After being apart for months, states are beginning to open up again and it's time to get your favorite gal pals back together. In film, there's no shortage of girl squads that share their ups and downs together and embark on often-hilarious journeys that shape them and make them stronger.
Here are my personal top ten girl squad films, worst2first...
**THERE WILL BE NO SPOILERS**
#10
A League of Their Own
When you have one of the most talented female directors telling the story of an all-female baseball team, you've got the ultimate girl squad. A fictionalized telling of the real-life All American Girls Professional Baseball League, the film features a strong female-led ensemble cast including Geena Davis, Madonna, Lori Petty and Rosie O'Donnell as they set out to prove that anything a man can do, a girl can do better, and with Tom Hanks as the team's coach, the result is a fantastic blend of comedy and drama that showcases what women can do when they work together.
#9
The Joy Luck Club
Based off the best-selling novel by Amy Tan, "The Joy Luck Club" tells the story of four women - Suyuan, Lindo, Ying-Ting, and An-Mei - who have met together every week to play mahjong and tell their stories to the younger generations to show their hardships and triumphs that got them to America in search of the American dream. The film is expertly directed and acted, and shows us a culturally different viewpoint that highlights the strength of the bonds of family and friendship.
#8
Pitch Perfect
Throughout three films, The Barden Bellas have always had each others' backs and a no-nonsense attitude that makes them the undisputed queens of acappella. Anna Kendrick leads an ensemble cast including Rebel Wilson, Anna Camp, Brittany Snow, Hana Mae Lee and others as they vie for the acappella National Championships, and do it with style, class, and thinking outside the box.
#7
Clueless
"As if!" Alicia Silverstone, Stacey Dash and Brittany Murphy star as Cher, Dionne and Tai, three snobby-yet-lovable high school friends who aren't always the brightest, but the power of their friendship shines brighter than any brain cells they may be missing. Loosely based (and modernly translated) from the classic Jane Austen novel "Emma," "Clueless" shows how hard traversing high school can be for the attractive people.
#6
Girls Trip
Just because you grow up and drift apart doesn't mean you can't always come back together for an epic trip. Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, Regina Hall and Tiffany Haddish (in her breakout role) star as Sasha, Dina, Ryan and Lisa, four best friends who get back together and decide to take a girls trip to New Orleans, resulting in hilarious and life-changing situations. The film highlights the power of friendship and the importance of having a squad that'll be beside you no matter what.
#5
Booksmart
The directorial debut of Olivia Wilde, "Booksmart" tells the story of high school outcasts Molly and Amy, who spent their whole high school careers on the straight-and-narrow, never partying or doing anything wrong to get into prestigious colleges. However, on the last day of their senior year, they learn that many of those who partied and had fun also got into those colleges, and decide to have one night of fun. Beanie Feldstein (sister of Jonah Hill) and Kaitlyn Dever star in this laugh-out-loud coming-of-age comedy that makes you wish you had friends like Molly and Amy.
#4
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
Amber Tamblyn, Alexis Bledel, America Ferrera and Blake Lively star as Tibby, Lina, Carmen and Bridget, four best friends who are about to spend their first summer apart, and who find a seemingly magical pair of pants that fits them all that they decide to share to keep a piece of them together. As the girls depart for different destinations, the pants connect them as they learn and grow, and never forgetting the others and the love they share.
#3
9 to 5
Jane Fonda, Lilly Tomlin and Dolly Parton star as Judy, Violet, and Doralee, three hard-working secretaries who deal with their sexiest boss through his antics, but when they're passed over for a promotion and objectified, they take matters into their own hands. One of the earliest female-empowerment films in the workforce, "9 to 5" is laugh-out-loud funny and also sheds light on the inequalities of the workforce, while providing a now-iconic song by the legendary Dolly Parton.
#2
Bridesmaids
SNL alums Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph star as Annie and Lillian, best friends who've been through it all. When Lillian announces she's getting married, she wants Annie to be her maid of honor, leaving her the responsibility of organizing a bachelorette party in Vegas, and the results are laugh-out-loud hilarity and humorous missteps that only bring the girls closer together. Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy (in her breakout role), Wendi McLendon-Covey and Ellie Kemper round out the cast for this exceptional female-led comedy that earned two Academy Award nominations - for McCarthy as Best Supporting Actress, and Wiig and Annie Mumolo for Best Original Screenplay.
#1
Thelma & Louise
The original "ride or die," Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon star as Thelma and Louise, two lifelong friends who embark on their own adventure, resulting in unforeseen circumstances. Directed by Ridley Scott, the film earned six Academy Award nominations and won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, and showcases female friendship in all its highs and lows, while providing a thoroughally entertaining road trip - along with Brad Pitt in one of his first major film roles.
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