Stranger Than Fiction (2006)

     Stranger Than Fiction (2006) was directed by Marc Foster, written by Zach Helm, staring Will Ferrell, Emma Thompson, and Dustin Hoffman. Main character Harold Crick (played by Will Ferrell), has a calm orderly life. He brushes all his teeth the same number of times, ties his tie a specific way to save two seconds, grabs a green apple, and counts his steps as he walks to the bus stop, barely making his bus to work. He is an auditor  .

Fight Club (1999)

     Fight Club was made in 1999. Directed by David Fincher and written by Chuck Palahniuk and Jim Uhls, staring Brad Pitt, Edward Norton and Helena Bonham Carter. The main character, played by Edward Norton is a slave to the 9-5 way of life. His insomnia causes him to speek ways to let out emotionally. As he goes to different support groups for cancer, drugs and etc. After a while of going there, he meets a woman named Marla, played by Helena Bonham Carter. Obviously she doesn't have the addictions and diseases yet she goes to the meetings. On THE plane, Norton's character meets Tyler Durden, played by Brad Pitt.  

Do The Right Thing (1989)

     Do the Right Thing, directed and written by Spike Lee, staring Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis, and Ruby Dee, is a strong and racially sound film. The main character Mookie, played by Spike Lee, is an African American man working at Sal's Famous Pizza Shop, an Italian pizzeria owned by Sal, played by Danny Aiello, and his two sons, Vito and Pino, played by Richard Edson and John Turturro. Sal's is in a Brooklyn city block with Latinos, Blacks, and Koreans, but not really any whites.
     Inside Sal's is a wall of fame, filled with famous Italians. Considering that mostly blacks eat at Sal's, Buggin' Out, played by Giancarlo Esposito, asks to have some Black people put up. When Sal refuses, things start to bubble under the surface. Buggin' Out along with Radio Raheem, played by Bill Nunn, and Smiley, played by Roger Guenveur Smith, go into Sal's at closing time and demand he put up "brother" on his wall. Raheem's radio blasting Fight the Power by Public Enemy, anger's Sal to the point that he destroys it with a bat. Raheem then pulls Sal over the counter and starts choking him as the rest of the crowd erupts. When the white cops finally come and restrain Raheem, Officer Gary Long, played by Rick Aiello, strangles him to death with his police stick and Da Mayor, played by Ossie Davis, yells to stop.
     Finally the police take in Buggin' Out and Radio Raheem's body. The crowd is now so angry over witnessing Raheem's death at the hangs of a white cop, that they need to take their anger out. Mookie grabs a trash can and throws it through Sal's window. Following, the crowd rushes into Sal's and tares it apart. Smiley then starts the fire and in the small flames, he hangs a picture of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, smiling, on the wall of fame.
     This film's message about racism in America is huge. No one race is hated more than the others. In the scene where they break the forth wall and characters start speaking badly about the other races, you understand that everyone is hated. In Roger Ebert's 2001 review of Do the Right Thing, he says, "

Boyz N the Hood & the Tough Guise

     Boyz N the Hood directed by John Singleton in 1991, staring Cuba Gooding Jr., Laurence Fishburne, and Hudhail Al-Amir is a film depicting the difficult lives of the young, African American men living in Los Angeles, California. As a boy, Tre, played by Cuba Gooding Jr, is sent to live with his father so he can learn what it means to be a man. Tre's friends and neighbors Doughboy, played by Ice Cube, and Ricky, played by Morris Chestnut, are brothers with different fathers.

Tootsie

     Tootsie is a film directed by Sydney Pollack in 1882. It is a comedy staring Dustin Hoffman, Jessica Lange, and Teri Garr. In this film Dustin Hoffman's character Michael Dorsey is an actor in New York city who has trouble finding jobs because of his over powering opinions. His best friend and roommate Jeff, played by Bill Murray, is a play writer struggling to find a producer for his latest play. Michael, unable to find work and determined to help his friend, disguises himself as a woman to find new acting opportunities. His female alter ego, Dorothy Michaels finds herself a job on a current tv drama/soap where he meets his love interest Julie played by Jessica Lange. Juggling his old friend and new lover Sandy, played by Teri Garr, and his co-worker Julie, Michael finds himself running back and forth to maintain both lives. While Michael struggles to be a strong, tv role model woman and a charming man, his perspectives begins to change and he breaks the opinion of many.

     In this film, gender roles are something that get pushed. The lines of what a man should be and what a woman should be, get twisted and blurred. 

At the beginning of the film, Michael is a typical male. He isn't very feminine and he doesn't have many relationships with women other than his 6 year old friend Sandy. The way he talks to or about women isn't very respectful. Hey talks about Sandy like she's a sad little girl that only complains. Until he becomes Dorothy Michaels.
As Dorothy Michael's, Michael is forced to face the daily struggles and hardships of being a woman. Not only physically with the clothing or the makeup, but also emotionally. Dorothy doesn't get the respect he normally does as a man. Like in the film Thelma & Louise, Thelma goes from a fragile, damsel in distress character, to a strong woman. In Michael's case, transforming from a typically male character, to a strong female role model.
Michael doesn't always see things the way he does as Dorothy. Near the end of the film, Michael stops dressing as Dorothy and his life pretty much goes back to the way it was. He may have a slightly larger respect for women but nothing major in his life changes. He goes back to dating women and he continues to be an actor.

Feminism in Film - Thelma & Louise

Thelma & Louise through a feminist lens is a powerful and strong messaged film.

Thelma & Louise is a film about two females that undergo the journey of their lives. Without knowing, the two girls leave on a road trip, and encounter a dangerous situation. After doing what's necessary to stay safe, they are being pursued by the police.
Thelma's character starts out as a typical, damsel in distress character. She has an abusive husband and she doesn't even try to leave him. Throughout their hard times, Thelma's character begins to change. She starts to realize that a woman can be strong and independent. Her transformation showed her quick development from a small minded housewife to a woman that knows she can concur the world of men as long as she always does things on her own terms.
Louise's character starts out as a stern, independent, working woman. She's had a rough life that caused her to be cautious with the men in her life. As her journey goes on, she losses her typically male characteristics. With the help of Thelma, Louise's tough shell is broken to open up to the people she loves.
Gender roles get which, changed, and played with in this film. Two very complex and developed characters transform to almost their exact opposite .