In the year of our Lord 2021, it feels like female directors are finally getting more opportunities — and more acknowledgment.
Take, for example, this past Sunday’s Golden Globe Awards.
Three women were nominated in the best director category for the first time.
Only one woman had ever won the category prior to Sunday, and that was Barbra Streisand in 1984 for “Yentl.”
Here are some of the women who are making waves and headlines in Hollywood:
“Chloé tapped into the truth of it which was at different points of my life, I’ve said to my husband, ‘I can’t take this anymore, I’m dropping out,'” McDormand said.
Regina King: The acclaimed actress-turned-director was up against Zhao at the Globes.
The movie is not only cheeky but gets into some uncomfortable territory, so much so that it has been praised for turning the revenge genre on its ear.
Wright plays a woman struck by a family tragedy who gives up her successful life in the big city and moves to a remote area in Wyoming.
“We feel so blessed that people are feeling the movie,” Wright said. “It is very relevant to what’s going on today, of being disconnected from our loved ones. We’re not living the norm. The message in this movie is about that very thing.”
These leading female directors represent just a handful of creatives proving women are making inroads on the Hollywood scene.
“Women accounted for 16% of directors working on the top 100 grossing films in 2020, up from 12% in 2019 and 4% in 2018,” wrote study author Martha M. Lauzen, founder and executive director of SDSU’s Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film. “Women comprised 18% of directors on the top 250 films in 2020, up from 13% in 2019 and 8% in 2018.”
A rising tide raises all ships, especially when a woman is at the helm, so here’s to more female directors on the horizon.
For your weekend
Three things to watch:
‘Coming 2 America’
Prince Akeem and Semmi are heading back to Queens, New York. Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall reprise their respective roles for the sequel to the hit 1988 film.
This time the prince is in search of his son and heir to the kingdom of Zamunda. My question is what have the rose petal droppers been up to all this time?
“Coming 2 America” starts streaming Friday on Amazon Prime.
‘Boss Level’
Former special forces agent Roy Pulver (Frank Grillo) is trapped in a time loop that constantly repeats the day of his murder. To break the cycle, he must hunt down Col. Clive Ventor (Mel Gibson) while also trying to save his ex-wife (Naomi Watts).
That sounds like some seriously fast-paced action.
“Boss Level” starts streaming Friday on Hulu.
‘Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell’
March 9 marks the 24th anniversary of the unsolved murder of rapper Christopher Wallace, aka Biggie Smalls or The Notorious B.I.G., at age 24.
Arguably one of the best and most beloved hip-hop artists of all time, Wallace is the subject of a new doc that looks at the legacy of his life and death. Currently streaming on Netflix, with “rare footage and in-depth interviews, this documentary celebrates the life of The Notorious B.I.G. on his journey from hustler to rap king.”
So, call your friends and let them know so your crew run-run-run, your crew run-run to catch it.
Two things to listen to:
Sweden has blessed us with the likes of ABBA and Spotify. Now add Zara Larsson to that list.
The 23-year-old singer, who got her start as a youngster on a TV talent show, is dropping her third studio album, “Poster Girl,” on Friday.
March is the month we celebrate women — and who is more empowering than Oprah Winfrey?
The answer to that is no one.
One thing to talk about:
Are we over awards shows?
Yikes.
With the pandemic going on you would think plenty of people would be tuning in to shows like the Golden Globes, but, apparently, not. Even in a “normal year,” there seems to be less enthusiasm for award shows than there used to be, and that begs the question if Hollywood needs to find a different way to celebrate the industry.
The pandemic is causing us all to reevaluate things.
Something to sip on
Looking for a new show to watch? We asked some of our friends around CNN what TV binge has helped them decompress in the time of Covid.
I basically have an encyclopedic knowledge of Bravo shows due to my wife’s fandom/the disappearance of sports the first few month of Covid. Not sure I should acknowledge that publicly.
I’ve been watching “Succession.” It depicts a dysfunctional, rotten world, and somehow I find that soothingly distracting from our daily stress.
“Criminal Minds” on Netflix. I know it’s old, but I’m a newcomer to it! I’m a sucker for mystery and suspense.
Pop back here next Thursday for all the latest entertainment happenings that matter.
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