hawks sublime account of love among the ink-stained wretches would sound lik e high noon on an artillery range. And, we d still love it for being fast, funny a nd fractious. Oh, and really, really fast if those two were teleported to the wi red, multi-tasking, want-it-now future they d hit the ground running, leave the te chnorati in the dust and look effortlessly fabulous while doing it. (MM) THE HOURS (2002): Nothing happens, and yet everything happens. That quiet parado x, powering an exquisitely insightful exploration, proves that life s little revel ations can be more explosive than all the cinematic pyrotechnics in the world. ( CC) IMITATION OF LIFE (1934/1959): A penetrating 1930s portrait of the bittersweet w altz of the mother and daughter, as complicated by racial issues in a prejudiced society. And, a penetrating 1950s portrait of the bittersweet waltz of the moth er and daughter, as complicated by racial issues in a prejudiced society. (MPN) IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT (1934): Claudette Colbert, as the original Hollywood madca p heiress. The movie cops out at the end, but for most of the time we are treate d to a jubilant female point of view on marriage and how to hitchhike. (MPN) IT?S A WONDERFUL LIFE (1946): A timeless classic that reminds us that our lives are far from meaningless. Stewart shines as George Bailey and Capra is the maste r of playing our emotions like a harp. (LF) JULES ET JIM (1962): The ultimate ?three?s a crowd? caveat. Fran?s Truffaut?s pe ek at an unconventional, doomed love affair makes a pretty strong case for monog amy. (LF) JULIA (1977): Jane Fonda and Vanessa Redgrave make sparks fly in Lillian Hellman ?s memoir of two women?s fierce friendship: an evocative story of professionalis m, perspective and true heroism. (JL) KLUTE (1971): Jane Fonda with her best haircut gets down and dirty. (SW) A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN (1992): ?There?s no crying in baseball,? scoffs coach Jimm y Dugan, played by Tom Hanks, at the women?s sports team. But crying while watch ing this movie? That?s another story. (LF) LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE (1992): Laura Esquivel?s lush romantic drama recreates historical Mexican social mores. (JL) LITTLE WOMEN (1933): Not the 1949 version with June Allyson and Elizabeth Taylor . Or the 1994 attempt with Winona Ryder and Claire Danes. It?s the earlier and s till best version, made in 1933, and starring Katharine Hepburn as Jo March, rin gleader of the March sisters. Her high spirited performance, with her hands on h er hips in a tomboy-ish stance and her gruff line readings, is the closest she e ver got to playing Peter Pan. (ERG) LOST IN TRANSLATION (2003): Sofia Coppola?s minimalist film says more with a sin gle shot of Bill Murray?s eyes than most say with 120 pages of dialogue. Its uni que vibe perfectly captures the dichotomy of loneliness in a densely populated c ity. (LF) THE MAGDELENE SISTERS (2002): Based on true stories, the film follows three Iris h teenage girls sent by their families to a nunnery where they?re expected to li ve out their lives doing hard labor as laundresses as penance for their respecti ve sins: being beautiful, being raped, wanting to keep and love a child born out of wedlock. The Magdelene Sisters, we learn, ran such establishments, confining thousands of girls, until 1996. (JM) MESHES OF THE AFTERNOON (1943): Arguably the most influential American avant garde film in history, the reverberations of Maya Deren s first fil m echo through the work of experimental filmmakers like Kenneth Anger, Stan Brak hage and David Lynch and through surreal dream sequence awash in ominous doppelg angers, cloaked specters and spooky reflections ever staged by a low-rent fright -meister. Deren s elegant, enigmatic vision, rooted in dream logic and associative connections, defined the trance film, integrated film with dance, poetry and my thic symbols, and defied Hollywood wisdom at every turn. Deren did it her way: I ndie rebels, bow down before the woman who went there first. (MM) MILDRED PIERCE (1945): Working woman soap opera of the highest order, with a big -shouldered Joan Crawford sorely tested by Ann Blyth as one of the worst daughte rs ever birthed by Hollywood. (SW) MILLION DOLLAR BABY (2004) The Anti-Rocky. Clint Eastwood?s no-holds-barred port rait of an aspiring female boxer, played by Hilary Swank, brings new levels to t he word ?knockout.? (LF) MONSOON WEDDING (2001): An irresistible romantic comedy from Mira Nair, marrying traditional Indian values and impatient Western technology. (JL) MURIEL?S WEDDING (1994): All that Muriel, the pudgy, socially inept Aussie twent y-something (Toni Colette), wants is to be accepted by a gaggle of mean-spirited girlfriends and to get married until, having done both, and gotten into a lot of trouble in the process- she realizes the true nature of friendship, and learns to love herself. (JM) MY BRILLIANT CAREER (1979)- Director Gillian Armstrong and actress Judy Davis co llaborate brilliantly in this high-spirited coming-of-age story based on the mem oirs of early 20th-century Australian feminist Miles Franklin, who shunned marri age for career. (CR) NASHVILLE (1975): Robert Altman simultaneously created and defined the ensemble film with this freewheeling look at love, life, politics and the music business. Nearly two dozen characters populate the busy screen with a cast that includes Lily Tomlin, Ronee Blakely, Elliot Gould, Ned Beatty, Karen Allen, and Julie Chr istie. (MD) NATIONAL VELVET (1944): A boy, a girl and a horse. One of Elizabeth Taylor?s ear liest and most engaging star turns. (JL) NORMA RAE (1979): Nothing beats watching this round-heeled Southern gal have her consciousness raised and become one of cinema?s best crusading working-class he roines. (SW) NOTORIOUS (1946): The Alfred Hitchcock classic about the Nazi s daughter (Ingrid B ergman) recruited as an Allied spy. In her most sensual performance, Bergman is torn between the American she loves (Cary Grant) and the Nazi on whom she spies (Claude Rains), complicated by the fact that the American is a romantically remo te and the Nazi demonstrative. (CR) NOWHERE IN AFRICA (2001): A Jewish family flees Nazi Germany and, arriving in Ke nya, faces the challenges of establishing new roots in entirely unfamiliar terra in. Presented from the perspective of the young daughter, who comes of age in th is new environment and becomes inexorably attached to it, this provocative tale about personal transformation is profoundly inspiring. (JM) THE PHILADELPHIA STORY (1940): Oh, does Kate Hepburn give a marvelous performanc e as regal redhead Tracy Lord, an upper crust beauty with a sharp wit and a supp osedly cold, cold heart. Co-stars Cary Grant and James Stewart are not bad eithe r. (MD) THE PIANO (1993): The sounds of silence reverberate with almost mystic power in writer-director Jane Campion s Oscar (and Cannes) winner, a tale of anguish and pa ssion in which a literally voiceless woman (Holly Hunter, who won multiple accol ades for her tour-de-force performance) finds a way to express her inner strengt hs and outward desires. (CC) RABBIT PROOF FENCE (2002): Two young Aboriginal girls, having been kidnapped by the Australian government and placed in a school to be trained as domestic worke rs, escape and outwit experienced trackers to walk 1500 miles through the desert to get home to their mother. The flm?s based on true events that occurred durin g the 1930s. Philip Noyce?s smart, sensitive direction spins this inspiring stor y into enlightening social protest against the kind of cultural rape that still takes place around the globe today. It?s a cinematic gem. (JM) RAISE THE RED LANTERN (1991): Zhang Yimou s haunting, rapturously beautiful dissec tion of four¿ destinies defined and deformed by a subtle, devastating struggle for power, prestige and control resonates far beyond its specific time and place: T he suffocating polygamous household of a wealthy, aged landowner in 1920s China. The exquisite, steely Gong Li the educated, reluctant, youngest bride whose hope s are dashed on the reef of tradition was never lovelier or more heartbreaking. ( MM)? REAR WINDOW (1954): Alfred Hitchcock knows how to tell an engrossing story. Put James Stewart in a wheelchair with a broken leg, sit him in front of an open win dow, and send his two women across the courtyard to solve an imaginary murder. T he suspense can practically kill you as can watching the impossibly beautiful Grac e Kelly. (MD) REBECCA (1940): An unusual analysis of the power structure of marriage in which the woman achieves maturity despite her husband?s attraction to her initial chil dish vulnerablity. (MN) REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE (1955): While a bit dated by today?s standards, it?s one o f the first movies to capture the emotional discourse of teenagers in the ?50s. And it turned James Dean into an ageless icon who people are still talking about , and missing. (LF) ROSEMARY?S BABY (1968): Think your child is a handful? Just remember it could al ways be worse. Roman Polanksi?s creepy tale of a mom carrying the devil?s spawn still elicits chills and thrills. (LF) RUN LOLA RUN (1998): There is sheer exhilaration to be had watching flame-haired Franka Potente run. And she runs and she runs through the streets of Berlin in a breathless attempt to save her man in Tom Tykwer s 1999 riveting film. (MD) SECRETS & LIES (1995): Mike Leigh s subtle, complex drama of regret and transforma tion revolves around three women: Blowsy, middle-aged, working-class Cynthia (Br enda Blethyn), her embittered daughter (Claire Rushbrook) ¿ and the other daughter , Hortense (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) , whom Cynthia? gave up at birth without so much as a backward glance. It s hard to say which is the greater shock when Horten se re-enters Cynthia s life: That she s successful, that she s well-spoken and educate d, or that she s black. And, once the secrets and the lies are hauled into the lig ht, none of their lives is ever the same. (MM) SENSE AND SENSIBILITY (1995): Emma Thompson is sensible, smart Elinor, who?s on the verge of spinsterhood, and Kate Winslet is passionate, impulsive Marianne, w ho believes in love that burns. When their father dies, leaving them destitute, the sisters are plunged into a riveting tale of class, character and True Love. Director Ang Lee and screenwriter Thompson have distilled every bit of humor, in telligence, romance and even peril from Jane Austen?s novel. They?ve created an adventure movie of sorts, in which an abrupt departure or revelation of a secret has as much jaw-dropping impact as a T- Rex lumbering out of the dark. (ERG) SILKWOOD (1983): Of the Streepian oeuvre, this one just feels right and the whis tleblower s grit yanks her overly dramatic tendencies down to earth. (SW) STELLA DALLAS (1937): The woman?s weeper to top them all. (SW) SUNSET BLVD. (1950): Billy Wilder?s melodrama still stands as ?the? movie about movies. Gloria Swanson?s desperate legend continues to polarize: great work or o ver the top? (JL) TERMS OF ENDEARMENT (1983): Probably the best examination of mother-daughter dyn amics. (SW) THELMA & LOUISE (1991): A really cool portrait of women negotiating American sym bols of masculinity and the male power structure Too bad they didn?t survive the ir adventures! (MPN) TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (1962): A very real for its time account of a tomboy comin g of age and learning about the ugly side of society. (SW) TOOTSIE (1982): Put a sexist, self-absorbed jerk in a dress and he becomes one o f the most delightful woman ever onscreen with Jack Lemmon in Some Like It Hot a s close second. (SW) TOUCH OF EVIL (1958): Orson Welles opens this dark, perverse thriller about mora l compromise and the price of corruption with a virtuoso tracking shot a three-m inute, 12 second, slow motion crawl through the streets of TJ as a flashy white car with a tick-tick-ticking in its trunk wends its way to US/Mexican border that sums up its themes and starts things off with a literal bang: It s the stuff cell uloid dreams are made of, with a heaping dose of sheer lunacy served up on the s ide. (MM) VAGABOND (1985): Agnes Varda s shattering character study, filmed in raw documenta ry style, of a human tumbleweed (Sandrine Bonnaire) drifting through provincial France without making social connections, a blank upon whom those who encounter her project their feelings. (CR) VERA DRAKE (2004): The incomparable Mike Leigh directs Imelda Staunton in her br illiant performance as a pure-of-heart who clandestinely and somewhat naively te rminates unwanted pregnancies, never quite acknowledging to herself that what sh e?s doing is against the law. When she?s confronted by police, arrested and trie d for her doings, we?re all forced to realize that hapless is the women who trie s to help, and to reconsider just what a woman?s right to choose means. (JM) VERTIGO (1958): A brilliant, innovative study of the fatal effects of male fetis hization of women. (MPN) VOLVER (2006): In his stirring masterpiece about mother and daughter relationshi ps, Pedro Almodovar sheds light on the dark and hidden secrets, and airs all the quirky complaints that exist between three generations of intriguing, determine d, resourceful and resilient women in a small town in rural Spain. A brilliant a nd defining moment in the career of Penelope Cruz. (JM) WATER (2005): A very young widow struggles with her fate, amidst the transitiona l India of 1938. Deepa Mehta?s most haunting chapter in her ?elements? series. ( JL) WHALE RIDER (2002): A marvelous girl?s coming of age tale flavored by Maori cult ure. (SW) WHEN HARRY MET SALLY (1989): One of the best rom-coms ever made. What woman woul dn?t want a man to crash a New Year?s Eve party and rattle off a list of things he loves about her? (LF) THE WIZARD OF OZ (1939): We have all been Dorothy at some part in our lives, onl y probably without Munchkins (SW) WOMAN OF THE YEAR (1942): Hepburn and Tracy joust at the newspaper where they bo th work. A feminist and a sports writer? Sexy, smart and hilarious. (JL) THE WOMEN (1939): Set the standard for all bitchfests to come. (SW) WORKING GIRL (1988): Makes The Devil Wears Prada look like a knockoff. (SW)
Iron Jawed Angel Norma Rae
Our Times: American women aren't the only ones with a reform struggle to tel l. Our Times focuses on Iranian women in the 2001 presidential election. One Woman, One Vote: One Woman, One Vote documents the passing of the 19th A mendment by one vote. The Amasong Chorus: Singing Out: This movie shares the growing subculture of lesbian and gay signing choruses through the rise of this feminist/lesbian chor us. Iron Jawed Angels: Hillary Swank stars in this movie about the women's right s movement in America. The Passion of Joan of Arc: See the story of the powerful Joan of Arc in thi s movie. Sisters of Selma: Catholic nuns had a large part in the efforts to secure vo ting rights for African Americans in Selma, Alabama, and this movie tells their story. Nine to Five: These women show their boss that they can do a much better job than he can. The Miracle Worker: The Miracle Worker shows Annie Sullivan's amazing work a s Helen Keller's tutor. Not for Ourselves Alone: Watch this movie about Elizabeth Cady Stanton and S usan B. Anthony to learn about the struggle for women's rights. Two Women: Two Women is about two women who attended University of Tehran th rough the Islamic revolution. The Sound of Music: Watch The Sound of Music in a different light as the sex ual awakening of a woman. The Education of Shelby Knox: This girl transforms from a conservative South ern Baptist to feminist liberal Christian who fights for sex education and gay r ights. Mama Flora's Family: See America in the 20th century through Flora, a black woman. Lioness: Although policy forbids women from serving in direct ground combat units, these five female support soldiers ended up in direct ground combat in th e Iraq war. They share their experiences through footage, journals, interviews, and more. Far From Heaven: This woman realizes that picture perfect isn't always perfe ct. Evita: The musical Evita shares the life of a child from the lower class who rises to the role of first lady and spiritual leader of Argentina. The Joy Luck Club: Amy Tan's novel comes to life in this movie about a Chine se-American woman's understanding of her roots. Missing Peace: Watch Missing Peace to learn how how war fails women of faith in various religious backgrounds. The Magdalene Sisters: Watch this movie about women in an asylum for "waywar d women" in Ireland. V for Victory: Watch V for Victory to see how important women were to WWII. The Life and Times of Rosie the Riveter: Rosie the Riveter celebrates the ac hievements of women in World War II, sharing interviews with real workers as wel l as footage from women working in WWII. Sylvia: Gwyneth Paltrow stars in this movie about the poetry and life of Syl via Plath. Elizabeth: Elizabeth shows the growth of the new Queen Elizabeth. Ida B. Wells: A Passion for Justice: This movie shares Ida B. Wells' life as a black female journalist, best known for her anti-lynching campaign. Around the World in 72 Days: Journalist Nellie Bly's life is explored in thi s biographical documentary. A Midwife's Tale: Martha Ballard was an 18th century midwife whose life is t old in this movie. Warrior Queen: Warrior Queen offers the story of the Celtic queen Boudica, w ho shook the Roman Empire. Madame Curie: Learn about the Polish woman scientist who discovered radium i n Madame Curie's biopic. Mona Lisa Smile: The female students in this movie are bright, but seem to b e just waiting around for the right man to marry, but their teacher helps them r each their potential. 14 Women: Study the 109th Congress that had 14 women in the Senate through 1 4 Women. Navy WAVES & Coast Guard SPARS: Partically produced in WWII, this movie shar es the role of women in the military from the 40s to the 70s. Heaven Will Protect the Working Girl: Watch this movie about immigrant women at the turn of the century. The Circle: The Circle shows how a woman and her baby daughter are unwanted in Iran. Phat Girlz: Mo'Nique's movie discusses women living life to the fullest. License to Thrive: License to Thrive depicts the journey of the legislation that opened doors for women in educational programs and activities. Trouble the Water: Follow aspiring rap artist Kimberly as she finds redempti on in surviving Hurricane Katrina. Amelia: Amelia tells the story of Amelia Earhart, the young aviatrix who won the Distinguished Flying Cross for being the first woman pilot to fly solo acro ss the Atlantic Ocean. Frida: Learn about the life of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo. Erin Brockovich: Erin Brockovich's movie shows the power of one woman who to ok down a power company polluting a city's water supply. Secrets of the Dead: Secrets of the Dead shares the lives of the race of war rior women, the Amazons. Fly Girls: The story of the Women's Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) and aviat rix Jacqueline Chochran in particular is told in Fly Girls, through archival fil m and home movies. Companeras: Companeras offers the story of America's first all-female Mariac hi band. North Country: Watch this movie about Josey Aimes, a woman who went to work in the iron mines. Norma Rae: Sally Field stars in this movie about a textile worker who stands up against deplorable working conditions. My Brilliant Career: Sybylla rejects the opportunity of marriage to maintain her independence and take a job as a governess. Three Sovereigns for Sarah: Three Sovereigns for Sarah shares the true story of the Salem Witch Trials. Born Into Brothels: Kids who are the children of prostitutes in Calcutta's r ed light district were chosen to photograph their lives, and their work is shown in this movie. Burning Times: The Burning Times takes a look at the witch persecutions that took place in Europe. Salt of the Earth: Salt of the Earth tells a powerful story of feminism, as the wives of miners in a strike for wage parity play a pivotal role in victory. Rosita: Rosita shares the journey of a 9 year old Nicaraguan girl who became pregnant from rape, and became a subject of political and religious debate.