Shubhabrata Dutta
While we wonder why genres like buddy comedy only apply to male friendship, its female counterpart, chick flick, is a traditional genre in film classification. Traditionally, the genre refers to films that cater to a predominantly teen and particularly female demography, and many movies high in romance and sentiments fall under the umbrella category. While a genre is just a tag, we have a few films you should note if you are heading to a girls’ night-in on HBO Max.
17. Disobedience (2017)
Based on Naomi Alderman’s 2006 novel, ‘Disobedience’ is set in North London and follows Ronit (Rachel Weisz), who returns to her childhood Jewish community after spending a prolonged period in New York, having been banished for a taboo romance with another woman. The reason for her return is the death of her estranged father, and while she wonders whether her decision to come was right, she meets Esti (Rachel McAdams), the girl she was in love with, who is now married.
Does the love still exist between the two? And even if it does, isn’t it too late to give it another chance? A poignant tale of love, regret, and second chances, Sebastián Lelio’s ‘Disobedience’ is a poised lesbian romance underscored by strong performances and a nuanced plot. You can watch it here.
16. A Star Is Born (2018)
Starring Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga, ‘A Star Is Born’ is the fourth American adaptation of the original 1937 romantic drama. The musical follows famous country singer Jackson “Jack” Maine, 43, who recognizes a singing sensation in local girl Ally, 31. He helps her take her talent to new heights of fame and fortune while himself unraveling under drug and alcohol addiction. They fall in love,e but soon, misunderstandings and jealousy ensue, leading to a tragic outcome. Nominated for multiple Academy Awards and winning the one for Best Original Song, ‘A Star Is Born’ is directed by Cooper (his directorial debut). You can watch the film here.
15. The Fallout (2021)
This emotionally draining drama explores the trauma of a school shooting as experienced by a Gen-Z teenager. Vada Cavell (Jenna Ortega) and Mia Reed (Maddie Ziegler) are in the school restroom when the sound of gunshots fills them with fear, and they hide inside one of the stalls. Soon, another student named Quinton Hasland (Niles Fitch) joins them. While the shooter is taken down by the cops, the trauma the incident gives birth to within the three teens evolves in different ways. The most adversely affected is Vada, who shuts down, soon taking to alcohol and drugs. How the trauma affects her relationships with her parents, Mia and Quinton, the latter two being her only windows in the aftermath of the tragedy, and whether she can come out of it are what we find out in this Megan Park directorial.
The depiction of trauma that results from such a tragedy and the extent to which it can affect a person has been done brilliantly in the film. Jenna Ortega shines bright as Vada Cavell, winning the Breakthrough Artist Award at the 2023 Austin Film Critics Association award ceremony and receiving a Best Actress nomination at the 2022 Hollywood Critics Association Midseason Awards. The film won three awards at the 2021 South by Southwest Film Festival. You can watch ‘The Fallout’ here.
14. Am I Ok? (2024)
32-year-old Lucy (Dakota Johnson) feels like she is not okay. She has no idea what she wants to do, no idea what kind of guy she likes, and avoids everyone other than her friends, including her best friend Jane (Sonoya Mizuno), who worries about her. Lucy thinks that she is lesbian, but she cannot be sure. The whole film is about Lucy trying to figure out stuff, only to realize that it is her decision that matters more than what’s supposed to be and what’s not. A sweet and compelling story about self-discovery, ‘Am I Ok?’ goes beyond being a chick flick to give us a coming-of-age drama that proves that there is no particular age for a person to transition. You can watch the film here.
13. Sex and the City: The Movie (2008)
A cult classic and a top-tier chick flick, ‘Sex and the City’ is directed by Michael Patrick King. It is a sequel to the television series of the same name that ran from 1998 to 2004. From a wide angle, the film (along with the series) is about four female best friends and their New York City lives and relationships. From a narrow angle, we see the intricacies within relationships and how one thing affects another. From wedding fear to cheatings to misunderstandings to flings, ‘Sex and the City: The Movie’ or just ‘Sex and the City’ is a must-watch for chick flick lovers. The movie stars Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon, Chris Noth, Willie Garson, and David Eigenberg. You can watch it here.
12. Steel Magnolias (1989)
Herbert Ross’ ‘Steel Magnolias’ follows a tightly knit group of six women in a small Southern town. With lots of stuff to gossip about, the women spend their days talking to each other while helping each other in times of need. Whether it be the childbirth of a daughter or someone’s death, the “magnolias” remain strong like steel. Starring Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah, Julia Roberts, and Olympia Dukakis, ‘Steel Magnolias’ is based on the play of the same name by Robert Harling, who also wrote the screenplay, which is as sweet as it is heartwarming. You can watch the Golden-Globe-winning cult classic drama right here.
11. Uptown Girls (2003)
Directed by Boaz Yakin, this movie explores the relationship between 8-year-old Ray (Dakota Fanning) and her new nanny, Molly (Brittany Murphy), who has just lost all her fortune left by her dead rock star father, Tommy Gunn, who died with Molly’s mom in a plane crash. Since she was a kid, Molly has had no idea of responsibilities but now has to take on the toughest of them. While she is carefree, Ray is all about order. Will these two opposing personalities be able to share the same roof? How the two get along, what experiences each of them undergoes, and what the outcomes are is what we find out in this classic chick flick. You can stream ‘Uptown Girls’ here.
10. My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)
Directed by Joel Zwick, ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’ centers on Toula (Nia Vardalos), a Greek, 30 and unmarried, who finally falls for Ian Miller (John Corbett), a non-Greek. While she is ready to marry him, her parents, who want her to get married to a nice Greek boy, are furious. Now, Ian and Toula have to find a way to make Toula’s grandfamily accept him, and Toula’s mother and father also have to learn to take Ian as a non-Greek son-in-law. How these struggles turn into a giant romantic comedy is what ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’ chronicles. If you are up for a wedding movie, this one promises a great watch that you can experience right here.
9. Mamma Mia! (2008)
Helmed by Phyllida Lloyd, ‘Mamma Mia!’ centers on an about-to-be-married woman, Sophie (Amanda Seyfried), with a loving mom (Meryl Streep). However, she wants her estranged father to walk her down the aisle. The issue? There are three candidates, namely Sam (Pierce Brosnan), Bill (Stellan Skarsgård), and Harry (Colin Firth). Thus, three invites follow along with a string of humorous incidents. These are co-joined with songs from ABBA, all of which make ‘Mamma Mia!’ a lively and heartwarming musical chick-flick garnished with sugar, spice, and everything nice. You can watch the film here.
8. 20th Century Women (2016)
Mike Mills’ coming-of-age chick flick ’20th Century Women’ follows three women, a single mother in her 50s, a young adult with cancer, and a teenager, who join forces to help with the former’s adolescent son’s upbringing. Set in Santa Barbara, California, in 1979, the film is an exploration of generations of womanhood and the ways in which they are similar and dissimilar. Be that as it may, the women are flawed, beautiful, and unique, denying any kind of classification. Starring Annette Bening, Elle Fanning, Greta Gerwig, and Lucas Jade Zumann, ‘20th Century Women’ is a gorgeous character study that is as emotionally moving as it is entertaining. You can watch it here.
7. The Color Purple (2023)
A period drama adapted from the Tony-winning Broadway musical that itself is based on Alice Walker’s eponymous Pulitzer-winning novel, ‘The Color Purple’ is directed by Blitz Bazawule. The film explores the extraordinary sisterhood of three women who find solace in each other and form an unbreakable bond in the face of abuse and patriarchy in 20th-century Georgia. Starring Fantasia Barrino, Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, and Colman Domingo, the film is an authentic recreation of the novel and paints a gorgeous picture of trauma and resilience, letting you decide which reigns over which. This choice that the film lets you make is what makes it beautiful. You can watch ‘The Color Purple’ here.
6. Pretty Woman (1990)
The experiences and exploits of a wealthy businessman and a sex worker over a weekend make the two fall for each other in the R-rated Garry Marshall directorial. As Edward and Vivian attend several social gatherings together, their feelings for one another grow. However, their different lifestyles form a gap that is difficult to bridge.
Richard Gere stars as charming Edward, and Julia Roberts as the gorgeous Vivian in this immortal rom-com that remained Disney’s highest-grossing R-rated movie until ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ (2024) overtook it. Nominated for four BAFTAs, four Golden Globes (Roberts won for Best Actress in a Motion Picture), and one Oscar, ‘Pretty Woman’ is one of the best chick flicks of all time. You can watch it here.
5. Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001)
Directed by Sharon Maguire, ‘Bridget Jones’s Diary’ is based on Helen Fielding’s 1996 eponymous novel, a modernization of Jane Austen’s 1813 novel ‘Pride and Prejudice.’ The cult rom-com follows 32-year-old career-oriented single woman Bridget Jones, whose planning for a life she wants to have, including having the perfect lover/boyfriend/husband, is maintained in the form of a diary. However, she soon finds not one but two men on her radar, namely Mark Darcy and Daniel Cleaver. While these two guys are poles apart, both seem to be the “right one” for her. To complicate matters further, Mark and Daniel are former friends who fell apart after a tragedy.
Starring Renée Zellweger as Bridget Jones, Colin Firth as Mark Darcy, and Hugh Grant as Daniel Cleaver, ‘Bridget Jones’s Diary’ is a beloved rom-com that has become a part of English pop culture. For her part, Zellweger won nominations as the Best Actress at the Oscars, BAFTAs, Golden Globes, Satellite Awards, Screen Actors Guild Awards, Empire Awards, MTV Movie Awards, and the Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards. Firth and Grant were also nominated for numerous awards. You can watch ‘Bridget Jones’s Diary’ here.
4. Barbie (2023)
From director Greta Gerwig comes a societal satire that took the world by storm. While showcasing America’s if not the world’s most iconic and popular doll (first live-action version), Barbie, who lives in the matriarchal Barbieland along with other Barbies and Kens, the film serves as a commentary on the male-dominated real world and how Barbie deals with it after arriving in it following a crisis that can compromise her very existence. Margot Robbie stars as Barbie, while Ryan Gosling plays Ken. The rest of the cast includes Simu Liu, Emma Mackey, Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae, and Will Ferrell. You can watch this masterpiece right here.
3. Singin’ in the Rain (1952)
A classic musical rom-com directed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ stars Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, and Jean Hagen. The film showcases the change from silent films to talkies using a story set in 1920s Hollywood. Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly) and Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen) have been very popular as a romantic couple, but the advent of talkies means the need for good voices, and in this case, Lina’s voice takes the fall. She shall be dubbed by rising theater actress Kathy Selden (Debbie Reynolds). How the events unfold is portrayed beautifully and musically, underscored by an immortal moment in film history. You can stream ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ here.
2. The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
Directed by David Frankel and featuring Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, and Emily Blunt, ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ has, over time, become a part of American culture, and rightfully so. It tells the story of Andrea “Andy” Sachs (Anne Hathaway), who gets hired as a second assistant to the proud, cold, and demanding Miranda Priestly (Streep). However, the job is only a stepping stone for Andy, who wants to explore a career in journalism. However, as days pass, her personal life is compromised by Miranda’s daily orders, tasks, and assignments, which are only made worse by her cold behavior. How Andy deals with this cruel treatment and whether she can come out of it are what follows. All the actors nailed their performances to give us a movie that seems to age like fine wine. You can taste it right here.
1. Casablanca (1942)
The number one position on this list goes to the black-and-white classic romance starring the greats Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart. Directed by Michael Curtiz, the movie is set during the early years of World War II and tells the story of Rick Blaine (Bogart), owner of a nightclub in Casablanca, Morocco, that serves as a refuge for people fleeing from the Germans to America. Faced with the choice of either getting back to his old flame Ilsa (Bergman), whom he bumps into at his café or helping her husband Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid), a leader of the Czech resistance, escape Casablanca and thus from the Germans, Rick finds himself in a tough dilemma.
From the dialogues to the theme song to the lead characters, every aspect of the movie became iconic with time, and today, ‘Casablanca’ is considered one of the best films ever made. The film’s story is adapted from an unproduced play called ‘Everybody Comes to Rick’s’ written by Murray Burnett and Joan Alison in 1940. You can stream the classic film here.
Read More: Best Chick Flicks on Netflix
