From war to politics to espionage - women put on a great show in 2018’s blockbusters
In 2018, women in the movies excelled in bigger and larger-than-life roles that showcased their grit, determination, spunk and ability to go places. Here is a list that impressed us.
Ocean’s 8
When a group of badass women get together, you can expect some chills, spills and thrills. In the reboot of the franchise, Debbie Ocean (Sandra Bullock) returns from prison only to put her new plan in action - pull off the biggest heist ever. And for this, along with her partner-in-crime, Lou (Cate Blanchett), she needs to recruit the best women for the job. Together, she gather a bunch of other feisty specialists - jeweller Amita (Mindy Kaling), con artist Constance (Awkwafina), a suburban mum Tammy (Sarah Paulson), a hacker Nine Ball (Rihanna) and a fashion designer Rose (Helena Bonham-Carter). By using Daphne Kluger (Anne Hathaway), they plan to pull off an elaborate heist - a necklace worth more than $150 million during the Met Gala. An all-women cast definitely makes for some great entertainment and the reboot of the Ocean franchise is a fun ride all the way.
A Private War
Who doesn’t love a good story where the protagonist is female, feisty and willing to take on the men in her field and the world in general? A Private War, based on the story of American-born war correspondent Marie Clovin who works for Britain’s Sunday Times and traverses different war-ravaged regions. She loses her left eye in Sri Lanka after which she wears an eye patch, she interviews dictators, saves the lives of many in East Timor - as she moves from one assignment to another along with her trademark fiery and rebellious spirit. Rosamund Pike as Clovin brilliantly portrays the “never-say-die” attitude of the reporter whose personal life is torn asunder because of her commitment to her professional one. And on that one last dangerous assignment, in Syria. Definitely one among the must-watch films of 2019.
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again
The sequel to the 2008 film, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, like its predecessor targets the singing, dancing ABBA fans. The story moves 10 years forward, but to the same Greek island where Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) has restored the hotel in honour of her mother, Donna (Meryl Streep). The cast of characters is back - Sophie, Christine Baranski and Julie Walters as Donna’s girlfriends, and Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth and Stellan Skarsgard as Sophie’s three ‘dads’. A number of moving tracks complement the first film well… and thought the cast may have matured, there are moments in the film that will bring a smile to your face, take you back to good times and look forward to what the story is going to bring on.
The Post
One of the 2018’s intelligent and political thrilling films, The Post is the story of how the newspaper races against the New York Times to publish the hundreds of sensitive documents related to Vietnam. The court had stopped the publication of these documents and if they are published, the newspaper stands to be tried for treason. Steps in Kay Graham (Meryl Streep) the publisher of The Post, who not only has to battle sexism but also the men around her who think she is incapable of doing her job. Aided by editor Ben Bradlee (Tom Hanks), the decision to publish is what will set the future course for the newspaper and change the political discourse in the country. Meryl Streep does a fine job of straddling fighting hegemony at The Post and wondering whether the decision she takes will be right or not. The portrayal of the emotional imbalance, and later, her steadfastness is what makes The Post absolutely thrilling to watch.
Raazi
What happens when a spy is dying and cannot spy any longer? He enlists his babe-in-the-woods daughter to carry on with the task. Only, that she’s no longer just the girl next door, she has morphed into this “completely trained for the mission” spy who will adapt to the circumstances and get married to the son of a high-ranking official in Pakistan. So she crosses the border, mission in place and slowly plots to receive secret and sensitive information, while remaining true to her bharatiya nari self. Based on Calling Sehmat, a true story written by Harinder Sikka, Raazi stars Alia Bhatt in the lead role of the Kashmiri woman who promises her father that she would do all it takes, to defend the honour of her country. Alia lights up in a role she fits into perfectly. Emotional, riveting with loads of suspense, Raazi took viewers on one hell of a ride this year.