I watched both of these with my 14 year old DD:
Joy with Jennifer Lawrence playing an inventor/entrepreneur
Arrival with Amy Adams playing a groundbreaking linguistics professor

Enjoy!

I couldn't stand either of these but how about Million Dollar Baby and Yentl?

Anonymous wrote:Bad News Bears (the original)

True but this is a really politically incorrect movie - I think I only saw this on TV as a kid and had no idea all the bad language and slurs that are in the movie. I tried to contextualize it a la Tom Sawyer but couldn't get there as it was just 40 years ago and we really knew better by then which is too bad because the language didn't add much to the story which was otherwise really good.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Akeelah and the Bee
Tootsie
Bend It Like Beckham

Ugh, as a female soccer player, I HATE this movie. The lead actress has a body that doesn't look like it's ever played sports, let alone soccer, and she has a wildly inappropriate relationship with her coach. Nobody in this film plays soccer and plus, why should she bend it like Beckham instead of Mia Hamm? Why a male idol?? Skip this crap.

Maybe because it takes place in England?

We just watched this - many more skinny females playing sports like soccer than not so the body type argument is a bit silly - and maybe its been a few years since you watched it but there are a lot of references to professional female soccer players in the film including Mia Hamm who even appears in a video at one point.

Also there was no inappropriate relationship with the coach while the character was on the team though I can see why it was sort of unnecessary story line though it did create one of the stories main tensions which unfortunately was two girls fighting over a boy.

But I'll agree that the soccer scenes in the movie were pretty lame but overall it was still a pretty good sports movie and we watch a lot of them in our house.

What about "Hello Dolly"? I am not a huge Streisand fan but, gosh, I love that movie.

Not just employment-related, but for tween-appropriate strong female characters who aren't defined by their romantic relationships in general, try

Whale Rider
Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken
Wadjda
He Named Me Malala
Temple Grandin
Kiki's Delivery Service

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Man, wouldn't it be nice if there were just one freaking movie where a woman was not subjugated AND the movie's main theme didn't have to be feminist? Why in a movie if a woman is in power, is the whole movie about how damn unusual that is? About the obstacles she has to overcome? I get it that that's how it is in real life, but not that much anymore. Why can't there be a movie about a character much like many of my friends who is just a breadwinner or athlete or whatever and it's not even a big deal?

This is what I was thinking.

It's not a great movie, but "The Intern" mostly fits this bill. It's much more about age-ism, but it's also got a female executive who is mostly treated as if that's just a normal thing to be. There's one unfortunate thread about her marriage, but it's like two scenes and hardly a big deal, IMHO. The overall movie would actually be better if those scenes were edited out.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Imdb has an "f" rating now for movies that features strong female characters.

http://www.imdb.com/search/keyword?keywords=f-rated

Ugh, you guys really need to start thinking and not use Google as a substitute. "Strong" female characters is code for main characters with a gun or super bitchy ones like in Devil Wears Prada.

Sadly the best female role models are children or teens--not adult women.

I posted the rating info because I had never heard about it before -- pretty new. You're right, you have to scroll down to get some good picks for the OP's parameters.

Again, attach brain. In the top 20 of the list you posted includes 50 shades darker, bad bitch, and sex doll. Don't just google and post. Think and consider.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Imdb has an "f" rating now for movies that features strong female characters.

http://www.imdb.com/search/keyword?keywords=f-rated

Ugh, you guys really need to start thinking and not use Google as a substitute. "Strong" female characters is code for main characters with a gun or super bitchy ones like in Devil Wears Prada.

Sadly the best female role models are children or teens--not adult women.

I posted the rating info because I had never heard about it before -- pretty new. You're right, you have to scroll down to get some good picks for the OP's parameters.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Man, wouldn't it be nice if there were just one freaking movie where a woman was not subjugated AND the movie's main theme didn't have to be feminist? Why in a movie if a woman is in power, is the whole movie about how damn unusual that is? About the obstacles she has to overcome? I get it that that's how it is in real life, but not that much anymore. Why can't there be a movie about a character much like many of my friends who is just a breadwinner or athlete or whatever and it's not even a big deal?

This is what I was thinking.

+1

Anonymous wrote:Out of Africa

Aack. I rewatched this recently and it's like watching paint dry. The only thing that makes it tolerable is how hot Redford is. She also seemed to have a pretty empty life, all told. The whole thing was depressing, I thought.

Anonymous wrote:Man, wouldn't it be nice if there were just one freaking movie where a woman was not subjugated AND the movie's main theme didn't have to be feminist? Why in a movie if a woman is in power, is the whole movie about how damn unusual that is? About the obstacles she has to overcome? I get it that that's how it is in real life, but not that much anymore. Why can't there be a movie about a character much like many of my friends who is just a breadwinner or athlete or whatever and it's not even a big deal?

Obviously you are not familiar with the Resident Evil oeuvre.

Great thread!

"A League of Their Own" really kicks ass. My favorite movie of all time. Perfection.

"Fried Green Tomatoes" is also good, though possibly a bit dated.

"Gilmore Girls" is a good TV show for a 12 year old girl that features a number of different kinds of women.

Do we think she'd be too young for "30 Rock" or "Parks and Rec"? Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are go-to role models for female power. "Mean Girls" is good for this age group.

I second the poster above who directed you toward musicals. "Wicked" is an awesome story of two different models of young female leadership and the shortcomings of both. The book doesn't do that at all, but the music/soundtrack is awesome and it routinely tours through this area.

Anonymous wrote:Imdb has an "f" rating now for movies that features strong female characters.

http://www.imdb.com/search/keyword?keywords=f-rated

Ugh, you guys really need to start thinking and not use Google as a substitute. "Strong" female characters is code for main characters with a gun or super bitchy ones like in Devil Wears Prada.

Sadly the best female role models are children or teens--not adult women.