5 Films every woman should see
When was the last time you were REALLY excited about being a woman?
I gotta be honest, it’s felt a little bleak in the past few years. With all of the gender inequality issues, discrimination controversy, lack of justice… Not to mention the continuous unearthing of sexual harassment cases by powerful men in every major professional field. It’s felt a little bleak.
All the stories of women of the recent past who didn’t get to live up to their potential, or those who did but paid a heavy price for being themselves. Tragic figures like Marilyn Monroe, Nina Simone, Amy Winehouse, have served as constant reminders that no matter how successful, prolific, intelligent, beautiful, creative, innovative we might be, the odds are stacked against us still, to this day.
But who else is going to swoop in and save me from my gloom but Netflix. Yes, Netflix sometimes knows me better than I know myself. They know exactly the kind of glimmer I need to restore my faith in humanity and inevitable justice for all!
So today I want to share 5 of my favorite documentaries about women that had me laughing, crying, or yelling “no way, WTF!” at the screen. These films reawakened my excitement about being a woman and all of the possibilities not yet pursued, achievements not yet accomplished, ingenuity not yet expressed. And if any time was perfect for this kind of boost, it is NOW. So watch these and share with others!
UNTOLD Vol 1: Deal With The Devil - This is a documentary about Christy Martin, the biggest badass woman in the world! She is one of the most influential female boxers in the history of the sport, helping to legitimize women’s boxing. But that’s just the icing. The real heroism of this woman is that her abusive husband (also her coach… omg I know, right?) SHOT HER in the chest and THEN, thinking that she was dead, WENT TO TAKE A SHOWER. Well, luckily for us, she did NOT die. She managed to crawl out into the street and was rescued by a stranger driving by… Yeah. Epic right? You have to see the whole thing, this story is unbelievable!
2. Rita Moreno - When I grow up I want to be like Rita. Currently in her 90s, she is blazing all kind of trails. Against all odds she managed to survive and even thrive in Hollywood. Her achievements exceed my capacity to remember, but what I appreciated the most is watching and listening to an older woman being so full of life. She is spry, sexy with a great sense of humor in the face of unimaginable difficulty and suffering. For me, she is a beacon of hope that women can and do remain relevant with age. That being single isn’t that scary and that flirting is appropriate and necessary at every age.
3. Miss Americana - I have never been a fan of Taylor Swift and don’t know much about her. I picked this film one night because I liked her outfits and I was slightly curious about what kind of crazy she is. I seem to have an expectation that every pop star, while insanely talented, has some sort of unhealthy or tragic edge to them. The logic goes that if they are THAT successful, there must be something crazy lurking in the background - an embarrassing stunt (Britney Spears), physical imbalance and burnout (Lady Gaga), age denial (Madonna), relationship drama (Amy Winehouse). So as I watched this film about Taylor Swift I found myself waiting for the other shoe to drop. What’s it gonna be? A secret addiction/affair/pyramid scheme/plan to overthrow the government? When I finally got to the end of it, I felt a soothing trickle of relief down my spine as I thought “OMG this is a young, beautiful, smart, responsible, talented, disciplined, caring, authentic, and insanely wealthy woman! There is nothing wrong with her!” I need to rewatch the whole thing just so that I can appreciate all of her without that shoe hanging over my head.
4. Audrey, More Than an Icon - she seems to have been an angel in disguise. Having endured years of starvation as a child through WWII, she managed to channel pure love into everything she did. In my mind she is right there next to Mother Theresa, an embodiment of sincerity and compassion in the face of ugliness. BUT! My favorite parts were about her collaboration with famous designers and artists like Givenchy and Avedon. Not being a trained actress, she managed to infuse acting with a totally new aesthetic, bringing new imagery and style into the collective awareness.
5. Lady Boss: The Jackie Collins Story - now this woman… she makes me want to wear shoulder pads again and add hairspray to my daily routine. A total underdog, invisible in her famous sister’s shadow (Joan Collins), she managed to create an empire as a writer while retaining her sanity and her style. This movie got me buzzing so hard I couldn’t fall asleep for hours! We all want to believe that girls can do anything. When Jackie Collins says it - with her hair staked 4 inches above her hairline, glossy red lipstick, lined cat eyes and a gold choker - I believe it.
Do you have movies you want to add to this list? Drop it in the comments below! I would love to add them to the list :)