It’s International Women’s Day (8 March), the day to celebrate women, raise awareness of issues women all over the world face, and give people who ask when’s International Men’s Day the side-eye (19 November, if you were wondering).
In honour of the occasion, we’ve compiled a list of sci-fi, fantasy and horror films that you could and should watch today, and tomorrow, and maybe the day after that…
Mad Max: Fury Road
George Miller’s fourth Mad Max film shocked everyone in 2015 when it turned out that it was not just amazing, but extremely feminist. Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) drives the film (and the War Rig) as a one-woman storm on a mission to get justice and vengeance for the group of women who had been wronged and raped by the tyrannical dictator Immortan Joe.
Watch on NowTV or buy from Amazon Video.
Tank Girl
Lori Petty is deliciously weird as Tank Girl in the film based on the comic book series of the same name. Set in a post-apocalyptic, drought-ravished version of Australia, it’s basically Mad Max on crack, with brighter clothes and humanoid kangaroo super soldiers. Tank Girl is the hero we didn’t know we needed but are glad we got.
Stream now on Amazon Prime or buy/rent from Amazon Video.
A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night
Director Ana Lily Amirpour’s slow-burner feminist vampire romantic thriller is as unusual and wonderful as it sounds. Set in modern day Iran, the film follows the activities of a vampire (Sheila Vand) that wanders around desolate ghost-town Bad City, stalking unsuspecting men and following them home. The whole film is a kooky, wonderful character study with to-die-for visuals.
Stream now on Amazon Prime or buy/rent from Amazon Video.
The Craft
Cult classic The Craft is always worth revisiting; revolving around the lives of a group of teenaged girls obsessed with witchcraft, it’s basically every high school girl flick you’ve ever seen, but so much better. It’s sometimes scary, often hilarious and always iconic, and Fairuza Balk is particularly marvellous as Nancy, the coven’s unofficial leader.
Watch now on Netflix or buy/rent from Amazon Video.
Ghostbusters
Last summer’s Ghostbusters reboot earnt the franchise a whole new generation of fans, as well as winning over a lot of the old ones, with its hilarious, female-driven group of proton pack-wearing heroes. With its laugh-a-minute script and exciting visual effects, it certainly knew how to make bustin’ feel good. It also brought us Dr Jillian Holtzmann (Kate McKinnon), for which we will forever be grateful.
Buy from Amazon Video.
Aliens
Somewhere between Alien and Aliens, Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) went from a classic Final Girl to a badass, ass-kicking action hero, transforming her into a timeless icon of sci-fi cinema for ever more. We’re confident that there’s not a single person on the planet, whatever gender they may be, that doesn’t wish they were Ripley at least a little bit.
Buy/rent from Amazon Video.
Matilda
International Women’s Day isn’t just for grownups. Matilda Wormwood (Mara Wilson) has been a strong, independent role model since she was a wee bairn, striving for nothing but knowledge and a valid library card. Her telekinesis and perfectly tied hair ribbon were just added bonuses.
Buy/rent from Amazon Video or stream on NowTV.
Ginger Snaps
If you fancy blood, werewolves and sister drama, Ginger Snaps is the film you’re looking for. Emily Perkins and Katharine Isabelle star as Brigitte and Ginger Fitzgerald, sisters from suburbia who share a morbid fascination with death. The drama kicks off when Ginger is attacked by a mysterious creature while on her period, and she starts to undergo a change that puts a strain on hers and Brigette’s relationship forever.
Buy on DVD from Amazon.
Jennifer’s Body
Many people often disregard Jennifer’s Body as being not that great, but it understands teenage girls in a way that not a lot of films do. Karyn Kusama’s black comedy horror focuses on the complex friendship between Jennifer (Megan Fox) and Needy (Amanda Seyfriend) just as much as it does on Jennifer’s possession and subsequent killing spree.
Buy/rent from Amazon Video.
The Falling
Some films aren’t worth trying to explain, and Carol Morley’s compelling supernatural mystery The Falling is one of them, but we’re going to try anyway: Maisie Williams stars as Lydia, an English school girl who has a rough time when her best friend Abbie (Florence Pugh) dies after a series of mysterious fainting spells. Stuff happens, followed by some more stuff, followed by some weird stuff, and our minds are blown.
Buy/rent from Amazon Video.
Find out more about International Women’s Day on the official website.