go girls

kissed

For obvious reasons, necrophilia is usually thought to be the domain of disturbed men. In the taboo-busting Kissed, however, a young woman loves the dead more than the living. Molly Parker's luminous portrayal of Sandra makes her blissful rapture with corpses seem more like a spiritual calling than a twisted perversity. [canada, 1996]

double-happiness

Mina Shum's fresh debut chronicles the challenges of Jade, a young Chinese-Canadian (played with verve and warmth by fellow Canadian Sandra Oh) as she struggles to forge her own identity in a traditional Chinese family. Ultimately, she can't keep everyone happy and strikes out on her own, but not without some bitterly hilarious blowouts. [canada, 1994]

cold comfort farm

At the centre of this deliciously eccentric comedy circa 1930, is the feisty Flora, a recently orphaned young lady with a penchant for Vogue and a wit to match. When she pays a visit to her rustic relatives on their ramshackle farm, their drab existence is forever changed. And so of course is hers. [uk, 1994]

heavenly creatures

Based on a true story, this bizarre tale of an intense but magnificent friendship between two highly imaginative girls, is as exhilarating as it is grotesque. Visually arresting, the film slips in and out of the girls' fabulous fantasy world that ultimately leads them down a dangerous path...[nz, 1994]

love serenade

With deadpan hilarity, Shirley Barrett's anti-romance tells the story of two single and very bored sisters who, like so many women before them, fall head over heels with a heel. Ultimately though, they get the last laugh when the women wake up and the tale turns fantastically fishy. [australia, 1996]

clueless

Amy Heckerling directs this sassy Emma-inspired satire on American teen culture. Her smart script inspired a cult following and a slew of new expressions. Here the "hymenally challenged" Cher delivers such gems (with the perfect L.A. whine, of course) as "I'm surfing the crimson tide" or "That is so five years ago." [us, 1995]

the nasty girl

A popular, attractive "hometown girl" plans a patriotic essay on her town's activities during the Third Reich. As she stumbles into Nazi history involving some of the town's current upstanding citizens, she becomes the "nasty girl." Clever editing and humourous touches make the film entertaining despite the serious subject matter. [germany, 1990]

party girl

This slightly-skewed Cinderella story features Parker Posey as the party girl, a hip New Yorker who makes her living throwing fabulous parties in her loft. Everything's dreamy until she gets busted by the police. Rather than granting wishes and posting bail, her godmother makes the party girl get a job, at the public library no less. Here the irresponsible party girl gains some self esteem, and meets a hunky exchange student which ensures a happy ending. Fun! [us, 1994]

run lola run

Fiery Lola, with her shock of punk red hair, muscular frame, and tattooed tummy is pumped and ready to run. And run she does for the entire movie. She has 20 minutes to raise a whack of cash or her boyfriend becomes gangster fodder. She runs over cars, into offices, and after ambulances in an exhilarating obstacle course that flashes, freezes, speeds up, slows down, and repeats itself three times without being repetitious resulting in three unique outcomes. [Germany, 1999]

waiting to exhale

A touch sappy, but nonetheless, the first black woman bonding movie out of Hollywood was a gigantic hit. Likely because it resists the pervasive depictions of black women as welfare moms, junkies or prostitutes. The film is peopled with gorgeous black women who are skilled professionals incomes and wardrobes to match. That they engage in more than a little spirited male-bashing may deter some viewers. [us, 1995]

roadkill

A thoroughly odd film about a young woman learning to drive while on her first big assignment as a record company assistant: tracking down an AWOL punk band in Northern Ontario. Shot in black and white this often side-splitting cult film favorite is one of the few good road movies with a female protagonist. Be forewarned: the ending is becomes violent. [canada, 1989]

emma

Gwyneth Paltrow is note-perfect as the delightful, scheming heroine of this frothy Victorian era classic penned by Jane Austen. Emma's life consists of cheerily orchestrating the amorous dalliances of her small circle of friends until her own heart is eventually captured by the most handsome cousin on the block. It's a whole lot of airy chit chat and fluffy romantic intrigue, a comedy of manners about nothing much at all... charming wouldn't you say? [us/uk, 1996]

truly, madly, deeply

Juliet Stevenson plays a grief-stricken woman paralyzed by her lover's death. In that refreshing "warts and all" English tradition, looks are of little importance, and when she sobs, she's a sniveling snot-nosed wreck. To ease her anguish, her lover's ghost takes up residence in the house. When he starts inviting his pals over for ghoulish movie nights, however, she realizes it's time to set foot back in the world of the living. Eons removed from the glossy Hollywood movie, "Ghost", it's authentic, uplifting and amusing - a thinking person's tear-jerker. [uk, 1991]

steel magnolias

A celebration of big messy emotions, big hair, big tears, and big laughs. Here a bunch of outrageous Southern gals yack it up in the small-town beauty parlour run by queen of the belles, Dolly Parton. Full of comic zingers, this late 80s go-girl movie dishes out the man-slags. It won sentimental viewers hearts for its portrayal of strong, funny women who survive the challenges of no-good men, sickness, and tragedy with Hallmark aplomb. [us, 1989]

just watch me-trudeau and the 70's generation

Thirtysomething Canadian Catherine Annau's first documentary manages to be inspirational, historically informative, emotional, and downright sexy. It strikes at the heart of two fundamental Canadian issues: the impact of the 1995 Quebec referendum and the success or failure of a nation-wide experiment during the 70s on bilingualism and inspired by Canada's most charismatic Prime Minister. This close-up look at eight people whose lives were informed by the bilingual dream, and who flip back and forth from French to English with alarming ease, makes it clear how powerful the answer is. Find out more at the National Film Board of Canada site. [can]

drop dead gorgeous

A viscously funny mockumentary of a scrappy small-town beauty queen cat-fight. Everyone from ambitious ubermoms and their prissy daughters to pregnant drinking teens and lecherous judges take a licking. Not for the overly sensitive, this rags-to-riches tale is punctuated with a shocking number of grisly accidents. The most memorable is an explosion that lands the trailer park mom of one of the lead toe-tapping contestants with a beer can soldered to her hand. Ouch. [us]

sliding doors

According to our criteria on this site, this movie could have been classified as "go girls" or "wallflowers." That's because it's two movies in one. Gwnyeth Paltrow plays a twentysomething Londoner whose life goes in two directions depending on whether she gets on a subway car. If she makes the subway, she catches her boyfriend cheating on her and embarks on a new life where she's in the driver's seat. If she misses the train, she ends up pregnant and working in a sleazy diner to support his "art." A bit weepy in places, but an interesting study. [us/uk, 1997]

me myself i

Using the Sliding Doors technique of entering one's parallel universe, a single workaholic is thrust into her fantasy world of home, hubby, doggy, and three kiddies. Naturally, she gets more than she wishes for. While this feel-good gal flick lacks the bite of typical down-under fare, the earthy Rachael Griffiths (Muriel's Wedding, Hilary and Jacky), finally and deservedly gets a whole film to herself. It's light and breezy with kernels of wisdom for singles on the "wrong" side of 35. [australia, 2000]

chicken run

You can call her an action heroine--she's a plucky chicken named Ginger who hatches doomed escape plans for her cooped up sisters. Trapped in a Nazi-like pen run by the tyrannical Miss Tweedy, the bug-eyed chickens think they’ve found their ticket to freedom when a flying rooster crash-lands into their mucky hell. While the brash and brawny cock livens things up by teaching the girls to shake a little tail feather, for the most part, he struts and preens, wheels and deals. Ultimately, it’s the girls who use their brains to blast their way to freedom. From the Claymation wizards behind Wallace and Grommit, this summer’s chick flick combines gags and inspirational lessons about leadership and teamwork for girls (and boys) with loads of dark wit and movie references for adults. [uk, 2000]

strike!

In this energetic movie, set in the early 60s, five free thinking boarding school girls (all up and coming teen talents) subvert a merger with a boys' school by going on strike. The girl gang also hold secret meetings, scarf tins of ravioli, and devise strategies to avoid becoming career wives. It's a bizarre blend of social commentary and farce. The dialogue is sharp, the plot speedy, and it's fun and inspirational -- in a giddy school-girl kind of way. [us, 1998]

crouching tiger, hidden dragon

Move aside Bruce Lee. Martial Arts just got a female infusion. In Ang Lee’s fantasy world of honour and double crosses, a fiery teenage girl turns her back on marriage to "roam freely" like her mentor, an unmarried woman warrior. The Invincible Sword Goddess slices, dices, and high kicks her way through a hoard of barbarians, leaps across rooftops, wrestles her way into a bandit’s heart, and learns about patience while dueling on a delicate bamboo bow. Sweeping epic fun with a girl power twist. [china, 2000]

not one less

A thirteen year-old substitute teacher arrives at a remote Chinese village to take over for the schoolmaster who must leave for a month. Her idea of controlling her unruly group involves sitting in front of the door to keep them from escaping. Eventually, while planning a trip to the city to rescue a 10-year old student who has been sent there to work, the teacher and her students actually start learning. Sweet, slow, quirky, and appropriate for all ages. [china, 2000]

maelstrom

A prehistoric fish narrates this bizarre but remarkable chapter in a young urbanite’s tumultuous life. In the span of a day, Bibiane is fired from her high profile job, has an abortion, and then, in a blur of boozy despair, hits and kills a Norwegian fishmonger in her car. It’s a watery, bloody, fishy tale of coincidence and redemption. Sound morbid? Surprisingly, this intricately plotted Quebecois film is often laugh-out-loud funny, and boasts an uplifting (and unusual) mix of French folk songs and Norwegian opera. [canada, 2001]

talk 16

This documentary, which follows a year in the life of four Toronto girls, is hard to classify according to the groupings on the site. There's a vixen, a nerd, an outcast, and a rebel. But generally there's the feeling of of invincibility that's only available to sixteen year old girls. By letting the girls speak with their own voices, the film is funny and painful, often in the same vignette. The outcast's tale of losing her virginity is one you'll never forget. A good film to watch with teenage sons or daughters, or if you're so beyond your teens that it won't hurt anymore. [canada, 1992]

bridget jones's diary

Hurrah! Bridget, although not looking exactly as we expected, certainly acts like we expected. Renee Zellweger manages the British accent and bumbling charm of our favorite diarist. Helen Fielding was one of the screenplay writers and the best lines are maintained in the film. Hugh Grant is a charming cad, and Colin Firth, well we can see why Bridget fell for him. You've probably heard enough about Renee's weight gain for the film, but to see a real-sized woman running around in her underwear in a mainstream film is priceless. [uk/us, 2001]

sense and sensibility

This witty adaptation of Jane Austen's novel won Emma Thompson, who also stars in the film, a screenwriting Oscar^®. The story of two sisters with meager dowrys who balance love, romance, and propriety in the English countryside. Thompson and Kate Winslet are perfect foils as sense and sensibility, and since it's Austen, there are misunderstandings, humor, seeming tragedy, all wrapped up with a happy ending. Ang Lee directs. [uk/us, 1995]

rosalie goes shopping

Rosalie is the same German actress in the Bagdad Cafe: Marianne Sagebrecht. In this movie Sagebrecht is married to an American crop duster living in Stuttgart Ak next to an airstrip. They have more children than you can count on one had. It is Rosalie's passion in life to find ways to spend their money and devise clever ways to get around their bill collectors. Enough said; I don't want to spoil it for you. I give it a way up thumbs up! It's fun, quirky entertainment. [germany, 1989]

kandahar

This beautifully shot film chronicles the journey of an Afghani-born Canadian journalist as she tries to rescue her sister from Kandahar. As a teenager, Nafas, played by real journalist, non-actor Nelofer Pazira, fled Afghanistan; her beloved sister was injured by a landmine and was forced to stay behind. After receiving a letter from her sister threatening suicide, Nafas attempts the nearly impossible journey through Taliban-controlled Afghanistan to rescue her sister. While the plot is deceptively simple, the images in this film speak volumes. Highly recommended as a study on culture, rights, and freedom. [france/iran, 2001]

suddenly naked

The premise of a sexy 39-year-old writer getting it on with a 20-year-old was enough incentive to perk my interest in Anne Wheeler’s latest girl movie. The film centres on a sharp-tongued novelist who deals with her writers’ block by bedding her male fans and relentlessly smoking. Things get interesting when she unwittingly falls for an articulate slacker/writer who is more emotionally mature than she is. Wendy Crewson is hot as Jacky York and will make any woman relish to prospect of her impending 40s. [canada, 2001]

white oleander

A dark mother-daughter struggle unfolds as Michelle Pfeiffer masterfully portrays the beautiful and dangerous Ingrid Magnussen, an artist/mother/murderer who commits an imperfect crime and goes to prison, leaving her tender and gifted teenage daughter, Astrid, to navigate the Foster care system. Astrid's journey discovers a delicious diversity of female characters, each contributing to her development and eventual emancipation from the spell of the sinister Ingrid. Art is an important and enchanting factor in this story, especially when Astrid creates a series of assemblage suitcases, each depicting a station of the uncertain passage we travel with her. Deeply engaging. [usa, 2002] ` reviewed by nancy brown

down with love

I don't know about you, but I LOVE those old Doris Day/Rock Hudson love and marriage romps. Here we revisit the formula tweaked to the max with utterly boss period scenery, bulging innuendo aplenty and wardrobe Doris'd die for. Could there BE more color on the screen in 101 minutes? I think not. Renee Zellweger doesn't do the Humph 'n Stomp-off like Doris; instead she employs this sultry, stubborn little pout that's irresistable. And her character, Barbara Novak, puts the entire Man's World of 1962 Manhattan in its place using women's wiles amped up on trigonometry. Bravo! [usa, 1962] ~ reviewed by nancy brown

thelma and louise

Two gals, apparently average in every way, take off for an innocent weekend at a mountain cabin. A couple of wrong turns, so to speak, and Thelma and Louise are forced to draw upon inner strengths their average lives never made room for and to go to places in the beautifully filmed southwest, and in their own souls, they never expected to go to. Along the way they confront all manner of male oppressors, overcoming most with humor, spirit, speed and sometimes a gun. Inspiring scenery, enthralling portrayals of two women you'll love forever. [usa, 1991] ~ reviewed by nancy brown

bridget jones: the edge of reason

This one is only making the site because of the strength of the first, and the fact that you may want to rent them both for a double feature. On its own merits, this sequel to the fabulous Bridget Jones diary doesn't quite cut it: rather than looking adorable and squishy, Rene Zelleweger and her extra 30 pounds are squeezed and sweaty as they flub their way out of a perfectly good relationship with Mark Darcy and straight into a Thai prison! Bridget does learn her lesson with the help of some Thai prostitutes with real relationship problems, and hopefully she'll live happily ever after with the geeky but valiant Mark. [US/UK, 2004]

the umbrellas of cherbourg

This candy-colored musical (yes musical---there is no talking) starts Catherine Denevue as a young woman smitten with the blush of first love. Her more practical mother would prefer the young ingenue choose a more stable and wealthy man. This bittersweet love story, and ultimately rumination on first love, first lust, and the greater commitment of relationships has it all: a beautiful heroine, a handsome and tragic hero, and copious singing in the original language of love. [France, 1964]

real women have curves

A bright young Latina in LA seems destined to work in her family sweatshop instead of realizing her dreams to be a writer. As Ana is about to graduate from Beverly Hills High School (of the famous zip code), her goals come head to head with the fears and expectations of her conservative immigrant mother. Ana wants to go to Columbia University. Her mother wants her to help out in her sister's sweatshop until she gets married. This old ways meet new ways coming of age story sometimes gets a bit preachy. (Ana, for all her openmindedness could be a bit more understanding of her mother.) However, it's a great go girl tale of with an atypical heroine. [US, 2002]

maria full of grace>=

A young, rebellious Columbian woman with few prospects becomes a drug mule, smuggling drugs to New York, by swallowing them in this thrilling independent film. With verve and compassion, she navigates a terrifying world where the women are seen as mere carriers and the drugs are more valuable than human life. The details and performances make this gripping film, especially the claustrophobic flight to New York. While unimaginable things happen, the film never exploits the womens situations or punishes them. Highly recommended. [US/Columbia, 2004]

ps

We've all had trouble getting closure on past relationships, but what if the person you need closure from is dead? Laura Linney stars as Louise Harrington in this spiritual love story about a woman who believes her dead lover is reincarnated in an 18 year old seeking admission at Columbia University School of Fine Arts, where she just happens to be in charge of admissions. Is the young man really her lover or is Louise projecting so she can have something she never recovered from losing? As usual, Laura Linney is great (and fantastically costumed) in this simple but intriguing film. Gabriel Byrne costars as her confused ex-husband. [us, 2005]

pride and prejudice

Keira Knightly’s overly kohl-lined eyes are a bit distracting, but she has all the spark and feistiness required to play Lizzie Bennett in this adaptation of Austen’s novel. (On the other hand, we really prefer to see Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy from the BBC version.) The supporting cast is excellent, including Dame Judi Dench, Donald Sutherland, and Brenda Blethyn. An entertaining version of the classic tale of 5 talented sisters who due to inheritance laws are to be left penniless, and therefore, must be concerned with making a good match. [uk, 2005]

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