I have a list in my to-do list keeper that is my ‘Women Are Awesome and People Can Make A Difference’ movie list. I thought rather than it languishing in a place only I can see and appreciate it, that maybe I’d share it here. Also, you might have other suggestions that I could add to the list.
Obviously, these things are subjective and what I’ve got on my list may not work for you at all, which is completely fine. I’m interested in your thoughts, and your suggestions. I would like to expand my comfort watching list, I think it could be a lot more diverse but given this is a comfort watching list, I am not sure where to start (I’m doing very little non-comfort-watching of anything at present).
With no further delay, the list:
- Princess Diaries I and II
- Legally Blonde I and II
- Hairspray
- Mamma Mia
- Steel Magnolias
- Rent
- Clueless
- A Destiny of Her Own
- GI Jane
- Spy Kids 1 – 4
I realise that I’ve just given you the list without any critical explanation as to why it’s there, but I’m not up to writing that right now, though maybe I would be interested in revisiting that later – right now I am more interested in what you think of the list and what other movies you’d suggest.
I think it likely that I could add ‘The Sapphires’ and ‘But I’m a Cheerleader’ to the list – but I haven’t re-watched them in so long that I don’t know right now, it will have to wait until I can deal with watching things that might not be comforting.
This is just the movie list, I have a whole separate watching pattern for television that maybe I’ll also post about.
Here are some of my favourites in that genre:
Stick It – gymnasts! rebellion! she doesn’t end up romantically involved with any of her male friends!
Bend It Like Beckham – soccer! South Asian family drama! baby Kiera Knightley! presumed lesbianism!
Dirty Dancing – I hope this needs no introduction but if you haven’t seen it, you should definitely move it to the top of your list. The eve of the civil rights movement! Class issues! Sexual agency!
Orlando – immortal genderfluid Tilda Swinton kicks ass across 4 centuries
In the recent animated kids’ movies line: I like both Brave and Frozen.
For TV shows, have you seen The Bletchley Circle? A team of women cryptographers, disbanded after ww2, get back together in 1953 to fight crime. Two short mini-series-esesses.
Err, forgot to click the notification thingy. Another comment so I get follow-ups.
Oh wow! You listed a bunch of films that I’d somehow forgotten about and somehow didn’t have on the list! Stick It is great! I also like Whip It, which I am now reminded of.
Loved Bend it Like Beckham, and also by the same film maker ‘Bride and Prejudice’.
It’s been forever since I watched Dirty Dancing, I should totally re-watch it 😀
I don’t think I’ve seen Orlando but it’s now on my to-do list.
I really really enjoyed Brave, I have yet to see Frozen, also on my list.
I love love love Bletchley Circle! Looking forward to watching S2. I do have a bunch of TV I’m watching, including comfort watching but it’s a rather long list so I’m going to leave the rest of it for another day 😛
I am so glad you posted! *gleeful*
I couldn’t deal with all the rampant heterosexuality in Whip It to be honest! It’s ROLLER DERBY ffs!
Yeah I can understand that about it, but I have a soft spot a mile wide for Drew Barrymore and Ellen Page which is possibly what does it for me.
Surprised that “Josie and the Pussycats” isn’t on there, as you introduced me to it.
I don’t know how I completely forgot about it either! I haven’t watched that movie in a while, I should really do that 🙂