Being Geek Chic is a blog about one woman navigating the male-dominated industries of production and tech. It's written by Elizabeth Giorgi, Founder, CEO and Director of Mighteor - one of the world's first internet video production companies. Learn more about Mighteor here.
This whole thing started with a mission: support female led films on opening weekend whenever possible.* If you want to read more about why, you can read that post here.
July is one of those months you really HOPE happens in the summer blockbuster season when women will get BOTH a big hit (here’s hope for Ghostbusters) and a serious drama (the smartly titled, Equity). But for a special bonus, we are also getting wider distribution in the US for a foreign winner in Our Little Sister.
JULY 1:
The BFG (Written by Melissa Mathison and Starring Ruby Barnhill)
Ten-year-old Sophie is in for the adventure of a lifetime when she meets the Big Friendly Giant. Naturally scared at first, the young girl soon realizes that the 24-foot behemoth is actually quite gentle and charming. As their friendship grows, Sophie’s presence attracts the unwanted attention of Bloodbottler, Fleshlumpeater and other giants. After traveling to London, Sophie and the BFG must convince Queen Victoria to help them get rid of all the bad giants once and for all.
Our Kind of Traitor (Directed by Susanna White)
A money launderer for Russian gangsters asks a couple vacationing in Marrakech, Morocco, to deliver incriminating evidence to an MI6 agent.
JULY 8:
Our Little Sister (Written by Akimi Yoshida and Starring Haruka Ayase and Masami Nagasawa)
After the death of their estranged father, three siblings (Haruka Ayase, Masami Nagasawa, Kaho) invite their half sister (Suzu Hirose) to live with them.
JULY 15:
Ghostbusters (Starring Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones)
Paranormal researcher Abby Yates and physicist Erin Gilbert are trying to prove that ghosts exist in modern society. When strange apparitions start to appear in Manhattan, they turn to brilliant engineer Jillian Holtzmann for help.
JULY 22:
Absolutely Fabulous (Directed by Mandie Fletcher, Written by Jennifer Saunders, and Starring Joanna Lumley and Jane Horrocks)
Edina and Patsy are still oozing glitz and glamor, living the high life they are accustomed to; shopping, drinking and clubbing their way around London’s trendiest hot-spots. Blamed for a major incident at an uber fashionable launch party, they become entangled in a media storm and are relentlessly pursued by the paparazzi.
Into the Forest (Directed by Patricia Rozema and Starring Ellen Page)
In the near future two young women living in a remote forest discover the world is on the brink of an apocalypse.
JULY 29:
Equity (Directed by Meera Menon, Written by Amy Fox and Starring Anna Gunn and Alysia Reiner)
An investment banker tries to work her way up the Wall Street ladder while a prosecutor keeps an eye out for corrupt practices. Senior investment banker Naomi Bishop is threatened by a financial scandal and must untangle a web of corruption.
Tallulah (Directed and Written by Sian Heder and Starring Ellen Page)
A dissatisfied Beverly Hills housewife tired of caring for her toddler hires a stranger to baby-sit.
Bad Moms (Starring Mila Kunis and Kristen Bell)
When three overworked and under-appreciated moms are pushed beyond their limits, they ditch their conventional responsibilities for a jolt of long overdue freedom, fun, and comedic self-indulgence.
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One additional note before I go: I am not able to tell you if these movies are objectively good or feminist friendly, as I have not seen all of them. The point of this list is to give you a place to start. The truth is that we don’t have a lot to choose from, but part of the battle is giving you the information. Information is power. However, shared knowledge is also key. So if you see one of these films or have seen an early screening, please let us know if you recommend it or not in the comments.
This whole thing started with a mission: support female led films on opening weekend whenever possible.* If you want to read more about why, you can read that post here.
Summer movie season is here. That means blockbusters. Crazy expensive budgets. Huge marketing campaigns. And action movies and RomComs opening against each other. It also means a very thin month of options for stories about women by women and starring women.
JUNE 3rd:
Me Before You (Directed by Thea Sharrock and starring Emilia Clarke)
Young and quirky Louisa “Lou” Clark (Emilia Clarke) moves from one job to the next to help her family make ends meet. Her cheerful attitude is put to the test when she becomes a caregiver for Will Traynor (Sam Claflin), a wealthy young banker left paralyzed from an accident two years earlier. Will’s cynical outlook starts to change when Louisa shows him that life is worth living. As their bond deepens, their lives and hearts change in ways neither one could have imagined.
The Fits (Written and Directed by Anna Rose Holmer)
Toni trains as a boxer with her brother at a community center in Cincinnati’s West End, but becomes fascinated by the dance team that also practices there. Enamored by their strength and confidence, Toni eventually joins the group, eagerly absorbing routines, mastering drills, and even piercing her own ears to fit in. As she discovers the joys of dance and of female camaraderie, she grapples with her individual identity amid her newly defined social sphere.
JUNE 10th:
Diary of a Chambermaid (Written by Hélène Zimmer and starring Léa Seydoux)
A scheming servant works for a wealthy couple in France during the late 19th century. Part of a long-term three part series from the director.
Viktoria (Directed by Maya Vitkova and starring Irmena Chichikova)
Unwanted by her mother, Viktoria is being born with no umbilical cord and doesn’t need Boryana until the hardships of life bind them together. Premiered at Sundance in 2014, the wider release is also available online too.
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One additional note before I go: I am not able to tell you if these movies are objectively good or feminist friendly, as I have not seen all of them. The point of this list is to give you a place to start. The truth is that we don’t have a lot to choose from, but part of the battle is giving you the information. Information is power. However, shared knowledge is also key. So if you see one of these films or have seen an early screening, please let us know if you recommend it or not in the comments.
This whole thing started with a mission: support female led films on opening weekend whenever possible.* If you want to read more about why, you can read that post here.
It’s a good thing that May is beautiful outside and the perfect time to get out and have a picnic, because this year it’s sure not a time to go to the movies. There are a few bright spots, namely Jodie Foster’s new movie, which is bound to be a dramatic thriller.
MAY 6th:
Mothers and Daughters (Written by Paige Cameron and Starring Susan Sarandon and Chrstina Ricci)
Mothers and Daughters features interwoven stories about what it means to be a mom, which are tied together via single gal Rigby Gray, a rock photographer who’s riding a career high when an unlikely and unexpected pregnancy forces her to turn her lens inward. As Rigby slowly comes to terms with what it might mean to change her life forever, she discovers with fresh eyes her own relationship with her estranged mother.
Memoria (Directed by Nina Ljeti)
A California teen (Sam Dillon) copes with his dysfunctional family, slacker friends and a girl who doesn’t know that he exists.
MAY 13th:
Money Monster (Directed by Jodie Foster)
After losing money on a stock tip, a disgruntled investor holds a Wall Street guru and a producer hostage on live television.
Love and Friendship (Starring Kate Beckinsale)
In the 18th century, the seductive and manipulative Lady Susan uses devious tactics to win the heart of the eligible Reginald De Courcy.
MAY 20th:
Maggie’s Plan (Written and directed by Rebecca Miller)
Maggie’s plan to have a baby on her own is derailed when she falls in love with John, a married man, destroying his volatile marriage to the brilliant Georgette.
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One additional note before I go: I am not able to tell you if these movies are objectively good or feminist friendly, as I have not seen all of them. The point of this list is to give you a place to start. The truth is that we don’t have a lot to choose from, but part of the battle is giving you the information. Information is power. However, shared knowledge is also key. So if you see one of these films or have seen an early screening, please let us know if you recommend it or not in the comments.
This whole thing started with a mission: support female led films on opening weekend whenever possible.* If you want to read more about why, you can read that post here.
You know what the funny thing about doing this month after month? You discover that there are movie titles you are SURE are directed by or written by women. It seems so obvious that they would be. For example, this month’s “Mother’s Day” (April 29th) isn’t on the list because… you guessed it: A movie specifically designed to come out the week before Mother’s day isn’t written or directed by a woman. Luckily, there are a few other films worth checking out instead.
APRIL 1st:
They Will Have to Kill Us First (Directed By: Joanna Schwartz)
Musicians unite to organize a concert in Timbuktu, Mali, after Islamic extremists ban all forms of music in the country.
APRIL 8th:
The Boss (Starring Melissa McCarthy and Kristen Bell)
Wealthy mogul Michelle Darnell always gets her way, until she’s busted for insider trading and sent to federal prison. After leaving jail, Darnell finds herself broke, homeless and hated. Luckily, she tracks down former assistant Claire, the only person who’s willing to help. While staying with Claire and her young daughter, the ex-con devises a new business model for a Brownie empire. Unfortunately, some old enemies stand in the way of her return to the top.
The Invitation (Directed by Karyn Kusama)
While attending a dinner party at his former house, a man starts to believe that his ex-wife and her new husband have sinister plans for the guests.
APRIL 15th:
Hostile Border (Written by Kaitlin McLaughlin and Starring Veronica Sixtos)
Raised in the U.S., Claudia is an undocumented illegal immigrant living beyond her means in a twisted version of the American dream. When she’s arrested by the FBI for credit card fraud, Claudia is quickly deported to Mexico. Speaking no Spanish and lost in her foreign “homeland,” she reluctantly takes refuge at her estranged father’s cattle ranch. As she clashes with her unyielding father, she her attempts to return to the U.S. thrust her into a dangerous bond with a foreign smuggler, Ricky. Caught between her father’s sermons, Ricky’s promises, and the encroaching military, Claudia must navigate a tightrope of impossible choices.
The Adderral Diaries (Directed and Written by Pamela Romanowsky)
Writer and Adderall enthusiast Stephen Elliott reaches a low point when his estranged father resurfaces, claiming that Stephen has fabricated much of the dark childhood that that fuels his writing. Adrift in the precarious gray area of memory, Stephen is led by three sources of inspiration: a new romance, the best friend who shares his history, and a murder trial that reminds him more than a little of his own story.
APRIL 22nd:
The Meddler (Directed and Written by Lorene Scafaria and Starring Susan Sarandon)
After the death of her husband, a woman moves from New Jersey to Los Angeles to be closer to her daughter.
Nina (Directed by Cynthia Mort and Starring Zoe Saldana)
Manager Clifton Henderson helps singer and pianist Nina Simone rediscover her love for music.
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One additional note before I go: I am not able to tell you if these movies are objectively good or feminist friendly, as I have not seen all of them. The point of this list is to give you a place to start. The truth is that we don’t have a lot to choose from, but part of the battle is giving you the information. Information is power. However, shared knowledge is also key. So if you see one of these films or have seen an early screening, please let us know if you recommend it or not in the comments.
This whole thing started with a mission: support female led films on opening weekend whenever possible.* If you want to read more about why, you can read that post here.
Now that the Oscars are over, we are about to hit a real serious slump in the quality of movie offerings in our local cinemas. But fear not, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 is coming back to remind us just how funny family comedies can be. I’m not even kidding. I’m super stoked for this movie. Really. Seriously.
MARCH 4th:
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (Starring Tina Fey)
When reporter Kim Barker’s life needs something more, she decides to ‘shake it all up’ by taking an assignment in a war zone. There, in the midst of chaos, she finds the strength she never knew she had. Sometimes it takes saying 'WTF’ to find the life you were always destined to have.
They Will Have to Kill Us First (Directed by Johanna Schwartz)
Musicians unite to organize a concert in Timbuktu, Mali, after Islamic extremists ban all forms of music in the country.
MARCH 11th:
Hello, My Name is Doris (Written by Laura Terruso and Starring Sally Field)
With help from her best friend’s (Tyne Daly) granddaughter (Isabella Acres), a smitten woman (Sally Field) concocts schemes to get the attention of a younger co-worker (Max Greenfield) in her office.
About Scout (Directed by Laurie Weltz and introducing India Ennenga)
A rebellious Goth girl embarks on a road trip across Texas with a suicidal young man in an effort to find her little sister.
Lolo (Directed by Julie Deply)
A workaholic in the fashion industry surprises herself by falling for a computer geek.
MARCH 18th:
Sweet Bean (Directed by Naomi Kawase)
Sentaro runs a small bakery that serves dorayakis—pastries filled with sweet red bean paste. When an old lady, Tokue, offers to help in the kitchen, he reluctantly accepts.
MARCH 25th:
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 (Written by and Starring Nia Vardalos)
The Portokalos family gathers for a massive wedding after Toula’s (Nia Vardalos) parents learn that they were never legally married.
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One additional note before I go: I am not able to tell you if these movies are objectively good or feminist friendly, as I have not seen all of them. The point of this list is to give you a place to start. The truth is that we don’t have a lot to choose from, but part of the battle is giving you the information. Information is power. However, shared knowledge is also key. So if you see one of these films or have seen an early screening, please let us know if you recommend it or not in the comments.
