Filmspotting-Re: Top 5 Movies Directed By Women-Spout

adamkemp
Posts 54

5/18/2007 11:33 AM
posted awhile ago

Top 5 Movies Directed By Women

Tying in with our reviews of "Waitress" and "Away From Her," Sam and I share our Top 5 Movies Directed By Women -- choices include "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" and "Marie Antoinette." Sorry Streisand fans, "Yentl" didn't make the cut! What would make your top 5?

Indie
Posts 142

5/18/2007 2:30 PM
posted awhile ago

Re: Top 5 Movies Directed By Women

1. Portrait of a Lady This was very well done, and a little more accessable than The Piano.

2.She-Devil Great film with Roseanne Barr and Meryl Streep

3. Awakenings- Profound wonderful movie

4. Titus- Gory and glorious

5. Boys Don't Cry- Harrisburg Pa native's foray into the dark heart of America.

Under discussion:

Awakenings (1990)

She-Devil (1989)

The Portrait of a Lady (1996)

Boys Don't Cry (1999)

Titus (1999)

alexcharner
Posts 10

5/18/2007 4:25 PM
posted awhile ago

Top 5 Movies Directed By Women

Unstrung Heroes - http://www.spout.com/films/92078/default.aspx

Though a bit of a weeper, Unstrung Heroes rally struck a chord with me.

Lost In Translation - http://www.spout.com/films/224193/default.aspx

Under discussion:

Unstrung Heroes (1995)

Lost in Translation (2003)

totoro
Posts 11

5/18/2007 5:09 PM
posted awhile ago

Re: Top 5 Movies Directed By Women

Near Dark directed by Kathryn Bigelow would be on my top 5. While the film does have its flaws, it is always the first film that springs to mind when I hear "woman director". I love how she depicts vampires as a rag-tag group of punks and lowlifes. And I also loved the way she depicted the brutality and violence that they take part in.

Under discussion:

Near Dark (1987)

Sam
Posts 1

5/18/2007 7:41 PM
posted awhile ago

Re: Top 5 Movies Directed By Women

alexcharner:
Unstrung Heroes - http://www.spout.com/films/92078/default.aspx
Though a bit of a weeper, Unstrung Heroes rally struck a chord with me.

Alex,

Great pick!

Not sure it would have made my Top 5, but I really wish I had remembered it anyway. A totally overlooked film.

Diane Keaton: Next time someone offers you a movie like Beacuse I Said So, turn it down and direct something instead. Really. Anything will do.

Under discussion:

Unstrung Heroes (1995)

GradysGhost
Posts 49

5/18/2007 8:50 PM
posted awhile ago

Re: Top 5 Movies Directed By Women

American Psycho - The best thing about this movie and the fact that it's directed by a woman (it's even mentioned on the DVD) is that if it had been directed by a man, the movie would probably have been squandered by critics and feminists. The movie could have only been directed by a female.

Under discussion:

American Psycho (2000)

alexcharner
Posts 10

5/18/2007 9:25 PM
posted awhile ago

Re: Top 5 Movies Directed By Women

Thanks Sam,

I have to share the love with Diane Keaton. My inner film geek loves her in Reds, Annie Hall, Looking for Mr. Goodbar and Something's Gotta Give. I happily avoided Because I Said So, which I would probably only watch on an airplane.

She's a little less controversial than Faye Dunaway, anyway.

Spout is not helping cure my Crackspotting or Cinecrack addiction at all, not that I'd ever want that.

Absolutely classic Massacre Theater performance!

lbenschwartz
Posts 22

5/20/2007 4:03 PM
posted awhile ago

Re: Top 5 Movies Directed By Women

Decline of Western Civilzation Part II. One of the greatest cultural artifacts of the late 80s, Los Angeles, and music. Penolope Spheeris' documentary about the Heavy Metal scene on the Sunset Strip in late-80's LA is both a stinging satire and a deeply affectionate portrayal of loving music and having dreams about making it your life. W.A.S.P.'s Chris Holmes floating in his pool, drowning himself with vodka, while his mother looks shamefully on, is the Nero-playing-his-violin-with-Rome-burns moment of the Sunset Strip.

Under discussion:

The Decline of Western Civilization 2: The Metal Years (1988)

Jymkata
Posts 141

5/20/2007 6:22 PM
posted awhile ago

Re: Top 5 Movies Directed By Women

I had to think hard about this because I couldn't figure out why it was so hard for me to answer about female directors. I was hoping it wasn't some unconscious chauvinistic tedencies on my part causing me to devalue movies directed by females. I actually think that many of the female directed movies of the last decade or so tend to be "woman's pictures" that hold little interest for me in terms of style or story. That being said, there are some movies directed by women that I would rate highly regardless of who helms it.

Ida Lupino was a real pioneer in female directing (not the first but the best known early director) and she directed a really nifty film noir - 1) The Hitch-hiker

The '80s are generally mocked as a shallow time in film, but at least women were given a chance to direct mainstream films and a few of the movies are among my favorite 80's and early 90's films:

Amy Heckerling - (4 tie) Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Look Who's Talking, and Clueless

Kathryn Bigelow - (3) Near Dark, (2) Point Break - maybe the first action film directed by a woman? and it kicks ass!

Martha Coolidge - (4 tie) Valley Girl, Real Genius

I know Sofia Coppola is the critic's and indie festival darling, but she is a one-hit wonder for me, I hated Marie Antoinette and I was bored by The Virgin Suicides, but even with the unbelievable award season hype I really enjoyed the way she directed (5) Lost in Translation. Hopefully her next film will be a return to form.

Under discussion: