In the fine words of Tina Fey’s Kimmy Schmidt: “Females are strong as hell!”
And with Breast Cancer Awareness month taking place, we’ve taken a moment to curate our favourite movie hits to watch on OSN Store inspired by the true stories of strong, incredible women.
Cozy up, grab your popcorn and let us handle your next movie night in with our top 3 favourite women-empowerment movies below.
THE BLIND SIDE
Notice anything unusual?
The Blind Side marks the first time a movie grosses over $200 million while being marketed with just one name above the title, an actress' name: Sandra Bullock. A worthwhile risk, considering her Oscars win and Golden Globe trophy for her work on the hit drama.
The Academy Award-winning movie is based on the true life story of Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock) and her encounter with a younger Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron). For sports lovers, the name Michael Oher will instantly bring to mind the NFL and the Baltimore Ravens. But for Leigh Anne Tuohy, the Michael Oher she met was homeless, traumatized and alone.
This is THAT story, the one of how one woman fought against all odds to bring in a child to her family and provide him a better path in life.
HE NAMED ME MALALA
At just 15 years old, Malala Yousafzai was shot in the head for speaking out.
She took a bullet meant to be fatal for advocating equal education rights for men and women. Director David Guggenheim’s documentary film sheds light on her inspiring strength, the events that led to her assault in Swat Valley, Pakistan and the aftermath of her bravery – including Malala’s eloquent speech at the United Nations.
Having miraculously survived, the Pakistani female activist continues to support equal gender rights today with incredible fervor and has won a Nobel Peace Prize for her autobiographical book I am Malala.
Named after after Malalai of Maiwand, a famous Pashtun poet and warrior woman from southern Afghanistan, she is already creating a legacy of her own for equal education with ripples felt across the world.
"I am not telling men to step away from speaking for women's rights rather I am focusing on women to be independent to fight for themselves."
EAT, PRAY, LOVE
Her bestselling memoirs were hand-picked by Oprah Winfrey, the one and only, as one to read and re-read.
Elizabeth Gilbert starts her journey of self-affirmation at rock bottom, praying on a bathroom floor. Portrayed by Julia Roberts in the movie, we follow her
across Italy, India and Bali on a very real self-discovery journey that resonated deeply with women across the world as an authentic account of rebuilding a life from the ground up.
Best said by Elizabeth Gilbert:
“I feel like, in a way, Eat, Pray, Love kind of was a permission slip from the principal’s office that said you are allowed to ask yourself some really important questions about your life. You are allowed to take accountability and ownership for your own journey.”
Find it on OSN Store
Do also remember to get involved with your local charities and initiatives supporting Breast Cancer Awareness.