If you're a feminist and love wasting time watching movies, then this is the perfect list for you! I decided to compile a list of movies and documentaries with strong female leads after watching "She's Beautiful When She's Angry" and falling completely in love with it. I hope this list helps you the next time you're looking for something to watch to fuel your feminist soul!
1. "Legally Blonde"
Do I even have to explain how "Legally Blonde" is a film every feminist should see? I loved this movie before I was even introduced to feminism and looking back, I realize that Elle Woods not only impacted me, but thousands of other girls by showing that girls can conquer anything they put their minds too.
2. "Miss Representation"
This documentary analyzes how women are portrayed in film, television and advertising and discusses why this affects how women are treated in reality. It shows the importance of accurate representation. The film's motto, "You can't be what you don't see," explains that girls everywhere want more representation of women as people, not as sex objects.
3. "The Princess Diaries"
An awkward, invisible girl learns she's a princess to an entire country but doesn't believe she's capable of leading. Mia Thermopolis teaches girls that they have the ability to lead and should have more faith in themselves.
4. "Mulan"
A girl joins the military disguised as a man and saves China with her dragon sidekick, Mushu. What more can I say about "Mulan?"
5. "Brave"
Merida bravely challenges traditional norms and fights for her own hand in marriage. She already realized her relationship with a man isn't important, but she does realize the importance of her relationship with her mother.
6. "Paper Towns"
Based on the book of the same name, John Green completely deconstructs the manic pixie dream girl trope. The main character, Quentin "Q," imagines the main female character, Margo Roth Spiegelman, as a mysterious girl who lives for late night adventures. It's not until Q finds Margo after a crazy night spent together that he learns that he shouldn't have thought of her as anything but a person.
7. "She’s Beautiful When She’s Angry"
"She's Beautiful When She's Angry" discusses the second wave of feminism, from the beginning to the end and everything in between, including when the movement took a very radical, borderline misandrous turn for the worst. This documentary explores the positives and negatives of the movement.
8. "Suffragette"
"Suffragette" takes place in 1912 in England and tells the story of Maud Watts. It reveals the sacrifices she had to make such as her job, home, family and freedom (as she was arrested multiple times) in order to fight for her right to vote.
9. "India’s Daughter"
A shocking and horrifying documentary about how a 23-year-old female who was on her way to becoming a doctor was brutally gang raped and murdered. Her death ignited protests and a demand for change. The documentary includes chilling interviews from her perpetrators who still justify their actions because "a decent girl won't roam around at 9 o'clock at night," as one said.
10. "He Named Me Malala"
This documentary covers the life of female activist and youngest Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai. "He Named Me Malala" goes into the life of one of the Taliban's target for speaking up for girls' right to education everywhere.
