If you were to elect me as President, my first action in the Oval Office would be to bring back straight-to-DVD movies. We as a society, moved on way too quickly from the LEGENDARY AWESOMENESS that comes from a low-budget chick flick. Chick- Flicks brought the girls together. They ruled the early and late 2000’s, until suddenly, just like the avatar, they vanished when they were needed the most. These younger generations may be witnessing unbelieve technologic advancements with this new era of cinema, yet it seems like by advancing so much, we’ve left behind some of the things that made movies enjoyable. The true cause of this now hollow industry is simple. They stopped making chick flicks. In the late 2000’s, movies weren’t about making a film, a blockbuster, or trying to set a new trend. Those things just came organically. Take Bratz (2007) or Bring it On: All or Nothing (2006). At the time, these movies were considered box office flops. However, both movies have withstood the test of time. Do you see any movie since 2020 doing something like that? No! It’s not like any of these movies have amazing acting or intricate, award-winning plots. I’d argue the beauty of these movies was their simplicity and, of course, their bad acting. In Bratz, there is a whole musical number created by the entire school just to oust one singular mean girl. Don’t even get me started on Hayden Panettiere’s angry hip-hop dance scene in All or Nothing. Chick Flicks were outlandish, and that’s what was so good about them. They never took themselves too seriously. Watching a 2000s chick flick meant cringing or dying of second-hand embarrassment, because you could never do something like that in PUBLIC. These films brought joy and whimsy to the mundane.
Some of the most famous movies from this era of cinematic brilliance were just about regular teenage girls going about their regular daily lives. Films used to tell us that being a girl was magical and that each girl had a special spark in her that no one could take away. Most girls would dream and say, “I can’t wait till I’m older so I can be just like xyz character,” because not only were these characters living their lives to the fullest, they were also being true to themselves. Bratz taught girls not only about having a passion for fashion, but also about friendship and sisterhood. All or Nothing talks about not letting ANYBODY tell you when to give up. These lessons while packaged in the most crazy DVD sleeves (that were covered in pink and purple) never strayed from one overarching theme. Girls are not only unique, but their individual uniqueness is what forms the bonds of girlhood, connecting every girlie to one another. Because chick flicks at their core are centered around inspiring girls to be themselves authentically and love their friends wholeheartedly. A message this important has no reason to not be told to the younger generations. But alas it seems as if the art of chick flicks is becoming lost. Girls don’t want to see the overused cheating plotline, annoying friends, and the “they’re perfect together, but they’re both dating someone else” (because, for some reason, emotional cheating isn’t considered actually cheating). We’ve seen it, and now we’re tired of it! It’s so boring seeing a movie where the female lead barely has any girlfriends and is only focused on a man. It’s annoying in real life, so why would anyone want to watch it on a screen? However, as a constant watcher of anything with a two-dollar budget and a dream, I have the perfect chick flick memorized. So, to any movie executives looking for something girls will actually want to watch. WE want to see: shopping montages, fitting room outfit changes, girl friendship, simple plot of winning a talent show or becoming teenage spies, and a dash of romance (CUTE male lead necessary, non-negotiable). VoilĂ ! I have just given you the recipe for a cult classic. I dream of the day chick flicks come back. If you elect me as President, I promise to give you what you deserve! Girls deserve their bad acting and low-budget movies.
Where are you chick flicks?! Are you still out there? Come back, we miss you :< Please!!!