FemFilmFilter.

November 6, 2005 5:01 PM

Hypothetically, let's just say you . . . I dunno . . . are in charge of "movie night" for 40 womyn, who work with victims of . . . let's say . . . sexual assault on a daily basis. What films would you recommend? A little on the lighter side is preferable, but Thelma and Louise-ish is okay, too. An apt theme might be "Right on, sister!"
posted by Kibbutz to Media & Arts (37 answers total)

How Stella Got Her Groove Back? Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amelie Poulain (aka "Amelie")? I'm, just naming chick flicks here.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 5:06 PM on November 6, 2005

How about A League of Their Own?

(Caveat: This is a male writing.)
posted by shallowcenter at 5:15 PM on November 6, 2005

Miss Confidentiality. It's funny, I swear.
posted by fshgrl at 5:17 PM on November 6, 2005

We just showed "Hannah and Her Sisters" at our community association's movie night. Very "you go, girl", a little romantic but not too much. Well received, made people feel like sisters were actually a good thing! (I think the men enjoyed it, too)

Unlike some other movies, it's still good to watch even though it was made all those years ago ("Raising Arizona", for example, seemed a little washed out).

OOh, how about "9 to 5", "Working Girl"?
posted by amtho at 5:20 PM on November 6, 2005

Chicago has "woman-empowerment" themes and some great music and comedy to boot.
posted by hjo3 at 5:21 PM on November 6, 2005

OK, that should be Miss Congeniality. Damn spellchecker. Steel Magnolias is always good too.
posted by fshgrl at 5:36 PM on November 6, 2005

I suggest good movies, of any variety. Let your 40 hard working womyn escape reality for a while.
posted by ikkyu2 at 5:40 PM on November 6, 2005

Real Women Have Curves
The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pant
Old but fun: Mystic Pizza, Now and Then
posted by blackkar at 5:48 PM on November 6, 2005

Why the coyness in the question? I don't understand. Are you you in charge of movie night for 40 women who work with victims of sexual assault on a daily basis? Yes or no? Why not just say it?

As to movies to watch, hmmm... there's an excellebt movie I'm trying to think of, that I'll have to go and ask my sister about.
posted by wilful at 5:49 PM on November 6, 2005

Fried Green Tomatoes, perhaps.
posted by Faint of Butt at 6:26 PM on November 6, 2005

First thing that popped into my mind was The Accused, since it would be obviously relevant to the group, and I guess would be a "right on sister" kind of thing. Wouldn't you want a "movie night" to be sort of an escapist thing, where you get away from the topic of work? Someone mentioned Amelie, and that's a good choice, or maybe take a look at A Very Long Engagement. Its funny, romantic, and empowering for women in a roundabout way.
posted by tetsuo at 6:27 PM on November 6, 2005

Well, the old classic The Women is all-star, all-"womyn," and a hi-larious camp classic. Although it's about a woman wronged and the aftermath of the scandal, it's dated and hardly feminist in many ways. But it is very funny and might be an affirming, enjoyable respite for your colleagues.
posted by rob511 at 7:15 PM on November 6, 2005

Breasts: A Documentary has been highly recommended to me. Ought to be a good one for promoting sisterhood.
posted by cybercoitus interruptus at 7:18 PM on November 6, 2005

Back in university, I took a communications course that went into the feminism behind Return of the Jedi. However, I'd vote for Fried Green Tomatoes, which has many people overcoming oppression. The Journey of Natty Gann comes to mind, too -- and it's G-rated.
posted by acoutu at 7:48 PM on November 6, 2005

It's semi-obscure, but Strangers in Good Company is an excellent, older-woman-centered film. It's very peaceful, maybe a little slow, but I find it soothing.
posted by kalimac at 7:50 PM on November 6, 2005

Million Dollar Baby, not necessarily light hearted and it is sad but a great movie all the same.
The Notebook
Before Sunset
Mona Lisa Smile
posted by Chimp at 8:08 PM on November 6, 2005

Definately Sliding Doors or Bridget Jones's Diary.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 8:25 PM on November 6, 2005

how about Whale Rider or Bend it Like Beckham? Though the protagonists are young girls, both movies about young girls who buck traditions are really quite empowering.
posted by jodic at 8:34 PM on November 6, 2005

How about a triple header of Bound and The Last Seduction and The Long Kiss Goodnight? Three great flicks where women kick ass and win it all.
posted by RJ Reynolds at 8:35 PM on November 6, 2005

Fried Green Tomatoes is a good movie, and an appropriate choice.

If you don't mind something a bit different, try Spirited Away, or one of the other Miyazaki movies with a strong female protagonist (Nausicaa) or adversary (Princess Mononoke).
posted by CrunchyFrog at 8:56 PM on November 6, 2005

My Brilliant Career - Austrailian, with early performances by Judy Davis and Sam Neil.
posted by BoscosMom at 9:41 PM on November 6, 2005

I remember liking Lovely and Amazing.
posted by walla at 9:58 PM on November 6, 2005

You can never go wrong with the Princess Bride.
posted by Axandor at 10:13 PM on November 6, 2005

Shirley Valentine.
posted by TayBridge at 10:42 PM on November 6, 2005

The Color Purple.
posted by puddinghead at 12:34 AM on November 7, 2005

More movies where women kick ass: Cleopatra Jones and/or Coffy.
posted by Vervain at 12:45 AM on November 7, 2005

First Wives' Club
Nine to Five
Legally Blonde
second Steel Magnolias, Shirley Valentine and Princess Bride

Or for a real weepie, the Way We Were, Terms of Endearment or Beaches
posted by londonmark at 1:51 AM on November 7, 2005

You can never go wrong with the Princess Bride.

Ick. "If you're very, very beautiful--like, so beautiful that everyone around the whole world has heard of your beauty--maybe some handsome prince will rescue your sorry ass when trouble arises, because Lord knows you can't cope with shit yourself with a name like Buttercup." Terrible message.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 3:02 AM on November 7, 2005

Kill Bill
posted by wackybrit at 4:52 AM on November 7, 2005

I Spit on Your Grave.
posted by Mayor Curley at 4:57 AM on November 7, 2005

I enthusiastically second The Notebook. I flew from the west coast to the east coast with a colleague that was reading "The Notebook" and she cried for the final 4 hours of the trip. I thought "Man, that's one movie I never want to see." Then my wife rented it, and I watched it with her, and it is great. It is a little sad, and may not be entirely right for a girls-night, but it is a really good movie. No tears from me, but a thought provoking film. I think it would go over very well with a larger group of folks that know each other.
posted by McGuillicuddy at 5:03 AM on November 7, 2005

Irreversible is a French film which would be brilliant for it!
posted by indio1919 at 5:55 AM on November 7, 2005

What kind of women? For instance, what age? (And is the 'womyn' spelling yours or theirs?)

Are you looking for something mainstream, traditional romantic chick-flick, more indie, a safe choice, or is violence and skin and bad language okay? Something old, something new?

Some of the slightly older films upthread were on network TV frequently in the eighties and/or run on cable continually, so they've likely already seen them.
posted by desuetude at 6:11 AM on November 7, 2005

I second Shirley Valentine.
posted by necessitas at 7:48 AM on November 7, 2005

Second for Bend It Like Beckham and Amelie/Very Long Engagement
Babette's Feast
The English Patient
Antonia & Jane (funny, about two very different friends who don't know they share a therapist)
Persuasion
Mi vida loca
posted by Sara Anne at 8:56 AM on November 7, 2005

Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood and Practical Magic.

Sandra Bullock rules!
posted by deborah at 2:46 PM on November 7, 2005

_Bagdad Cafe_ starts out very slowly, and is, in several senses, Magic! I love lots of the movies mentioned above, absolutely add it to your list. A German woman walks away from her husband, in the boonies in Arizona, or somewhere like that, and stops at a rundown motel and cafe where the owner has just thrown out her 'useless'- i e does no work- husband, and the two women and others develop a great friendship, eventually. a gem!
posted by judybxxx at 8:54 PM on November 7, 2005