It's been strange to think about. M and I are very close as sisters. Close in age, close in spirit, but we've become very different people as we've grown up. Motivated, propelled and held back all at once by very different things. It's had me thinking a lot recently about my creative practice, because the story I'm currently working on - a mosaic novel titled Lost Girls, is very, very much a reflection of the shifting relationship I've shared with my sister in our lives so far. For now though, it's pretty exciting watching her grow up, and I look forward to the way our relationship will develop as we get older.
On a much more fun note, I've also been getting a ton of inspiration from lots of awesome sisters on screen and in books lately, so have a top 10.
10. Sarah and Helena, Orphan Black
I only finished watching Orphan Black on the weekend, and to say I'm obsessed is a bit of an understatement. It's such a great series, compelling and chock-full of talent, particularly in Tatiana Maslany who plays not one but upwards of five of the major characters in this series (clones, yo). A late season 1 spoiler is that Sarah and Helena actually aren't clones, but twin sisters, an interesting twist given that Helena had spent the last nine episodes trying to kill Sarah. Their relationship really takes flight in series two though, just not in the way you expect, with more attempts on the other's life, road trips and brawls than really makes for a healthy relationship. That said, the writers are doing good by them, and they're emerging as one of the beating hearts of the series, and crippling mine in the process.
9. Tina and Louise, Bob's Burgers
These giiiirrrrlllls. Bob's Burgers has emerged as a total sleeper hit for me, creeping up on me in all the best ways. It's smart, raunchy, and practices a humour not born out of mockery but out of familiarity and love which is pretty darn uncommon these days. It helps that Tina and Leslie, both separate and together are so fully realised as characters. They'd probably be higher on this list if they had more arcs together, but for now, they're still pretty great.
8. Marion and Lila Crane, Psycho
This might seem a bit of an odd one. Marion and Lila aren't even ever on screen together in Psycho; however, their relationship is arguably the core one of the film, second only, perhaps, to the one between Norman and Norma Bates. Marion's murder is the catalyst of the film, and Lila, a devoted sister (even if it's apparent the two don't see eye-to-eye), has no intention of leaving the Bates Motel alone until she finds her, or at least what happened to her. The storyline itself isn't unique, but the fact that it's two sisters, and not a man investigating a missing lover, is.
ALL OF THEM. I know, I know, Jane and Lizzy get all the love typically, being kindred spirits and closer to each other than the other, but Jane Austen really did do an awesome job of creating a unique dynamic between the five girls. After all, none of them are truly a variation on the other (even if Kitty and Lydia are similar in goals and aspirations), but rather a set of pretty awesome ladies.
Oh, man, guys, don't even look at me. Petunia and Lily make me so emotional. I get that it might be an odd pick, but I think they're a beautifully nuanced representation of two girls born into the same family but find themselves living very, very different lives. It's also got such a bite to it, such an ugly tinge of bitterness, that is glided over in the books, but implies such a deep relationship. It's certainly one I wish we got more of.
A lot of American remakes miss the mark when recreating international series, but Shameless isn't one of them, finding such heart and spirit in Emmy Rossum and an awesomely rounded cast. One of the great relationships of the series is Fiona and Debbie Gallagher. Their relationship took a bit of a hit in the most recent series, but it's still refreshing to see two very self-sufficient women taking the lead on their lives both together and apart.
4. Arya and Sansa Stark, Game of Thrones
Ugh, don't even look at me. The fact that these two haven't shared a screen in years is a total heartbreaker. While they were hardly fond of each other at the start of the series, the pretty heinous hands that both have received since their father's death catapulted them in opposite directions, means that they're often scrambling for word of each other. I basically live for the day they meet, even if that's looking less and less likely to happen. :-(
3. Billie and Nina Proudman, Offspring
Ahahaha, when Offspring premiered back in 2010, I got texts from a number of my friends saying that Billie and Nina were M and I respectively annnnddd it's kind of more accurate than I care to admit. From neuroses to loyalty to fights, Billie and Nina have a tumultuous relationship to say the least, but it's one underpinned by a very intense and pretty profound amount of love for one another. The guts of it all is pretty great and unlike many sisters on TV.
2. Lilo and Nani, Lilo & Stitch
This was very almost number one, and I think it is, honestly, one of the most important relationships in cinema generally. Disney has a history of the fractured family, and it's something that works both for and against them, but Lilo & Stitch is the first example where that fracture isn't a hindrance, but rather a source of strength and empowerment. Lilo and Nani don't always see eye-to-eye, but that's not what sisterhood, or even family, is about. It's about having each other's back, and that's kind of perfectly represented in this film.
(gif credit to Geek Chic Speaks)
1. Mei and Satsuki from My Neighbor Totoro
If you know me personally, this shouldn't be much of a surprise. My Neighbour Totoro is one of my favourite films, in no small part due to Mei and Satsuki's relationship. Hayao Miyazaki's quiet film about two girls inspired by the spirits of the garden while their mother is in hospital is profoundly moving, and the way these two girls orbit and cherish each other makes it that much sweeter.
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