By Jilliean Sioson
Last March, the whole world gathered together women and all that they do, but I’m sure we can appreciate and celebrate all the different women in our lives for more than just a day or two. So grab your gal pals, your nearest and dearest, a cup of tea or hot chocolate (maybe wine?) and get cozy!
Chicago, 2002 | English
“In this town, murder is a form of entertainment”.
- Matron Mama Morton.
Several years later and Chicago is just as effective as ever, both musically and thematically. Told through the naive, wannabe starlet Roxy Hart, Chicago tackles the uphill battle against a patriarchal, capitalist 1930s Chicago, where a woman’s scorn is nothing but tabloid and well, a musical. Beneath the fun, sensual jazz numbers is a harsh commentary against a system that sets women up to lose and to be used. From weaponised sexuality and unadulterated anger exuding from ‘He Had It Coming’, to the ventriloquist act in ‘They Both Reached for the Gun’ serving as a metaphor for the way Roxy’s hotshot lawyer uses her and her case to boost his career and repertoire. It’s all about female rage…and all that jazz!
Ready, Set, Love!, 2024 | Thai
“The truth is, we all want to be here”.
Thai serial Ready, Set, Love! feels like a checklist for every south-east Asian drama trope set in a dystopian, classist society. Unlike the global sensation Squid Game, the show’s covert lightness and handling of clichés solidify the darkness that lies beneath this seemingly utopian city. In the game show, one hundred women are pitted against each other to compete in games that mimic traditional wedding ceremonial processes. It isn’t very far from popular relationship-focused reality shows like Love is Blind, Love Island, and Singles Inferno – just to name a few – whose end goal is to form relationships in exchange for money, a wedding, notoriety and fame. The show knows its target audience and teases, “You like this? Well, you’re also part of the problem”.
Promising Young Woman, 2020 | English
- Al Monroe: “It’s every man’s worst nightmare, getting accused of something like that.”
- Cassandra: “Can you guess what every woman’s worst nightmare is?”
The most noticeable and witty element of this thriller is casting a slew of ‘nice guys’ and nerds to disarm its female audience members before proving them to be just as sleazy and dangerous as the overtly masculine, toxic men taking advantage of vulnerable women. You’ve got The O.C.’s adorable dork (Brody), the legendary McLovin (Mintz-Plasse), and New Girl’s charming Schmidt (Greenfield). The brutally apt political message is contrasted by bright, pastel sets, costuming, and pop music – most notably Paris Hilton’s Stars are Blind. Almost suggesting how, in such unjust rulings, men are free to move on from their past, while women and the women affected by systemic injustices are forced to move on and stay entrapped in this diner-aesthetic, sundae-filled, filtered society.
Past Lives, 2023 | English-Korean
“I had to sacrifice a lot of things to cross these oceans”
There are many angles to view this film, as mentioned in my review of Past Lives. But what’s often overlooked is how Nora is such an active female protagonist. Blink, and you miss it. The film’s montage-esque editing, romance, and more quieter scenes, lead you to forget that every decision Nora makes is hers. It’s the way Nora smiles in satisfaction as she drives along New York, the way she inscribes her name on the walls of her artist residency, her control over her play rehearsals, her conviction mixed with grief as she “breaks up” with Hae-Sung and the way she reassures Arthur of her love. Nora initiates everything and does so naturally. In a landscape that often champions loud feminism (not that it’s less), the quietness of Nora’s agency is a breath of fresh air.
Derry Girls (Season 1 to 3), 2018-2022 | English (with an Irish accent)
“Well I am not being an individual on me own!”
For something a little more chaotic and incredible Irish, Derry Girls (well, plus James) will be a fun one to binge with your friends. Under all the insults, screaming and religious irony are four friends trying to survive adolescence amid the Catholic-Protestant war in the 1990s. And once you’ve had your laughs and good times, you are confronted with the bleakness of how typical teenagehood becomes a privilege rather than a right under social upheaval.
Flipped, 2010 | English
“Some of us get dipped in flat, some in satin, some in gloss, but every once in a while you find someone who’s iridescent, and once you do, nothing will ever compare.”
At first glance, Flipped is just another cute, coming-of-age movie from the 2000s harkening to American, 60’s nostalgia. The main girl is obsessed with a cute boy; boy hates the girl; something happens to burst the illusion; girl doesn’t show as much interest in the boy; then boy finally sees the value of the girl. Julie and Bryce are the classic case for enemies to lovers pipeline. Though mainly catering to a teenage audience, it wasn’t until I was in my twenties that I realized how precious Julie Baker’s growth was. Flipped takes its time showcasing Julie’s journey towards maturity, self-worth, and identity. She has a personality and life outside of Bryce. Admittedly, the romance is still super cute, but it was heartwarming to see a young female protagonist simply exist outside of the romance.
Going Home, 2023 – Vê Nhà | English-Vietnamese (SBS Online)
“Your mum never actually said that…even in the silence that you shared, you understood each other”.
- Narrator
I left this one until last, but it’s certainly not the least. This little, eight-minute short film by high school student Han Nhi Ngo was a part of the finalist lists for the 2023 Victorian Multicultural Film Festival. I also had the pleasure to speak briefly with Ngo, and just like her, Going Home is soft-spoken and humble. The film’s contemplative, journalist style speaks on Han Nhi’s upbringing as a Vietnamese immigrant in Australia and how belonging and home had evolved over her life. Her lulling monologue is set against tableaus that appear to be shot on a phone or camcorder, giving it a stripped-back feel. She also includes personal home videos showing mundane activities specific to Vietnamese culture, again adding to the bareness and honesty of the film. Going Home is bittersweet and empowering, and despite its cultural specificity, remains relatable and accessible to all.
| For more short, quippy reviews, visit my Letterbox @NotATrustedUser.