Top Six: Strong Female Characters

I don't consider myself a feminist, because, let's be honest, there are just some things that men do better than us women, whether we like it or not. However, I came across an "image" on Pinterest recently that suggested that for every two male characters, in film, there is only one woman. And of those women nearly 40% of them will be dressed provocatively.
It really does seem sad, that in the modern world women are still so obviously seen as Sex Symbols, pretty faces and not really much else. And it's so obvious we do, otherwise there would be virtually no career for the likes of Megan Fox, now would there?
So, despite these damning statistics, I decided to honor those actresses, and characters, who defy the male obsession with "just being a pretty face", by heralding strong female characters. These are women who can stand on their own two feet, who don't need taking care of, or rescuing, by some muscle-clad male. And these are the real women of film, who we should all be looking up to.
What does "strong female character" mean? Well, despite what many might think, it does not mean a female character who is either built like a man, or acts like one, or even both. Sometimes those factors do come into it, but a strong female character is a female who is strong enough to take care of herself, no matter what her ambition is. She's a woman who is not being pushed by a male to achieve something, but is doing it on their own.
Ofelia
Film: Pan's Labyrinth
Actress: Ivana Baquero
Why is she such a strong character? Ofelia is a girl who should be innocent and vulnerable, and predominantly, she is. Her world is torn apart when her Mother marries a sadistic military man, but instead of standing by and watching as her innocence disappears, Ofelia sets out on a journey to stand up against him. Whether her adventures are real or her imagination, I don't think even matters. For a ten-year-old girl, who had previously been more interested in books than anything else, this is pretty impressive.
Even more impressive is how beautifully Baquero plays the role of Ofelia, with a sense of innocence, but still packing a lot of punch.

Amelie
Film: Amelie
Actress: Audrey Tatou
Why is she such a strong character? I can imagine that a fair few people might wonder why Amelie features in this list. But, Amelie knows what she (and other people) wants, and instead of waiting for it to come to her (or other people), she goes out and makes it happen. Okay, so perhaps her methods of pairing people up etc aren't entirely the most "practical" way of going about things, but you have to admit that Amelie's methods seem to be effective!
Similar to Ofelia, Audrey Tatou brings a huge sense of innocence to the role of Amelie, which builds a brilliant base for the character. She initially comes across as the type of girl who has allowed life to push her along, instead of the other way around, and she goes about changing that to make life more about what she wants. If nothing else, Amelie teaches all of us an incredible life lesson.
Juno
Film: Juno
Actress: Ellen Page
Why is she such a strong character? How many girls, having gotten "up the duff" in their mid-teens would find themselves not going stir-crazy with worry, but instead refusing to have an abortion (the baby has finger nails you know!!) and choosing to have the baby adopted by a too-cute-for-comfort couple that she found in The Penny Saver?? Of course Juno is as immature as most girls her age, however, it's hard not to respect her ability to makes her own life choices without the help of her father, stepmother or even the father of her unborn child.
Ellen Page is yet another actress who plays a role with innocence but knowledge on young shoulders. Yes, she makes mistakes. Yes, she probably isn't the best person to have gotten herself pregnant, but the way she deals with things, is remarkably mature, in her own way.
In a way, Juno also proves to be more mature than one of the would-be parents, in the film!
Sarah Connor
Film: Terminator 2: Judgement Day
Actress: Linda Hamilton
Why is she such a strong character? It's important to determine that the Sarah Connor that I'm referring to in this, is how she features in Judgement Day, rather than any of the other films and/or spin-offs. Initially, in the first film, at least, Connor is a weak character with no special prowess. However, give her something to fight for (say, her son John), and boy is she a tough cookie that I really would not want to cross. I think that Connor is a good example of that maternal instinct that kicks in when a woman fears for her child, but I wonder how many of us would go quite to the same lengths!!
Hamilton may be the first "tough" woman on this list, but just like the others she is a potentially vulnerable character, who is determined for things to go as she wants them, not how anyone else does, and that seems to be a growing trend in this Top six!!
Katniss Everdeen
Film: The Hunger Games
Actress: Jennifer Lawrence
Why is she such a strong character? The most recent character on our list, Katniss is definitely deserving of her place at Number Two. Just as all of the other women on this list, Katniss is a character who should be weak, thanks to what life has thrown at her. However, instead of accepting poverty, she has taught herself how to hunt and how to take care of her family, when no one else will (or can!).
Like Bree from Desperate Housewives, Katniss has trained herself to not express (facially) her emotions, creating an even stronger character emotionally.
With Winter's Bone under her belt, Jennifer Lawrence was the perfect casting for Katniss, offering the usual vulnerability blended with a good dose of whoop-ass!!
Ellen Ripley
Film: Alien
Actress: Sigourney Weaver
Why is she such a strong character? It almost seems cliche for her to be at the top of this chart, because it just seems so predictable. But, I honestly don't think that there has ever been, or ever will be, a female lead to rival the awesomeness of Ellen Ripley. She's been a favorite character of mine ever since I first saw the Aliens films when I was young (perhaps too young to have seen them, really!!) and I've grown up admiring the confidence and strength of her.
Ripley has that maternal instinct, similar to Sarah Connor, that encourages her to fight in order to protect (for example, Newt!), but she's also intelligent, confident and independent in a way that all great role models are. She's the complete opposite of a Disney Princess, and even if the films might not, on the surface, appear to be suitable for young girls, Ripley is the ideal woman for them to be looking up to, and I'm definitely glad that I was introduced to her, and the Alien films, at a young age.
Other strong women that didn't quite make the Top Six, but I'm still a huge fan of and definitely all deserve a big old mention:

• Phyllis Dietrichson (Double Indemnity)
• Baby Doll (Sucker Punch)
• Dola (Laputa: Castle in the Sky)
• Princess Mononoke
• Hildy Johnson (His Girl Friday)
• Lisbeth Salander (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo)
• Clarice Starling (Silence of the Lambs)
• Trinity (Matrix)
• Hit Girl (Kick Ass)

Quite a few lists featuring strong female characters, that I read throughout the research for this post, included Chloe Moretz' Hit Girl, from Kick Ass. But, I didn't want to include her, because even though she is a great character, I do think that a lot of her actions were pushed upon her by Nicholas Cage's character, Big Daddy, which sort of goes against my personal idea of a strong female.