After all the pre-release flap over these proton-gun packing women in their beige jumpsuits, this reboot is bound to be a box office hit. But rewritten male-to-female characters in no way satisfy the clamor for more women’s stories on screen.
The film opens the door for us to follow sisterly relationships. Another must-see opening today is “Captain Fantastic,” an exploration of family values, but skip the overly sentimental “Fathers and Daughters.”
The truth-based film looks at the aftermath of Polish nuns who were raped during WWII. Another amazing French film opening July 1 is “Microbe & Gasoline,” a delightful charmer that provides rare insight into the way kids’ minds work.
Other must-see films opening June 24 include the femme-centric action thriller “The Shallows” and “Septembers of Shiraz,” a drama about a Jewish family in Iran who must abandon their home.
Another highly recommended film that opens tomorrow is “Bang Gang (A Modern Love Story),” in French. There’s also moviemaking news this week concerning Geena Davis and competing documentaries about Hollywood’s history of dismissing female filmmakers.
In “A Day in May,” journalist Charlie Bird interviews those impacted by legalizing same-sex marriage in Ireland. Here, Rebecca Murphy recounts her experience of coming out.
And if you are in New York, try to catch some of the 11 documentaries about women in the Human Rights Watch Film Festival (June 10-19). Many will also be online at mubi.com and some will travel the country later this year.
The Hijabi Monologues uses entertainment while other programs take a different approach, but the goal is the same: to share the diverse lived experiences of Muslim women.
This week also brings us “Honeyglue,” an unusual love story that will stick with you. Another must-see is “Love, Sweat and Tears,” a documentary about the doctor determined to end the stigma that still clings to menopause.
Sex is a taboo topic in India, but schools are nonetheless mandated to teach it. Parents with an eye on what their children might be doing on the Internet are also anxious to find ways of discussing the issue.