It seems the women’s ministry thing to do this time of year is to host a movie night. It makes perfect sense. The weather’s yucky. Everyone’s stuck inside. And movie nights are a fun way to get together with the girls. The problem comes when you try to find a movie to watch. So many choices. So few that are geared for female audiences. The good news is that there are some great movies out there if you know where to look. Here are a few of my favorites. You can click on the images to read my full review of each movie.
Heavenbound (2017)
Heaven Bound is the story of Ted (Michael Joinier) and Josie (Nancy Stafford), a picture perfect couple. Ted is a successful dog food marketer until his negligence causes him to not only lose his job, but to become the town outcast. In desperation to restore their finances and social standing, Josie concocts a sure-fire plan to steal from her dying boss (Danny Vinson). The couple is joined in their heist by her fun-loving but deadbeat brother (Torry Martin). Their adventure takes an unexpected twist when Josie’s boss holds the trio captive until they give their lives to Jesus.
Trust Fund (2016)
The Good Lie (2014)
The Good Lie is a story of redemption about a group of Sudanese refuges who come to America where they’re taken care of by Carrie (Reese Witherspoon). It’s based on a true story and the characters definitely feel real. Even though this is not a Christian-made movie, it has strong Christian elements. The story behind the title and the explanation is thought provoking and good food for thought for all Christians. Is there such a thing as a good lie?
Catching Faith (2015) and Catching Faith 2 (2019)
Catching Faith 2 focuses on Alexa Taylor (Lorena Segura York) trying to balance her daughter’s engagement, her son’s football injury, and her mother’s dementia, all while taking on her dream design job. She tries to be a superhero to everyone but can’t do it all. In the end, it’s a story of priorities and allowing others to minister to you.
While Catching Faith 2 is a sequel to Catching Faith, they each stand on their own.
Bonus Picks
Of course, I couldn’t make a list of female focused movies without including our own. Here are my two favorites for Reels and Heels women’s movie nights.
Providence (2016)
This is my favorite of our movies. It’s a silent love story that released as part of AMC Independent. Rachel Cartwright (Emily Knapp, Stacey Bradshaw, Juli Tapken) and Mitchell Little (Chase Anderson, Josh Allen, Rich Swingle) both grow up in the small town of Providence, Tennessee. Their paths keep crossing and at one point it looks like they’ll finally get together. But the opportunity slips away and they go their separate ways. It takes a tragedy many years later before they’re reunited.
Summer of ’67 (2018)
This was our final movie. Inspired by my dad’s experience of being on the USS Forrestal when it caught fire, Summer of ’67 brings to life the turbulent times of the sixties and the struggles faced by the men and women impacted by the Vietnam War. Young wife and mother Milly (Rachel Schrey) is forced to live with her mother-in-law (Mimi Sagadin) while her husband Gerald (Cameron Gilliam) is away on the USS Forrestal. Kate (Bethany Davenport) must choose between Peter (Christopher Dalton) her high school sweetheart and Van (Sam Brooks) her new hippie boyfriend. Ruby Mae (Sharonne Lanier) finally finds true love with Reggie (Jerrold Edwards) only to have him whisked away by the draft. Each woman faces the question of whether or not their man will return, and even if he does, will life as they know it ever be the same?
Whatever your movie choice, be sure to get proper permissions or license. Just because a movie is available on Netflix or Amazon Prime does not give you permission to show it at church. If a movie has a website, they often include licensing information on their website. If they don’t, look for them on Facebook and contact them that way. Many indie filmmakers like us will make our movies available for free. We only ask that you let us know that you’re showing it.