Happy Women’s History Month! March is all about celebrating the strong women that make the world go round. In my opinion, the world would be a pretty dull place without all the wonderful women that inhabit it. With that being said, it’s time to appreciate some women’s stories and watch some female-led movies!
Legally Blonde
“What, like it’s hard?” will forever be burned into my brain for as long as I live. Elle Woods is truly the definition of “don’t judge a book by its cover” by showing that it’s perfectly okay to be hyper-feminine while also being an academic weapon. Elle was never afraid to be true to herself, and I think we can all take a page out of her book.
Miss CONGENIALITY
Sandra Bullock can do it all, and her role as Gracie Hart in Miss Congeniality has to be one of my favorites. Bullock’s character Gracie is your typical tomboy who’s lived most of her life being “one of the guys”: she’s tough, won’t back down from a fight, and generally avoids any sort of femininity. However, when Gracie has to embrace her feminine side, she learns that it’s okay to embrace sisterhood and all that comes with it.
MULAN (1998)
In a time when dynasties ruled China and women were told they belonged in the shadows, Mulan went against the norm and stood up for herself. At the time, women weren’t allowed to serve in the Chinese imperial army, but Mulan took it upon herself to join in order to save her sick father. Mulan’s intelligence and resilience aided in her victory of saving China. Mulan was a fearless leader, and it’s so important to remember that we all can be fearless, too.
Barbie
Greta Gerwig’s Barbie was the cultural reset we all needed. The soundtrack, the costuming, the sets, literally everything about this movie was perfect. Gerwig perfectly encapsulated what it’s like to be a woman in modern times (Um, hi “What Was I Made For?”), and how there will always be scrutiny, but as long as women stick together, we can accomplish anything we set our minds to.
Charlie’s Angels (2000)
Say what you want about Charlie’s Angels from 2000, but I think it’s perfect. Is it a great movie plot-wise? Not particularly. But is it a perfectly campy 2000s girl power movie? Absolutely. Lucy Liu, Cameron Diaz, and Drew Barrymore have great chemistry with one another, creating a real sense of friendship. Liu, Diaz, and Barrymore are equally as kind and charming as they are intelligent and strong, showing that women are multifaceted and not just one-dimensional characters. Plus, the absolute banger that is “Independent Women, Pt. 1” by Destiny’s Child came from the film’s soundtrack, which is something we should all be thankful for.
The cheetah girls
As a child born in the early 2000s, I grew up watching Disney Channel Original Movies for a solid portion of my childhood. The High School Musical franchise, Camp Rock, Jump In!, and Hannah Montana: The Movie are just some of the movies I look back on fondly from my youth. But one movie that really stands out is The Cheetah Girls. Dorinda, Chanel, Aqua, and Galleria are just four friends that want to be successful in their respective careers, who also happen to harmonize incredibly and stand for girl power — what more could little me ask for? To this day I still listen to the soundtracks, I personally think they hold up quite well. Amigas Cheetahs, friends for life, right?
I hope you have a wonderful Women’s History Month! Make sure to remember to celebrate all the women in your life, and remember to celebrate yourself!