Friday Five
The season of spookiness has arrived, and what better way to get into the spirit(s) than watching some witchy, feminist flicks? As a witch and former film publicist, these are perhaps some of my favorite types of movies. This weekend, when Karla the Fog rolls in among Saturday’s blue full moon, I’ll be cozying up and enjoying some on-screen mystery and magic.
Of semi-important note, all of these movies pass the Bechdel test (at least two women talk to each other about something other than a man) with flying colors. However, not all of them pass the more recent Duvernay Test, which measures racial diversity, or other tests meant to evaluate representation.
However, these movies do pass my personal standard of film watching, the “Empathic Emotion Test,” which requires that I cry at least once per hour. Because if a movie doesn’t move this sensitive soul to tears — whether from sadness, joy, or anger — then I’m unable to gauge the impact it had on me. Perhaps being able to empathize with the main characters of these movies is an omen of being a witch myself. If you find yourself overcome with emotion while watching these, this may be the case for you, too.
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The witchiness factor of these films is all in the (evil) eye of the beholder, as the word “witch” means different things to different people. These movies create an evolved understanding of the archetype, one that focuses on power, relationships among women, initiation, mystery, the primal nature of our instincts and intuition, and the value of those who have been traditionally oppressed or considered outsiders. It also just so happens that the lead characters in these films are female, though I don’t believe witchhood is attached to specifics about gender.
If movies are our modern-day myths, I have been most recently enchanted by the ones below. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. Here they are, in no particular order. (Okay that’s a lie — the first one is definitely my favorite!)
1. ‘Thelma’ (Joachim Trier, Norway, 2017)
Perhaps one of my favorite films of all time, Thelma follows a witch’s hero’s journey arc from beginning to end. A shy young woman enters university and finds independence away from her very religious parents. Through struggles with her health, the natural world, and her sexual encounters with a female classmate, her supernatural powers begin to reveal themselves. Several scenes in this film took my breath away (all I’ll say is that they involve birds), and after watching it for the first time I sat there stunned at its beauty and unfolding mysteries of love and ancestors. I recommend this film to almost everyone I know.
Watch on Hulu or rent on Google Play or YouTube.
2. ‘I Am Not a Witch’ (Rungano Nyoni, Zambia & England, 2017)
When a young girl named Shula shows up at a Zambian village without parents or family, she is immediately accused of being a witch and put into a camp of witches. This movie highlights a world where witch villages exist as tourist attractions, and the women imprisoned within are used to help hunt down criminals. Perhaps what struck me most about this film was the ribbon symbolism that tied the witches together. They are held captive and almost look free, united by a soft and flowing fabric rather than rope. Blowing in the wind, it feels calming rather than restrictive. This duality of feeling both intense and soothing was confusing to me, but compelling. I saw this with my parents and we all cried way more than the two-cry-average per hour, so be warned.
Rent: Google Play, iTunes
3. ‘The Lure’ (Agnieszka Smoczynska, Poland, 2017)
This movie blends more genres than any I’ve ever seen. Is it a comedy? Or a drama? A musical? A horror film? I have no idea. All I know is I Iove mermaids singing and plotting to kill men who have wronged them. The feminist themes that stood out for me were connections between women, objectification, and exploitation. After seeing this movie on a Tuesday at the Roxie with a friend, we had a dance party in an empty bar — because, look, there aren’t many ways to process a Polish mermaid musician movie. It is one of the most magical films I have ever seen, and one of the strangest — though that is what made me love it. Also, mermaids can be witches too.
Rent: Google Play, iTunes
4. ‘The Love Witch’ (Anne Biller, United States, 2016)
This is another film that questions the ways women must change for men, complete with seductions and killing and I am in. To. It. This film got more attention than others on the list, and feels like the most approachable of the bunch. The deliberate cheesiness of it and old-timey feel gives it added charm, as viewers may be unsure whether it takes place in modernity or in the past. It presents a clear, relatable dilemma for many women: wanting a man and yet being constantly annoyed by him. I adored that the main character’s subtle witchy powers were not announced to the world, but shrouded in her desires while playing with power. It left me pondering sociopathy and the projections of love.
Rent: Google Play, iTunes
5. ‘The VVitch’ (Robert Eggers, United States, 2015)
Perhaps of all the films listed here, this one plays the most with the traditional stereotype of witches being evil. Set in the 1600s, it follows a banished New England Puritan family who move near a secluded forest. Things go quickly downhill from there. As the eldest daughter becomes a scapegoat for the family’s fear, the narrative presents a character eager to embrace the identity while simultaneously juggling accusations. While I’m not usually into horror films, this one stole my heart with its slow tensioning building, demonization of female sexuality, and a classic coming-of-age storyline for women. Ultimately, like so many witches before her, the lead character’s self-determination and independence are the mark of her witchhood.
Watch: Hulu
Rent: iTunes, Google Play
