Not all "chick flicks" suck -- post some that don't

[Patiod]

One of my favorite movies is "How to Make An American Quilt", the ultimate chick flick.

But even though it's 100% a "women's movie", it's the exact opposite of romantic - it's about how women live with and accept or don't accept the results of the choices they make - it basically says "honey, there's no happily ever after, just ever after". Men aren't demonized, but they're sure as hell not portrayed as "saviors" - just as potential partners on the road through life (and maybe as diversions...)

I went with 4 long-time girlfriends, all women with high-powered careers (well, except me) and we were all sobbing at the end. And none of us cry at movies. It is just a beautiful picture about being female.

[politicat]

1. Sense and Sensibility

It's not about love, it's about money, and the fact that even now, women without money don't have power over their own lives, and have to work twice as hard to be successful.

That's about as chick-flicky as I get....

I liked the book of Quilt, but I never saw the movie. My mother said the movie for Billie Lett's Where the Heart is was pretty much about self-empowerment, but I'm pretty disgusted with the book (Walmart as positive company?!?!).

[hippywife]

36. It's been awhile

since I read Where the Heart Is, but I'm pretty sure that the whole WalMart thing is set when Sam Walton was alive, wasn't it? Or am I remembering it wrong? I read and enjoy so many books and then remember so little of the details. LOL

I can tell you this, tho. I know Billie Letts and she is an incredible, strong, generous, progressive woman. A staunch Dem.

[Beaverhausen]

2. My list of fav "chick flicks" off the top of my head

not sure if they all qualify but...

Room With a View
Bull Durham
The Color Purple
Crossing Delancy
Once Around
Thelma and Louise

[Mad_Dem_X]

8. I agree with TCP and T&L

Very powerful, for different reasons. TCP is one of my all-time favorite movies, period.

[DawgHouse]

3. Real Women have Curves

I just loved this movie. Very empowering, imo!

[flamingyouth]

4. I love that movie too.

Very, very good. :thumbsup:

[Beaverhausen]

7. I bought this on your recommendation- LOVED IT!

I think my fav part was when Ana turned on the lights and showed her lover her naked body. "This is me. This is how I look."

My boyfriend was watching with me said, "That is so sexy." :loveya:

[AZBlue]

31. Betty's first movie!

[u4ic]

5. Muriel's Wedding

I love that one! :bounce:

[fudge stripe cookays]

6. Total sobfest, but...

"A Summer Story" with James Wilby and Imogen Stubbs.

You will bawl your eyes out at the end.
FSC

[NMDemDist2]

9. Bagdad Cafe

one of my favorite "quirky films"

[Beaverhausen]

11. Oh my god. I love that movie

I-I-I-I am calling you-u-u-u!

[madaboutharry]

10. Enchanted April

I really love this movie, maybe as much for the setting and costumes as for the story. I love it up until the last 15 minutes. The ending always disappoints me.

I also love "The Unbearable Lightness of Being." This is a truly wonderful film.

[intheflow]

12. I love this thread!

I've been collecting movies for a while now with strong female heroines. It's very hard to find good movies with strong women, and even harder to find one that appeals to both sexes. Here's what I have so far:

A League of Their Own
Bend It Like Beckham
Charlie's Angels
Chicken Run
Crossing Delancy
Daria (MTV cartoon)
Ella Enchanted
Erin Brockovich
Far and Away
The Incredibles
Mansfield Park
The Miracle Worker
Mona Lisa Smile
Norma Rae
Persuasion
Pieces of April
Practical Magic
Pride and Prejudice (2 versions)
Saved
Sense & Sensibility
Songcatcher
The Stepford Wives
Working Girl

A note about a few of my choices. I've been criticized for including Charlie's Angels because of the T&A factor, but considering the fact tht these heroines kick ass both by use of their T&A but also with their smarts and martial arts, I thought it was valid to include them in my list.

Please note how many of my movies are animated or aimed at young audiences! It's totally shocking to me that we have all these positive female role models packaged for young girls, but the positive independent women are few and far between--I had to find them in mostly historical pieces (the Austin movies, Songcatcher, Norma Rae, Far and Away).

I have similar justifications for all of these movies. Very sad that I feel like I have to justify any of them, but definitions of "strong female" are so varied among women, I thought I ought to do a little CYA. :)

Great, great post! Now I can't wait to check out the movies I haven't seen listed in this thread!

[flamingyouth]

13. I saw the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants on a plane last week

I really liked it. :)

[CBHagman]

14. I don't regard "chick flicks" as inherently in need of defense.

Remember that Hollywood has always had the so-called "women's picture." Also, I can think of classic films that might fit the "chick flick" designation and yet were hits with general audiences.

A film is either well-made or it isn't, and then there's also the emotional factor. Certain films just strike a chord with audiences, whether or not they have true staying power as classics.

[AlCzervik]

15. I just saw "In her shoes" with Toni Collette and Cameron diaz

loved it!! I love Toni Colette and this imo was a wonderful movie.

[flamingyouth]

16. That's a great book

Haven't seen the movie yet but it's on my list for when I replace my broken DVD player. :thumbsup:

[AlCzervik]

17. i know many times the movie version of a wonderful book can be oh so

disappointing and i haven't read this one but i hope you really enjoy it. Shirley Mcclain was wonderful, they were all really wonderful and truth be told i'm not a huge fan of Cameron Diaz but in this she was very good.

[AZBlue]

32. I loved the book and the movie!

The movie's a little different than the book, of course, but stays true to the basic premise and is equally good.

[blondeatlast]

18. Pure fluff, but I think "Romy and Michele's High School Reunion"

ranks up there as a testimonial to the power of women's friendship.

It's absolutely shallow, but in the end they count on each other, not a man. Not to mention it's just downright good fun.

I'm kind of a Romy type myself and I don't apologize for it!

[Sweet Freedom]

26. I love that movie

"Hi, my name is Romy and I'm an alcoholic"

[DemExpat]

19. I cry everytime I see "Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe"

It brings me in contact with my woman and sisterhood, as well as with a time period and geographical area that brings back many echoes of 'memories', of something familiar, perhaps reminding me of old southern relatives in my childhood.

DemEx

[Dora]

20. Tank Girl

Added to the list because I thought it could use a little edge.

[Contrary1]

21. Steel Magnolias is one of my favorites, n/t

[catabryna]

22. The American President...

is by far at the top of my list of chick flicks. Guess Who's Coming to Dinner and Desk Set tie for second place in my book. Far and Away is at the number three spot.

But, an all time perenial chick flick that I have to watch every year is The Bishop's Wife with Loretta Young, Cary Grant and David Niven (circa. 1947).

[LiberalinNC]

23. Saw "The Devil wears Prada" this weekend, thought it was a

cute movie. Streep is very believable in her role as the "devil". BTW I have NOT read the book.

[Beaverhausen]

24. In Her Shoes was pretty good

I really have Cameron Diaz issues but she was pretty good in this, and Toni Collette and Shirley MacLaine were wonderful as usual. I really liked this one more than I thought I would.

Oops- i missed that it was discussed above. My bad.

[hippiechick]

25. Under the Tuscan Sun

... pretty lightweight, but I enjoyed it. :)

[alfredo]

33. Just dropped by to see if a link was posted here. My wife loves that flick.

Another favorite is "The Scent of Green Papaya." I like it too. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Scent_of_Green_Papaya If you know anything about Buddhism you will understand this visually stunning film. You don't need to know Buddhism to enjoy it.

I bought both movies for her a couple years ago.

I find I like a lot of the "chick flicks." I like any well made movie. Some of the best are centered around food. "Babette's Feast"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babette's_Feast

Cries and Whispers" Not a three hankie movie, bring a whole box for this beautiful Bergman offering.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cries_and_whispers

Another Bergman film, I'd call it a three razor blade movie. "Face To Face" Probably inspired by Primal Therapy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Face_to_Face_(1976_film)

"A Woman Under the Influence" This is a very intense movie. I had to get up and leave for a few minutes because it was just too much. The Gena Rowlands character was too close to my own mother.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Woman_Under_the_Influence

[pagandem4justice]

27. Steel Magnolias

All-time best non-chicky chick flick. It explores the bond between women, but with humor and a deal of cynical realism in a look at Southern culture.

[CBHagman]

28. Just saw La Buche. Perfect for the holidays.

Co-written and directed by a woman, La Buche deals with three very different sisters and how they handle a set of crises which befall them at Christmastime. It's understated and sly, and you'll recognize at least one or two people you know in the characters.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0211286/

[sandnsea]

29. The Notebook

Riding in Cars With Boys, Immediate Family, Ghost, Dirty Dancing, Splash, Sleepless in Seattle, An Affair to Remember, Casa Blanca, Breakfast at Tiffanys, Father Goose, Barefoot in the Park...

tons of good chick flicks, more good chick flicks than action movies, that's for sure.

[AZBlue]

30. Thelma & Louise

The one and only.

[Kat45]

34. "Puberty Blues," the best girl's coming of age movie I've seen.

(Not that there are that many of those.) "Puberty Blues" is about two high school girls hanging out in the (sexist) surf culture in Australia. Even though it took place in a particular subculture, the themes are universal. I loved this movie. Here's a bit of the synopsis from IMDB.

<Meet Sue, a teenage Australian girl in the late 70s, whose life mainly consists of doing what everyone else does - watch the surfing boys and have sex with the same surfing boys. The girls have to follow lots of strange customs, e.g. do not eat or go to the bathroom when a boy is around. Ugly girls have two choices - being bitches and hate boys, or being generally cheap and looked down upon by everyone.>

It's a little-known 1981 Australian movie, which was directed by Bruce Beresford, who later directed "Driving Miss Daisy" as well as other movies you've heard of. I saw it in an independent theater back then after seeing it reviewed on "Siskel & Ebert." In later years when I tried to find it on video to watch again, the only place I found it was in a lesbian-run video store. I would definitely recommend this film, but I don't even know if it can be found anywhere these days.

[lavenderdiva]

35. Something's Gotta Give and

The Holiday- both really enjoyable films!

[japple]

37. Boys on the Side. Chocolat.. Hannah & Her Sisters--

although not really a "chick-flick.

[Captain Hilts]

38. Stage Door with Hepburn and Rogers. nt

[Treclo]

39. Antonia's Line!!!

One of my favorite movies, period. A foreign flick about a strong women, and lots of other strong characters. Fantastic. Please run, don't walk, and rent Antonia's Line!

[Strong Atheist]

40. Romancing the Stone. nt.

[pipi_k]

41. I know it's a matter of opinion only, but...

I really liked "Steel Magnolias" and "Passionfish" (I didn't ask for the anal probe!!! hee hee).



Oh, and "The Cemetery Club" for us "older chicks"

I just love Olympia Dukakis

:7

[politicat]

42. Almost 4 years later, some other recommendations.

For more edge: Gypsy 83 (indy flick, strange, a little uneven, but about growing up and getting out and finding yourself -- also appeals to teenagers, goths, LGBT)

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (the original movie) -- yes, the Kuzuis screwed it up, but the strong female is still there.

Iron Jawed Angels (about the women who protested for the vote during WWI and were arrested and force-fed for it)

[blueraven95]

43. I thought "Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day"

was excellent.

And "Penelope" was a sweet fairy tale.