hey, blog! this is i’ve been planning to post but haven’t quite gotten around to, so this is it on a smaller scale. over the holiday break, i embarked on a journey of watching films directed by women and found many new favorites. i originally wanted to make a post about the best movies from female directors, but i ultimately decided on something a little different- i’ll be listing (no particular order, blahblahblah) three films that molded my feminism. before i start my list, i want to note that i’m not saying that these movies are perfect or that i agree with all their sentiments- this is simply a personal tally of films that impacted my view on feminist issues, both positively and negatively. if there are films on this list that seem out of place, that’s entirely natural. both feminism and enjoyment of media are subjective. however, if any of these sound interesting, i highly recommend them all! (no spoilers<3)
the accused
this is a movie that i found by accident. i was scrolling through hulu, looking for something to watch, when i stumbled across this absolute gem of a film. not gonna lie, i saw that it starred jodie foster and clicked without hesitation (who can resist that twang!). i wasn’t sure what to expect from the movie, but i was both pleasantly and unpleasantly surprised. the film is the true story of a woman who was raped at a bar, while patrons did nothing to help her. jodie foster is positively electric in her role as the main character- every award she earned a well-deserved one. kelly mcgillis also does brilliant work in her supporting role as jodie’s lawyer. without spoiling any major points of the film, i’ll just have to say that it moved me in a way no other film ever has. (in other words, i cried like a colicky baby on a visit with santa claus.) this film is raw, gritty, and utterly stunning.
monster
monster is one of the films i saw over the break to prepare for this series, and it’s also the one that inspired me to create it. the film chronicles the story of serial killer aileen wuornos (whose case i won’t be delving into here, but check it out if you’re into true crime!) it stars charlize theron in the absolute highlight of her career, completely transformed into a tragic figure of revenge and society’s failures. cristina ricci costars as the theron’s girlfriend and human credential as they go on the run together. a romeo and juliet story turned disgustingly bitter. this is one of the most tragic movies i’ve ever seen and leads to so many moral questions. for me, the main one is: did she even do anything wrong?
little women
this is quite a sharp turn from the other choices on this list but with good reason. little women, particularly the greta gerwig version, basically changed my life. melodramatic? yes. also true? yes. i saw this film in the theatre during an extremely difficult time in my life when i needed its message more than ever. i was in the middle of losing a family member, and i was completely consumed with sadness over what was to come. but when i walked into that theatre and watched this movie about family, grief, and the strength we carry as women helped me in ways i can’t describe. this movie holds such a special place in my heart. i love most all adaptations of this book (looking at you, winona ryder and susan surandon!). however, this one is extra special to me because of the obvious feminine influence from greta gerwig and the fact that it features some of my favorite actors of all time.
Needless to say, I have three new films on my list. Thanks for the recommendations!
Oh my gosh, I cannot explain how huge of an impact “The Accused” had one me when I first watched it. It was crazy and a roller coaster of emotions. I really enjoyed reading this. Amazing job!
as a louisa may alcott stan i definitely would agree with that choice lol such a good blog! i’ll definitely have to check the other two out