Chick-flick, my ass. Strong female figures or blatant Hollywood sexism? Watch and decide. Discussion to follow.
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Neon Demon (2016)
Sixteen-year-old Jesse (Elle Fanning) moves out to Los Angeles to make it as a model. As she rises as a successful model, her beauty stirs up more trouble than she ever could have anticipated. This is a super experimental and very artistic Oscar-like film. There’s very little dialogue and it is mostly visually based. This movie may not be for everyone, but it makes compelling commentary on the fashion industry and societal beauty standards.
Starring: Elle Fanning, Jena Malone
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Gone Girl (2014)
On the day of their fifth anniversary, Nick (Ben Affleck) comes home to find his wife, Amy (Rosamund Pike), missing, and her suspicious disappearance makes Nick one of the prime suspects in the case. So, Nick must use Amy’s anniversary scavenger hunt clues to find her and bring her back home. Gone Girl is based on a book by Gillian Flynn, who writes horror-thriller novels with complex female central characters.
Starring: Rosamund Pike
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Carrie (1976)
Isolated high school student Carrie White (Sissy Spacek), daughter of an intense female-loathing Christian, is traumatized, and bullied, when she gets her period during gym class. Carrie experiences challenging confrontations with her mother, her classmates, and her own body…until she gets pushed over the edge. Carrie is based on a horror book by Stephen King, and happened to be his first published novel.
Starring: Sissy Spacek
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Mildred Pierce (1945)
Mildred Pierce (Joan Crawford) is an ambitious housewife whose life gets turned upside down when her husband leaves her and she is left to find ways to provide for her two daughters. Mildred is confronted with three different men who all have their own agenda…that ends in murder. Don’t write Mildred Pierce off just because it’s a black-and-white 40s movie though, it’s a great mystery with a strong female lead and is sure to keep you on your toes.
Starring: Joan Crawford, Ann Blyth
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Misery (1990)
When Paul Sheldon (James Caan), writer of a series of romance books, gets in a car accident, Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates), a huge fan, nurses him back to health. Annie remains his biggest fan until she finds out something about the most recent book’s ending…and she is not happy with it. This movie is also based on a Stephen King book. Misery is a super creepy movie that explores both the Florence Nightingale complex and difficulties with separating reality from fiction.
Starring: Kathy Bates
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Basic Instinct (1992)
Catherine Tramell (Sharon Stone) is a successful writer and prime suspect in a murder case. Things get even more complicated when the crime investigator Nick Curran (Michael Douglas) and Catherine start up a steamy affair. This movie focuses a lot on sexuality and promiscuity and how it relates to evil in the real world.
Starring: Sharon Stone
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Fatal Attraction (1987)
When Alex Forrest (Glenn Close) meets Dan Gallagher (Michael Douglas…again!), the sexual attraction is instant, and leads to a torrid affair while Dan’s wife is away. When Dan’s wife returns home, Dan tries to end his affair with Alex. Alex, in love with Dan, doesn’t want to let him go, and will do what it takes to get him back. In Fatal Attraction, we delve into the “psycho ex-girlfriend” trope and dangers of women in unrequited love situations.
Starring: Glenn Close
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Jennifer’s Body (2009)
Jennifer Check (Megan Fox) is considered one of the, if not the, hottest girl in school. But, when Jennifer starts acting strangely, her best friend Anita Lesnicki (Amanda Seyfried) investigates and tries to find out what’s up. There are a lot of interesting female critiques in Jennifer’s Body, including the idea of the vengeful, dangerous girl. Plus, it’s no coincidence that Anita’s nickname is “Needy”…
Starring: Megan Fox, Amanda Seyfried
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Orphan (2009)
Recovering from a traumatic stillborn pregnancy, Kate Coleman (Vera Farmiga) and her family take in Russian orphan Esther (Isabelle Fuhrman). Esther becomes a part of the family, but something is off. This is another movie that is led by the dangers of female sexuality and desire, clearly a common theme in horror movies led by female killers.
Starring: Isabelle Fuhrman, Vera Farmiga
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There will be a follow-up article that goes further in depth on the complexities of these movies and how they reflect what makes a woman evil. Is she damned for typically female reactions? Or, is she a complex character with the same depth as a male killer might have? Check out the upcoming commentary, and comment with your own ideas!