Great live action movies featuring girls
I’m always harping on movie studios about not having enough lead female roles. And I’ll keep doing it until there is equal representation across the board. I’m not asking for much—just that half the population be included in movie (and other media) roles. Oh, and not just as tropes.
There are some really great live action movies that feature strong female leads that I do want to share with you, though. My daughter loves these movies and I bet your family will, too. (There are some cartoons, too, but I’ll post about them another day.)
Madeline: This 1998 movie brings four of the Madeline books to life, and I’m sorry to say that I never saw the titular little girl in any other movies because she is a spitfire! Wood Sprite loves how Madeline saves her school and she enjoys the books as well.
Ramona and Beezus: If you loved the books, I think you’ll love the movie, too. Even if you didn’t read the books, this movie is such a great one. It’s funny, heartwarming and really emphasizes the love of family and the creativity of children. I love it so much! Speaking of which…
Judy Moody and the Not-Bummer Summer: This one didn’t make it far as far as sales go, but my family adored it. We love crazy Aunt Opal and brilliant, flawed Judy. We even make our own Not Bummer Summer list each year because of her.
It Takes Two: This film, along with other movies featuring the Olsen twins as children, is surprisingly good. The plots are predictable, of course, but the girls are smart, strong and independent, often saving people and themselves from danger or disaster. Yeah, their personalities aren’t really that deep, but I am surprised to report that they fare better than many live action movies today in terms of female tenacity and spirit.
How about a few more like these, Hollywood?
What live action family movies do you recommend that feature strong female leads?
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia