With Captain Marvel taking the world (no the galaxy) by storm, we decided to issue a Best Ever Challenge to our SiftPop Gurus for the best ever movies with a kick ass female lead. Every week the Best Ever Challenge will center around the SiftPop movie of the week. What do you think of our choices below for this week? Tweet your picks and thoughts at us!
Here, from 10 to 1, are the top 10 movies with a a kick ass female lead!
Long before Milla Jovovich was known for fighting demon dogs in Resident Evil she was kicking 23rd century butt in Luc Besson’s The Fifth Element. The movie is a frantic cacophony of visual spectacle and strange futuristic culture but never forgets the heart of Leeloo finding her purpose, with her iconic orange hair flying through the air with every leap, kick, and punch. Just repeat after me… MULTI-PASS. (Aaron Dicer)
Atomic Blonde is a gritty spy movie, set in 1989 Berlin just days before the fall of the Berlin Wall. The movie stars Charlize Theron and she is everything you would expect a lead character in a David Leitch movie to be. Based on the Novel, “The Coldest City,” by Antony Johnston (who may have in fact been a guest on the Horrible Movie Podcast) Theron kicks everyone’s head in as MI6 agent Lorraine Broughton. In the same vein as John Wick, Leitch’s take on Johnston’s Novel, absolutely solidifies Charlize Theron as a Kick-Ass Female Lead. Do you like awesome action sequences? Do you like Charlize Theron beating people senseless? You’ll love Atomic Blonde. (Jack Altermatt)
I came to Ex Machina a year after it had been released in theaters so I thought I had an idea for what was coming. However, I never expected this character driven thrill ride that would make me question my own agency and free will. The performances are great, the movie is beautifully shot, and it gives you something to think about and sit with. Our female lead, Ava, is a sneaky smart robot that is closer to supreme A.I. than she is to the mindless bots that may come to mind. She is cunning in a way that even few humans are. Check this out and get seduced by her prowess. (Blake Hodges)
Here comes The Bride, all dressed in… yellow? With red splotches? Quentin Tarantino is known for his violence and mayhem, but never has the ballet of the bloody been more purposefully and on display than with Uma Thruman seeking her vengeance in these two films. The way QT finds the perfect pop songs to punctuate the murderous musical is downright adrenalizing, and Uma is down to make sure The Bride is in step with every beat, and every beat down. (Aaron Dicer)
This was my favorite movie of 2017 (and there was some pretty stiff competition). Gloria (Anne Hathaway) finds out she is inadvertently controlling a Kaiju monster in South Korea. That was enough to get me in the theater seat, but what was waiting for me was an emotionally complex story diving into alcoholism, codependency, abusive relationships… basically a host of destructive tendencies, addressed in a highly creative and satisfying manner. The fact that Gloria is in control of a ginormous monster is enough to make her worthy enough, but her journey to control the monster within herself is where she does the heavy lifting that puts her on my list. (Joshua Childs)
Through the first six Star Wars movies, there was a very noticeable lack of girl power. Leia got to wear a cool bounty hunter suit in The Return of the Jedi, but that was the best we got. The void of girl power changed once Rey and The Force Awakens stepped onto the scene. Finally, we saw a female character at the helm of what is arguably the most popular franchise in film history. Did you notice she is never actually ‘saved’ in the movie by anyone? She is a strong character with agency and charisma who is easy to love and be in awe of – seeing her defeat Kylo Ren still gives me chills. To have her be the central character of one of the most successful movies of all time says a whole lot. (Robert Bouffard)
With its iconic performances, classic one-liners, groundbreaking visual and practical effects, and its unforgettable action sequences, Terminator 2: Judgement Day is the seminal action film of the 1990’s. Not only does it pack the the necessary factors that make it a spectacle, but it also packs with it a ton of heart displayed with the characters of John Connor and the titular character, the iconic T-800. You really buy into their connection in a pseudo father/son relationship that is on display. It’s truly heartwarming until the bittersweet thumbs up moment at the end. But the true take away from this classic film is the performance given to us by Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor. She truly embodies this woman who suffered a horrific experience years ago and trains herself to become a badass soldier who will stop at nothing to protect her son and raise him the be the future leader he was born to be. Rightfully so, this seminal performance is still talked about and highly regarded to this very day as one of the most influential performances of our time. It truly was a game changer in terms of portraying female characters. (Ben Davis)
Ellen Ripley is the most iconic bad-ass female in cinematic history because she had something few people possess: common sense. I know it sounds crazy, but hear me out. The woman did what she had to do to survive and looked bad-ass while doing so. With classic lines (get away from her, you b*tch.) and tenacity, she didn’t let any human or xenomorph get in her way. (Chantal Ashford)
When thinking about a movie where a female lead saves the world, action movies immediately come to mind. But sometimes, as with Arrival, the female lead doesn’t need to punch, kick, and fly her way to victory. That is what I really love about this movie – it explores the value of two very important things: human life and having a dialogue to solve problems. This is all seen through the eyes of Louise, the main character, who is the only one who is able to figure out what the aliens have come to earth to do. Through a powerful performance, incredible narrative structure, and impeccable direction, this is a fantastic example of an awesome female lead saving the world. (Robert Bouffard)
Around 10 years ago, I was first introduced to The Wasteland and the incredible imagination of Dr. George Miller. Since then, my perspective on cinema has been strongly influenced by the world of Mad Max. I waited years for the release of Mad Max: Fury Road and when it finally arrived, there was more than one great “Warrior of the Wasteland” to cheer for. Imperator Furiosa, played by the intense and game Charlize Theron, left a large impression on those who ventured into The Wasteland this go around. A woman with a disability that was never used as a crutch or weakness, Furiosa goes toe-to-toe with Max and villains alike. The film provides a kick-ass female lead to help carry the audience through a non-stop adrenaline rush of perfection. (Shane Conto)
Honorable Mentions
SERIES 7: THE CONTENDERS
Director, Daniel Minahan, a self-described lover of reality TV, took what he loved about COPS, America’s Most Wanted, and Rescue 911, and parlayed it into a feature film. The film mimics a 3 episode arc of a fictitious reality TV show called “The Contenders” in which Social Security numbers are drawn at random in a lottery. Each “winner” is given a gun, and they must attempt to be last “man” standing. The reigning champion is unwed Dawn, 8 months pregnant, and surviving to protect her unborn child. Harder hitting reality TV nods have been made since then (including a couple of amazing Black Mirror episodes), but What’s so interesting is that this movie was ahead of it’s time. Originally written way back in 1995, and released in 2001. In fact they were editing the movie when Survivor premiered on television. As a harsh critic of reality TV, I took this movie as a cautionary tale when I first watched it, but Minahan actually meant it as a love song of sorts. It’s not the best movie on this list, but it is worth a place in history, and while the the lead character may be wearing maternity clothes and comfortable shoes instead of combat boots and a tank top, she belongs on this list. (Joshua Childs)
Chicken Run
This stop motion “Great Escape” homage puts a group of hens at odds with their owners who want to make them into pies. Their only recourse is escape. Ginger (voiced by Julia Sawalha), the self appointed protector and instigator takes on the burden. Though an “American Hero” is introduced (Mel Gibson) as their saving grace, ultimately he’s exposed for the con that he is, and though he has his turn-around moment in the story, it’s Ginger, who is clearly the real hero of the movie. When this movie was released, the U.S. in general only knew of the stop motion production company, Aardman Animation, through their series of “Wallace and Gromit” short films. This was their first foray into features, and in my opinion, they knocked it out of the park. To this day I get giddy when they announce a new project (especially the upcoming Chicken Run 2). (Joshua Childs)
Spy
Melissa McCarthy portrays an abrasive, domineering CIA analyst in Spy! Forget the likes of Uma Thurmanin Kill Bill or Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft, McCarthy is the real deal. Her intimidating attitude is consistently hilarious, especially when confronting the enemy. Director Paul Feig understands Melissa McCarthy’s schtick and incorporates it effectively in this picture. The supporting cast, comprising of Rose Byrne, Jason Statham, Bobby Cannavaleand Jude Laware all marvellous in their respective roles. Spy is a well-constructed, thoroughly amusing comedy that places its lead in a mesmerizing role. The unexpected feisty nature of McCarthy will have audiences trembling. This is one badass woman! (Zach Stephens)
Also See:
Moonstruck, Fargo, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Tomb Raider, Resident Evil, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Wanted, Mulan, The Hunger Games, Princess Mononoke, Salt, Ocean’s 8, Happy Death Day 2U,