As school begins to wind down, and summer plans begin to take place, here are some of our top picks for women-led, or directed films/ tv shows for summer watching.
* this list is no particular order*
1) Outer Banks
In Outer Banks, North Carolina there are two groups of people. The Pouges, and the Kooks, one a group of people with trust funds, college funds, and who are set financially in about every way imaginable, whereas the Pouges, can’t afford that luxury. After the disappearance of his father, John B, resident Pouge, will need the help of his closest friends to find actual, literal, buried treasure. Co-created by Shannon Burke along with Jonas and Josh Pate, the direction of Cherie Nowlan and Valerie Weiss can be seen in four out of ten of the episodes, and the work of women writers: Shannon Burke, Kathleen Hale, and Rachel Sydney Altar can be seen in nine out of ten of the episodes. After a successful first season, expect John B and his team to return to Netflix in season two sometime this summer.
2) On My Block
Co-Directed by Lauren Lungerich, On My Block transports you to FreeRidge, a city in Southern California that just does not sleep, even when you want it to. The show covers the lives of Monse, Caesar, Jamal, and Ruby; a group of teenagers simply trying to make it through high school, while also dealing with gangs, gun violence, and love triangles. While On My Block tackles some serious issues such as the effects of PTSD and the aftermath of gun and gang violence, the show still manages to maintain a comedic and light-hearted presence, most of which comes from the Jamal subplot and the brilliant acting skills of Brett Gray. Overall, On My Block is Binge.Worthy. and with three seasons out and a fourth on the way, you'll be sure to spend a good summer in FreeRidge.
3) Fast Times At Ridgemont High
The end of high school, an era where promposals play out behind every corner, everyone’s worried about the dress they’ll wear, the date they’ll have, or whether they’ll walk across that graduation stage. It doesn’t matter if you loved or hated high school, you’ll be sure to enjoy your time at Ridgemont High. The story follows a multitude of students, an adorkable protagonist tries to get himself a hot date, whilst his heartthrob best friend/wingman manages to get himself into some hot water. There’s a stoner trying to graduate, and a burger flipper who seriously wants to get away from his girlfriend. Directed by Amy Heckling, who’s direction can also be seen in the films Clueless and National Lampoon’s European Vacation, Fast Times at Ridgemont High is a fun adventure for anyone who wants to overwrite their own high school experience.
4) Crazy Rich Asians
Talk about trouble with the in-laws! In this 2018 Rom-Com/Dramedy young Rachel (played by the always amazing Constance Wu) finds out that her boyfriend Nick is part of the richest family in Singapore, while she’s on a plane, with Nick, on the plane to Singapore for his best friend’s wedding. Throughout her time in Singapore, Rachel must decide if her relationship is tough enough to withstand insane ex-girlfriends, in-laws that don’t think she’s good enough, and a lifestyle she’s not used to. Recipient of the Critics Choice Award for Best Comedy, Crazy Rich Asians is a film that will make you laugh, make you cry, and make you wish you had money.
5) 500 Days of Summer
While this film isn’t typically the same type of “summer” as the other films on this list it still deserves the mention. The story centers around the relationship between Summer (Zooey Deschanel) and Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) as they break up, make up, make out, break up again, and leave all their cards on the table. The first five minutes of this film makes it entirely clear: This. Is. Not. A. Love. Story. This is a breakup story, and a good one, because sometimes, no matter how much you love someone, no matter how much you want things to work out, they just don’t, and you’ve got to pick yourself up and move on. Though serious at times, 500 Days of Summer is lighthearted enough to make even the most bitter of exes feel some slight joy about what was, but what ultimately what wasn’t supposed to be.