5 Feel Good Feminist Films — The Siren Magazine

By: Mia Vicino

A watchlist of femme-led comedies for a relaxing night in with your pals.

1. Down With Love (2003)

A feminist author (Renee Zellweger) writes a book about how romantic love only serves to distract women from career success. After it convinces women all over the world to stop seeking out love, a charismatic journalist (Ewan McGregor) sets out to seduce her and therefore prove her wrong. The plot twists, the feminist message, and possibly the best phone sex scene in the history of cinema all combine to create this smart spoof on 60s sex comedies.

2. Romy & Michele’s High School Reunion (1997)

Two best friends decide to lie about their lackluster lives in order to impress everyone at their ten-year high school reunion. If you’re like me and despised every second of high school, this movie will be an absolute fantasy and leave you with the biggest smile. It also includes the most incredible random dance sequence (set to Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time”).

3. Smiley Face (2007)

Jane (Anna Faris) is a slacker actress who, after mistakenly eating twelve cupcake edibles, sets off on a pot-fueled odyssey that includes accidentally stealing the Communist Manifesto, buying weed off Seth Cohen from The OC, and going to the dentist with Jim Halpert from The Office. FINALLY, a stoner comedy made for stoner girlz!

4. But I’m A Cheerleader (1999)

After her parents send her off to a straight conversion camp, a lesbian cheerleader falls in love with a rebellious outcast. Though this is a serious subject matter, the gorgeous pastel production design, the campy and satirical tone, and the fact that the cast is made up of people who actually identify as queer in real life (including a cameo by RuPaul) made this movie a cult classic among the LGBTQIA+ community.

5. Ghostbusters (2016)

It’s exactly what it sounds like: a bunch of ladies bust a bunch of ghosts. And it’s awesome. You probably remember the insane backlash this all-female remake of Ghostbusters (1984) faced this year, mostly by dudes who hadn’t even seen it. There are a ton of reasons as to why this version is better, but the main one is because it features the incredibly talented (and dreamy!) Kate McKinnon. I’ve laughed until I cried only five times in my whole life, and two of those times were while watching this movie.