Katie's Top 5 Films to Watch after Watching Alone Together
If someone wanted to get a taste of what inspired the writing of Alone Together, I would turn them to what have been a couple of informative films for me. I think this list is equal parts nostalgic and empowering — at least that’s how these films cumulatively make me feel.
The commonality between all of these stories is that they emphasize the stories of girls doing crazy cool things, who are relatable, smart, have depth, and in some cases are rejecting gender stereotypes outright. When I was a kid, this was something I was hungry to see more of.
The value in seeing someone like yourself, a character that resonates with you, can be a really powerful thing. It can make you feel less alone in your experiences. It can help you better understand your experiences and sometimes that’s empowering.
“My Girl” - I mean what 90s girl didn’t want to be their own version of Anna Chlumsky?
This movie is the most gut wrenchingly sad, most girl power, most authentic-feeling movie of my entire adolescent years. It takes a wonderful entry point through the character of Vada, an 11-year-old hypochondriac. She lives with her father in their home, where he works as the local funeral director. Vada has developed an obsession with death and during a season of time she comes to terms with why. The story treats Vada’s character with a deep respect that is rarely given to children protagonists, let alone girls.
“Short Term 12” - The critically acclaimed independent film that arguably blew up Brie Larson’s acting career.
I’m sorry, you said you haven’t seen it? Stop it, you. Stop it right now.
But seriously, it’s an incredible independent feature, emotionally targeted with powerful acting. The protagonist, Grace is a staff worker at a group facility for teenagers. It’s here that we enter the everyday for Grace and the teenagers in her care. A number of them have been abused and severely neglected. Many act out with anger and sadness. Grace isn’t a stranger to this life and in this film, we are able to bear witness to and experience the emotional journey of moving on from a troubling past.
“Spirited Away” - Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi or Sen and Chihiro’s Spriting Away
It’s rare for this film to not make a list of my favorite anythings. Kamikakushi is an expression; to “spirit away” or remove without anyone’s noticing. Yes it is animated. Yes you should still watch it. It’s a fucking masterpiece of a film. Deal with it. 10-year-old Chihiro is the only person who can free herself and her parents, who have been transformed into pigs, from the spirit world. Every frame is a literal painting. And as Miyazaki so often does, he finds a hero in a young girl.
”The Descendents” - A father and a daughter in a messy and difficult family situation
A movie that doesn’t ignore the the complexity of life by reducing it to black and white. Each member of this small family is not only dealing with a tragic accident that has placed their wife/mother in a coma but now they’re all learning to how to survive without her and cope with the mess that she has left behind. The father-daughter relationship is especially tested and explored here, reminding us that it’s not always easy to be okay.
“The Little Giants” - The Ice Box, breaking gender stereotypes since 1994
In Kevin O’Shea’s town, there is no room for girls on the pee-wee football league. No exceptions, not even for his own niece, Becky, who is more skilled in football than the rest of the players on the field. Better known as Ice Box to her friends, Becky learns the tough lesson of how to break free from other’s expectations in order to be her own best self. When family tells you you’re wrong, it can be difficult to ignore but fighting for yourself is sometimes the only way out.
Recent Honorable Mentions here include: “Eighth Grade” and “Leave No Trace.” Bo Burnham’s directorial debut brings the story of an awkward eighth grader, Kayla, about to transition to high school. A fantastic coming-of-age story about the ups and downs and the sorting out of the people we want to be. “Leave No Trace” is an incredible film directed by Debra Granik, exploring a PTSD-afflicted veteran and his teenage daughter who live off the grid. We sometimes expect love to look like one specific thing. Tom and her father, while living an unorthodox life, at least have each other.