Live Poll: Favorite Movie Heroine of 2017

Thanks, Elmo, for the thoughtful response, as usual. You gave me a lot to consider. I'll reply when I have more time but I certainly didn't mean to suggest that there haven't been bold and brave heroines in cinema before: indeed, there have been many for probably a century. I will try to reword the intro so that it doesn't give that impression.

Thanks ruby, in fact if I could just sum up my point, I would say that yes, there is a majority of iconic male roles but it has more to do with "cinematic convenience" in the sense that they're more likely to fit the traditional expectations of 'heroism' even from a female perspective (generally implying physical and weapon skills).

The trap where today's movies generally fall is to 'empower' women by just using one of these two formulas: making women do what men generally do + showing women that don't need men's help. That second one is even sillier because it never worked the opposite way, even Gary Cooper needed Grace Kelly's help and she displayed more courage than any of Hadleyville's people put together, but she didn't become the fastest gunslinger of the West in the span of one hour, she just helped her husband the best she could.

Same with Thelma and Louise with Harvey Keitel and Michael Madsen's characters, if the movie was made today, I'm sure every single man  would have been portrayed like a complete douchebag.

So, it's all about men being the "common denominator", when they're the "heroes" so to speak, men and women can enjoy the film without noticing that it's about his gender, it gets more specific with women, the gender plays a part and enriches the performance. Mrs. Miniver is a heroine in the real sense of the word but she doesn't do something a "typical" British housewife wouldn't do, she just demonstrates guts and courage during a life-threatening situation. 

So the 'men' thing is just about men being the generic leading characters' archetypes, besides if you check the list of AFI's male heroes, you'll notice that almost everyone is attractive, played by handsome and charismatic actors, have you noticed anyone who could have been played by Danny De Vito or Mickey Rooney? There's also a shortage of fat / short / bald / average looking guys in the heroes' list, proof that we're dealing again with ideals and archetypes.

There are more heroic women in the list than heroic average looking men, and the representation of average looking women (determined by the lack of sex-appeal) is more interesting than the male category. Harry Callahan is an icon but let's face it, Dirty Harry oozes male charisma big time and can be a secret fantasy for many movie lovers, Clarice Starling is a law enforcer ranked even higher than Harry, but we all love her for many reasons that have nothing to do with her looks.

So the 'men' thing is just about men being the generic leading characters' archetypes, besides if you check the list of AFI's male heroes, you'll notice that almost everyone is attractive, played by handsome and charismatic actors, have you noticed anyone who could have been played by Danny De Vito or Mickey Rooney? There's also a shortage of fat / short / bald / average looking guys in the heroes' list, proof that we're dealing again with ideals and archetypes.

But the features you mention here can equally be possessed by females. There are attractive and charismatic women in movies, but more often than being heroines they are there only for the looks, or they are femme fatales. I'm not saying we need a quota or that 'male fantasies' are a bad thing, but it's always interesting to see what is considered normal or ideal in movies, and why. In this case, producers, directors, and screenwriters are predominantly male, and by and large that must have an effect on how the sexes are represented on screen.

We men mostly imagine our ideal selves as strong, attractive, and suave heroes, and women as beautiful damsels who we can rescue (in a basic and shortened way, of course). That's all fine, but maybe there could be a female 'antithesis' to the male hero with own characteristics, while we're only getting sporadic examples because of how the industry works, and in turn this shapes our conception of what makes a hero.

I think today's definition of a heroine is shallow and superficial, basically, it's a woman who can do whatever a man does and who doesn't need a man to do what she does.

And I think it's wrong because needing help isn't a sign of weakness and making the "male archetypes" the standards to reach is like indirectly admitting their superiority, which doesn't serve women's cause at all... not to mention, plain wrong.

Clarice Starling is ranked 6th heroine in AFI's Top 100, yes she was capable to do a man's job, investigating, confronting and killing a murderer, but if the movie was made today, they would have showed her capable to neutralize 3 men with one karate move and she wouldn't have been helped by Hannibal Lecter at all.

But I love the way she was portrayed, at first you see a motivated but frail petite woman towered by hunky guys on the elevator and at the end, she's the one who gets the killer, that's more impressive than just being a badass from the start.

Same with Sarah Connor or Ellen Ripley, they weren't super heroines from the start either, especially Sarah Connor in the first Terminator, yet she ends up defeating him.

Compare that to Rey who tells Han Solo "I can handle myself" when he's only giving her a weapon and the veteran warrior says something like "I know" instead of putting her in her place, Rey's attitude would have been cringy even from a guy.

A heroine should be capable to accomplish anything but in a way that would make a female audience relate to her, girls would relate to Karen Silkwood, Norma Rae, Scarlett O'Hara, Erin Brokovich, Amelie Poulain or Marion Cotillard in Rust and Bone or Two Days, One Night.

But now, the real deal is the female warrior. As if the world wasn't rotten enough with too much fighting and killing, we have to tell girls that they should be just as violent and enjoying the use of weapons as guys. 

I think today's definition of a heroine is shallow and superficial, basically, it's a woman who can do whatever a man does and who doesn't need a man to do what she does.

Exactly, that's why I wonder if there is a genuine heroine archetype with its own positive characteristics. Maybe there is something like that already and I don't see the pattern.

But now, the real deal is the female warrior. As if the world wasn't rotten enough with too much fighting and killing, we have to tell girls that they should be just as violent and enjoying the use of weapons as guys.

Yeah, something similar happens with female politicians who are conservative and anti-feminist. The personal success story is more important than the actual impact of their actions. The more they are cold, cruel, or powerhungry, the better they seem to serve as a symbol for strong women - simply because it means they can be as cold, cruel, or powerhungry, as men.

Thank you! I added Princess Leia and Karla Dyson. I'm not sure if I will include animated characters, depending on how many there are, but if I do, I would add Belle. Aren't the others from years prior to 2017?

Thanks again for the really helpful suggestions! ('So glad you reminded me of Leia, especially.)

You are welcome. I forgot about the "2017" part.
Charlize Theron As Lorraine Broughton in "Atomic Blonde"
And don't forget about Letty and Ramsey from "The Fate Of The Furious 8" .

Thank you, so much, for these suggestions, as well! 'Added Broughton and still have more to do when I get back to the list soon. 

Thanks, Dibby! I'll add her soon. She seems to be great.

'Added. : )

'Added. I've had this film on my watchlist but haven't seen it yet because it hasn't come to my city yet. I hope it does; thank you for the suggestion!

I have to decide on parameters to define what does and does not qualify for a 2017 film. Because there are not many characters of color, so far, I'm leaning toward more expansive parameters unless I go over 35. 

'Added.

I really wanted to include her when I first made the list and then saw that the film has a release date of February of 2018 but now I realize that 2018 is the release year for the States but it has been released in other countries as far back as last February.  I have to come up with parameters to decide what is 2017 movie but, no matter what I think this film qualifies for several reasons.

Thank you for the great suggestion that made me take a closer look. 

It has also been sufficiently released in the U.S. that it is eligible for the Oscars this season.

Hi LD, Thanks for the suggestion. I'm guessing you mean this Laura: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3315342/characters/nm6748436?ref_=tt_cl_t3
She looks like she has claws like Wolverine does; does she have superpowers?

I saw the movie too. The answer is yes. She has wolverine's.

Thank you!

LD and granger, I'd really like to include Wonder Woman but I'm worried that there are too many female superheroes in 2017 movies, but maybe there weren't as many as I thought. Wonder Woman and Laura from Logan are the only two I know and I'd like to include them if there aren't too many others that the list would become all superheroes. Since I don't know the genre very well, can you tell me what major female superheroes (not villains) were in movies in 2017? Thank you, so much, in advance. (I googled it but couldn't get the right results.)

I was contemplating Belle from Beauty and the Beast so since you're suggesting her, I'll probably go ahead and add her; Thank you! I would like to include Sharon Stone's character but that film only has about 700 votes and you've given me so many good ideas (like Laureline, Insia, and Gail Harris) that I'm thinking I'll probably keep the spot open for someone from a more well-known movie, but if I have the space, I will certainly add her. Thank you so much for the long list of possibilities: I'll look into all of them.

I added several: all of them from movies that had at least 4,000 votes, except Diana Cavendish since, while admirable, her role is common in movies. Thank you for so many great suggestions. 

Pencho, I had enough space so I was able to add Meredith from 'Running Wild.' Thank you for the suggestion!

Thank you, Jen, for so many suggestions! 

I really wanted to add Martha Graham because she's the epitome of a heroine, I think, but because only one release date is in 2017, I was thinking I couldn't add her without removing almost all of the women of color. I just thought of a way to work the parameters, however, that would allow me to have all four on the list.

I think I am going to add Belle from Beauty and the Beast. Can I ask you a question about the women from Thor, Kong, or any other "comic book" movies? Do they have superpowers? 

I'll add the others is their movies have at least 4,000 votes. (I'll start looking a little later tonight or tomorrow.) Thanks, again, so much. 

Martha Graham...heehee...



Not sure why you are including the Hidden Figures ladies since the film came out in 2016...?

I believe these are the only ones to have superpowers but maybe someone else can verify:
Valkyrie
Ruby Roundhouse/Martha

I'm glad you included Loung Ung - very inspiring, true story. Out of my others if you're only going to include one I suggest Parvana.

Wow, I said Martha Graham, -- maybe not a Freudian slip, exactly, but I love Martha Graham, and as a dancer who, as a teenager, was freed from toe shoes largely because of her, it's no wonder I typed her name, lol. 

Oh, and about 'Hidden Figures,' my inclusion criteria is in a post below but basically because, even though it is listed as a 2016 film, only one of its release dates was in 2016 and it wasn't until Christmas (limited release in the States, only six days before 2017). I have another character on the list whose film was somewhat similar in terms of year and release dates. 

No, I was never using the US wide release date as the selection criteria. The selection criteria is listed in a post below. Although, now that you mention it, had I included the US wide release date in the inclusion, but not exclusion, criteria, I could have kept a character that I really wanted to include, and also still have kept all of the others. 

Noomi Rapace as The Settman Siblings in What Happened to Monday (2017)
Hera Hilmar as Lillie in The Ottoman Lieutenant (2017)
Sennia Nanua as Melanie in The Girl with All the Gifts (2016) 2017 USA Release Biopics
Rosamund Pike as Ruth Williams in A United Kingdom (2016) 2017 USA Release
Claire Foy as Diana Cavendish in Breathe (2017)

Oh, these are good suggestions! If I had more space, I'd add them. I'll think about a part two; thank you. :)

Thank you, Dan. :) And, of course, thanks again for all of your help with the technical problems.