Since cartoonist Alison Bechdel’s introduction of “The Rule” in her famous comic strip Dykes to Watch Out For, the Bechdel Test has served as a subject of debate in film since the 1980s. Suggesting heavy gender-bias in cinema, a film must fulfill three pillars in order to pass:

1. The film must have two named female characters

2. Who talk to each other

3. About anything other than a man

It may seem like common sense, especially if there are two or more women featured in a film, to have them chat about something that doesn’t have to do with the opposite sex. The majority of films in contemporary cinema, however, still fail. There are two clear sides to the debate: on the one hand, crappy films that don’t accurately represent women pass the test (like Fifty Shades of Grey), while some of the most cherished, iconic films featuring a female lead don’t pass (Breakfast at Tiffany’s being one of the more famous surprise failures).

In hopes to finally put that debate to rest, let it be known the test is NOT an indicator of the quality of a film, but serves as a way to analyze the depths of female roles in cinema. Here are ten quality, female-centric films that passed without question this year thus far, ranked from meh to marvelous.

1 'Hot Pursuit' Sure, it flopped, but it was fun to watch real-life BFFs Sofia Vergara and Reese Witherspoon tear it up together. And sometimes, a bomb like Hot Pursuit is potentially part of something bigger. Between this, Mad Max: Fury Road, and Spy, this recent emergence of female-led action films could be a badass subgenre to see evolve. [Where to pre-order Hot Pursuit]

2 'Welcome to Me' Though Kristen Wiig‘s latest indie endeavor came and went, her portrayal of eccentric Alice Klieg didn’t go completely unnoticed. Mentally ill Alice wins the mega-millions jackpot and buys her own talk show, on which she does, well, whatever the hell she wants. A journey of self-healing narrates a larger story about what life might be like if we all started doing what made us happy. [Where to stream Welcome to Me]

3 'Pitch Perfect 2' Elizabeth Banks directs the Barden Bellas’ next adventure following a humiliating, crushing performance at Lincoln Center. To reignite their spirits — and their cred — they enter a major international competition where American acapella groups don’t exactly have the most successful track record. Two hours of sing-along shenanigans led by Anna Kendrick and Rebel Wilson, there’s no question how well Pitch Perfect 2 and its predecessor passes the Bechdel Test. [Where to pre-order Pitch Perfect 2]

4 'While We're Young' Like Paul Feig, Noah Baumbach is one of those directors who just gets it when it comes to developing his female characters, albeit in a much more dramatic light. In his latest coming-of-age analysis, Baumbach introduces us to forty-something couple Cornelia (Naomi Watts) and Josh (Ben Stiller), whose friends have moved on to the next chapters in their adult lives, which revolve around children, children, and more children. But when the two aimless city dwellers meet the younger versions of themselves in Darby (Amanda Seyfried) and Jamie (Adam Driver), they’re reminded of how happiness and security is supposed to feel. [Where to stream While We’re Young]

5 'The Age of Adaline' After surviving a horrific car accident, Adaline (Blake Lively) is blessed and cursed with eternal life. But just when she thought that avoiding commitment was the answer to dodging heartbreak, Adaline meets Ellis Jones (Michiel Huisman), who forces her to rethink what life is all about, urging her to take advice from her aging daughter and reconnect with those from her near century-old past. [Where to pre-order The Age of Adaline]

6 'The DUFF' Praised as the next generation’s Mean Girls, The DUFF — which stands for Designated Ugly Fat Friend — features Parenthood‘s Mae Whitman as Bianca Piper, who quickly goes from outcast to the in crowd at her suburban high school after being labeled the DUFF by her thinner, more popular peers. A witty look at social pecking orders, The DUFF dives full-throttle into every young woman’s worst nightmare and the steps it takes to persevere. [Where to stream The DUFF]

7 'Jupiter Ascending' Though it was critically panned, the Wachowskis’ Jupiter Ascending has become an instant cult classic within the Tumblr community for portraying, in the most over-the-top manner, the struggle of existing as a hapless late bloomer who’s ready to blossom. Our very own Meghan O’Keefe says it’s “a magnificent movie experience that everyone should have before they die.” And oh yes, she’s very serious. [Where to stream Jupiter Ascending]

8 'It Follows' After sleeping with a dreamy stranger, Jay (Maika Monroe) is cursed with a sexually transmitted supernatural force that must be passed on to someone else before it overtakes her. A rift on classic phantom tropes led by a mystifying Monroe makes David Robert Mitchell’s horror tale one of the most inventive in recent memory.[Where to pre-order It Follows]

9 'Spy' At this point in their careers, it’s practically guaranteed that any movie starring Melissa McCarthy or Rose Byrne (or directed by the great Paul Feig) is a mega-budget feminist ode in all its glory. A CIA secretary (McCarthy) is given the opportunity to prove herself by going undercover to take down a globally feared arms dealer (Byrne) before it’s too late. [Where to pre-order Spy]