By Evan Fischer

When you think about movies geared at women (or featuring strong female leads), your mind may automatically go to “chick flick” or “feminist film”.  But the truth is that we’re all surrounded by strong women that work hard and stand tall, despite a society that tries to hold them back.  So it should come as no surprise that these ideals are represented on the silver screen.  And here are just a few movies that do it best.

1. The Color Purple (1985).  This tear-jerker is so much more than a weepy chick flick.  Based on the equally engaging novel of the same name, this movie follows the life of Celie, a poor black woman in the south who is controlled and abused by men for most of her life, until she finds the courage to fight back and become a strong and independent woman.  It’s about finding your worth and realizing that each of us, regardless of gender, race, or lifestyle, deserves to be treated with respect, dignity, and love.
2. Aliens (1986).  Does it get any better than the second go-round with this butt-kicking female baddie fighting creepy, crawly, acid-spitting aliens?  Ripley was iconic not because she had any particular desire to be heroic, but because she did what had to be done when no one else would (male or female).  And you can thanks Sigourney Weaver for the costume.  Her original outfit was supposed to be some revealing “super hero” getup.  She’s the one who insisted on the much more practical (and modest) flight suit.
3. Thelma and Louise (1991).  Okay, so the titular women in this film do end up going on the lam before they commit hari kari by driving their Thunderbird over a cliff, but really they’re just standing up to all of the men in their lives who have held them down and turned them into the desperate criminals they end up becoming.  All they wanted to do was go fishing and have some fun, for crying out loud!  In any case, this movie put a new spin on the buddy drama by creating two strong female leads and giving them a lot more heart than most.  When they can no longer persevere in the face of the many men holding sway over their destiny, they do what they have to in order to escape the man.
4. Not Without My Daughter (1991).  Nobody does an empowered female quite like Sally Field (Norma Rae, Steel Magnolias, the list goes on and on).  But in this movie about antiquated notions of male superiority in a patriarchal society, Field is at her best as a mother who won’t give up her basic right to raise her daughter, even if that means risking her freedom and her life to steal the child from a domineering father and spirit her out of a country where women have no rights.
5. Bend it Like Beckham (2002).  This one from across the pond may have provided the big break for young stars Keira Knightly and Parminder Nagra, but it also imparted a message about girl power.  Jules and Jess are two footballing friends facing down stereotypes, expectations, and parents that just don’t understand.  But their friendship, determination, and desire to pursue their goals, no matter who approves, make them just the sort of female role models that any woman can get behind.  Plus, the soundtrack is awesome, so check your favorite CD replication service to pick up a copy.

About the Author:
Evan Fischer is a freelance writer and part-time student at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, California.

By Tiffany Tweedie

Opens July 30, 2010 | Runtime: 1 hr. 50 min.
PG-13 for sequences of crude and sexual content, some partial nudity and language and sexual content

Steve Carell and Paul Rudd, together again (they were both in The 40 Year Old Virgin and Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.) This could either be really really funny or really really stupid. Sorry, I have to go for it:

This movie is Schmucking Funny!!

(I did apologize in advance.)

From the minute the opening credits first appear to the bonus scene after the last end credit has rolled, there is just non-stop laughs. A regular laughapalooza (I’m trademarking that!) It’s wacky and zany and crazy, yet plausible. You can see how this series of very unfortunate events could happen to almost anyone (well, except for the initial dinner party part. I really hope grown men aren’t having these kinds of dinner parties. I would expect that of frat boys, but not high powered business men!)

In case you’re unfamiliar with the premise, Tim (Rudd) is trying desperately to get a big promotion. His boss says that he’s SO CLOSE, but he has to bring an “extraordinarily gifted” person to a special dinner party. And by extraordinarily gifted, he means idiot. Tim at first tries to bail, but then quite literally runs into Barry (Carell). His special gift – he creates Mouseterpieces, masterpieces recreated using the carcasses of dead mice (many of which are shown in the opening credits.)

Hilarity ensues.

Carell could have played this as literally just a dumb schmuck. But just when his idiocy seems beyond redemption, he gives you a quiet, sweet revelation that just makes you want to give him a hug, take him home and fix him a nice cup of hot cocoa with mini marshmallows. Well played, Carell, well played!

Rudd is playing basically the same guy he does in I Love You, Man. And as the saying goes “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” He is the perfect foil to Carell’s craziness.

The scenes with the modern artist are freakishly accurate! If you’ve ever been to a modern art museum (I’ve been to the Guggenheim) then you know what I’m talking about!

The casting was perfect. Everyone seems to push their roles right up to the edge of over-the-top, but never quite go over the cliff. You can see where they were intentionally trying to crack each other up, a couple of them almost lose it in a few scenes. I credit the editing with not letting that happen!

My overall review: perfect date night movie. Your guy will LOVE Rudd and Carell. And there are plenty of jokes for the ladies too!

Dinner for Schmucks official movie website

By Tiffany Tweedie

Opened July 16, 2010 | Runtime: 2 hr. 22 min.
PG-13 for sequences of violence and sequences of action

This is yet another movie where Leonardo DiCaprio runs around looking confused and constipated. Ok ok, I’m being a bit harsh here. But I have been referring to it as Shutter Island 2 with good reason. He’s essentially playing the same type of character in the same type of movie. The setting is different, and this time we’re dealing with dreams instead of psychosis. Though some would argue same difference. But there was definitely a sense of deja vu as a movie goer.

With that said, I thought Inception was GREAT! OMG – the twists and turns! Ok, so you can sort of see the ending coming. But man, the ride there is exciting! I had to remind myself to breathe a few times!

It is VERY confusing! I had a difficult time keeping up with the storyline. It moves at break-neck speed and switches gears constantly. Plus, you’re not always sure what’s “real” and what’s a dream. Which is, of course, part of the fun! I advised my parents not to see it because I knew they’d hate it! They’re always complaining that they have no idea what’s happening. And this one, forget it. They wouldn’t make it through the opening credits!

The special effects are excellent in a very Matrix-y sort of way, what with the whole defying gravity bits. Those Fx guys really know what they’re doing! The streets scenes where they get all bendy – you totally buy it! Freakin’ excellent!

And then there’s Leo in some desperate need of Metamucil… again (do you think he and Rob Pattinson have the same acting coach?) However, as with Shutter Island, it totally works. He IS supposed to be confused and freaking out and hiding. A lot. Which, I suppose, makes you look like you need an uptake in your daily fiber. He’s quite believable as a guy slowly unraveling.

Ellen Page is possibly my favorite. I’ve loved her in just about everything I’ve seen her in. She’s the newcomer. The one everything has to be explained to (so there’s a reasonable motivation to explain it all to us, the audience.) She’s how we found out how all this works and more importantly why. She’s just as awed and fascinated by it all as we are. Can I just say how much I appreciate that they gave this roll to a REAL actress and not just some hot-at-the-moment ditz like Megan Fox? I’m so tired of these bikini stuffers, who couldn’t act their way out of a paper bag, playing doctors and scientists! Give me a break already!

Sorry. Tirade over. Where was I? Oh yeah…

Joseph Gordon-Leavitt gives yet another understated yet crucial performance. I am really liking this guy. You may remember/recognize him as the youngest member of the 3rd Rock from the Sun cast. He has since cut his hair and really honed his acting chops (I think I mixed a metaphor there!) He’s been popping up in more and more movies lately. And with good reason. He gave one of the best performances in last year’s GI Joe and was heartbreakingly sweet in 500 Days of Summer (if you haven’t seen that one, go rent it! Great date night movie!!)

My overall review: This one lives up to the hype. If you love the movie theater experience, go see it now. And I definitely recommend renting it too. Just so that every time you think “Huh? What the heck just happened?” you can do your own instant replay! I’ve already got it in my Netflix queue!

Inception official movie website

You can read more about Tiffany at our Imperfect Women’s Contributors page.

Tiffany Tweedie

Opened July 9, 2010 | Runtime: 1 hr. 35 min.
PG rude humor and mild action

When I saw the first trailer for this movie over a year ago, it was a scene with an insanely obnoxious (and all too typical) American tourist family in Egypt and a giant inflatable pyramid. And I remember thinking What.The.Heck?! It didn’t really make any sense. Then finally around January another trailer, this one with Gru (Steve Carell – the main “villain”) trying to invade another villain’s Fortress of Evil (that looked like it was Bill Gates’ summer home) and a shark. Which didn’t fit in at all with the previous trailer and left me wondering if the filmmakers had decided to scrap the first idea and go in a completely different direction. That would also explain why it was taking so darn long to finally be released!

Subsequent trailers improved (though that inflatable pyramid nor the obnoxious Americans never reappeared) and I began to think “hey, maybe this won’t suck after all.” With the heavy promotion of Steve Carell (and being a big “The Office” fan), I decided to gamble and take the kids to see it.

I’m so glad I did!!

Funny, smart, off-beat, dark and witty. All the things that made the first Shrek film so great (without as many pop-culture references, though there are some.) It’s a movie that’s not just for kids, but for the adults required to endure it with them.

Example: Gru needs a loan, so he goes to the bank. The Bank of Evil. And it has a little sign underneath that reads “formerly Lehman Brothers”.

I can’t tell you the laugh they got out of every adult in the audience (and there were lots of us, it was a packed house.)

Gru is endearing in his devotion to all things evil… and unexpectedly to the three little girls he adopts, for reasons I won’t get into here. No spoilers!!

But perhaps the best bits go to his minions, the tiny yellow pill shaped workers. They could have a movie all their own (and I wouldn’t be surprised if they rolled into one of those Saturday morning cartoons.) They are hysterical. And definitely add so much to this already very funny movie.

Plus, with the voices Steve Carell, Jason Segel, Russell Brand, Will Arnet and Julie Andrews, how can you lose?

Note: In most areas, it’s showing in both 2D and 3D. We opted for the 2D (well, my wallet did.) I don’t think we suffered in the least.

My overall review: while it’s no Toy Story 3 (and really, what could measure up to that?!) it’s totally worth an afternoon at the theater. If you miss it there, definitely put it at the top of your Netflix. Or better yet, add it to your at-home collection. Your kids won’t be the only ones wanting to watch it over and over (and over!) again!

Despicable Me movie website.

By Tiffany

Opened November 13, 2009 | Runtime: 2 hr. 38 min.
PG-13: intense disaster sequences and some language

Well, I think we’ve watched enough disaster movies to have a pretty good idea of who survives. Though there are some surprises in that aspect too. But they have to be right. That’s part of the whole disaster end-of-world movie making formula. And yes, the writers/producers/directors followed that formula. The reason for that is quite simple: it works. Armeggedon, Deep Impact, The Day After Tomorrow – they all built on each other in magnitude and scope, but they all follow the same basic blueprint.

If you love big budget, special effects filled, action packed, edge of your seat, heart-pounding intense OMG DID YOU JUST SEE THAT! movies – than this, my friend, is the movie for you! This is a thrill ride of epic proportions! The disaster effects are spectacular. And they just keep coming.

We got a little extra chuckle here in Marin County. One of the first places to “go” is Point Reyes… which is just a couple of miles from the theater I was sitting in. Ah yes, it starts with California literally falling into the ocean. I’ve head about that since childhood. It’s still gorgeous here, I’ll take it over those frozen mid-western winters any day!

As for the actual script, it’s mediocre at best. I don’t do spoilers, so I can’t go in to too much detail about some of the problems I had with it, especially at the end. Cause it’s cliche, wraps things up a little tooooo neatly and well… yeah, I can’t say anymore. But we all know the script part is secondary in this kind of movie. It’s all about the special effects, baby!

There were a few casting surprises. Look for a nearly unrecognizable Woody Harrelson. He is GREAT (and I’m not a Woody fan by any means. But he is perfect in this role!) Danny Glover is our Commander in Chief and he has my vote. There’s a hilarious “news clip” of our Governator… only it’s not really Arnold. The actor’s accent is so bad I wonder if the movie producers did it on purpose. Amanda Peet does a good job of having really big, worried eyes through out the whole thing (I wish they’d give women a more active role in this, she’s almost just window dressing through the whole thing. Disappointing. Once again, men save the world… sort of…) So let’s touch on that for a minute.

I was impressed with the level of diversity FINALLY. Races were fairly well represented, it wasn’t American white man saves the planet this time around. It was definitely a good cultural mix with other nations (and not just nationalities) playing a big part. However, it was ALL MEN (with the exception of a couple of female heads of state, like Queen Elizabeth, a figurehead not a decision-maker.) All the scientists, etc… MEN. Ah, we’ve come so far and yet… the women still stand around, wringing their hands and waiting for the men to make decisions and take action. I may not have burned my bra (believe me, not an option – these babies need SUPPORT on a grand scale!) but I do believe that women are certainly capable of taking action in times of stress and disaster!

Well, this movie wasn’t meant to be a lesson on sexism and equality. Heck, it’s not even a lecture on Global Warming and taking better care of the environment (tsk tsk, if only everyone would just recycle!) This is predicted thousands of years in the future, unavoidable DISASTER on a planetary scale. It’s an epic, spectacular, in your face, blow ‘em up, action movie. And it does that very, very well!

My overall review: if you like action-adventure, end of the world, epic disaster movies (or John Cusack) then you’ll LOVE it!! My 13 year old thought it was AWESOME!

2012 Movie Website