Top 20 Most Iconic Women’s Movies Ever Made

A classic that changed the idea of the road trip forever. Ridley Scott set a milestone in film history with Thelma & Louise. Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis shine as two friends escaping their dull lives, only to be forced to flee the law after a fatal event. It's not just an action film; it's a story about liberation and unconditional friendship. And let's be honest: a young Brad Pitt, who had his big breakthrough here, is a definite bonus.

This film is like a box of chocolates: sweet and comforting, but sometimes with a bitter aftertaste. In a beauty salon in the American South, a group of women share joy and sorrow. The cast is legendary: Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine and a very young Julia Roberts. The cemetery scene, in which laughter and tears blend seamlessly, is one of the most powerful moments about grief ever filmed.

'There's no crying in baseball!' Penny Marshall hit a home run with this film about the first professional women's baseball league during World War II. Geena Davis is the tough catcher, Madonna the rebellious outfielder and Tom Hanks the grumpy, drunken coach who slowly thaws. It's a lovely feel-good film that's secretly about recognition and ambition.

If you don't crave fried green tomatoes after this film, you weren't paying attention. The story switches between the present, where Kathy Bates befriends the elderly Jessica Tandy, and the past at the Whistle Stop Café. It's an ode to female resilience and the power of storytelling, with the friendship between Idgie and Ruth as its beating heart. And remember: 'Towanda!' is the ultimate battle cry for when you've had enough.

Keep the tissues handy, because Beaches is the ultimate tearjerker. Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey play two friends who are complete opposites, yet whose lives stay intertwined for decades through letters and fights. The film celebrates a friendship deeper than blood. And once Midler starts singing 'Wind Beneath My Wings', nobody stays dry-eyed.

Greta Gerwig dusted off this classic and made it fresh, modern and energetic. Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh and Eliza Scanlen play the four March sisters growing up during the American Civil War. What makes this version so good is that Gerwig takes the women's ambitions seriously, whether it's writing, painting or marrying. Timothée Chalamet is perfect as the charming neighbor Laurie.

Who says you can't be smart and fashionable? Reese Witherspoon is iconic as Elle Woods, who follows her ex to Harvard Law School and discovers she has far more going for her than being a cute girlfriend. It's a hilarious, bubblegum-pink comedy with a serious point: never underestimate someone based on appearance.

Written by Tina Fey, this is the bible for anyone who ever went to high school. Lindsay Lohan infiltrates 'The Plastics', led by the brilliantly mean Rachel McAdams, and loses herself in the fight for popularity. The film is packed with one-liners we still use today. It's a sharp satire of jealousy and the unwritten social rules teenagers (and adults) impose on each other. And don't forget: on Wednesdays we wear pink.

This film proved once and for all that women can be just as crude, funny and chaotic as men. Kristen Wiig plays the maid of honor whose life falls apart while she tries to organize the perfect wedding for her best friend. From the infamous food poisoning scene to the airplane meltdown, it's painfully funny. But beneath the toilet humor is an honest story about friendships that change as you get older.

As Miranda Priestly, Meryl Streep creates perhaps the most iconic 'boss from hell' ever. Anne Hathaway is the assistant trying to survive the ruthless fashion world, while Emily Blunt steals the show as her neurotic colleague. The film is about integrity and the price of success, and teaches us never to sell our soul for a career (except maybe for those Chanel boots).

A powerful ensemble drama about Black housemaids in the segregated South of the 1960s who decide to tell their story. Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer are phenomenal, bringing humor and heartbreak in equal measure. It's a film about courage: the courage to raise your voice when everyone wants you silent. And of course about Minny's now infamous chocolate pie.

A beautiful mosaic film about four Chinese mothers and their American-born daughters. The culture gap and unspoken trauma lead to misunderstandings, but the bond remains unbreakable. It's an emotional rollercoaster that shows how much mothers sacrifice for their children's future. A timeless classic about identity and the complex love between parent and child.

Sometimes reality is better than fiction. This is the untold story of three brilliant African American mathematicians at NASA who were crucial to the space race. Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monáe play women who broke through the glass ceiling, literally and figuratively. They fought their war with chalk and calculators, and won.

Four friends, one summer and a pair of magical jeans that fits everyone. It sounds like a fairy tale, but the themes of divorce, grief and first love are very relatable. Blake Lively, Alexis Bledel, America Ferrera and Amber Tamblyn have chemistry that feels real. It's the perfect summer film about growing up and discovering that your friends are your true anchors.

Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda are back. The film picks up where the series left off, with more fashion, more drama and finally the wedding to Mr. Big (or not?). It's pure escapism: New York looks fantastic, the clothes are to die for and the friendship between the four women is still the heart of the story. A treat for the fans.

Four women navigate the ups and downs of love and career. Whitney Houston and Angela Bassett lead the cast in a film that's honest about how hard it is to 'have it all'. The scene in which Bassett sets her cheating husband's car on fire is legendary. It's a film about breathing, letting go and finding support in each other. And that soundtrack is still on repeat.

Steven Spielberg adapted Alice Walker's novel into a heartbreaking epic. Whoopi Goldberg makes an impressive debut as Celie, a woman abused for years who ultimately finds her own strength and voice. It's a heavy film, but full of hope and humanity, and Oprah Winfrey is a revelation as the rebellious Sofia.

Meryl Streep is brilliant as the eccentric TV chef Julia Child, whose life is interwoven with that of a modern blogger (Amy Adams) trying to cook all her recipes. Nora Ephron directed this warm film about the love of food and finding your passion. It'll make you hungry, and make you want to head into the kitchen yourself. Bon appétit!

Three secretaries (Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Dolly Parton) are fed up with their sexist, egotistical boss and decide to kidnap him so they can run the office their way. It's a revenge fantasy that's still surprisingly relevant. The chemistry between the three legends is fantastic, and Dolly Parton's title song is the anthem for everyone working for a living.