The Best of STEMinist Cinema!

A great movie can be defined by many things, but above all by telling the story of interesting characters. So, why is it that Hollywood waited until the 1960s to portray women in STEM? It surely can’t be that women don’t make great scientists, because if you look at this list below, you’ll just go “WOW”.

Here are our top 5 movies with the best women in STEM!

1. Interstellar (2014): Murphy "Murph" Cooper 

The 2014 sci-fi drama is a Christopher Nolan classic that follows a group of astronauts across multiple time dimensions searching for a new home for mankind. A key player behind all the science of getting the astronauts back home is Murphy Cooper, also known as "Murph". She is a curious and feisty scientist who has dreamed of working at NASA ever since she was a kid. When Murph stands up to her skeptical NASA director and proves his gravity equation wrong, she shows off just how crucial women in STEM are. (Stream on Paramount+ and MGM+)

2. Black Panther (2018): Shuri

While her brother may be a superhero, it is Shuri’s genius that is the real star of the show. Despite being only 16 years old, Shuri is a brilliant inventor, scientist, and creator of the iconic Black Panther suit.  With her rebellious charm, Shuri leads the entire science division of Wakanda. There she develops such innovative tools that she isn’t even in competition with the rest of the world. So, while the Black Panther might have most of the action, it really is Shuri and her inventions that save Wakanda. What a powerful woman in STEM! (Stream on Disney+)

3. Hidden Figures (2016): Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson

This Oscar-nominated drama tells the real-life stories of three amazing women in STEM, who not only had to fight against misogyny but also racial discrimination. All three women were major assets to NASA during the space race of the Cold War and showed up every day despite the obstacles thrown in their way. Throughout the movie, Katherine Johnson proves herself as a genius mathematician over and over again yet is still not allowed in the NASA meetings. Like most women (in STEM), however, Katherine is a fighter, and once she gets herself into that meeting, she stuns her coworkers with her brilliance. Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, a mathematician and engineer respectively, have a similar struggle and are forced to fight for equality while doing head-spinning calculations. Kudos! (Stream on Prime Video)

4. Arrival (2016): Dr. Louise Banks

Dr. Louise Banks has something many other STEM characters lack – depth. The movie not only focuses on her skills and brilliance but also explores what makes her human by diving into her past traumas. The result is a greatly written character that is both quiet and confident. Another reason why Dr. Banks is one of the greatest female scientists ever written is her ability to be assertive and proud without being portrayed as arrogant or smug. Those qualities particularly shine through when she proves her theory to her doubtful commander in such a calm manner that it leaves no question as to why you would want Dr. Louise Banks on your team. (Stream on Tubi)

5. The Imitation Game (2014): Joan Clarke

Last but not least is another show-stopper woman in STEM who goes against all odds and proves herself in an all-male field. The Imitation Game follows British mathematicians trying to decode German secret messages. Having had no success thus far, they are now looking for help from Britain’s smartest citizens. What the scientists did not see coming was that Joan Clarke -- a woman! -- was going to be the smartest citizen and the not-so-obvious obvious choice. Joan Clarke, however, knows her worth and that it has nothing to do with her gender. She is a powerful mathematician who will be stopped by no one – now THIS is why we love women in STEM! (Available on VOD/Digital)