Ms. Magazine

Aviva Dove-Viebahn Ms. Magazine May 1, 2026 A remarkable film, Pink Belt starts with Aparna Rajawat’s story, but goes much further, illuminating a path for anyone who cares about human rights to take that first step towards making a difference in their own communities and beyond. Go to Full Review Pink Belt (2024) - - - -

Aviva Dove-Viebahn Ms. Magazine Mar 3, 2026 The film is a sensitive, insightful portrayal of how teenagers struggle to sort out their own mixed motivations while shuttling constantly between big adult feelings and childlike urges. Go to Full Review Big Girls Don't Cry (2026) 100% - -

Aviva Dove-Viebahn Ms. Magazine Mar 2, 2026 Extra Geography offers a wholly unique angle on a well-worn subgenre, reimagining the contours of youthful exuberance and teen ambition, as well as the conflicting feelings and confusing choices we make when we’re learning what it means to grow up. Go to Full Review Extra Geography (2026) 100% - -

Aviva Dove-Viebahn Ms. Magazine Mar 2, 2026 By remaining focused with meditative intensity on the quiet day-to-day of its subjects, the film presents an argument both deeply affecting and more effective than if its message were emblazoned across every frame. Go to Full Review To Hold a Mountain (2026) 94% - -

Aviva Dove-Viebahn Ms. Magazine Feb 19, 2026 Beyond just telling the story of the life of a trailblazing lesbian filmmaker, the documentary is an intimate portrait of a fascinating and indomitable woman who treated life as the ultimate adventure. Go to Full Review Barbara Forever (2026) 100% - -

Aviva Dove-Viebahn Ms. Magazine Feb 19, 2026 [LADY is] a film that consciously balances discomfort with bravery, weaving a tale about a woman on the cusp of a sea change, uncertain whether or not she’s willing to be taken up by its current. Go to Full Review Lady (2026) 91% - -

Aviva Dove-Viebahn Ms. Magazine Feb 19, 2026 Kikuyu Land, a gripping investigation with stakes that are both intimately personal and startlingly global, contrasts the arresting beauty of its geographical setting with the dark underbelly of its secrets. Go to Full Review Kikuyu Land (2026) - - - -

Aviva Dove-Viebahn Ms. Magazine Feb 12, 2026 Ghost should be required viewing for anyone who blithely interacts with AI chatbots or asks ChatGPT to write their emails without considering its real-world and very human costs. Go to Full Review Ghost in the Machine (2026) 75% - -

Aviva Dove-Viebahn Ms. Magazine Feb 11, 2026 A gripping portrait of a Juárez factory worker who becomes an avenger after systemic violence against women goes unpunished. Go to Full Review The Huntress (2026) 100% - -

Aviva Dove-Viebahn Ms. Magazine Feb 11, 2026 Selina Miles’ illuminating documentary, Silenced...gives a voice to the voiceless and chronicles a troubling recent history of the impact of defamation law. Go to Full Review Silenced (2026) 100% - -

Aviva Dove-Viebahn Ms. Magazine Feb 11, 2026 In The Friend’s House Is Here, friendship is the glue that holds communities together, making life beautiful even when the ugliness of the world threatens at the door. The film…makes a powerful point about art itself as a tool of resistance and hope. Go to Full Review The Friend's House Is Here (2026) 100% - -

Aviva Dove-Viebahn Ms. Magazine Jul 24, 2025 Speak.’s subjects are dynamic, charming kids—and you’ll want to root for each of them, even though only one can win. Go to Full Review Speak. (2025) 100% - -

Aviva Dove-Viebahn Ms. Magazine Jul 24, 2025 Ardern’s lack of artifice is perhaps one of her most appealing characteristics—especially in a world where politicians so often obfuscate, bluster and pretend. But more significantly, the film highlights Ardern’s determination and resilience. Go to Full Review Prime Minister (2025) 93% - -

Aviva Dove-Viebahn Ms. Magazine Jul 24, 2025 An atmospheric film that fluctuates realistically between hope and strife, Cutting Through Rocks offers a dynamic slice-of-life portrait of the lives of women in rural Iran. Go to Full Review Cutting Through Rocks (2025) 100% - -

Aviva Dove-Viebahn Ms. Magazine Jul 24, 2025 The film encapsulates the deep complexities, horrors and challenges of the crisis in the Middle East and the conundrums of peacebuilding facing its many interlocuters without coming across as either naïve or completely hopeless. Go to Full Review Coexistence, My Ass! (2025) 92% - -

Aviva Dove-Viebahn Ms. Magazine Jul 24, 2025 Particularly effective is the way Clarkson embodies Ledbetter. She says she wanted to “[put] her back on the ground,” rather than raising her up on a pedestal—a down-to-earth sensibility that really comes through. Go to Full Review Lilly (2024) 59% - -

Michele Meek Ms. Magazine Feb 23, 2023 It's refreshing to see a film put the female orgasm front-and-center, especially in a genre where it’s usually depicted comically or absent entirely. Go to Full Review Coming Soon (1999) 43% 26%

Michele Meek Ms. Magazine Feb 23, 2023 “The Incredibly True Adventures of Two Girls in Love” depicts consent between the two girls as exploratory and mutual, offering a positive depiction of female sexual discovery. Go to Full Review The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love (1995) 85% 69%

Michele Meek Ms. Magazine Feb 23, 2023 "Just Another Girl on the IRT," directed by Leslie Harris, won the Special Jury Prize at Sundance for its depiction of Black teen Chantel Mitchell who navigates the pressures of sex, parental expectations, friendship and eventually teen motherhood. Go to Full Review Just Another Girl on the I.R.T. (1992) 69% 83%

Michele Meek Ms. Magazine Feb 23, 2023 “Dirty Dancing” is one of the only films from this era that depicts a girl’s embracing her sexual desire and agency—without regret. Go to Full Review Dirty Dancing (1987) 71% 72%