Portrayals, voice, roles, filmmakers, etc.
Alline Cormier, the film analyst who puts women first, has analysed over 900 feature films from all genres and ratings (mostly PG-13 rated), from a feminist perspective. Her analyses focus primarily on portrayals and treatment of women and girls. She discusses their sexualization, violence perpetrated against them, the voice they have (or do not have) and their interactions with other characters. Hollywood movies make up the bulk of the films analysed, given that those are the ones we tend to consume. Pictured below is a very small sample of the movies analysed in her books. Her YouTube channel (ACPicks) also features some interesting movie clips. You can also follow her on Twitter: @ACPicks2.
My Oasis
Writing books about the sexualization of women in media can be demoralizing. When I take breaks from film analysis I enjoy watching movies that convey positive messages about women and include positive portrayals of women. I prefer movies that feature strong, assertive women who have congenial and affectionate relationships with other women, movies that are devoid of sexualization and violence. The best ones feature solidarity between women, women working together towards a common goal. Below are movie posters for some of my favourite Hollywood feature films.
Pictured below: 9 to 5 (1980), Thelma & Louise (1991), Fried Green Tomatoes (1991), The First Wives Club (1996), Brooklyn (2015), Hidden Figures (2016), Ghostbusters (2016), Suffragette (2015), Wonder Woman (2017), Steel Magnolias (1989), Copycat (1995), The Help (2011), Made in Dagenham (2010), Ocean's Eight (2018), Gorillas in the Mist (1988), Beaches (1988), Little Women (2019), On the Basis of Sex (2018), The Lovely Bones (2009), Call Jane (2022), She Said (2022), Barbie (2023) and Nyad (2023).