Metropolis (1927), one of the very first futuristic movies, turns 82 this month. And 12 Monkeys, a modern sci fi classic, turns 14.

Trying to predict the future is quite ambitious, yet throughout history many people attempted to do so: biblical prophets, coffee, tea and card readers, people who gamble large amounts of money on sports games because they “know” how the game will go, writers, film directors and more.

Here’s a look at the best futuristic movies – what they anticipated and what they got totally wrong. Some of these movies take place in the still distant future, so I’m judging their accuracy in advance…

10. Soylent Green (1973)

What did they get wrong? There is still food to eat, supplies didn’t run out. Most people don’t eat other people, because: 1. there’s no need, and 2.most of us prefer ice cream, vegetables or cowsv.

What did they get right? Some people do eat other people, including certain cannibalistic tribes and Anthony Hopkins.

21st century New York City is (still) an overpopulated mess, and the only food left is Soylent Green, a soybean and lentil concoction with an extra-special, government-mandated ingredient (later we discover that the secret ingredient is people). As police detective Thorn (Charlton Heston) investigates a murder, he learns the awful truth. This was Edward G. Robinson’s final movie, as the star died not long after filming his final scene (the crew didn’t eat him though, he died of cancer). Based on Harry Harrison’s “Make Room! Make Room!”

9. 12 Monkeys (1995)

What did they get wrong? The Earth’s surface isn’t contaminated by a deadly epidemic that forces the surviving population to live underground.

What did they get right? There is another epidemic, it’s called obesity.

When a man enters a hospital claiming to have journeyed back in time from the future to stop a killer virus from exterminating mankind, a beautiful psychologist decides he might be more than delusional. Terry Gilliam populates this labyrinthine film with twisted characters and eerie revelations. The film was shot primarily in Philadelphia; Gilliam uses neglected areas of the city to apocalyptic effect. The film is based on the 1962 French short film La Jetee.

8. 1984 (1984)

What did they get right? They got the whole big brother thing. The government knows everything about you: where you are, what you are doing… people are being monitored every second of their lives.

What did they get wrong? They missed the other big brother: the trashy, stupid and very popular reality TV show.

A stunning screen adaptation of George Orwell’s prophetic 1948 novel about a world in which the government completely controls the masses via their thoughts (today they use commercials to do so), altering history (now it’s called Wikipedia) and even changing the meaning of words to suit its needs (like Snoop Dogg does: Izzle kizzle, fo’ shizzle). This was Richard Burton’s final film.

7. The Matrix (1999)

What did they get wrong? Keanu: people still have facial expressions.

What did they get right? Many people want to destroy Zion.

The movie showcases a unique visual style, one the Wachowskis achieved through an array of techniques and digital effects, some never before seen in mainstream Hollywood films. The Matrix focuses on a computer hacker named Neo (Keanu Reeves) who searches for the truth behind the mysterious force known as the Matrix. He finds his answer with a group of strangers led by the charismatic Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) - in a lightning-paced, eye-popping thrill ride. Packed with stunning fight scenes, astonishing visual effects, quotable lines, and a terrific supporting cast, The Matrix is a bold triumph that raises the bar for all science fiction films.

6. Blade Runner (1982)

What did they get right? Some people are illegal in America, and they are being used for dangerous and degrading work.

What did they get wrong? They are not called replicants, they are called illegal Mexican immigrants…

Director Ridley Scott’s hauntingly prescient vision of the not-too-distant future stars Harrison Ford as Rick Deckard, a retired police assassin, or “blade runner.” The Los Angeles of 2019 is a dark, polluted, overcrowded dystopia (so far, all true…) dominated by cloud-piercing buildings and looming neon billboards, the air dense with acid rain and flying traffic. World-weary Deckard has been called out of retirement to liquidate four escaped “replicants”- visually indistinguishable from adult humans, they are used for dangerous and degrading work on off-world colonies and aren’t allowed on earth.

5. Children of Men (2006)

What did they get wrong? Michael Jackson can relax, there are still kids in the world.

What did they get right? With the Internet, they grow up so fast, it’s just like there are no kids anymore.

With its almost relentlessly bleak perspective on the future, Alfonso Cuarón’s film doesn’t make for pleasant viewing. But it’s an exhilarating experience. This an amazing dystopian drama lacks all the typical trappings of the genre. Set uncomfortably close to the present, it paints a frighteningly realistic picture of the future: every woman on earth is infertile. With the loss of the ability to have children, the world has also lost hope. Clive Owen plays Theo, an Englishman attempting to make a life in a hellish world…

4. Minority Report (2002)

What did they get right? They didn’t really predict the future. For many years people have been accused of crimes they hadn’t committed yet; just ask Lee Harvey Oswald or Ethel Rosenberg.

What did they get wrong? Tom Cruise did commit a crime later on, but it wasn’t murder, it was jumping on Opera’s couch with his shoes on.

Directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Tom Cruise, the movie is based on a short story by renowned writer Philip K. Dick. In future Washington, D.C., murder has been eliminated thanks to Precrime, a program that uses the visions of three psychics, called Precogs (an abbreviation for precognitive thinkers), to arrest and imprison would-be murderers before they have a chance to kill. Spielberg expertly mixes thrilling chase, suspense, and stunning special effects with a challenging look at society’s willingness to sacrifice privacy and free will for convenience and security.

3. Fahrenheit 451 (1966)

What did they get wrong? People are allowed to read books, there’s no squad whose job is to track books and burn them.

What did they get right? Although it’s allowed, nobody really reads books anymore… Reality TV and internet porn are much “easier” pastimes.

François Truffaut’s film is based on the best-selling novel by Ray Bradbury. In a dark futuristic world, literature, reading, and independent thought have been outlawed (can you imagine a world without Balzac and Dr.Seuss?). The government has gone so far as to employ a special league of firemen to burn all books on sight. But when one otherwise obedient fireman (Oskar Werner) meets an intriguing revolutionary (Julie Christie), she provokes him to question the legitimacy of his actions…. Because the subject of censorship seems to be perpetually contemporary, one can argue that the social message of Fahrenheit 451 will always be relevant.

2. eXistenZ (1999)

What did they get right? A video game where the boundaries of fantasy and reality are blurred? It’s called Nintendo Wii.

What did they get wrong? Game designers aren’t worshipped as superstars; they are anonymous, pale and only sometimes rich.

A renowned international virtual reality game designer (Jennifer Jason Leigh), creator of a new interactive game called eXistenZ, becomes the target of an assassination plot by a group of religious fanatics. She is forced to go into hiding with a novice security guard (Jude Law) sworn to protect her. However, during the chase the two of them experience a world where the boundaries of fantasy and reality are blurredA psychosexual mindbender from director David Cronenberg.

1. A Clockwork Orange (1971)

What did they get right? The world is becoming more and more violent.

What did they get wrong? Stanley, nobody dresses like this, not even on Halloween.

The film, set in an unidentified future, overwhelms the senses with its almost comic depictions of rape and violence set to an upbeat classical and pop music score. Stanley Kubrick based his chilling masterpiece on Anthony Burgess’s culture-shaking novel about a young man growing into adulthood, but unable to shake his huge problem with authority figures. Kubrick purposely confuses crime and punishment, cause and effect, hero and villain, irony and satire, and many other concepts, creating a truly unique work of art. Its magnificent, colorful, futuristic set designs and utter determination to shock, frighten, and thoroughly entertain left audiences reeling in the ’70s.

For more thoughts on future dystopia visionaries, check out some very interesting guest posts by Alex Proyas (Dark City, I, Robot) on Slashfilm.

Let’s hope for a better future than the ones offered to us in the movies above…

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Technorati Tags: Metropolis, 12 Monkeys, sci fi, movie, film, movie genome

Popularity: 20% [?]

The first motion picture display in history took place 114 years ago today, on March 22, 1895

It was a private screening by the brothers Lumiere, who showed a movie called Employees Leaving the Lumière Factory which, most surprisingly, featured employees leaving a factory. This historical event was followed by several other private screenings, which eventually led to the first public motion picture display on December 28th, 1895.

To honor this first screening, here are 10 of our favorite firsts - some historic, some personal, some seemingly impossible - that have been captured in cinema.

1. First Moon Landing

The Dish (2000)

In July 1969, the eyes of the world were on the Apollo 11 moon landing - but the world would have watched blank television screens if not for the hard work of a group of Australians manning the Parkes Radio Telescope, one of the largest dishes in the world. In The Dish, a dramatization of the events surrounding the telecast of the space mission, Cliff Buxton (Sam Neill) and Al Burnett (Patrick Warburton) try to hold their crew together through crises ranging from dangerously high winds to a sudden power failure that cuts off contact with the distant astronauts, forcing the team to impersonate Neil Armstrong for the benefit of the visiting American ambassador…

2. First Time in Prison

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) is sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison for the murders of his wife and her lover in the late 1940s. However, only Andy knows that he didn’t commit the crimes. Sent to Shawshank Prison to do hard time, Andy - a taciturn banker in the outside world - has to learn to survive the brutal, cutthroat prison life. His quiet strength slowly earns the respect of his fellow inmates - most notably, Red (Morgan Freeman) - and even the prison staff. This beautifully crafted movie features sincere performances from the entire cast, with an uplifting message about the redemptive value of hope.

3. First Alien Encounter

Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

Roy Neary (Richard Dreyfuss) becomes obsessed with meeting extraterrestrials after encountering a UFO on an abandoned road one night. Steven Spielberg hoped to follow up the huge success of Jaws with a low-budget film that would be an easy shoot, but, thanks in part to the complicated special effects, Close Encounters quickly snowballed into an expensive endeavor - yet a commercial and artistic success. No one who has seen the film has ever looked at a plate of mashed potatoes the same way again.

4. First Death

South Park (Pilot, Cartman gets an anal probe)

In the pilot episode Kenny dies for the first time. Of course many more deaths would come later on for Kenny, the kid with a thousand souls. In this episode Kenny is first struck by an alien laser beam, then g run over by a stampede of cows running away from aliens, and finally run over by a police vehicle. Talk about accident-prone…

5. First Century

The Last Temptation of Christ (1988)

This striking vision from director Martin Scorsese offers an allegorical interpretation of the last days of Jesus Christ. Based strictly on Kazantzakis’s book, the film has a very different focus than past portraits of the “Messiah.” This Jesus (Willem Defoe) is a man wracked with doubt over his position among his followers and fear of the role God has chosen for him and the pain that must accompany it. He is unsure whether the messages he receives come from God or Satan, and he is tempted by a mortal life of earthly possessions and sensual love, resulting in a controversial, though genuinely sympathetic, account of Christianity’s most revered figure.

6. First World War

Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

In this visionary work unfolding one indelible image after another, Lawrence (Peter O’Toole)’s fluency in Arabic earns him a post on a mission sent to establish contact with Prince Feisal (Alec Guinness), leader of the Arab revolt and ally of the British against the German-sponsored Turks in WWI. Lawrence quickly earns the Arabs’ respect after he executes acts of extraordinary heroism. As the Englishman’s genius for guerrilla warfare becomes evident, he assumes the role of de facto leader of the Arab revolt, uniting the warring tribes into one devastatingly effective force. Lawrence of Arabia fuses the conflict of man against man, man against nature, and man against himself in a sublime poem of force.

7. First Kiss

My Girl (1991)

Director Howard Zieff’s timeless coming-of-age story endures due to the strength of its characters and the quirky humanity of the story. Anna Chlumsky as Vada exhibits a vast emotional range and delivers a stunning performance, while Macaulay Culkin seems natural in his role of observer - worlds away from his character in Home Alone. The film treats the loss of innocence and the pain Vada goes through with respect and depth, and ultimately creates a moving portrait of a family’s growth together as they learn to recognize and accept the pain and beauty of life.

8. First Sex

Real Women Have Curves (2002)

This sweet, beautifully shot film, is definitely not your typical virgin-looking-for-sex film. Ana (America Ferrera) is a Mexican-American girl growing up in a hardworking blue-collar family in East L.A. Instead of settling for work in the sweatshop factory her sister runs, Ana drives her conservative co-workers and family to stand up to social injustice and – mostly - the idealization of (thin) women. One of the most sensitive yet powerful scenes in the film is when Ana decides to have sex for the first time with her boyfriend. Confident as she is, she insists on having the lights on, rather than hide her not 90-60-90 figure in the dark. The director wisely chose not to show us the act itself, thus leaving us with a memorable and very realistic first sex (though sexless) scene.

9. First Wife

The First Wives Club (1996)

Reuniting for the funeral of a college classmate, three women of a certain age join forces to gain revenge on their former husbands, who divorced them for younger women. At first they want to humiliate their former husbands and cause them real trouble, financial and legal. But as the movie progresses, the women decide to focus their efforts on a real feminist cause: funding an organization aiding abused women. A scathing satire of high society and Hollywood, adapted from the best-selling novel by Olivia Goldsmith.

10. First Job

The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

Grad student Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) is looking for her first job. She wants to write about political and economic issues, but instead she is interviewed to become the assistant of a prestigious fashion magazine editor, Miranda Priestly. Inside the pristine Runway offices, Andy suffers a never-ending list of impossible tasks and constant harassment from Miranda’s jealous first assistant (Emily Blunt). While inspired by notorious VOGUE editor Anna Wintour, Meryl Streep’s Miranda Priestly is entirely her own creation. Sporting silver hair, a vast collection of fur coats, an encyclopedic knowledge of all things fashion, and a killer smile, Miranda is full of wicked charm. With her mature beauty and commanding presence, Meryl Streep shows off her knack for combining humor and sadness.

Want more firsts? Search on Jinni for -

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Popularity: 7% [?]

Which is stronger, romantic love between a man and a woman, or fast friendship between two buddies?

I Love You, Man, which opens on Friday, tells the story of friendless Peter (Paul Rudd), who goes on “man dates” to find a best friend who will be the best man at his wedding. But when Peter finally gets a best buddy (Jason Segel), it creates a problem in his relationship with his fiancé (Rashida Jones)…

To answer the above and consider the appeal of buddy stories, I chose 10 movies or TV shows and used the friendship meter to determine the strength of every friendship. Here are the results:

10. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)

It’s the early 1970s in San Diego, and local anchorman Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell), a mustachioed bachelor with a taste for scotch and jazz flute, leads a testosterone-heavy news team. Their male camaraderie is challenged, though, when the first female reporter, ambitious Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate), joins the team. Then Ron starts falling in love… Will he have to choose between chauvinistic buddies and hardnosed girl?

9. Psych (2006)

Shawn Spencer (James Roday) comes from a family of cops. While he bounces from job to job, working as everything from a foot model to a Wienermobile driver, he can’t keep his powers of deduction hidden. He even calls the police with tips. When his knowledge arouses suspicion, Shawn does the logical thing: tells everyone he’s a psychic and opens a psychic detective agency with his best friend from childhood in a hilarious but touchingly loyal partnership.

8. Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001)

Scene-stealing, foulmouthed stoner Jay (Jason Mewes) and his sidekick/”hetero life mate” Silent Bob (Kevin Smith) finally get their own movie. When comic store mogul Brodie (Jason Lee) informs Jay and Silent Bob that a movie featuring their comic book alter egos, Bluntman and Chronic, is about to be made, the duo demands a cut from the comic’s creator, only to be told they’ve been sold out. So Jay and Silent Bob embark on a cross-country odyssey to Hollywood to stop the film…

7. Wayne’s World (1992)

In this big screen spin-off of Saturday Night Live, two small-town cable TV hosts and lifelong best friends (Mike Myers and Dana Carvey) spend their days and nights chasing babes and sticking to their long-haired, head-banging style. When their show gets picked up by a big sponsor, Wayne and Gareth become stars. A love story develops between Wayne and beautiful musician Cassandra - a love triangle that creates problems in Wayne and Gareth’s friendship.

6. The Big Lebowski (1998)

Jeff Lebowski (Jeff Bridges), known as the Dude, is an easygoing burnout who happens to have the same name as a millionaire. A case of mistaken identities leads to a soiled rug and sends dude spiraling into the Los Angeles underworld. Scene-stealing, riotously funny John Goodman is Walter, the Dude’s crazy best buddy. The chemistry between lazy Lebowski and the crazy Walter is what makes this film unforgettable.

5. The Pineapple Express (2008)

Dale Denton (Seth Rogen), a process server with a weed fixation, witnesses a murder and turns to his best friend and dealer, Saul (James Franco), for support. The murderer is actually Saul’s main drug supplier, and because of Saul’s access to some rare high-grade pot (called Pineapple Express) the two are soon on the run. Like all Apatow / Rogen vehicles, the movie addresses men succumbing to adulthood and all the adjustments involved. And although Dale and Saul don’t always get along, the ending celebrates the value of a good buddy.

4. Wedding Crashers (2005)

Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn are an unbeatable combination as Washington DC lawyers with a shared hobby: crashing weddings for kicks and girls. With talent, wit and charm, the pair seldom fail to seduce. But it all explodes when they crash an upper-crust wedding given by U.S. Senator William Cleary (Christopher Walken). Jeremy (Vaughn) makes the apparent mistake of seducing Cleary’s sexually ravenous daughter Gloria (Isla Fisher) while John (Wilson) falls head over heels for the beautiful, sarcastic older sister, Claire (Rachel McAdams). Once again, women put men’s friendship at risk… but only for a short time.

3. American Pie (1999)

In this hysterical yet sensitive movie, four high school friends - Jim (Jason Biggs), Finch (Eddie Kaye Thomas), Kevin (Thomas Ian Nicholas), and Oz (Chris Klein) – pass a sexually frustrated senior year. Boy-next-door Kevin hopes to finally lose his virginity to his bubbly girlfriend, Vicky (Tara Reid), while football player Oz begins an unlikely relationship with quiet chorus girl Heather (Mena Suvari). Finch struggles to maintain his cool air of witty detachment, while the neurotic Jim, most famously, has an intimate moment with apple pastry - and, eventually, sexy exchange student Nadia (Shannon Elizabeth). Their close friendship lies in their mutual goal in life: getting laid.

2. Seinfeld (1990)

Seinfeld is the famous show “about nothing” that nonetheless managed to rack up a number of Emmys and a Peabody. Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) and his eccentric friends - Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), his outspoken ex-girlfriend, and George (Jason Alexander), a bald semi-loser who obsesses about virtually everything - discuss the intricacies of their relationships and analyze the most mundane realities of everyday life. They are frequently joined by Jerry’s lanky, wacky next door neighbor, Kramer (Michael Richards). What brought these friends together? Nothing.

1. Scrubs (2001)

Taking a different approach to both the sitcom and the medical television genres, Scrubs was a critical success that became a cult hit. The show centers around J.D. (Zach Braff), a wacky medical intern at Sacred Heart Hospital, and his friends and colleagues: his confident best friend Turk, neurotic fellow intern Elliot, and their supervisor, the cruel Dr. Cox. Unlike many sitcoms, Scrubs employs a structure of continuing plotlines and developing characters. It also combines verbal wit, slapstick humor, and fantasy sequences for laughs - a strange but effective combination that suggests a skewed vision of reality.

If the friendship meter didn’t give answers to the questions from the beginning of this post, here they are:

Will “I Love You, Man” succeed? I think it will, as Jason Segel and Paul Rudd are on a big rise.

Will I (or any straight man with eyesight and genitalia) steal my best friend’s kidney and sell it for a night with Angelina Jolie or Scarlett Johansson? Yes. (Sorry Bobby).

Will I sell my best friend to the Romans, knowing that they will crucify him, for a night with Angelina Jolie and Scarlett Johansson? Yes. (Once again, sorry Bobby, I hope pub night is still on).

In the mood for buddies anyway? Search on Jinni for -
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Popularity: 6% [?]

We’re very excited about our just launched integration with the Netflix API!

This advances Netflix’s own “quest to help you get the most out of your Netflix subscription wherever you find great movies.”

Netflix fans usually agree that “it’s challenging finding out what’s available on demand” and in general. Now you can use Jinni’s smart search and recommendations from the Movie Genome to choose what you want to watch next, with a seamless connection to Netflix.

It’s quick and easy…

Click the new “Connect to Netflix” link at the top of any page on Jinni.

Import ratings, reviews, and rental history to Jinni, to step up your Jinni recommendations and make sure we only recommend titles you haven’t yet seen. (Thanks to everyone who suggested this via feedback!)

Try a semantic search over Netflix and/or Watch Instantly:

(Smart means you can find swordfighting with special effects in the Netflix Watch Instantly catalog in one quick search.)

Then add titles to your queue or start watching with a single click:

And all this without even visiting Netflix.

Kudos to Netflix for opening their API to mutually beneficial developments. We’ve seen the Netflix buttons on the New York Times and Rotten Tomatoes - but only Jinni could bring the Movie Genome to Netflix!

Try it out and let us know what you think!

Technorati Tags: Netflix, Movie Genome, Netflix API

Popularity: 5% [?]

March 8th is International Women’s Day. Over 150 years have passed since the demonstrations on March 8th 1857 when women protested poor working conditions and low wages in textile factories. A lot of progress has been made since then. But even today there is still much to be done to bring women’s rights into line with men’s, and this day remains important.

10 Kick-Ass Heroines

We’re taking the occasion to honor 10 strong independent women characters in film - and 5 great women directors, if you scroll down. Women can demonstrate strength and insight in every situation, and we’ve reflected this in a diverse list – from action to animation, comedy and even war.

10. Action: Kill Bill (2003-2004)

Quentin Tarantino’s the Bride is definitely one of the strongest heroines in recent years. She does not fear violence and is determined to have her revenge. Yet the end of the movie also shows her gentle and motherly side. In fact, the motivation for the Bride’s vengeful quest is that she was pregnant when her enemies tried to kill her. The Bride is not violent just for the sake of it, like many male heroes. She is deliberately protecting her right to give life and become a mother.

Feminist message: Women aren’t easy targets - they can be just as vengeful as men…

9. Thriller: The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

The character of Clarice Starling represents many women who are harassed on the job, their skills questioned by the men around them. In this environment, Clarice’s talents are brought to the fore: Not only does she succeed in her investigation of the infamous Hannibal Lecter, which no male investigator managed to do, but she does so with absolutely no support from her male-dominated organization. Lecter is the only one who appreciates her intellect rather than her looks, and thus is willing to open up to her and not to her colleagues.

Feminist message: Judge everyone by skill and dedication, not appearance or gender.

8. Drama: Thelma & Louise (1991)

This ultimate female friendship movie takes several traditional “male” genres such as road movie, buddy flick and outlaw film and puts women in the leading roles. It’s an interesting subversion, in which the women emancipate themselves from their unhappy daily lives. All the men in Thelma and Louise’s lives are disrespectful, domineering or harmful. During their road trip they learn to be more assertive and to take control of their destinies.

Feminist message: Choose your own path in life!

7. War: G.I. Jane (1997)

In G.I. Jane, Demi Moore portrays the character of Lt. Jordan O’Neil, the first female candidate for the U.S. Navy SEAL unit. She undergoes grueling physical and mental challenges, just like the men beside her. But unlike the men beside her, she also deals with sexism, chauvinism and lack of trust from her fellow comrades. Many would give up under such conditions (for example, 60% of the male soldiers in Jordan’s training unit…). But O’Neil does everything in her power to succeed.

Feminist message: Men and women should have the same rights and responsibilities - in all domains of life.

6. Comedy: Fried Green Tomatoes (1991)

This comedy-drama is set in a time when women could not make their own decisions and needed a husband to participate in society. So it is all the more surprising that this is actually a story of feminism and feminine love – in the complete physical sense. The heroines of the movie, Idgie Threadgood and Ruth Jamison, live together, raise a child together and run a café together. Together, they manage to get rid of Ruth’s abusive husband and form a different way of life, extremely unusual for the time. Lesbian love never looked better.

Feminist message: You have the right to choose who you love.

5. Animation: Mulan (1998)

Some brows are probably raised here: animation? And Disney at that, usually known for favoring delicate heroines whose existence depends on the men they love. But Mulan is a strong heroine. She impersonates a soldier in a time when women were forbidden to even speak in public. Thanks to her cunning and inventiveness she manages to defeat the entire Hun army. It’s true that even in Mulan there is a man who’s the object of her affections. But at least he falls for her not because she looks pretty in her sleep, but because he admires her intelligence and skill.

Feminist message: If traditional societal rules don’t suit you, break them!

4. Horror: Alien (1979)

In most sci-fi horror films before Alien, the lead character was male. He was the active one, the initiator, the fighter and the leader all at once. Female characters, if there were any, usually remained victims or subjects to be rescued by the brave hero. (Note that Psycho was released - with great care to maintain suspense - on March 8 1960.) In Alien these roles are dramatically reversed. Ripley is a strong female main character who makes the decisions and survives the creature that tries to kill her. She is responsible for herself and acts well under pressure – thus defying almost every female stereotype ever invented.

Feminist message: Trust your own intellect and powers – don’t rely on anyone else to save you.

3. Family: Whale Rider (2002)

In Maori culture in New Zealand, it is traditional that the first born son of the tribe leader inherits the leadership. This tradition is broken when the only living heir is a girl named Pai. Pai is resented by her grandfather, who is disappointed that his only heir is a girl. But she does not give up. She manages to pass the ultimate leadership test: riding a whale. By doing so, she establishes her worthiness and earns the respect of her grandfather and the entire community.

Feminist message: You deserve your family’s approval, but doing what they tell you isn’t the only way to earn it.

2. Musical: Hairspray (2007)

Almost every woman on earth deals with issues of weight and outward appearance. In our society, if you are female and weigh over 120 pounds, you risk constant feelings of inadequacy beside the models and actresses you see in media around you. So it is refreshing and powerful to see the character of Tracy Turnblad, an overweight teenage girl who is not ashamed of her body. In fact, she does not let her weight stop her from doing anything – becoming a top dancer in a popular TV show, getting her love interest, playing a big role in fighting racial segregation in her home town… Tracy is a very positive role model for the typical beauty-brainwashed girl.

Feminist message: Demand respect for who you are, no matter your size or shape.

1. Period: Gone With The Wind (1939)

A strong independent woman in a movie taking place in the old south, during the Civil War? A strong independent woman who spends much of her time chasing after the one man who is not that interested in her? A strong independent woman strangled in corsets and laces? The answer is yes, yes and yes. Strange as it may seem, the character of Scarlett O’Hara is very strong. She begins the movie as a pampered brat, used to getting everything she wants it.  But as the movie progresses and the Civil War begins, she displays great inner strength and manages to get herself out of a lot of trouble. She acts more practically then sentimentally and trusts only herself. Even at the end, when Rhett leaves her and she understands that this time it’s for good, her thoughts linger not on her feelings but on her future: “After all, tomorrow is another day!”

Feminist message: Being delicate and self-sacrificing won’t help you in times of need. Being strong, independent and creative might.

5 Brilliant Women Directors

As a bonus for the persistent reader, I want to highlight 5 women directors that I personally like. It is strange that even nowadays, when women have entered almost every industry, female directors are still a tiny minority. It’s enough just to look at the Wikipedia list of film directors compared to the list of female directors.

Yet there are some excellent women directors. Here are my favorites:

Mira Nair

This Indian-American director creates visually captivating films. Her first feature film was Salaam Bombay!, which won the audience award at the Cannes Film Festival. It was followed by the acclaimed Mississippi Masala, The Perez Family and Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love. The height of her career so far was the beautiful Monsoon Wedding, which also won several awards, including the Venice Film Festival Golden Lion. She is currently working on a film called Amelia, which deals with the life of the legendary American pilot Amelia Earhart. The film releases in October, but it is already mentioned as one of the possible candidates for next year’s Academy Awards. Fingers crossed!

Jane Campion

In my eyes, The Piano is one of the most lyrical and meaningful films of the 90s. Written and directed with such sensibility and attention to detail, it’s no wonder a woman was in charge. Apart from this masterpiece (which also won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay and several other awards), Campion directed several other well-regarded films such as An Angel at My Table, The Portrait of a Lady and In The Cut. She is currently working on a period drama based on the life of poet John Keats. Since she has already proved her talent for period films, I’m waiting eagerly!

Sofia Coppola

Sophia Coppola is the daughter of Francis Ford Coppola. Like her father, she became a film director, though their styles are very different. Her most outstanding project so far is Lost in Translation, which in many ways captures the spirit of a generation. It won 70 awards, including an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. Coppola was also nominated for Best Directing: the first American woman and the third woman overall in the entire history of the Oscars. Today she is mainly focused on raising her daughter, but I am certain that when she comes back to directing, we can expect great things.

Julie Taymor

Taymor started her career as a theater director, and after several attempts in TV directing she decided to try the big screen. Her success was immediate: Titus was acclaimed by critics for its stylish filmmaking. When the similarly acclaimed Frida and Across the Universe followed, it became clear that Taymore is a director with a very unique vision. Today Taymor is working on a film adaptation of William Shakespeare’s play The Tempest. With a cast including Helen Mirren, Alfred Molina and Djimon Hounsou, combined with Taymor’s visual abilities, this film look like something worth waiting for.

Nora Ephron

Ephron secured her place in the romantic comedies hall of fame with schmaltzy crowd pleasers like When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail. Yet she also co-scripted the serious, feminist Silkwood. In the last decade she slightly disappeared – since 2000 she has only directed one film, Bewitched, which did not do well with critics. Now, after almost 10 years, Ephron is making a double comeback, working simultaneously on two films, to be released in 2009 and 2010: first Julie & Julia, about cooking from the famous chef’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking, starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams (sound like Oscar material?). Next up is Flipped, in which Ephron returns to the genre that has proved most successful for her so far: romantic comedy.

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