6 movies that are the epitome of girlhood
by Kayla C.
10 movies that are the epitome of girlhood
By Kayla C.
Growing up as a girl is such a distressing yet amazing experience. One of the most beautiful things about girlhood is how us girls all around the world can relate to one another and the various experiences that we face as we grow into young women. If you want to watch movies that bring back nostalgia, various emotions, and relatability to what it is like to experience girlhood, here are ten movies the girls--now budding young adults--at AHS need to watch.
1. The Edge of Seventeen
The first movie I recommend is The Edge of Seventeen directed by Kelly Fremon Craig. This coming-of-age comedy movie follows the life of high schooler Nadine Franklin, played by Hailey Steinfield, who struggles with feeling out of place and we experience the ups and downs of her personal relationships as well as her relationship with herself. I think this movie is very relatable to girls everywhere as we sometimes have the darkening feeling that the world is against us, which Nadine experiences throughout most of the movie. Although that aspect of the plot is sad to see, it is very real and we get to see how Nadine turns around her outlook on life by the end. Hailee Steinfield gives an amazing performance of the gut wrenching emotions of feeling alone, while still making the movie lighthearted with her charm and comical timing. I would absolutely recommend this to anyone in a heartbeat as it consists of relatability while also giving hope that everything does get better eventually.
2. Barbie as The Princess & the Pauper
On a more lighthearted note, the second movie I recommend is Barbie as The Princess & the Pauper directed by William Lau. And no I’m not joking. When I was growing up this was my absolute favorite animated Barbie movie and it still is to this day. Throughout the movie we follow the lives of Princess Anneliese and Erika, the pauper. Although they live very different lives, these two girls come together and realize that they are both dealing with the same problems of living their lives for other people. Princess Annaliese has to complete her royal duties although she would rather be studying her science books, while Erika is forced to work at a boutique making dresses in order to pay off her parents debts. They even sing a cute little song called “A Girl Like You” in which they bond due to their similarities. I think this movie is so amazing because although it is a children’s movie, it teaches very important values such as following your heart and dreams, loving people for who they are, and standing up for what’s right. I think although dramatic, this movie accurately represents how many girls can empathize with one another as we face numerous of the same struggles. If you want to see a playful, relatable movie that is good for all ages, Barbie as The Princess & the Pauper is the one for you!
3. Uptown Girls
The next movie I recommend is the 2003 movie Uptown Girls directed by Boaz Yakin. This movie follows two girls, eight year old Ray and twenty two year old Molly. When Molly’s deceased fathers fortune is stolen she is forced to enter the workforce and lands a job as a nanny to Ray, who’s mother is a wealthy music executive. These two do not get along at first as they have very conflicting personalities, Ray being uptight and closed off and Molly being carefree and wild. Throughout the movie, Molly teaches Ray how to embrace being spontaneous and letting go of stress induced anxiety while Ray shows Molly that sometimes it is important to be serious and take responsibility. This heartwarming movie inspires girls in journeys of self discovery and how friendships, no matter how unlikely, can help you grow and challenge yourself for the better. This feel-good movie jerks on your heartstrings while remaining comedic and uplifting.
4. Little Miss Sunshine
The next movie I recommend is Little Miss Sunshine directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris. Although some may argue this is more of a family-oriented movie, I think aspects of this movie perfectly depict what growing up as a girl is like. In the movie, we see the adventures seven year Olive and her chaotic family go through as they travel to California for a beauty pageant. Although Olive is for the most part confident in her looks and abilities to compete in the pageant, she does become slightly insecure in herself as she finds herself feeling guilty from eating ice cream after her dad tells her that eating ice cream can make you gain weight in one scene and in another scene we can see her looking at herself in the mirror sucking in her stomach. This is very relatable to girls everywhere as many experience unrealistic beauty standards being pushed upon them from a very young age. Despite this setback, Olive stays unapologetically herself and stands on her confidence to compete in the pageant despite not looking like the other girls. This movie is very touching although it has its dark moments as we see how although Olive’s family is far from perfect, they still stick together in the end and support one another.
5. Legally Blonde
The next movie on the list is Legally Blonde directed by Robert Luketic. This movie is about a girl named Elle Woods who has a seemingly perfect life until her boyfriend breaks her heart as he is going to law school and believes Elle isn’t serious enough for his future lifestyle. In attempts to win him back, she studies hard and gets into Harvard Law where nobody takes her seriously due to stereotyping her as a “dumb blonde” who only cares about fashion. Throughout the movie, we see Elle continuously proving herself to be a hardworking law student who is very intelligent, proving that she can be smart while remaining fashionable at the same time. As time goes on, Elle realizes that she does not want her ex back as he misjudged her character and she continues to practice law as she finds that she is actually very passionate about it. This movie represents how many girls often have wrongful judgment placed upon them and are stereotyped based on false ideas. Legally Blonde is inspirational to girls everywhere as Elle perseveres her way through law school and shows that she is so much more than what people stereotype her to be.
6. Eighth Grade
The next movie is titled Eighth Grade directed by Bo Burnham. In this movie, we see the journey of eighth grader Kayla as she prepares to enter the world of high school. Kayla frequently posts inspirational videos online on how to navigate life successfully, when in reality she does not have a lot of confidence and is very quiet around her peers. This movie very accurately portrays the awkwardness of entering your teen years and trying your best to fit in with the changing environment around you. Throughout the movie we see how Kayla navigates dealing with her social anxiety and the heavy pressure that weighs upon girls to conform to societal norms. This is one of the most realistic movies I have seen that precisely depicts how painful growing into your teenage years can be. This movie brings a new understanding to what it is like to be a teenage girl in today’s society and shows that everyone is struggling in their own ways while growing older.