Image: Fargo’s Marge Gunderson | Earl’s Movie Picks
If you are like me, you respond that you already have plans when people invite you out somewhere—on a weeknight, after work, likely to go on past my sacred bedtime. But what you really mean by “plans” is that you are going to sit on your couch, watching something on Netflix or trying to figure out what you want to watch on Netflix. Let me make that decision a little less of a burden for you by suggesting 5 great feminist movies—in no particular order—that you can watch right now on everybody’s favorite service ever.
- Legally Blonde. Though at first glance this movie may seem a bit superficial, it’s anything but. This is the story of a young girl who proves that she’s not just about appearances. After enrolling in a tough law school to chase after her not-so-beloved, Elle Woods learns that she is capable of anything she wants to be and works hard to attain her dreams. What’s more, Elle proves that being fashionable and pretty has no bearing on her intelligence, ability, or her promise as an individual.
- Mean Girls. This movie is awesome for many reasons, but the power it places on female capability and the acerbic wit it uses against pressures placed on young women are fierce. The film shows Cady’s problematic rise into the likewise problematic world of cliques, where teen girls are pressured into being something and someone they aren’t. The relief we feel when Cady finally embraces herself, her family, and her friends reminds us that real happiness only comes when we are comfortable in our own skins.
- Fried Green Tomatoes. This powerhouse film explores formidable friendships between highly capable women in the American South as they live with sexism, domestic violence, and racism. Kathy Bates is at just about her best in this one, so be sure to sneak a box of tissues under your fleece blanket.
- Amelie. A young French girl with a colorful imagination navigates her strange, delightful reality to find Nino, the one she loves. Amelie is a bright and capable young woman who commands her story and fills its center with aplomb.
- Detective Marge Gunderson investigates grisly murders in North Dakota with perfect confidence in her ability to do her job—all while enormously pregnant. What more is there to say?
These are just a few of my picks! What would you add to the list?
