"When I decide to portray a part, I can never completely hide who I am, what I am. At the point of identification, the audience encounters a person, not a role, not an actress. A face to face. It's what I know about women. It's what I have experienced, what I've seen. That's what I want to share with you."
- Liv Ullmann
Lately, I have been bugged by the idea of how "strong women" are often misunderstood and misinterpreted as objects, or as some kind of attractions that are "rare" or "extinct". I once saw a series tweets, but I couldn't search it because the tweets were very specific, but mainly, the user says that;
"Strong women on films are often misinterpreted as masculine and white and this is very one-sided, strong doesn't mean that they works in business, and wear suits, but more of with the fact WHY they are strong; the stories, the past, the process on how they fight through those factors"
Which got me thinking, because the stereotype of strong, independent women always revolves around;
- White, mainly
- Between 21-40 years olds
- Middle class women, who actually have the money to become independent
- Between 21-40 years olds
- Middle class women, who actually have the money to become independent
- Very feminist, somehow could be seen as misandrists
- Works in corporation, or wearing business suits.
- Works in corporation, or wearing business suits.
These stereotypes only depict ONE side of the notion of a 'strong independent women' should be. And personally, this irks the hell out of me. It means, this notion allegorically can be translated that those who are strong has "goals that they've reached in the end". Now, with this logical fallacy, this perception is something that needs to be dilated, as it subtly advertises the statement that strong women always get what they want.
Well, I'm sorry to break it down to you, that's not how reality works. That's the formulaic fairytale Hollywood recipe that people wish to see, like Cinderella, for starter. In physical existence, there is no fairy godmother in its truest sense, people work hard for this. And no, some things aren't all that happily ever after in the end.
Well, I'm sorry to break it down to you, that's not how reality works. That's the formulaic fairytale Hollywood recipe that people wish to see, like Cinderella, for starter. In physical existence, there is no fairy godmother in its truest sense, people work hard for this. And no, some things aren't all that happily ever after in the end.
So, to celebrate the strong AND interesting women, I would like to list some of the VERY interesting female characters and why they are interesting to watch to in the films,
(WARNING: SPOILERS COULD BE REVEALED)
1. Viola Davis Aibileen Clark in THE HELP (2011)
Why She's Interesting:
Viola Davis made Aibileen alive on the screen; the lovingness and the concerns, the intenseness of how she tells every stories, like when she tells the story about how her son died, the faith that she shows; of how she articulates every story to Skeeter with passion and hopefulness. What made her interesting is how Viola Davis creates this character with ease and affectionate. The ending scene was one of the strongest scenes. I think she deserved the Oscar more than Meryl Streep's lazy performance.
Viola Davis made Aibileen alive on the screen; the lovingness and the concerns, the intenseness of how she tells every stories, like when she tells the story about how her son died, the faith that she shows; of how she articulates every story to Skeeter with passion and hopefulness. What made her interesting is how Viola Davis creates this character with ease and affectionate. The ending scene was one of the strongest scenes. I think she deserved the Oscar more than Meryl Streep's lazy performance.
2. Julianne Moore as Jules in THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT (2010)
The Story: The life of the lesbian couple with two kids and how their lives changed when one of the kids contacted their father.
-large-picture.jpg)
Why She's Interesting:
Even though Annette Bening was the one who got nominated for the Oscars, I still think that Julianne Moore's role as Jules is the one to watch with her complication and recklessness. She's complicated because she cheated with the guy whose sperm was used for their kids. Because her wife Nic, was busy and she needs to be loved and adored. She was unstable on account of her feelings, she loves Nic, and she deserves to be blamed. What I adore from Julianne Moore as Jules is the unapologetic charisma that she oozes through the screens, her talent makes Jules as a human being who knows that she's guilty, and she would do anything to gain her family's trust. This scene proves it all.
3. Charlize Theron as Mavis Gary in YOUNG ADULT (2011)
The Story: The mentally ill writer who was popular in high school goes to her hometown to win her ex (now a father and husband) back.
Why She's Interesting:
She is a young adult fiction writer! She 's clearly can't get the past off of her mind! The fact that how Charlize Theron made Mavis Gary to be very complicated is amazing. She's supposed to be hated, but you can't help to love her and support her reckless decisions like, to win back her ex, who has a family AND a baby. Mavis Gary is an instant cult character, and Charlize was CLEARLY snubbed for the Oscars, I mean, this scene alone is a very fine mixture of tragic drama AND comedy, it was a cringeworthy, intense and hilarious.
She is a young adult fiction writer! She 's clearly can't get the past off of her mind! The fact that how Charlize Theron made Mavis Gary to be very complicated is amazing. She's supposed to be hated, but you can't help to love her and support her reckless decisions like, to win back her ex, who has a family AND a baby. Mavis Gary is an instant cult character, and Charlize was CLEARLY snubbed for the Oscars, I mean, this scene alone is a very fine mixture of tragic drama AND comedy, it was a cringeworthy, intense and hilarious.
4. Jenny Slate as Donna Stern in OBVIOUS CHILD (2014)
The Story: A comedian who just broke up has a one night stand and finds out that she's pregnant so she decides to abort the baby.
Why She's Interesting:
Jenny Slate IS indeed a comedian, so this role is a complete cake for her. What made this film a breakout is her genuine performance as Donna Stern is that she embodies the precipitousness of Donna, she makes Donna looks like an actual clumsy person that you're friends with in real life. The film itself is way beyond the theme of abortion, it depicts that women could have anything in life, and if she wants to abort the baby, it's her choice. The scene where she's on the stage and admits that she's going to do abortion in Valentine's Day is very sincere and heartwarming.
Jenny Slate IS indeed a comedian, so this role is a complete cake for her. What made this film a breakout is her genuine performance as Donna Stern is that she embodies the precipitousness of Donna, she makes Donna looks like an actual clumsy person that you're friends with in real life. The film itself is way beyond the theme of abortion, it depicts that women could have anything in life, and if she wants to abort the baby, it's her choice. The scene where she's on the stage and admits that she's going to do abortion in Valentine's Day is very sincere and heartwarming.
5. Holly Hunter as Ada McGrath in THE PIANO (1993)
The Story: A deaf-mute pianist and being forced-married to a local man, brings her and her kid to his place and the pianist has an affair with the friend of the husband.
Why She's Interesting:
Holly Hunter won the Oscar for this role, becoming the third actress to win the award for a non-speaking role. But I think, Holly Hunter deserves this one because her role is more complex, in account of Jane Campion's screenplay and Hunter's creation of this character. She was left with no choice, she was angry because she doesn't want to be married, and she demands to have her own life. And when another man came into her life, she uses this moment, she asks the piano to be placed at the man's house, so she can play the piano. By the time she's playing the piano, she also fell for the man, it's a weirdly erotic film that could be cheesy, but with Jane Campion's masterful direction and Holly Hunter's breathtaking performance, it's all possible. This scene is the best, when she refuses to leave the house and in the end, falls for the man.
Holly Hunter won the Oscar for this role, becoming the third actress to win the award for a non-speaking role. But I think, Holly Hunter deserves this one because her role is more complex, in account of Jane Campion's screenplay and Hunter's creation of this character. She was left with no choice, she was angry because she doesn't want to be married, and she demands to have her own life. And when another man came into her life, she uses this moment, she asks the piano to be placed at the man's house, so she can play the piano. By the time she's playing the piano, she also fell for the man, it's a weirdly erotic film that could be cheesy, but with Jane Campion's masterful direction and Holly Hunter's breathtaking performance, it's all possible. This scene is the best, when she refuses to leave the house and in the end, falls for the man.
6. Penelope Cruz as Raimunda in VOLVER (2007)
The Story: The mother finds out that her daughter killed her stepfather, and decides to hide it herself.
Why She's Interesting:
Actually all the women in this film have their own story, but let's focus more on Penelope Cruz's character as Raimunda. She dreams to become someone important, someone who has it all. But life doesn't work like that, so she works hard to be the best that she can be, and she's real crass and a hard woman. She has a very fucked-up past (AND I MEAN FUCKED UP FUCKED UP) that made her that way. Penelope Cruz plays the part very carefully, and flawlessly. This particular scene where she sings at a party, and you could see Penelope as Raimunda, depicting all the hopefulness and her ambitions.
Actually all the women in this film have their own story, but let's focus more on Penelope Cruz's character as Raimunda. She dreams to become someone important, someone who has it all. But life doesn't work like that, so she works hard to be the best that she can be, and she's real crass and a hard woman. She has a very fucked-up past (AND I MEAN FUCKED UP FUCKED UP) that made her that way. Penelope Cruz plays the part very carefully, and flawlessly. This particular scene where she sings at a party, and you could see Penelope as Raimunda, depicting all the hopefulness and her ambitions.
7. Parminder Nagra as Jasminder 'Jess' Bhamra in BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM (2002)
The Story: An Indian girl in England wants to play soccer but the family don't condone her passion.
Why She's Interesting:
The girl never gives up and loves her family! That's the spirit, Parminder Nagra creates this character to be a very ambitious woman with a heart of gold, she copes with her family who wants her to be a traditional Indian woman who just stays in the kitchen. But she has bigger dreams than that, her determination is influenced by how she wants to show her family to see her true colors. This scene (starts from 2:07) exhibits her willingness to fight against the tradition and breaks the gender stereotypes at that time.
8. Whoopi Goldberg as Celie in THE COLOR PURPLE (1985)
The Story: An epic tale of 40 years of an African-American woman who survives the abuse and sexism in the South and has a dream of meeting her long-lost sister.
Why She's Interesting:
Celie lives some horrible decades of her life, but she lives it happily. With hopes and dreams. She was referred as the ugliest daughter and was being married to the man who wanted her sister, and grew up to be a sadistic, ungrateful asshole. That changed when she meets the singer who his husband likes very much, Shug Avery. They lived a good life, Shug helped her trace herself to be the woman she wants to be. And with the help from Shug, Celie finally relieves herself from the ghastly life she lived under her husband's terror and lives a free woman. Whoopi Goldberg compels this character to be a harmless, benign, innocent human being, and grows up as the plot widens. This scene steals it, all the exasperation, the despair she had from deep inside, and the power in her conquers it all to stop the ugly hatred inside her.
9. Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Noni Jean in BEYOND THE LIGHTS (2014)
The Story: A talented musician struggles with the stardom and her newly found success partly because of her overbearing mother/manager.
Why She's Interesting:
The director, Gina Prince-Bythewood, made this cliched story to be exceptional and wonderful, and Gugu-Mbatha Raw's groundbreaking performance made this film to be inspirational and character-driven. And although this film is a romantic drama, I love the way how the film lets itself to be romantic genuinely and humane. Gugu shapes Noni as an imprisoned character of the 'it' girl with a resolution to break free and be the kind of musician she wants to be. Sure, this film is very The Bodyguard with the bodyguard-turns-lover, but this film focuses most on her and her rebellion against the public's idea of what a female pop star should be. Her scene performing Blackbird by Nina Simone was riveting, gripping with intense and satisfaction. Stellar performance.
10. Jessica Chastain as Maya in ZERO DARK THIRTY (2012)
The Story: A woman's history of the hunting of Al-Qaeda leader, Osama Bin Laden, after the 9/11 attack.
Why She's Interesting:
Jessica Chastain's take as Maya, the CIA intelligence analyst is structured and flawless. Although it's fictional, she manifests Maya as a really ambitious, driven character who wants to bring down Bin Laden by herself. Her caricature strikes as often cocky and rigid. But that makes you think; why does she act like that, what drives her to be this determined, what lies within her determination. Those questions are very similar but it's only one and each part of the layer that Chastain adds to the character. This ending combines all of those previous attempts by her, and mounts into one unclear answer to her future. Jessica Chastain deserves that Oscar statue for this.
11. Toni Collette as Muriel Heslop in MURIEL'S WEDDING (1994)
The Story: A socially awkward girl dreams to be married. Pressured by her family and friends, she befriends someone and they run together to the town to transform their lives.
Why She's Interesting:
Any other actresses would think twice or thrice or whatever to take this role, but Toni Collette snatches the role and assembles Muriel Heslop as a silly girl who wants more than anything to be normal; a married woman. But she knows that being the daughter of a politician, she's unable to get as much dates as she wants to. She runs off with a friend she met, and makes her own life. The foolishness that Collette symbolizes in Muriel makes Muriel's Wedding a very heartwarming, funny, powerful, and moving story. And plus, the soundtrack is ABBA, I mean, COME ON.
12. Nicole Kidman as Suzanne Stone-Moretto in TO DIE FOR (1995)
The Story: A dark comedy of a woman who wants to work in a television and will do everything it takes even if it's murder.
Why She's Interesting:
Nicole Kidman's portrayal as Suzanne Stone-Moretto is one of the few characters on film that manages to leave a scar in me because she strikes as a very sweet next-door-girl with dreams to be in a television. But the way she roars her way to her dream is disturbing, her campy delusion blinds her ego and you can see her seeing you right through your skin. This scene alone gives me the creeps. It's funny, upsetting, and weirdly sad. (Starts in 10:14)
13. Uma Thurman as The Bride/Beatrix Kiddo in KILL BILL (2003-2004)
The Story: The Bride's revenge to kill the man and the people who attempted to murder her.
Why She's Interesting:
It's obvious?! She was almost killed, went on a coma for FOUR years, woke up and decided to kill the people who abused and hunted her. But what's most interesting about this tale is actually revealed in the Volume 2. She was introduced no longer as The Bride, but as Beatrix Kiddo, which differentiates her as a killer in Volume 1, and her as a woman who wants revenge from being taken for granted in Volume 2. She dreams of a better life for her daughter, and will take revenge for anyone who's trying to take her daughter's life in a surrounding that her daughter doesn't deserve.
14. Angela Bassett as Tina Turner in WHAT'S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT? (1993)
The Story: The life of Tina Turner and her stardom along with her abusive husband at that time, Ike Turner.
Why She's Interesting: We all know Tina Turner's story, but Angela Bassett's masterful emulation makes this film to be an emotional ticking time bomb. Not only she captures Tina Turner, but she also add depths and essence to her longing for freedom, her yearning to break from her husband's abusive strangle, and fight for her own name. It's painful, it's heartbreaking, and it's stupefying. Bassett was able to overcome the cliched formula to musical biopics and this performance hardens the story and that's why this musical biopic is the one to watch. Look at her in this scene, it's intense, and yet it turns to be such sensation.
15. Cher as Loretta Castorini in MOONSTRUCK (1987)
The Story: An recently engaged widow who finds love in his fiancee's brother.
Why She's Interesting:
Cher was the perfect person to play Loretta Castorini. Loretta is a ditzy person, she thinks she knows what she wants for her own beings, so she done and accepted the engagement from a man that she doesn't really love. And she shares that with her family who's sometimes don't really accept it, and she's stubborn about it, she wants it so she can find herself in a secured life. But that changes when she finds out about his fiancee's brother (young Nicolas Cage, yum!) and 'accidentally' sleeps with him. Loretta was foolish for that, and turns out, his brother becomes madly in love with Loretta, and that's where the comedy plays. It's a very sweet film, and Cher was out of this world. This scene is iconic for its snarky line, "Snap out of it!"
16. Kristen Wiig as Annie Walker in BRIDESMAIDS (2011)
The Story: The life of a messy woman as a maid of honor for her best friend's wedding.
Why She's Interesting:
This comedy was very big in 2011 and 2012 because of how female-driven this comedy is. It's messy, funny, and genuinely real. It exaggerates the lives of women like Annie Walker; frustrated, desperate, jealous, and all of that, lonely. Kristen Wiig did that, with her comedy background, she also adds deepness and soul in the character, and it works. Wiig breaks into the fame and film industry for this film, and a little fun fact; she co-writes the film along with her friend, Annie Mumolo, and it went on to be an Oscar-nominated screenplay. Proves how intelligent Kristen Wiig is, especially in this funny breakdown scene.
17. Rachel McAdams as Regina George in MEAN GIRLS (2004)
The Story: A satire on high school female friendship, popularity, and human beings' secret trait.
Why She's Interesting:
Let me tell you something about Regina George. She is a cult figure already, and at first, I didn't even know that it was Rachel McAdams who played her, it's because of powerful and evil Regina George is. She was like, smart, manipulative, shady, thirsty of fame, and blinded by the popularity. And then she takes on revenge when Cady (Lindsay Lohan's character) replaces her as the queen bee of the school, by spreading the Burn Book, which was really weird. A very sly character, perfectly crafted by Rachel McAdams, that may look one-sided but it's actually a satire of every person in the world, that they are secretly "mean girls". This monologue is actually pretty masterfully funny. So, you agree? You think she's really funny?
18. Ingrid Bergman as Charlotte Andergaast and Liv Ullmann as Eva in AUTUMN SONATA (1978)
The Story: A famous pianist reunites with her daughter and has a confrontation from the neglected daughter.
Okay, I cheated. There are two person here, but they are worth the list.
This film talks about God, family, dreams, the past and it was inevitable to not get your attention to it and think it to yourself. There are moments when there were something about parents that make us fear of them and it will never go away even when you grow up. What Charlotte did to Eva was unforgivable, there is also a reason on why she malignantly neglect her own children without knowing why did that happen. The incapability of loving got the best of her and with that, her eldest, Eva felt that too and immensely confront Charlotte. That's when the truth speaks so hurtfully it's hard to heal from it. Ingrid Bergman and Liv Ullmann danced to this film so ardent and passionately extreme, it's hard to finish watching it without my mouth gaping. This film is upsetting, as I felt that wounds again, that's how strong Autumn Sonata did to me. This scene is heartbreaking.
19. Ming-Na Wen as Mulan in MULAN (1998)
The Story: A teenage girl disguises herself as a warrior to defend her family's duty and honor.
Why She's Interesting:
She's probably the only animated character I'd choose for this list, but what Mulan did for her family was beyond her own thoughts, she was self-conflicted; unsure of herself, wants to honor her family's name but not in a way that her family wants her to be, and recklessly change her appearance to go fight with other soldiers. That's what she does, and it's groundbreaking. It works for first, but when she's hurt and revealed by the doctor that she's indeed a girl, the army discharges her. The film is breaking gender and foreign culture stereotypes, to show that a woman can be anything. Disney's best effort to date in order to depict such strong, interesting female character. Amazing
20. Glenn Close as Marquise de Merteuil in DANGEROUS LIAISONS (1988)
The Story: A play of controversy based on lust and jealousy, to battle lovers and ex-lovers.
Why She's Interesting:
Marquise's delicately evil trait plays her ex-lover to seduce the fiancee of another ex-lover of her. It's confusing right? But what makes it fascinating is how the emotions and sentiments play, how every human beings' traits are being orchestrated, Glenn Close amazingly personifies Marquise de Merteuil as a heartlessly humane woman, who was triumphed by her own ego. And when the obstacle comes, boy, how epic it is. It's a game, a battle of human beings, coated in a very beautiful production and costume (the film sets France in 18th century). How dexterous Glenn Close is, really. This scene was dramatic in the best way.
No comments:
Post a Comment