1.The Color Purple
This meandering but empowering tale of a black, southern woman (Whoopi Goldberg) struggling to find her identity over forty years of abuse and neglect is an iconic, desperately moving and often painful film to put on any woman’s must-watch list. It is a tale of resilience, passion, forgiveness, and ultimately hope. Stunning Oscar-nominated performances from Oprah Winfrey, Goldberg and Margaret Avery will remind every woman of her individual, unique strength and that each of us is worthy of being loved and adored, no matter how we look or who we are.
2.What’s Love Got to Do With It
If you’re looking for a woman to admire who is physically strong and battled unthinkable adversity to become happy and successful, there are plenty of make-believe action heroes out there these days. But we don’t need a fictional character. 1993’s “What’s Love Got to Do With It” (named after Turner’s 80’s rock hit) is the inspiring story of rock n’ roll legend Tina Turner. She survived a childhood of poverty, an unstable mother and the abusive husband (Ike Turner) who eventually turned her into a superstar. Angela Basset acts her ass off in this Oscar nominated film, and like the real life Tina Turner she got absolutely shredded for the role. By the end of Turner’s film-life you’ll be shouting “Girl Power!” and getting your “Proud Mary” dance on. If only we could all have those legs!
3.An Education
This movie starring Carey Mulligan as a young, gullible school girl who falls in love with a mysterious but cultured older man takes place in the 1960s but it’s message is relevant for all women of every decade. It is the story of the headiness of first love and the discovery of passion. In a way, every woman has had that “education” in love and the embarrassment that can come when one finally realizes how silly they’ve been while swimming in the intoxicating mixture of emotions and hormones. “An Education” reminds us of the follies of first love, and the “education” that eventually always comes in one way or another. In the end, we’re inspired by our protagonist’s journey from silly school girl to independent woman.
4.Terminator 2
If you’re looking for a fictional female badass to inspire you look no further than Linda Hamilton’s performance as Sarah Connor in the Terminator 2. If you’ve never seen it, shame on you. This is an absolute must-watch for every woman who’s ever fantasized about kicking ass and taking names. The scene with Sarah pumping her shotgun and blasting the bejeebus out of the T-2000 will raise the hair on your arms every time. In a world where “you throw like a girl” is an insult, don’t be a Kim Kardashian..be a Sarah Connor.
5.The Joy Luck Club
Grab your tissue for this beautiful story about two generations of Chinese women and how the past shaped each woman and ultimately their children. Every woman should watch this movie at least once. She should let it push her to think about her relationship with her own mother, with other important women in her life and how we bring their spirits with us wherever we go and in whomever we become. Did I tell you to grab the tissue first? Don’t ignore me. Grab the tissue. There are tears throughout.
“This feather may look worthless, but it comes from afar and carries with it my good intentions”
Just kidding....Kira is a writer, actor and suburban housewife and mother. Her mantra is "If I can't do it from the couch, is it really worth it?"
- The Weekly #Rehash: Jussie Smollett Is a Sloppy Mess Edition - February 22, 2019
- The Weekly #Rehash: GOOP is Heading to Netflix Edition - February 8, 2019
- The Weekly #Rehash: Bryan Singer Must Know ALL THE TEA Edition - January 25, 2019
