March is Women’s History Month, and what better way to celebrate girl power than by watching some female-centric flicks?
For International Women’s Day (March 8th, 2021), grab your gals, get some popcorn ready, and turn on one of these incredible movies.
LITTLE WOMEN
Emma Watson, Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen, Laura Dern, AND Meryl Streep?! Come on, does it get better than that? Greta Gerwig’s 2019 adaptation completely reimagined the structure of the classic Civil War-era novel and even went as far as to incorporate Louisa May Alcott’s story with a new spin on the ending.
Watch LITTLE WOMEN on Hulu, rent or buy on Amazon Prime, and read the screenplay here.
THE FAREWELL
Based on her own true story, Lulu Wang’s THE FAREWELL centers on a young woman who must lie to her beloved grandmother, the family matriarch who doesn’t know she only has a few weeks to live. Awkwafina helms this emotional dramedy, which hits on superficial and profound cultural differences, guilt and grief, and the love between grandchildren and grandparents. If you needed another reason to watch, just know that Lulu Wang was asked to include a romance for her leading lady but refused because that simply wasn’t the story she wanted to tell.
Watch THE FAREWELL on Amazon Prime, and read the screenplay here.
HIDDEN FIGURES
In a time when society was still plagued by segregation and run by the patriarchy, three brilliant female African American mathematicians helped NASA put a man on the moon. This 2016 film, which was written by Allison Schroeder based on a book by Margot Lee Shetterly, tells the little-known, incredible story of “hidden figures” Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson, whose stories make it impossible not to feel full of inspiration by the time the credits roll.
Watch HIDDEN FIGURES on Disney+, and read the screenplay here.
BOOKSMART
Two best friends set out to cram four years of high school fun into a single night on the eve of their graduation in this laugh out loud buddy comedy. Olivia Wilde smashes it out of the park in her directorial debut, which was written by a team of four fabulous female screenwriters and includes at least six incredible women who sparkle with wit and comedy every time they’re on screen.
Watch BOOKSMART on Hulu, and read the screenplay here.
SOMEONE GREAT
Written and directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, this romantic comedy may seem like it centers on a romantic relationship, but that’s just the surface. When Jenny’s long-time relationship falls apart right before she is set to move across the country, her two best friends set out to give her one last hurrah in an attempt to make her feel better. At its heart, SOMEONE GREAT celebrates female independence and friendship.
Watch SOMEONE GREAT on Netflix.
FROZEN
It’s no secret that, for a long time, the women in Disney movies were… how should I put this lightly? … totally and completely dependent on men. Over time, Disney took baby steps toward improvement, but 2013’s FROZEN smashed Disney’s glass (or maybe ice) ceiling to smithereens. Co-director Jennifer Lee became the first female to helm a Disney animated movie, which was the first to ultimately focus on sisterhood and familial love over royal romance.
Watch FROZEN on Disney+, and read the screenplay here.
DUMPLIN’
When Willowdean, the plus-size teenage daughter of a famous former beauty queen, decides to sign up to compete in the Miss Teen Bluebonnet pageant, she unknowingly revolutionizes their small Texas town. Not only does Anne Fletcher’s cute comedy feature music by the Queen of Country Music Ms. Dolly Parton, it also focuses on female friendship, mother-daughter relationships, body confidence, and female stereotypes. It may be tempting to discount this film, but it packs a real punch.
Watch DUMPLIN’ on Netflix.
LEGALLY BLONDE
You might remember this movie for the “Bend and Snap” scene, or for that amazing quote: “What, like it’s hard?” It’s easy to forget that, when LEGALLY BLONDE came out in 2001, it was one of the first movies to tackle societal stereotypes against women head-on. Even today, it’s incredible to see Elle defy expectations and get into Harvard, kill it in the courtroom, and stun her peers by solving the case with her “girly” knowledge.
Watch LEGALLY BLONDE on Hulu, rent or buy on Amazon Prime, and read the screenplay here.
WONDER WOMAN
The superhero genre was full of macho men for far too long. Then came WONDER WOMAN. Directed by Patty Jenkins and starring the incredible Gal Gadot, this 2017 action-adventure was the first big-budget blockbuster to focus on a female superhero. If you need a pick-me-up, watch the first 20 minutes, which take place entirely on the island of Themyscira and feature nothing but badass Amazonian warriors without a single man in sight).
Watch WONDER WOMAN on HBO Max, and read the screenplay here.
Britton Perelman is a writer and storyteller based in Los Angeles, California. When not buried in a book or failing spectacularly at cooking herself a meal, she’s probably talking someone’s ear off about the last thing she watched. She loves vintage typewriters, the Cincinnati Reds, and her dog, Indy. Find more of her work on her website, or follow her on Instagram.
