Feminist Tendencies
Feminism as a concept has gone in and out of vogue since the first suffragette demanded the right to vote, but throughout history there have always been remarkable women, prepared to claim their power in the name of a cause ('Ride to Freedom: The Rosa Parks Story', 'Veronica Guerin'), or just to rediscover their own self-worth ('Shirley Valentine', 'My Brilliant Career'). This collection does not only contain films about the political struggle of women to achieve equality ('Iron Jawed Angels'), if it did it would be a very short list because despite the fact that the rise of women in the workforce and in politics was one of the defining movements of the 20th century, very few films have been made on the subject - filmmaking being still a largely male-dominated pusuit. Now, as women are making films in greater numbers than ever, our own Niki Caro is a good example of someone ready and willing to tell a story about the oppression, and ultimate triumph of women in the 'post-feminist' 1980s ('North Country'). Perhaps women as an audience are now ready and willing to hear their own stories.
Monster (2003)
7.3/10
Director: Patty Jenkins
Starring: Charlize Theron, Christina Ricci, Bruce Dern, Lee Tergesen
Charlize Theron won the Best Actress Academy Award for her astonishing performance as Aileen Wuornos, the prostitute convicted of killing several men... Read more
Veronica Guerin (2003)
6.9/10
Director: Joel Schumacher
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Gerard McSorley, Ciaran Hinds, Brenda Fricker
Taut, true story from director Joel Schumacher ("Phone Booth") stars Cate Blanchett in the title role, a journalist for Dublin, Ireland's Sunday Indep... Read more
Calendar Girls (2003)
6.9/10
Director: Nigel Cole
Starring: Helen Mirren, Julie Walters, Linda Bassett, Annette Crosbie, Celia Imrie, Penelo...
Based on a true story, this comedy with serious moments stars Julie Walters as a British housewife in her fifties who loses her husband to leukemia. W... Read more
Down with Love (2003)
6.3/10
Director: Peyton Reed
Starring: Renee Zellweger, Ewan McGregor, David Hyde Pierce, Sarah Paulson, Tony Randall
In the tradition of the Doris Day-Rock Hudson comedies of the early 1960s comes this effervescent period romantic romp featuring Renee Zellweger as a... Read more
Gilmore Girls: Season 3 (2002)
8.1/10
Director: Lesli Linka Glatter
Starring: Keiko Agena, Kelly Bishop, Alexis Bledel, Lauren Graham, Edward Herrmann, Meliss...
The third season is full of ups and downs for all concerned as Rory has both boy and school trouble, and mum Lorelai faces the fact that she and Rory'... Read more
The Weather Underground (2002)
7.6/10
Director: Sam Green, Bill Siegel
Thirty years ago, a group of young American radicals called The Weathermen announced their intention to overthrow the U.S. government. Fueled by outra... Read more
Personal Velocity (2002)
6.6/10
Director: Rebecca Miller
Starring: Kyra Sedgwick, Parker Posey, Fairuza Balk
Three very different women. One daring leap of faith. Kyra Sedgwick, Parker Posey and Fairuza Balk star in this compelling drama about three women who... Read more
The Hours (2002)
7.6/10
Director: Stephen Daldry
Starring: Claire Danes, Jeff Daniels, Ed Harris, Nicole Kidman, Julianne Moore, John C Rei...
Nicole Kidman delivers an Oscar-winning performance as author Virginia Woolf in this poignant tale that focuses on three women, living in different ti... Read more
Bend it Like Beckham (2002)
6.7/10
Director: Gurinder Chadha
Starring: Parminder Nagra, Keira Knightley, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Juliet Stevenson
A sheer delight of a film about a young soccer player who overcomes personal obstacles to score a winning goal in the final seconds of a crucial match... Read more
At Home with the Braithwaites: Series 2 (2001)
6.8/10
Director: Dan Zeff, Morag Fullarton, David Innes Edwards
Starring: Lynda Bellingham, Peter Davison, Amanda Redman, Sylvia Syms, Sarah Smart
With her secret out, Alison sees that her fears about the lottery windfall were justified. The family moves into a gaudy mansion she hates, David plan... Read more