Outdoor Book Club - Women Who Love Books + the Outdoors
  • Home
  • Blog
  • About
    • Book Club Schedule
  • Contact

Outdoor Book Club Blog 

NEWSLETTER SIGN UP

10 Outdoorsy Movies With Strong Female Leads (That You Can Stream Right Now)

1/31/2019

3 Comments

 
I'm taking a poll: How many of you believe in reading the book BEFORE you watch the movie? I ALWAYS believed in watching the movie first. Until recently.

Now, I think it actually makes MORE sense to save the more satisfying experience — reading the book — for last. When compared to the book, most movies are flat, boring. But something very cools happens when you watch the movie, THEN read the book: the book comes alive more fully and you're more engaged with it as you read.

Two personal examples are Game of Thrones (great series, even better books) and Dumplin by Julie Murphy. Both of them were pretty good on the screen, but once I read the books after watching them, I got pulled in with all sorts of nuance and depth that I hadn't gotten with the movie. 

Just another perspective to consider.

In any case, there are a lot of great movies out there to inspire your outdoor adventures, or just inspire you to live more boldly in your everyday life. As of this posting, they were all either free or under $5.99, which is a pretty good deal for a couple hours of uplift and inspiration. Many of them I'd even encourage you to watch with your daughters.

So how do you feel about reading the book before the movie? Were there any movies I left off my list? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!
​
Picture

1. Bird Box (Netflix)

Ok, so this may not be one to watch with your kids. This is the thriller everyone was talking about around the holidays 2018. We watched this movie on Christmas Day, and it was a doozy — Sandra Bullock's character was flawed, but incredibly strong. Also starring John Malkovich, much of this thriller was filmed on the Smith River in northern California.  Watch Birdbox on Netflix

2. Wild (Amazon)

This movie — and the book (Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail) that inspired it — inspired a thousand women to get out on the trail and deal with their own ghosts and insecurities. Reese Witherspoon received an Academy Award nomination for her performance. Highly recommended. Watch Wild on Amazon

3. Losing Sight of Shore (Netflix)

Over nine months at sea, four women row over 8,000 miles from America to Australia. This documentary shows the beauty and disappointment that comes along with taking on a really, really big goal. It was so uplifting to see a group of strong women working together and supporting each other to reach that goal. Watch Losing Sight of Shore on Netflix 

4. Maidentrip (Amazon)

A 13 year old Dutch girl sails the world by herself. Most of us can't imagine letting our daughters take on such an adventure, but watching Laura Dekker navigate the world on her sailboat is both touching and nerve-wracking. A great film to watch with your daughter. Watch Maidenhead on Amazon

5. Blood Road (Amazon Prime)

​A documentary film that follows the journey of mountain biker, Rebecca Rusch, and her Vietnamese riding partner Huyen Nguyen as they bike the Ho Chi Minh trail, searching for the site where Rusch's father's plane went down during the Vietnam War. As a former mountain biker, there are few things as thrilling as watching women tear down a mountain, leaping into the air, and the emotional storyline of the movie just adds to that excitement.  Watch Blood Road on Amazon 
Picture

6. ​Intersection: Micayla Gatto (Vimeo)

Sponsored by Red Bull films, this short documentary is about a champion mountain biker who also happens to be a painter. Mountain biking + art = amazing things. Watch Intersection on Vimeo

7. Tracks (Amazon)

A young woman leaves her urban life to trek through the sprawling Australian desert with her camels. — another movie that was inspired by a book (Tracks: A Woman's Solo Trek Across 1700 Miles of Australian Outback). The movie stars Adam Driver, who's one of my most favorite actors. Watch Tracks on Amazon Prime

8. The Journey of Natty Gann (Amazon)

I LOVED this movie as a kid, which probably dates me but I don't care. A girl and her wolf (YES) trek across the country during the depression in an attempt to find her father who left her behind to find work. Also stars a young John Cusak, whom I also love. Watch The Journey of Natty Gann on Amazon

9. Women In Fire (YouTube)

Ok, this isn't really a movie at seven minutes long, but if you're short on time, I highly recommend this short documentary sponsored by REI. It features women forest firefighters, and it's pretty impressive. REI Presents: Women In Fire  

10. Mulan (Amazon)

Every budding feminist should watch this classic Disney film about a young Japanese girl who poses to be a man to help defend her family and her home against the invading Huns. Also, an amazing soundtrack to work out to! Watch Mulan on Netflix

What am I missing? What's your favorite inspirational film that gets you excited about camping, hiking & backpacking?

3 Comments
best essays uk link
2/4/2019 10:36:51 am

Thank you for all the movies you have mentioned above! It was very timely because I was in a search for movies that I can watch because I will be having a long rest later. Women empowerment may be the them of these movies. Actually, I love films with female lead because it proves that women can do what men can also do. It's about time we feature strong women to the mainstream media because they deserve it. I watched Birbox on Netflix. Sandra Bullock's character was really amazing. Aside from the fact that she is a great actress, Mallory's character was amazing!

Reply
Mary Scott
2/4/2019 05:26:02 pm

Thanks for this list. I loved Birdbox and Wild ( I read the book first which was exciting and infuriating).

Reply
Tamilrockers link
8/25/2019 11:13:58 am

Wwwoooww brilliant👏👏❤❤❤

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Jill Hinton Wolfe,

    Chief Heroine

    I love helping women discover their inner heroines.

    NOTE: Affiliate products are clearly marked with an asterisk (*) and you can always ignore the link and go straight to the company website if you prefer. Or... if you enjoy this site, buying through my affiliate links is a great way to support my efforts get more women outdoors & reading :)

    Jill's books

    Kindle Bestseller Publishing: Write a Bestseller in 30 Days!
    Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us
    Dumplin'
    Playing Big: Find Your Voice, Your Mission, Your Message
    News of the World
    The Power of Meaning: Crafting a Life That Matters
    Summary of Essentialism: by Greg McKeown | Includes Key Takeaways and Analysis
    Dolores Claiborne
    An American Marriage
    The Shining
    Advice for Future Corpses (and Those Who Love Them): A Practical Perspective on Death and Dying
    Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows
    Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI
    Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood
    Intermittent Fasting: Lose Weight, Heal Your Body, and Live a Healthy Life!
    Exit West
    This Naked Mind: Control Alcohol, Find Freedom, Discover Happiness & Change Your Life
    Story Genius: How to Use Brain Science to Go Beyond Outlining and Write a Riveting Novel
    Educated
    Summary of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: by Mark Manson | Includes Key Takeaways & Analysis


    Jill Wolfe's favorite books ยป

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Backpacking
    Book Club
    Books
    Celebrities
    Gear
    Inspiration
    Michigan
    Mountain Biking
    Outdoors
    Planning
    Reviews
    Skills
    Travel
    Video
    Women

    Archives

    September 2019
    August 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    September 2017
    August 2017
    June 2017
    September 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    November 2013

©2019 Outdoor Book Club Terms of Service
  • Home
  • Blog
  • About
    • Book Club Schedule
  • Contact