Call up the girlfriends! Every girl needs a chick flick fix for an instant pick-me-up or mood booster. If you need a line–up for your movie marathon, take a pick from these films that inspire you to be an empowered woman or just lets you revel in being a girly girl. Grab a bucket of popcorn, prop some fluffy pillows, and curl up on the couch with one of these selections in your DVD player.
Little Women (1994) Every woman can identify with the Little Women, a classic movie based on the Louisa May Alcott novel about a mother and her four daughters living through the civil war. Single mothers may find a heroine in Abigail March (Susan Sarandon), a strong-willed parent doing double duty to raise her daughters. Watching the contrasting personalities of the March sisters, you’re likely to find yourself in the shoes of prim Meg (Trini Alvarado), adventurous Jo (Winona Ryder), shy Beth (Claire Danes) or childish Amy (Kirsten Dunst). Devoid of glamour or special effects, Little Women is all heart as it chronicles the girls’ journey to womanhood.
Clueless (1995) Yes, she’s superficial and unmindful of the harsh realities of life. But who doesn’t want to be Cher Horowitz? Spoiled, rich, pretty and famous, Cher (Alicia Silverstone) was envied by the girls and sought after by the boys. She was the ultimate “it girl" until she and her best friend Dionne Davenport (Stacey Dash) adopted the not so popular Tai Fraser (Brittany Murphy) who eventually became more popular than them. Naïve as they were, Cher and her girl friends wise up in the end and learn that there is so much more to life than beauty, popularity, and shopping sprees.
Ever After (1998) Proving that not all princesses are helpless weaklings, Ever After tells the story of Cinderella with a girl power twist. Drew Barrymore portrays Danielle de Barbarac, the smarter and stronger version of Cinderella who stands up to wicked stepmothers, punches bratty stepsisters, and fights despicable kidnappers. Though she still ends up with her Prince Charming, Danielle proved she was worthy to be crowned royalty for her wisdom, grace and power --- not just because her foot fit into a glass slipper.
Charlie's Angels (2000) Drew Barrymore teams up with Cameron Diaz and Lucy Liu to kick life into the pretty sexy trio called Charlie’s Angels. These crime–fighting, mystery–busting women literally kicked butts with their martial arts skills and high heels. Whether it’s jumping off a cliff or fighting sword-wielding henchmen, the Angels were seemingly invincible, showing that women can be heroes too. There’s also a heart–pumping soundtrack that makes you want to shout, “All you women who are independent, throw your hands up at me!"
Erin Brockovich (2000) Dramatizing the true story of a single mom with three who unwittingly becomes an environmental activist, this movie shows that when life gets tough, women get tougher. Erin Brockovich helped bring a giant company to its knees and give justice to hundreds of small-town residents who were slowly being killed by the chemical Chromium 6. From being a broke blue-collar worker, she became instrumental in winning “the largest settlement ever paid in a direct action lawsuit in U.S. history." Just goes to show that you don’t always need a prestigious law education to make a difference in the world. All there is to it is just some dogged determination, fierce passion, quick wits and, maybe, just a little bit of cleavage.
The Princess Diaries (2001) Based on a novel by Meg Cabot, Princess Diaries is every girl’s fantasy made into a movie. What if one day you woke up to discover you were actually a princess and heiress to a throne? Shy Mia Thermopolis (Anne Hathaway) wasn’t the type of girl who would readily wear tiaras, royal bling and ball gowns. But after being transformed from an awkward and unpopular geek to a still slightly awkward but popular princess, she realizes that she’s indeed royalty material and she’s got what it takes after all. Oh, and when your foot “pops" up when you first kiss, it means you’ve found your true love.
13 going on 30 (2004) Wanting to skip her miserable high school life, Jenna Rink blew a packet of magic dust wishing to fast forward to the time she’s “thirty, flirty and thriving." She wakes up the next day with her 13–year old self in a 30–year old body. Jennifer Garner plays the older version of Jenna who revels in the fame, fashion and romance that comes with being a magazine editor. But she learns the hard way that being popular isn’t as wonderful as it’s made out to be. Before she’s given a second chance to live her life, she discovers the meaning of true friendship and finds true love. Girls, take a cue from Jenna: your dorky childhood friend may actually grow up into a gorgeous guy.
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005) Can one pair of jeans really fit four different bodies? The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants is the perfect girl–bonding flick as it tells the story of four friends --- Bridget (Blake Lively), Lena (Alexis Bledel), Carmen (America Ferrera ), and Tibby (Amber Tamblyn) --- who share a pair of jeans as they go through a summer of self-discovery. Believing that it can make things happen, the girls pass the pants to each other through the summer and the “magic jeans" become a silent witness to their defining moments. Grief, love, acceptance, and compassion are tough lessons to learn but having loyal friends --- and pair of pants with the perfect fit --- can make it a little bit easier.
The Devil wears Prada (2006) Based loosely on the Lauren Weisberger novel, The Devil Wears Prada reveals the real deal behind fictional fashion magazine Runway. If you knew magazine editor Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep), you’d probably love her style but hate her guts. Aspiring journalist Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) certainly didn’t mind trudging after her slave driving boss until she learned for herself that the world of magazine publishing isn’t all style and glamour. When she discovered that Miranda paid a very steep price for her power, Andy realized she wasn’t willing to “sell her soul to the devil" -- even if it meant getting free designer clothes from Fashion Week. She took the “road less fashionable" to get her dream but with straighter hair and a dash of lip sheen.
Enchanted (2007) Joining the league of empowered damsels, Gisele (Amy Adams) shows her mettle when she gets transported from her fairy tale forest life of Andalasia into the harsh reality of New York City. Enchanted follows the usual route of beautiful girls falling prey to wily witches and getting rescued by charming princes, but just when it truly counts, the damsel in distress becomes the heroine princess who saves her man’s life. Plus, you’ve got to admire a girl who can summon animals to clean house and get crowds on the streets to sing and dance with her.
– YA, GMANews.TV 
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