It’s the season of love, and everyone deserves some much-needed Val-day treatment. Not everyone may be in a romantic relationship, but that shouldn’t exclude you from basking in the Valentine’s spirit. Valentine’s Day is also a great opportunity to celebrate the love we have for our closest gal pals – after all, they’re the ones here for us after any horrible breakup. For those of you who plan to spend Valentine’s Day at home with your besties, here are some movies worth checking out that remind us that the bond of female friendship is stronger than any romantic love.
Girls Trip (2017)
Director: Malcolm D. Lee | Run Time: 122 minutes
Cast: Regina Hall, Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, Tiffany Haddish
Girls Trip follows the story of four best friends from college who have grown distant over the years due to their careers and differing lifestyles. One of the girls, lifestyle guru Ryan Pierce (Regina Hall) decides it’s about time the group finally reunites. Offered the opportunity to be the keynote speaker at the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans, she turns her work gig into the ultimate girls’ trip. Together with ex-Time Magazine journalist and now the owner of a struggling gossip site Sasha (Queen Latifah), nurse and divorcee Lisa (Jada Pinkett Smith), and the carefree party animal Dina (Tiffany Haddish). What was supposed to be a fabulous trip in a five-star hotel ends up becoming one of the most ridiculous and unforgettable nights of their lives.
Bridesmaids (2011)
Director: Paul Feig | Run Time: 125 minutes
Cast: Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy
Falling in love is easy, but holding a wedding is a different ballgame – especially when you have a bunch of colorful bridesmaids to tend to. In Bridesmaids, Annie (Kristen Wiig) is a maid of honor who makes it her responsibility to lead her best friend Lilian’s (Maya Rudolph) wedding, and at the same time, keep up with Lilian’s group of eccentric bridesmaids (Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy, Wendi McLendon-Covey, and Ellie Kemper). But no wedding is complete without a series of mishaps. Although Annie might not be as smart, cool, or wealthy as Lilian’s bridesmaids, she’s willing to do whatever it takes to give her best friend the wedding of her dreams – even if it means making a complete fool out of herself in the process.
Clueless (1995)
Director: Amy Heckerling | Run Time: 97 minutes
Cast: Alicia Silverstone, Stacey Dash, Brittany Murphy, Paul Rudd
Clueless follows the pretty and popular Cher Horowitz (Alicia Silverstone), a wealthy high schooler who lives in a Beverly Hills mansion with her widowed father (her mother died during a liposuction procedure). With her charisma, Cher pretty much knows how to talk her way out of situations and influence anyone, from fellow students to teachers, into doing almost everything. When new girl Tai Fraiser (Brittany Murphy) arrives at their school, Cher and her best friend Dionne Davenport (Stacey Dash) decide to make it their mission to give her a makeover and find her a boyfriend. Ironically enough, Cher has a hard time finding a boyfriend of her own. An ultimate teen classic, the movie is a lighthearted take on the idea that sometimes, beauty is only skin deep, and it’s the inside that counts.
The First Wives Club (1996)
Director: Hugh Wilson | Run Time: 103 minutes
Cast: Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn, Diane Keaton
Based on the 1992 novel of the same name penned by Olivia Goldsmith, The First Wives Club stars Bette Midler as single mother Brenda Morelli-Cushman, Goldie Hawn as former celebrated actress Elise Eliot-Atchison, and Diane Keaton as neurotic housewife Annie MacDuggan-Paradis. Having spent years supporting their respective husbands to help them be financially on their feet, it doesn’t take long before all three of them are dumped for younger, more attractive women. Now divorcées, the trio have their sights set on retribution, whipping up a deliciously devious plan to get back at their ex-husbands and hit them where it hurts most: their multi-million dollar wallets.
Pitch Perfect (2012)
Director: Jason Moore | Run Time: 112 minutes
Cast: Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Skylar Astin, Adam DeVine
Get ready for the competitive world of acapella. Pitch Perfect follows Beca (Anna Kendrick), a freshman at Barden University who’s more interested in creating DJ mixes on her laptop than in college itself. Meanwhile, Barden University’s all-girl acapella group, the Barden Bellas, is still recovering from their disastrous failure at last year’s finals. With Nationals arriving soon, the Barden Bellas are looking for new recruits – preferably someone who has a strong female pop repertoire and perfect looks. Initially hesitant about joining, the headstrong and independent Beca might just change her mind.
Sex and the City: The Movie (2008)
Director: Michael Patrick King | Run Time: 145 minutes
Cast: Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon
Sex and the City: The Movie follows titular characters Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) and Mr. Big (Chris Noth) decide to get married after moving in together in an incredibly gorgeous New York apartment. The wedding event is anything but simple – the guest list swiftly grows from 75 to 200, and Carrie’s basic, label-free wedding gown gives birth to an extravagant creation that makes her appear larger than life. Let’s not forget a feature spread in Vogue spotlights the event, taking place New York Public Library. Meanwhile, Carrie’s girlfriends—the sexpot Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall), the lovely Charlotte York (Kristin Davis), and the uptight perfectionist Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) – couldn’t be more overjoyed for Carrie. Samantha is discovering that a loving, devoted relationship is more difficult than she could have expected, Charlotte still has the unfulfilled dream of being pregnant., and Miranda unknowingly allows her own misery, caused by Steve’s admission of cheating on her just once, to potentially ruin Carrie’s big day. Just another day in the Big Apple.
Someone Great (2019)
Director: Jennifer Kaytin Robinson | Run Time: 92 minutes
Cast: Gina Rodriguez, Brittany Snow, DeWanda Wise
Jenny (Gina Rodriguez), an aspiring music writer, has just secured her dream job at a famous magazine and is set to relocate to San Francisco. But in the midst of celebrating her new position, her partner of nine years (LaKeith Stanfield) suddenly decides to break up with her rather than pursue a long-distance relationship. In an attempt to mend her broken heart, Jenny joins her two best pals Erin (DeWanda Wise) and Blair (Brittany Snow) for one final crazy excursion in New York City. Someone Great is a comical and poignant movie about friendship and love, showing you what it’s like to leave your twenties behind, both the good and bad, and approach adulthood while being surrounded by your best friends.
Little Women (2019)
Director: Greta Gerwig | Run Time: 135 minutes
Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen
With their father abroad fighting in the Civil War, the ladies of the March family—the beloved matriarch, Marmee (Laura Dern), and her four daughters, Jo (Saoirse Ronan), Meg (Emma Watson), Amy (Florence Pugh), and Beth (Eliza Scanlen)—are forced to fend for themselves in nineteenth-century Massachusetts. Jo March, a fledgling author, is attempting to build a reputation for herself in male-dominated New York City; thoughtful Meg is now married, and the artistically minded Amy is in Paris with their rich Aunt March. The news of talented Beth’s sickness, on the other hand, will bring the sisters back together under the same roof. But, more than anything else, the fiercely strong-willed Jo yearns for independence, much to the chagrin of her attractive next-door neighbor, Theodore “Laurie” Laurence (Timothée Chalamet).
John Tucker Must Die (2006)
Director: Betty Thomas | Run Time: 89 minutes
Cast: Brittany Snow, Ashanti, Sophia Bush, Arielle Kebbel
Brittany Snow stars as Kate Spencer in John Tucker Must Die, a teenager who has always felt overlooked and overshadowed by her attractive divorced mother. However, when she moves to Portland, Oregon, her fortunes change. As the new girl in school, Kate discovers that popular student John Tucker, played by Jesse Metcalfe, is seeing three girls at the same time: the smart Carrie (Arielle Kebbel), the cheerleader Heather (Ashanti), and the activist Beth (Sophia Bush), without any of them being aware of each other. Raised by a single mother, Kate has seen the harm caused by players like John Tucker and joins forces with the three unsuspecting ex-girlfriends to teach him a lesson. But things don’t go as smoothly as they hoped, especially when Kate starts to develop feelings for John.
Mean Girls (2004)
Director: Mark Waters | Run Time: 97 minutes
Cast: Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Lacey Chabert, Amanda Seyfried
High school is some of the best years of our lives (and also our worst). Mean Girls follows newcomer Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan), as she makes the big jump from home school in Africa into the menacing wilderness that is high school in Evanston, Illinois. Shy, kooky, and awkward at first, it doesn’t take long until the meek Cady attracts the attention of the “Plastics” – every high school’s dream A-list girl clique dictating every trend and norm within their class hallways. Under the tutelage of mean-spirited Gretchen Wieners (Lacey Chabert), dimwitted blonde Karen Smith (Amanda Seyfriend), and queen bee Regina George (Rachel McAdams), Cady rises up to the upper echelons overnight. But everything has its own price.
Ocean’s 8 (2018)
Director: Gary Ross | Run Time: 110 minutes
Cast: Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling
After being released from prison, Debbie Ocean (Sandra Bullock), the younger sister of the late Danny Ocean, teams up with her former accomplice Lou (Cate Blanchett) to carry out a $150 million heist. The plan, which Debbie devised during her time in prison, involves stealing the Toussaint diamond necklace, a radiant Cartier creation that adorns the neck of renowned actress Daphne Kluger (Anne Hathaway). Debbie and Lou gather a group of skilled individuals to join them in the heist: Rose Weil (Helena Bonham Carter), a former fashion designer in financial trouble with the IRS; Amita (Mindy Kaling), a jewelry maker and friend of Debbie’s who wants to move out of her mother’s home and start her own life; Nine Ball (Rihanna), a computer hacker; Constance (Awkwafina), a street hustler and pickpocket; and Tammy (Sarah Paulson), a profiteer and friend of Debbie’s who has been secretly selling stolen goods from her suburban home. Just how are they going to pull off a plan of extreme lengths, all in plain sight? Only one way to find out.
Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging (2008)
Director: Gurinder Chadha | Run Time: 101 minutes
Cast: Georgia Groome, Alan Davies, Karen Taylor, Aaron Johnson
Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging is an accumulation of the ups and downs of becoming a teenager. 14-year-old Georgia Nicolson (Georgia Groome) has the hots for the new boy in town and band hottie Robbie Jennings (Aaron Johnson), who recently moved in from London to help his older brother run an organic groceries shop. The problem? Robbie already has a girlfriend, the more mature and haughty Lindsay Marlings (Kimberley Nixon). In an effort to win Robbie’s attention, Georgia comes up with a plan with the help of her friends, known as “The Ace Gang.” But is she willing to jeopardize her friendship for the sake of a guy?