Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures Matthew Broderick and Nicole Kidman star in "Stepford Wives," a picture about a town in which previously successful women are forced to become submissive zombies to assuage their husbands' hurt egos.

Feminism is the new pink. I say, instead of slumping to a gender studies class for an entire semester, everyone should go see "Stepford Wives." Though I think everyone should take a gender studies class too, but that might be pushing it a bit. "Stepford Wives" is a genuinely smart and political movie. And it's funny as shit.

Stepford is a community where men bring their successful wives to turn them into subservient/submissive robots. They serve their own egos and own interests because they felt bad about their wives doing better in life than they were. Joanna (Nicole Kidman) is one of said successful women, and her husband Walter (Matthew Broderick) takes her to Stepford to "start over." The plot thickens when Joanna becomes suspicious and then aware of Walter's plans.

I honestly don't claim to be a Nicole Kidman fan. She's just too visible, too "dating Lenny Kravitz", too je-ne-sais-quoi. She's one of those people who I kind of want to fail. But she is phenomenal in this movie. Truly.

Is it just me, or has Matthew Broderick not aged a day in his life? I tried not to focus on that because it started freaking me out. Well, he is good too. I love me some Ferris Bueller. I just want to put him in my pocket. Do people still use that phrase?

But it is really the supporting cast that knocked my socks off. Excuse me, I have to write to Bette Midler directly for a moment. Bette: Did you ever know that you're my hero? Bette Midler is fantastic in this movie. I finally understand what everyone is talking about.

Glen Close is also amazing. Who knew she could do comedy? Close steals the show. I hope I'm not overselling this movie or the role of Glen, but she will have you laughing out loud throughout the entire movie.

The film's lead chauvinist is Christopher Walken. And though he seems to suffer from Kidman-like overexposure, he surprised me with how funny and "unpredictable" he is. He parodies men, America, whatever. He is a badass no matter how you look at it.

The music is also really great. I thought it was Danny Elfman for sure. I was wrong. It's that good.

I know the previews make it look like a sci-fi thriller slash made for TV movie, but it's not. It's funny, smart, provocative, and it has good-looking people in it. And with the crappy movies out these days, what more could you ask for?

Endnote: This movie really deserves five out of five stars. But I just cannot allow myself to give full props to a movie with Faith Hill in it. I just can't. And I won't.