Chick Flicks
Trying to accurately pin down what is a “chick flick” is not easy to do. In most cases, these movies feature women as the main characters, and there is usually some element of romance and love. But they also address many deep, important issues, like grief, joy, independence, freedom and loneliness. Why these movies are nicknamed “chick flicks” is because usually the main viewers of them are women. These movies can fall into almost any film genre, they are romances, dramas, comedies, tear jerkers, fantasy, and the list goes on and on.
These are our top ten picks from this subgenre. We also have individual pages devoted to this category by year as well, such as: Chick Flicks 2008, Chick Flicks 2009, Chick Flicks 2010, Chick Flicks 2011
Steel Magnolias
Starring: Shirley MacLaine, Sally Field, Dolly Parton and Julia Roberts
Directed By: Herbert Ross
Year: 1989
Synopsis: Featuring a wonderful ensemble cast, this film is centered on a group of spirited, funny and loving women, who all live in a small town in Louisiana.
Together, these friends face happiness and hardships, but always have each other to lean on. An entertaining chick flick with excellent performances. A must watch!
Pride and Prejudice
Starring: Keira Knightley, Matthew MacFadyen, Donald Sutherland and Carey Mulligan
Directed By: Joe Wright
Year: 2005
Synopsis: One of the most recent adaptations of this classic romance written by Jane Austen, Elizabeth Bennet is a determined and confident woman, who knows what she wants in life.
Yet, she ends up finding love in the most unexpected place. Interested in the historical genre, please check out our full page focused just on historical romance movies.
The Women
Starring: Joan Crawford, Rosalind Russell, Norma Shearer and Joan Fontaine
Directed By: George Cukor
Year: 1939
Synopsis: Starring some of the most popular actresses of the day, “The Women” addresses the issues of gossip, marital infidelity, love and revenge. This classic was directed by George Cukor, and was based on the successful stage play of the same name, written by Clare Boothe Luce.
Sabrina
Starring: Audrey Hepburn, William Holden, Humphrey Bogart, and John Williams
Directed By: Billy Wilder
Year: 1954
Synopsis: Directed by the talented Billy Wilder, “Sabrina” is the classic ugly duckling tale. When gawky Sabrina returns from Paris, France, a grown-up and classy lady, the two sons of the wealthy family her father works for are enchanted.
But which one is she truly in love with?
Legally Blonde
Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Selma Blair, Luke Wilson and Victor Garber
Directed By: Robert Luketic
Year: 2001
Wonderful comedy with a hilarious performance from this popular Hollywood actress. A must watch for chickflick lovers and fans of Reese Witherspoon movies.
The Joy Luck Club
Starring: Rosalind Chao, Tamlyn Tomita, Kieu Chinh and Lisa Lu
Directed By: Wayne Wang
Year: 1993
Synopsis: Based on the bestseller by Amy Tan, this is a story centered on the bonds between four Chinese-American women and their mothers who emigrated from China. An epic and moving film which traces the history of these women, and the trials and joys that they encounter.
Beaches
Starring: Barbara Hershey, Bette Midler, John Heard and Spalding Gray
Directed By: Garry Marshall
Year: 1988
Waiting To Exhale
Starring: Angela Bassett, Whitney Houston, Gregory Hines, and Loretta Devine
Directed By: Forest Whitaker
Year: 1995
The Big Chill
Starring: Kevin Kline, Glenn Close, Jeff Goldblum and William Hurt
Directed By: Lawrence Kasdan
Year: 1983
The First Wives Club
Starring: Diane Keaton, Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler, and Maggie Smith
Directed By: Hugh Wilson
Year: 1996
Some other Chick Flick Movies that are worth checking out
Ice Castles
Cast Includes: Robby Benson, Lynn-Holly Johnson, Colleen Dewhurst and Tom Skerritt
Directed by: Donald Wrye
Release Date: December 31st, 1978
Terms of Endearment
Cast Includes: Debra Winger, Jack Nicholson, Shirley MacLaine, and Danny DeVito
Directed by: James L. Brooks
Release Date: December 9th, 1983
Dirty Dancing
Cast Includes: Jennifer Grey, Patrick Swayze, Cynthia Rhodes, and Jerry Orbach
Directed by: Emile Ardolino
Release Date: August 21st, 1987
Working Girl
Cast Includes: Sigourney Weaver, Melanie Griffith, Harrison Ford and Alec Baldwin
Directed by: Mike Nichols
Release Date: December 21st, 1988
Ghost
Cast Includes: Demi Moore, Patrick Swayze and Whoopi Goldberg
Directed by: Jerry Zucker
Release Date: July 13th, 1990
Fried Green Tomatoes
Cast Includes: Mary Stuart Masterson, Kathy Bates, Jessica Tandy and Mary-Louise Parker
Directed by: Jon Avnet
Release Date: December 27th, 1991
It Could Happen To You
Cast Includes: Bridget Fonda, Nicolas Cage, Wendell Pierce and Rosie Perez
Directed by: Andrew Bergman
Release Date: July 29th, 1994
You’ve Got Mail
Cast Includes: Meg Ryan, Tom Hanks, Parker Posey and Greg Kinnear
Directed by: Nora Ephron
Release Date: December 18th, 1998
How Stella Got Her Groove Back
Cast Includes: Angela Bassett, Whoopi Goldberg, Taye Diggs and Regina King
Directed by: Kevin Rodney Sullivan
Release Date: August 14th, 1998
City of Angels
Cast Includes: Meg Ryan, Nicolas Cage, Dennis Franz, and Andre Braugher
Directed by: Brad Silberling
Release Date: April 10th, 1998
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
Cast Includes: America Ferrera, Blake Lively, Alexis Bledel, and Amber Tamblyn
Directed by: Ken Kwapis
Release Date: June 1st, 2005
Hope you have enjoyed this list of our ten top chick flicks. We will be adding more to this list, so please sure to visit again.