Some Great (Feministish) Movies!

I watched a fantastic movie this weekend and the more I thought about it, the more I realized that a list of great movies may be in order for ma blog. They have a bit of a feminist vibe, but not really? I just like them because they break the mold a little bit (or a lot). Also these are not chick flicks. I've never met a man who doesn't love #4 on this list.

1. The To Do List - Frankly this was one of the most hilarious movies I've seen in a very long time. Huge laugh-out-loud moments, great comedic timing, and a brilliant storyline. This one is about a recent high school graduate who has never had a sexual experience and, being a very studious person, embarks on completing a list of sexual activities before the summer is out, ending in her losing her virginity. She's so factual about it that it's basically the total opposite of all the other teen virginity movies out there - unless the main character was a guy (read: American Pie). She's not out there to fall in love - she's out there to get shit done. No pies were harmed in the making of this particular movie.

2. No Strings Attached - This cinematic adventure came out at the same time as Friends With Benefits, and a lot of people preferred that one, but let me explain why I like the Ashton Kutcher/Natalie Portman duo over Justin Timberlake/Mila Kunis. FWB follows an incredibly predictable plot, where the girl falls in love with the guy and the guy isn't ready to commit. Have we not seen this before? I get it. Girl falls in love with guy and guy takes some extra time to realize that he, too, is in love with the girl. He then makes a grand gesture which makes up for the previous tiff. Good stuff. No Strings Attached flips the scenario on its head.
Here we have a girl who's in it just for the orgasm and the guy who's trying to push for the relationship - a situation that a lot of ladybirds I know have been in. I love this one because it's funny and it's atypical.

3. The Hunger Games - I know this choice is obvious. I just don't care! There's this new Swedish movie feminist rating system and The Hunger Games passes with flying colours. Some of the requirements are as simple as two female characters having a conversation about something other than a fella. Not even Harry Potter (<3) passes this rating system. I love this movie for a billion reasons, but one of the aspects I admire a lot is that Katniss knows she's got to save her life and protect her family. She has priorities that extend beyond falling in love, getting a boyfriend, etc. She's independent, strong, rebellious and also awesome. May the odds be ever in her favour. (Also, the quote in this photo is brilliant.)


4. Mean Girls - Such a classic. My generation may never stop quoting this movie. But it also carries a great message about how girls tear down other girls. As a feminist, I don't see the "enemy" as men; I see it as ignorance, tolerance of inequality, condescension, hate, sexual assault. Tina Fey makes the great point that if girls keep calling each other sluts, we're just giving guys permission to do the same, and that is not cool. In short, this movie is just plain fetch.

5. The Duchess - I wasn't sure if I was going to add a fifth movie to the list, but this one left me in tears. It is incredibly sad, thought provoking and beautifully done. It's kind of the opposite of a feminist movie but it's based on a true story and I think that it shows how far we have come. It's easy to crap on a lot of the issues our society still struggles with but when you watch a movie like this and see what it used to be like, you can think "yeah, we've made huge progress". And this is about a woman of high society - imagine what the working class was like. It's definitely worth a watch, but if you're a crier (LIKE ME) then I suggest you keep some tissues close by. Or a whole box.



That's it for now! Just glad I could share some thoughts. Also:
My leadership group is hosting an Empowerment All-Nighter November 30th, 6pm-6am. Zumba, Hair and Makeup, Self Defense, Yoga, Food, Movies, Games, etc. If you are a woman ages 17-25 in the Saint John area, email me for details!  rgrantvolunteer@gmail.com. It's going to be amazing fun, don't pass up this opportunity :)