Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Austin Butler on the Dune: Part Two Press Tour
Courtesy of Backgrid
The Dune: Part Two press tour has sadly come to an end — which is literally the only negative to come from the movie’s US release on March 1st. The film has garnered rave reviews for immersive cinematography, career-defining acting performances, and ushering in a new era for science fiction cinema and action movies across genres.
Needless to say, the film is worth the three hour run time — and, we do need to have a conversation about these 3 hour movies. We need to start having intermissions or something. But, dare I say, all that time flies by. Immersed in the sands of Arrakis and blessed with constant close-ups of Timmy and Zendaya, who could complain?
Perhaps that’s why I still can’t stop thinking about the Dune 2 press tour.
Dune 2 Cast: Who is in Dune: Part Two?
The Dune: Part Two press tour was one for the ages. It helps that the Dune 2 cast is legendary. The carpets and press junkets included Gen Z juggernauts such as Timothee Chalamet and Zendaya alongside Florence Pugh, Austin Butler, and Anya Taylor Joy. If that wasn’t enough, Josh Brolin, Dave Bautista, and Rebecca Ferguson also graced the press tour with their presence. The only thing missing was a cameo from Oscar Issac as the ghost of Duke Atreides past or something — a girl can dream.
With such a stacked Dune cast and 166 minutes of frame by frame excellence, you’ll be surprised to hear that heavy cuts were made. Tim Blake Nelson has expressed being “heartbroken” that his scene was cut by Denis Villeneuve. Makes you wonder what else was left on the cutting room floor — maybe Zendaya’s scenes from Dune: Part One?
The Dune: Part Two Press Tour Was Another Masterclass in Movie Marketing
Of course, these seasoned Hollywood icons know how to act on a press tour. And I’m not just talking about the media training Renee Rapp lacks. I’m talking about using a press tour to really get people talking. From matching outfits to a budding bromance between Austin Butler and Timothee Chalamet (put me in, Coach!), every stop on the press tour garnered viral social media buzz.
It might be too early to call it, but so far, the Dune: Part Two press tour is this year’s Barbie press tour. Though one was actively marketing products and collaborations, Dune had nothing to market but the cinema experience. Despite their differences, many of the tactics are surprisingly similar.
Here’s what I mean:
The breakdown: Both movies wanted to fill seats and promote the moviegoing experience. They did that by parading their beautiful cast in front of our face and making us run to the theater to beg for more.
The clothing: Now, it’s commonplace for actors to make their mark by making a fashion statement. But no one does it like Timmy and Zendaya. Just like Margot Robbie became Barbie through the press tour outfits, the Dune 2 cast embodied the sci-fi spirit of the film. I mean, Zendaya’s Mugler robot suit? Say absolutely less.
The scale: Just like everyone talked about Barbie, everyone is talking about Dune: Part Two. The cast pulled off a heroic, worldwide press tour, many between other projects.
The impact: I mean … it worked. Seats are filled. The reviews are pouring in, and cinema is totally alive. Dune: Part Two opened with $81.5 million domestically and $178.5 million globally just in the first weekend. Cinema really is back. Dune: Part One grossed $434.8 million globally by the time it left theaters. We are so back.
People are asking: “Does Dune: Part Two end with a cliffhanger?” In Denis Villeneuve’s imagining of the franchise, Paul Atriedes is a more complex character than he first seems. Dune: Part Two begins to explore this but the story is not through — far from it.
Villeneuve has been vocal about his eagerness to expand Paul’s story with an adaptation of Dune: Messiah to really explore Paul’s inner life. And who better to tackle a complex character than our very own Timothee Chalamet — more crying into a fireplace a la Call Me By Your Name, please!
Just like the first film was a bid to get a sequel, the Dune 2 press tour was a bid to get greenlit for the third installment. And just like we were teased with Zendaya in the first film, they’re teasing us with Anya Taylor-Joy so we’re hungry for more in movie three.
There is also a Dune prequel in the works, slated to release later this year via HBO. Entitled Dune: Prophecy, it promises to be a mini-series set about 10,000 years before Dune. While there will be no Paul, it will develop the lore of the sisterhood of Bene Gesserit, of which Rebecca Ferugson’s Lady Jessica Atreides and Charlotte Rampling’s Reverend Mother Mohiam from Denis Villeneuve’s Part One were members.
What does Dune: Part Two's box office success mean for movies?
Famously, Timothee was given sage advice by none other than Leonardo DiCaprio to never do a superhero movie. However, I think Dune is pretty close. Timmy himself said that The Dark Knight was the movie that made him want to be an actor. So not all superhero movies are created equal. And indeed, though Dune boasts enough action to have made Timmy brolic, it’s still a prestige film at its heart.
As Marvel and Sony come out with flop after flop — sorry to Sydney Sweeney and Dakota Johnson, but no one is watching Madame Web — people are tired of the fluffy, formulaic superhero movie.
To make a movie worth going to the theaters for, it has to be worth the trip and the money. Formulaic and predictable doesn’t make the cut. But in the age of Oppenheimer and Dune, impressive and immersive films are bringing home the box office bacon. I expect the same from Paul Mescal’s Gladiator. With actors that talented, it’s a waste to obscure them with CGI and boring plotlines.
But who knows, maybe when Deadpool comes out this summer, the Blockbuster superhero movie will be king again. But for now, it’s all about Dune.
Nicholas Galitzine in SXSW Closing Night Film, "The Idea of You"
Courtesy of Prime Video
All the cool film girlies just came back from Berlin. Specifically, they are fresh from the 74th Berlin International Film Festival, and they still smell like cigarettes to prove it. Between anecdotes about how Berghain is ruined, they’re telling me how they watched Cillian Murphy (my father, emotionally) give another masterful, award-worthy performance in the Enda Walsh adaptation of Claire Keegan’s novel Small Things Like These. This is apropos of nothing, except that I was not in Berlin, so I will have to wait alongside everyone else to see one of my favorite books on screen later this year.
But how can I be bitter? This week, half of Los Angeles will flock to Texas for South By Southwest in Austin, and I’ll be delightfully distracted by a whole new slate of upcoming releases premiering at this year’s festival. There are so many new films to be excited about premiering at the festival — even without Cillian Murphy’s cheekbones.
Let’s get into it.
What is SXSW?
I’m in for a week of acronyms: SXSW in ATX FTW - LFG!! South By Southwest (aka SXSW or SX or South By) is a film festival, music festival, and industry conference all rolled into one. Fueled by Texas BBQ and Torchy’s Tacos, creative people in the tech, film, music, education, and culture industries swarm from theater to concert hall and conference room networking (allegedly), writing pretentious reviews about the future of culture (guilty), and being menaces to the residents of Austin by causing even worse traffic jams than the city is used to— and I can’t wait.
When is SXSW 2024?
SXSW 2024 will be held from March 8 - 16 2024. Highly anticipated events include Rolling Stone’s Future of Music Series (my artists to watch are Flo Milli and Faye Webster), and the SXSW Music Festival (which, this year, includes The Black Keys, Bootsy Collins, and many more). Of course, the highlight is the insane 2024 SXSW movie lineup. I can’t wait to laugh, cry, and contemplate my very existence while staring up at a screen at SXSW. In the words of Nicole Kidman, “We come to this place to dream.” And this week, the dreamers are all in Austin, Texas.
Here are the films at SXSW 2024 we’re most excited about – starring an assortment of all our favorite actors (even though Cilian won’t be making an appearance). Still, we’re excited to see new performances from faves like Ayo Edebiri, Jake Gyllenhaal, Ryan Gosling, Aaron Taylor Johnson, Jonathan Groff, Hunter Schafer, Rachel Zegler, Anne Hathaway, Nicholas Galitzine, and a whole lot more.
SXSW 2024 Official Opening Night Selection
Road House
This is not Patrick Swayze’s Road House (1989) — but by the time Jake Gyllenhaal is done with you, you’ll love it as much as the original. Gyllenhaal stars as an ex-UFC fighter-turned-bouncer at a Florida Keys roadhouse, owned by Frankie (Jessica Williams). Facing threats from a criminal gang led by Brandt (Billy Magnussen), Dalton's violent past emerges. When he is confronted by Knox (Conor McGregor), a lethal gun-for-hire, the escalating brawls and bloodshed become more dangerous than his days in the Octagon. Fans of real-life, ex-UFC fighter Conor McGregor are excited to see him in this film, even if he is the villain. Road House is coming to Prime Video on March 21st.
SXSW 2024 Official Closing Night Selection
The Idea of You
This film is like if your mom stole your Wattpad moment. Created by two-time SXSW Audience Award Winner Michael Showalter, it’s his great return to SXSW and it’s sure to be a riot. Allegedly based on Harry Styles (and a little bit of Prince Harry, too), The Idea of You is the salacious story of a 40-year-old single mom who begins an unexpected romance with her daughter’s favorite popstar. She goes from begrudgingly chaperoning her daughter to Coachella to meeting, and falling for, 24-year-old Hayes Campbell, the lead singer of a band based on One Direction. This odd couple romance promises to be more than meets the eye. The couple is played by Red White & Royal Blue’s Nicholas Galitzine alongside Anne Hathaway so I am ready and willing to go on this ride. I’m expecting something that feels like a mix of After, A Star is Born, and How Stella Got Her Groove Back. Watch the trailer HERE. And listen to the first song from the Original Soundtrack by fictional boy band August Moon HERE.
Other films to watch at SXSW 2024
I Wish You All The Best
I am unspeakably excited for Tommy Dorfman’s queer coming-of-age drama. Written and directed by Dorfman and starring Corey Fogelmanis, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Alexandra Daddario, Cole Sprouse, Lena Dunham, Amy Landecker, Lexi Underwood, and more (wow!) it’s an adaptation of Mason Deaver's novel of the same name. A queer tale of chosen family, it follows Ben DeBacker, a non-binary teen who is thrown out of their house and forced to move in with their estranged older sister, Hannah, and her husband, Thomas. Struggling with anxiety, they come out only to Hannah, Thomas, and their art teacher, Ms. Lyons, while trying to keep a low profile at their new school. Ben's attempts to survive junior year unnoticed are thwarted when Nathan, a funny and charismatic student, decides to take Ben under his wing. With the help of Nathan, and his friends Sophie and Mel, Ben discovers themselves, and what started as a disastrous turn of events looks like it might just be a chance to start a happier new life.
A Nice Indian Boy
A Nice Indian Boy
I’ll watch Jonathan Groff in anything — and this original odd-couple comedic drama would have taken me no convincing anyway. Self-effacing doctor Naveen Gavaskar meets Jay Kurundkar, a white man adopted by two Indian parents, when Jay takes his picture at the hospital. Despite initial skepticism on Naveen’s part, the two quickly fall in love. Naveen avoids telling his traditional family—parents Megha & Archit and sister Arundhathi—who accepted his sexuality years earlier and are close to him but increasingly don’t know much about his life. Eventually, inevitably, Jay, with no family of his own, has to meet the Gavaskars, who have never met a boyfriend of Naveen's.
The Fall Guy
The Fall Guy
Don’t fret, Barbie fever is over, but Ryan Gosling will be back on your screens soon enough with this comedic action blockbuster. Ryan Gosling stars as Colt, a stuntman who, after a near-career-ending accident, is drafted back into service when the star of a mega-budget movie—being directed by his ex, Jody (Emily Blunt)—goes missing. Now, this working-class hero has to solve a conspiracy and try to win back the love of his life while still doing his day job. Certified heartthrob Aaron Taylor Johnson is also in this — giving me something to look forward to as I wait patiently for his role in Kraven: The Hunter later this year. I’m sat.
Omni Loop
Omni Loop
The more Ayo Edebiri in the zeitgeist, the better. Alongside Mary-Louise Parker, Steven Maier, Eddie Cahill, and more, she stars in this existential sci-fi feature. Zoya Lowe, a 55 year old woman from Miami, FL, has been diagnosed with a black hole inside her chest and given a week to live. But what the doctors and her family don’t know is that she has already lived this week before. She’s lived it so many times, in fact, that she doesn’t even know how long it’s been. Until one day she meets Paula, a young woman studying time at a lab in the local university, and together they decide to try and solve time travel so Zoya can actually go back— back into her past, back to a time before she settled, back to when her whole future was still wide open in front of her—back so she can do it all over again, and finally be the person she always wanted to be. It’s this year’s Everything Everywhere All At Once so I have high hopes.
The Greatest Hits
The Greatest Hits
Harriet (Lucy Boynton) finds art imitating life when she discovers certain songs can transport her back in time - literally. While she relives the past through romantic memories of her former boyfriend (David Corenswet), her time-traveling collides with a burgeoning new love interest in the present (Justin H. Min). As she takes her journey through the hypnotic connection between music and memory, she wonders if she can change the past. Think Yesterday, but … no, pretty much just exactly Yesterday.
Y2K
Y2K A24 Movie
The children are our future! This A24 disaster comedy, Y2K, stars Rachel Zegler, Jaeden Martell, Julian Dennison, Lachlan Watson, Daniel Zolghadri, Mason Gooding, The Kid Laroi (yes, from that Justin Bieber song), and more as high schoolers who crash a NYE party in 1999 and end up fighting for their lives. But doesn’t all high school feel like that?
I Love You Forever
I Love You Forever
Directed and written by Cazzie David and Elisa Kalani and starring Sofia Black-D'Elia, Ray Nicholson, Jon Rudnitsky, Cazzie David, and Raymond Cham Jr, this film portrays the sad reality of the dating landscape. It follows Mackenzie, a disillusioned 25-year old law student tired of the apps — because who isn’t. When she has a “real life meet-cute” with a charming journalist who makes her believe true love may actually exist. Ultimately, it starts to go left and Mackenzie finds herself trapped in a tumultuous and depleting cycle of emotional abuse.
I Don't Understand You
Like our beloved White Lotus, this is about an Italian vacation gone wrong. Starring Nick Kroll and Andrew Rannells as an American couple, it's about a babymoon turned nightmare. On the verge of adopting a baby, they go on an Italian vacation — an opportunity to reconnect before the new addition arrives. Everything is picture-perfect; the epitome of a European baby moon, when things begin to spiral out of control. On the way to dinner, they get their rental car stuck in a ditch and are stranded in rural nowhere in a downpour. These two Americans, who are used to being catered to, are now in a foreign land without service, an Italian language comprehension of about zero, and clear relationship turmoil that could explode at any minute. Fear obviously takes over.
Doin It
Doin It
Starring internet sensation-turned-host-turned-actor Lilly Singh, Doin It is a comedy of errors about an Indian woman trying to lose her virginity. Fans of Never Have I Ever, which also starts with that premise, should flock to this film. After teenage Maya is caught in a sexually compromising position, her mom moves the family back to India so Maya can learn proper discipline. Years later, she returns to the US to find funding for her teen-focused app, and gets a job as a substitute high school teacher so she can research her target demo. But when the principal assigns her to teach sex ed, Maya —who’s still a virgin— sets out on a quest with her best friend to make up for the high school experience she lost out on. It also stars Ana Gasteyer, Sabrina Jalees, Stephanie Beatriz, Mary Holland, Utkarsh Ambudkar, and Sonia Dhillon Tully.
Civil War
Civil War
No, not the Marvel film. Much more chilling and dystopian — especially since it’s set in a plausible, near-future. It stars Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Sonoya Mizuno, and Nick Offerman taking us on an adrenaline-fueled thrill ride through a fractured America balanced on the razor’s edge, going through a civil war.
Birdeater
Birdeater
A bride-to-be is invited to join her own fiancé’s bachelor party on a remote property in the Australian outback. But as the festivities spiral into beer-soaked chaos, uncomfortable details about their relationship are exposed, and the celebration soon becomes a feral nightmare. I’m imagining part Saltburn and part Get Out from this feature debut.
Babes
Babes
After becoming pregnant from a one-night stand, Eden leans on her married best friend and mother of two, Dawn, to guide her through gestation and beyond. Starring lana Glazer, Michelle Buteau, John Carroll Lynch, and Hasan Minhaj, this comedy about friendship and motherhood is sure to be both belly-busting and heartwarming
Musica
Musica
Based on writer, director and star Rudy Mancuso, Música is a coming-of-age love story that follows an aspiring creator with synesthesia, who must come to terms with an uncertain future, while navigating the pressures of love, family and his Brazilian culture. Alongside Mancuso are Camila Mendes, Francesca Reale, Maria Mancuso, and J.B. Smoove.
Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told
Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told
If anyone else has heard about Freaknik endlessly without hearing about Freaknik, your time has come. This documentary feature is a celebratory exploration of the boisterous times of Freaknik, the iconic Atlanta street party that drew hundreds of thousands of people in the 80s and 90s, helping put Atlanta on the map culturally. At its height, Freaknik was a traffic-stopping, city-shuttering, juggernaut that has since become a cult classic. This documentary will, too.
The Black Sea
The Black Sea
Immersive and inspired by Derrick B. Harden’s travels to Bulgaria, The Black Sea details the transformative journey of a man who finds unexpected connections in a small coastal Eastern European town even as he finds himself to be the only black person around.
Pet Shop Days
Pet Shop Days
I love a very serious thriller with a whimsical title. Starring Jack Irv, Darío Yazeb Bernal, Willem Dafoe, Peter Sarsgaard, and more, you know this one’s going to be good. In an act of desperation, impulsive black sheep Alejandro flees his home in Mexico. On the run from his unforgiving father, Alejandro finds himself in New York City where he meets Jack, a college age pet store employee with similar parental baggage. Together the two enter a whirlwind romance sending them down the rabbit hole of drugs and depravity in Manhattan’s underworld.
Toll
Toll
This Brazilian feature is definitely going to chill me to my core, I’m calling it now. Suellen, a Brazilian toll booth attendant and mother, falls in with a gang of thieves in an attempt to keep her family afloat. In doing so, she realizes she can use her job to raise some extra money illegally for a so-called noble cause: to send her son to an expensive gay conversion workshop led by a renowned foreign priest.
My Dead Friend Zoe
My Dead Friend Zoe
My Dead Friend Zoe follows the journey of Merit, a U.S. Army Afghanistan veteran who is at odds with her family thanks to the presence of Zoe, her dead best friend from the Army. Despite the persistence of her VA group counselor, the tough love of her mother and the levity of an unexpected love interest, Merit's cozy-dysfunctional friendship with Zoe keeps the duo insulated from the world. That is until Merit's estranged grandfather—holed up at the family's ancestral lake house—begins to lose his way and is in need of the one thing he refuses... help. It stars Sonequa Martin-Green, Natalie Morales, Ed Harris, Morgan Freeman, Utkarsh Ambudkar, and Gloria Reuben.
A House Is Not a Disco
A House Is Not a Disco
Directed by Brian J. Smith, this documentary shows a year-in-the-life in the world’s most iconic “homo-normative” community: Fire Island Pines. Situated fifty miles from New York City, this storied queer beach town finds itself in the midst of a renaissance as a new generation of Millennial homeowners reimagine The Pines for a new, more inclusive era. Filmed like a Wiseman movie on magic mushrooms, a large cast of unforgettable eccentrics, activists, drifters, and first-timers reflect on the legacy of The Pines while preparing their beloved village for the biggest challenge it has faced since the AIDS crisis: rising seas caused by climate change.
Brandy Hellville & the Cult of Fast Fashion
Brandy Hellville & the Cult of Fast Fashion
My eighth-grade self, experiencing all the stages of grief in the Brandy Melville changing room, is ready for this expose. It examines how Brandy Melville developed a cult-like following despite its controversial “one size fits all” tagline. Hiding behind its shiny Instagram façade is a shockingly toxic world, a reflection of the global fast fashion industry. Fast fashion isn’t all glitz and glamor – it’s a business that sacrifices humanity and pollutes the planet for the sake of profit.
This film is like if your mom stole your Wattpad moment. The Idea of You follows Solène (Anne Hathaway), a 40-year-old single mom who begins an unexpected romance with her daughter’s favorite pop star. She goes from begrudgingly chaperoning her daughter to Coachella to meeting, to falling for, 24-year-old Hayes Campbell (Nicholas Galitzine), the lead singer of a band, August Moon, based on One Direction.
That’s just where the story begins. The film takes us through their whirlwind romance as Solène wrestles with her unexpected passion for a man almost half her age and the media attention that comes with him. Oh the things we do for boys who play guitar.
I’m expecting something that feels like a mix of After (the original Harry Styles-inspired story), A Star is Born, Fifty Shades of Grey, and How Stella Got Her Groove Back. It’s also been compared to Daisy Jones & The Six (by us … we compared it to that). The trailer just dropped and it teases a film that will no doubt be a thrilling ride.
The Idea of You trailer is out now. Watch it here:
The Idea of You - Official Trailer | Prime Videowww.youtube.com
What is The Idea of You based on?
There are many reasons this film has been generating buzz ever since the project was announced. The craziest reason is also the most compelling: it’s kind of about Harry Styles — with a little inspo taken from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, too. Sounds absolutely bonkers? It is. But it’s more than just fan service — this film promises to stand on its own.
The Idea of You is based on a bestselling novel by Robinne Lee. Before her turn as a bestselling novelist, Robinne Lee was an actress. You might recognize her for her roles Hitch, Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed. So no surprises that she ended up writing this steamy novel.
Though it was released in 2017, the book became a hit during the pandemic — famous for its surprising and emotionally tumultuous ending. Of course, the source material also got readers hooked. Lee has confirmed in interviews that she was inspired to write the book after stumbling across a One Direction video. Many fan fiction writers have been there, too.
But unlike teens on Wattpad or AO3, Lee’s book is about more than just lust — though there is a lot of that, too. The book is about a woman in her 40s rediscovering her sexuality and feeling desirable. Sure, the story might have gotten its roots when Lee realized that Styles has dated his fair share of older women (and this was before the messiness of the Don’t Worry Darling press tour that deserves its own movie), but it’s really a dramatic tale about how women get overlooked as they age. One that says hey, you’re still just one Coachella ticket away from the hottest relationship of your life — no matter your age.
While the adaptation reimagines the characters and tells the story in the spirit of the novel — so don’t expect a line by line reenactment — fans are hoping the book’s spirit and wrenching ending is realized fully in the new film.
The Idea of You Cast
Alongside Nicholas Galitzine and Anne Hathaway (who is also a producer on the film with Gabrielle Union), The Idea of You stars Ella Rubin, Annie Mumolo, Reid Scott, Perry Mattfeld, Jordan Aaron Hall, Mathilda Gianopoulos, Raymond Cham Jr., Jaiden Anthony, Viktor White, and Dakota Adan.
The Idea of You Soundtrack
While it’s definitely not a musical, this film is based on a boyband and one of the most famous musicians in the world. To give fans the full experience, Nicholas Galitzine gets to show off his singing in the film’s full Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, which will be available in tandem with the film’s release.
Nicholas Galitzine is no stranger to singing on camera. His first major roles in Handsome Devil and The Beat BeneathMy Feet saw him clutching a guitar. He also played the Prince in Amazon’s jukebox musical adaptation of Cinderella alongside Camilla Cabello. Most notably, fans know him for his TikTok covers and guitar playing, making him perfect for this Harry Styles-esque character. Wherever they’re making these charming, singing Brits — take me there.
The film follows the couple through the superstar’s tour with his boyband, August Moon, so of course there’s lots and lots of original music. The first song, "Dance Before We Walk", was featured in the trailer. Just like Daisy Jones & The Sixand A Star Is Born, this is sure to be a soundtrack to remember. The band has also just activated an Instagram account (and it already has over 5k followers), so you can follow along on Instagram.
The Idea of You is set to have its World Premiere at SXSW Festival on March 16th as the Closing Night Film. After premiering in Austin, you can stream The Idea of You on Prime Video on May 2nd. Calendar: marked.
I'm never not talking about women. So clearly, 2023 was a great year for me. Dubbed "the year of the girl," last year was about celebrating women — not in a sanitized girlboss feminist way, but in a way that spotlighted stories by women, for women. The male gaze was finally decentered and, from TikToks to feature films, the biggest stories of the year were about women. So if you're looking for the best movies for Women's History Month, you've come to the right place.
Women's History Month 2024 Theme
The Women's History Month 2024 theme is “Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.” And, celebrated on March 8th, the International Women's Day 2024 campaign theme is 'Inspire Inclusion.' Together, they're a rallying cry to advocate for the representation and protection of women across the world. With increasing global conservativism, the overturning of Roe vs Wade in the US, and the global human rights crises disproportionately affecting women, advocating for equity, diversity, and inclusion is more important than ever.
Movies to watch for Women's History Month
There's a lot to say about the commodification of girlhood. In fact, so much of it has been repeated ad nauseum in think pieces and TikToks, so I won't say it here. While it's true that marketers are finally catering to women (or merely Taylor Swift fans, as the 2024 Super Bowl ads seem to imply) all to make a buck, the power of perspective is transformative. Seeing women like Beyonce and Taylor Swift at the top of their game is inspiring. So is seeing women try and fail — sorry, J.Lo. Understanding the full spectrum of the female experience comes from telling stories. Lots of them.
Telling stories through film is one way we can advocate for the world we want to live in. Plus, by supporting female films and films that empower women, more of them will be made. I like putting on a Guy Richie film as much as the next person, but this month, I'm taking the time to catch up on movies by women and rewatch titles that have made me think about girlhood, or womanhood, differently. From sugary titles like Barbie to movies about women in history, movies help inspire a new worldview and propel us towards activism and activism. Plus, there's no better feeling than dedicating a night to a movie marathon that's both exciting and empowering.
Looking for inspiration? Here are the Best Movies for Women's History Month:
New to Streaming: Movies By Women of the Moment
Barbie
Anything by Greta Gerwig automatically gets a yes from me. The actor-turned-director did the impossible: rebranded Barbie dolls into the epitome of empowerment. While she didn't get all the Oscar nominations she deserved, Gerwig and Margot Robbie were the faces of the year of girlhood.
Origin
Ava DuVernay has spent her entire career evaluating the interconnected systems of marginalization in America. She exemplifies this year's theme completely. In her latest film, Origin, she dramatizes the award-winning book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Black journalist Isabel Wilkerson. Through DuVernay's eyes, we see the story of another powerful woman and her journey to understand the complexity of race and oppression across the world.
Past Lives
Written and directed by Celine Song, this movie is the epitome of the female gaze. As it explores the relationships of two childhood friends, it becomes clear that the film is so compelling because of the complexity of its protagonist, Nora, and the dexterous performance by Greta Lee. Women wiring about women just can't be beat!
Bottoms
I love rooting for women — especially when they're bad. Bottoms makes us root for the most loserish, toxic friend group and I love every minute of it. It's a hilariously liberating take on female friendships and queer adolescence. It redefines what it means to be a woman — especially a queer woman.
Contemporary Classics: Films That Empower Women
Lady Bird
Another Greta Gerwig film, this story of the intricacies of the mother-daughter relationship is a love letter to weird girls everywhere. If you had colored hair in high school, you loved Lady Bird. Those are the rules.
Passing
Starring Tessa Thompson and a career-defining performance by Ruth Negga, Passing is an adaptation of the book by the same name about two lighter skinned Black women — one who passes and lives as white to change her lot in American society. It's an often-overlooked subject that examines the realities of many women in the 1920s navigating race and womanhood.
Set It Off
Jada Pinkett, Queen Latifah, Vivica A. Fox, and Kimberly Elise star in this 90s heist movie about four women who plan a bank robbery in Los Angeles. It explores the lives and struggles of these women while also emphasizing their friendships and distinct stories.
Oceans 8
Speaking of female heist movies, they said a female Oceans film couldn't be done and Sandra Bullock proved them wrong, alongside the incredible ensemble Oceans 8 cast of: Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Awkwafina, Rihanna, and Helena Bonham Carter.
20th Century Women
Greta Gerwig was an actress before she became the bard of girlhood as a director. In this expansive feature by Mike Mills, she stars aside Annette Bening and Elle Fanning about three generations of women in 1979 Santa Barbara, California.
The 40-Year-Old Version
Radha Blank is the star, producer, and writer of this black-and-white arthouse film about starting over at 40. It follows a playwright who pivots into rap music to begin a new phase of her career.
Never Rarely Sometimes Always
In post a Roe vs Wade landscape, this Eliza Hittman story about a young girl traveling to New York City for an abortion is more relevant than ever.
Thelma and Louise
The ultimate story about ride or die female friendships. I want what they have — young Brad Pitt and the blue car, too.
Movies About Women in History
Hidden Figures
Hidden Figures tells the true story of three Black women, Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson, who were pivotal in sending astronaut John Glenn into orbit, changing the game for the space race. Finally, their story is no longer lost to the history books thanks to this film starring Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monae (Glen Powell as John Glenn was pretty much their Ken).
Frida
Frida Kahlo is one of the most influential artists of all time. Played by Selma Hayek in this biopic, it details the life of an extraordinary artist and how she channeled the obstacles she faced into her art.
Confirmation
Confirmation tells the story of Clarence Thomas's confirmation from Anita Hill's perspective. Kerry Washington plays Anita Hill in this inspiring and heartbreaking true story about a woman determined to tell the truth at all costs.
Queen of Katwe
Liked The Queen's Gambit? Watch this inspiring true story, which was first an ESPN article, about Phiona Mutesi, a young girl from Uganda who became a chess champion.
Marie Antoinette
Like Greta Gerwig, Sofia Coppola understands girlhood. Marie Antoinette treats a villainized historical figure with empathy and imagination. Also add Priscilla to your watchlist.
Erin Brockovich
Forget Pretty Woman,Erin Brockovich is my favorite Julia Roberts movie. Based on a true story, it is a tale of resilience, conviction, and not underestimating a woman. Talk about advocacy, Erin Brockovich is an inspiring figure for people who care about people and sticking it to the man.
I, Tonya Trailer #1 (2017) | Movieclips Trailers
Another figure from recent history, Margot Robbie's turn as Tonya Harding unravels the complexity of this misunderstood figure-skating star with empathy. She's more than just the star of Barbie!
Women's History Month Documentary
He Named Me Malala
Malala Yousafzai is synonymous with empowerment. Her story is a reminder of the power of telling your story. This documentary explores her life after the Taliban tried to kill her for speaking out on behalf of girls' education. No wonder she is the leading advocate for children's rights and the youngest-ever Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.
I Am Greta
Greta Thunberg is one of the most inspiring women on the planet — and she has been since she was 15. Her advocacy for the climate is a reminder that the children really are our future.
Homecoming
Nothing more inspiring than Beyonce. Girls really do run the world.
Show Her the Money
This recent doc is about the gap of women in the investment space. It follows female founders and investors as they navigate the sexist world of VC.
My favorite song of all time is "Lover, You Should've Come Over" by Jeff Buckley. It's also my biggest red flag. The song is about a man who lets the love of his life get away for pretty much no reason. Some interpret it as a song about infidelity. I just say it's the toxic person's anthem. Our lonesome man knows he should treat his lover better, but he blames his youth for why he can't.
"Maybe I'm too young to keep good love from going wrong" is one of the best lyrics ever put to melody — but a cop-out is a cop-out.
While I'm not here to talk about breakup songs — you can find those here — I am here to muse about how art, whether it's film or cinema, can make it feel romantic to be kind of toxic. We see unhealthy, unrealistic portrayals of love all the time. We hear that we should stick by our lover no matter what. We see people, usually heroines, sacrificing themselves and their value for medicore men with good hair. Oh, to be a 90s movie heartthrob and have it all for doing nothing.
For example, the 2022 season 2 of White Lotus basically moralized playing games with your partner to keep them interested. We cheered on as characters deceived, manipulated, and cheated on their partners — most of them ending up happier than ever.
But this trope goes way further than the lifetime I've been waiting for White Lotus Season 3. The saying "All's fair in love and far," alludes to this sentiment: when it comes to love, we want to believe that the end justifies the means.
Whether or not this is true, on Valentine's Day we replace these notions with cliches like hearts and candy. Love is suddenly a sappy, saccharine affair about devotion and dedication. Even if you're toxic during the rest of the year, Valentine's Day begs you to be wholesome and happy.
I say, no, thank you. Valentine's Day makes me want to sink into the very bottom depths of my Jeff Buckley-inspired longing and dream of the kind of love Taylor Swift was talking about in "Cruel Summer" and "The Way I Love You." The kind that Jeff Buckley was screaming, crying, throwing up for. The kind that's codependent and problematic but hits so differently when you're in it.
Just for one day, let me be toxic. And let me start with these toxic romantic titles:
10 Things I Hate About You
It's in the title. Should hate be integral to love? I don't know, but I do know that I've never loved the "enemies to lovers" trope more than Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger in 10 Things I Hate About You. Their whole relationship is based on lies and invasions of her privacy all because she's a "shrew" — God forbid a girl read Sylvia Plath and back into your car on purpose. It's also an adaptation of Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew, so here's the proof that toxic love goes back centuries. And we still can't get enough!
500 Days of Summer
500 Days of Summer is mostly toxic because it's so misunderstood. Joseph Gordon Levitt and Zooey Deschanel shaped a generation. Too bad most of us didn't understand how problematic JGL's character was when we first watched it. Let this be a warning: run from anyone who makes liking The Smiths their whole personality. Long live the manic pixie dream girl.
Closer
Speaking of manic pixie dream girls, nothing beats Natalie Portman in Garden State, and Closer. Closer edges out the former on the toxic-scale because no one is redeeming in this ensemble cast. Julia Roberts, Jude Law, and Clive Owen join Portman in the craziest, most compelling, love square filled with misunderstandings, missed connections, and a whole lot of lies.
The Family Stone
Speaking of love squares, The Family Stone takes keeping it in the family to a new level. Though this is technically a Christmas movie, it's larger-than-life plot and twisted, toxic take on accidental romance transcends the holiday. The all-star cast doesn't hurt either: Dermot Mulroney, Sarah Jessica Parker, Claire Danes, Diane Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Luke Wilson and Craig T. Nelson.
Forrest Gump
If you're doubtful about this film's place in the category, look beyond the warm and fuzzies the nostalgia gives you. It's a great movie, and Forrest might be wholesome, but just like that box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get. From his obsession with Jenny to her pretty much using him at the end when her life takes a turn, toxic romance really does span decades.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Ever get wrecked by a relationship so bad you feel like you need a lobotomy to forget about it? Yet somehow, the good times in these relationships feel the sweetest. What you need: a therapy session. Then, a rewatch of Tumblr favorite, Eternal Sunshine.
Stuck In Love
This movie follows the members of one family, recently wracked by divorce, as they try to find and keep love. Their stumbling attempts reflect their own traumas and how their family determined their relationships to others. All this to say: it's toxic on purpose, and that's enough for me. Logan Lerman is one of the few redeemable characters in this.
After
Anything that started as a Wattpad book is going to be the most toxic thing you've ever watched. Especially if it began as a One Direction fan fiction about Harry Styles. But if you're in the mood to actually rot your brain, start here.
Twilight
You knew this was coming. Beyond the Mormon propaganda of it all, this is just an insanely codependent relationship that rewired the brains of a whole generation at an early age. No wonder we all crave unreal, unhealthy relationships. Don't even get me started on Jacob and Renesmee.
Gone Girl
The fact that I think Gone Girl is romantic says everything you need to know. But they end up together in the end and that's what matters! Sorry to EmRata's character. Toxic recognizes toxic.
Jennifer's Body
Male manipulators, rise!
Hulu's High Fidelity
Honorable mention: While High Fidelity was originally a novel adapted into a movie starring John Cusack, the Hulu revival starring Zoe Kravitz and Da'Vine Joy Randolph is a force to be reckoned with. Kravitz as Rob is inspiring in her insufferable personality. And, of course, in her outfits. She inspired everyone in Bushwick to dress well and blame everyone else for their problems. My hero.
2023 was the year of queer cinema — from campy rom coms like Red, White & Royal Blue to instant cult classics like Bottoms and heartwarming dramas like All of Us Stangers. But to me, most necessary in the queer canon, are stories about queer adolescence like Heartstopper, Sex Education, and Young Royals.
So many queer people didn't have the adolescence they were promised. Sure, in some places, queerness is less stigmatized. But even in the US, a record number of anti-LGBTQIA bills were proposed, and the anti-gay fear-mongering is frankly out of control. Which is all the say: queerness is still outside of the norm.
The definition of marginalization is that systems aren't built for you. While that manifests in all areas of your life, it's never more agonizing and angst-inducing than when you're in high school. Full of hyperbolized emotions, aggrandized self-importance, and so many hormones, being a queer high schooler is an agonizing theater of angst. The yearning! The pent-up desire! The repression! I wouldn't go back if you paid me ... unless it was to Young Royals' Hillerska Academy.
Some people wish they went to Hogwarts, some people wish they could go to Nevermore Academy. I wish I could enroll in Hillerska. This exclusive Swedish boarding school is the backdrop for the greatest love story ever told. If you've never seen Young Royals, congratulations: you're about to embark on the greatest journey of your life. It's about a Swedish prince (Edvin Ryding) who falls in love with another at his boarding school. But that's where the cliches end.
What is Young Royals about?
Young Royals has become an international phenomenon for its completely novel portrayal of high schoolers — especially queer high schoolers. As the creators have emphasized, the show doesn't make sexuality the problem. It's always the external pressures to conform that are the problem. It also highlights themes of anxiety, mental illness, social class, addiction, race, and more.
But of course, the central theme is queer love. And while I too, was a queer person trapped in a boarding school in the middle of nowhere, I didn't have a queer love affair with the future leader of my country. They call it a gay, teenaged version of The Crown. If that's the case, Simon (Omar Rudberg) is my personal Princess Diana. Despite the larger-than-life stakes, what sets the show apart are its intense emotions. More understated than your typical teen melodrama, it's startling real while also being aspirational — which is perhaps why it's connected to audiences across the world.
Don't get me wrong, it does have its share of drama. But more like the simmering sexual tension and high-stakes relationship chaos of White Lotus than, the eye-roll-inducing fabrications of The Idol. And that drama has had me screaming, crying, throwing up for the past two seasons. Finally, Young Royals season three, the final season of the series, is coming to Netflix. And I don't know if I'm ready.
Young Royals: Season 3 | Official Clip | Netflixwww.youtube.com
When does Young Royals Season 3 come out?
Young Royals season 3 comes out on March 11th, with the series finale coming out a week later on March 18th. Someone schedule a wellness check for me. After how long I've been teased, tormented, and kept waiting by this show, I might spontaneously combust before I even make it to March. Play the series finale at my funeral.
How many seasons and episodes are there in Young Royals?
There are 12 episodes of Young Royals available now across two seasons. The third season will also be six episodes — the first five dropping on March 11th and the finale on March 18. Given how much was packed in the trailer, I don't know how our boys will deal with the fallout of the previous seasons while struggling with obligation and classic teenage gossip.
And of course, the hardest truth to contend with: There won't be a season 4 of Young Royals. And I doubt there'll be a spin-off — unless Netflix pulls an XO Kitty. One can only dream. So savor this sweet anticipation while it lasts. After the final season, it'll be goodbye to Wilhelm and Simon forever. I can only hope that Omar Rudberg and Edvin Ryding see insane career growth after this. Will they make like Charles Melton from Riverdale or Jacob Elordi from Euphoria and become household names? The show is an emotional tour de force — so I don't doubt their talents will take them far.