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9 Best Girl Power Movies

Joanna Alden |
February 20, 2014 | 12:33 a.m. PST

Contributor

Jane (Anne Hathaway) engages in a flirtatious conversation with the inspiration for her great romance novels, Thomas Lefroy (James McAvoy). (Miramax Films)
Jane (Anne Hathaway) engages in a flirtatious conversation with the inspiration for her great romance novels, Thomas Lefroy (James McAvoy). (Miramax Films)

Although somewhat overused and now a phrase utilized in touch-in-cheek, the idea of “girl power” shouldn’t be laughed at but rather used as a tool of motivation for women today. 

It’s easy as women of the 21st century to forget about the centuries of struggles and discrimination our female ancestors faced. 

More importantly, we must realize that sexism is still very much alive today, even in the United States. Many of the injustices done to women in the past and today function as the plot for some of the most iconic films of all time. 

Here, we have boiled it down to the top nine movies every woman should watch as a reminder of how far we’ve come and, well, how awesome we really are.  

"Becoming Jane"

Most of us know Jane Austen as the author and creator of some of English literature’s most iconic characters, such as Mr. Darcy ("Pride & Prejudice") and Emma Woodhouse (“Emma”). However, in the 2007 film “Becoming Jane,” director Julian Jarrold shares the true story of Austen’s love affair with politician and aristocrat Tom Lefroy and the extraordinary sacrifice she made to become the authoress we know today. This movie makes our list because of the exposure to the previously untold story of the price Austen paid as a female novelist to reach the level of fame and success she achieved. 

"Legally Blonde"

“The rules of hair care are simple and finite, any Cosmo girl would’ve known.” Perhaps the most quotable movie on our list, “Legally Blonde” tells the story of Elle Woods, a Beverly Hills blonde who goes to Harvard Law School in hopes of winning back her ex-boyfriend, but ends up discovering her true potential instead. This film  combines lighthearted humor with serious dialogue to refute the common perception that a beautiful woman cannot also be intelligent and vice versa. No matter your opinion on Reese Witherspoon or the plausibility of Elle Woods’ admittance into Harvard Law, no one can deny getting goose bumps during the final court scene.

Skeeter Phelan (Stone) struggles to follow her traditional mother's wishes while remaining true to her personal beliefs on gender and racial equality (Walt Disney Studios).
Skeeter Phelan (Stone) struggles to follow her traditional mother's wishes while remaining true to her personal beliefs on gender and racial equality (Walt Disney Studios).

"The Help" 

Although first and foremost addressing the severe racism in 1960s Mississippi, “The Help,” based off of the #1 New York Times best-selling novel, also draws attention to the limitations women of the 1960s face in society through one of the film’s protagonists, Skeeter Phelan. Skeeter, an aspiring journalist, faces major social repercussions for her “liberal views” on racial equality and a woman’s role in the house and at work. While watching this movie, every female in the audience wants to be a bad-ass, free-thinker like Skeeter. Everyone. 

"Mulan" 

As the only animated film to make our list, “Mulan” definitely communicates the message that “girls can do anything boys can do” to viewers at a young age. “Mulan” tells the story of teenager Mulan, who secretly takes her father’s place in the army to save him from death and becomes one of China’s greatest heroines in the process. Although you may not have appreciated or noticed it when viewing this movie as a kid, watching “Mulan” as an adult gives you a new appreciation for this strong-willed Disney princess.

"9 to 5"  

Being one of the older movies on the list, “9 to 5" certainly retains its relevancy with female audiences more than 30 years after its release. “9 to 5” tells the stories of three female employees at an office during the 1970s and the sexism and sexual exploitation they endure. Each of the women experiences sexism in a different form or to a different extent, yet each story provides an inspirational tale for the struggle for gender equality in the workplace. You’ll find yourself cheering out loud throughout the film for these three funny and courageous women.

Margaret Thatcher (Streep) struggles to overcome sexism in the world of British parliament as she fights for votes to become the next prime minister (The Weinstein Company).
Margaret Thatcher (Streep) struggles to overcome sexism in the world of British parliament as she fights for votes to become the next prime minister (The Weinstein Company).

"The Iron Lady"  

Just in case we weren’t already obsessed with Meryl Streep, right? In “Iron Lady,” America’s favorite actress delivers an inspired portrayal of Margaret Thatcher, England’s first and only female prime minister. Streep can’t be given all the credit, however, because Alexandra Roach's portrayal as the young Margaret during the 1950s shows the true struggles females attempting to break into politics faced. “Iron Lady” tells a story so motivational it almost makes you wish you had been a female during the 1950s just so you could join Thatcher in the fight for equal gender respect.

"A League of their Own"

Everybody loves a good underdog sports movie and who could be more of an unlikely victor than a bunch of female baseball players during the 1940s? “A League of Their Own” tells a fictionalized account of two sisters who join the real-life All American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL), which was created to bring in revenue while most MLB players were away fighting in World War II. Like all of the best movies, “A League of Their Own” causes the viewers to laugh and cry while watching these brave, unconventional, utterly fantastic women dare to dream beyond the limitations society has placed them under.  

Julia Roberts shines as unlikely hero, single mother Erin Brockovich, in this Oscar-nominated film (Universal Pictures).
Julia Roberts shines as unlikely hero, single mother Erin Brockovich, in this Oscar-nominated film (Universal Pictures).

"Erin Brockovich"

This is a great movie because the portrayal of Erin Brockovich, played by the dazzling Julia Roberts,  embodies the perfect “girl power” character without involving any direct issues of gender or discrimination. “Erin Brockovich” tells the story of an unemployed, single mother who becomes a legal assistant and almost single-handedly brings down a California power company accused of polluting a city's water supply. Erin Brockovich is everything a 21st century woman should aspire to be – independent, steadfast and, above all, confident in her own abilities. 

"Mona Lisa Smile"   

And at the top spot we have “Mona Lisa Smile,” a film about a free-thinking art professor played by Julia Roberts (the woman just is girl power) who teaches conservative 1950s Wellesley College girls to question their traditional societal roles. This film, while not as popular as some of the movies mentioned previously, truly reveals the extremely rigid limitations surrounding  unmarried women at this time. This film earns our number one spot because of its primary theme – the idea that a woman has the right to choose her path in life, whether that mean becoming a housewife or pursuing a career. “Mona Lisa Smile” gives us multiple, dynamic, unforgettable characters that make you proud to be female and appreciate the women who questioned society’s expectations so forcibly so that we each could have the ability to choose our life’s path. 

Reach Contributor Joanna Alden here. Follow her on Twitter.



 

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