Tag Archives: female lead

“If I Were You” by Joan Carr-Wiggin (UK, 2012)

if I were you

Two women fight for the love of one man by manipulating him and each other Paralleling King Lear – a role that the female lead endorses – three men fight for the love of the heroin
Good acting and dialogues
According to the few ratings available, critics and public are certainly divided!

Cast: Marcia Gay Harden, Leonor Watling, Joseph Kell
Director: Joan Carr-Wiggin
Writer: Joan Carr-Wiggin
Music by Paolo Buonvino, Guy Farley
Cinematography by Bruce Worrall

“Agora” by Alejandro Amenabar (Spain, 2009)

Agora.PNG

This movie shows that both science and religion are motivated by faith. Ultimately, however, religion becomes a political power, science not. It also shows that all power feeds itself on minorities!

Cast: Rachel Weisz, Max Minghella, Oscar Isaac, Ashraf Barhom, Rupert Evans, Michael Lonsdale
Directed by Alejandro Amenabar
Written by Amenabar, Mateo Gil
Music by Dario Marianelli
Cinematography by Xavi Giménez
Film Editing by Nacho Ruiz Capillas

“The Florida Project” by Sean Baker (USA, 2017)

The Florida Project

In what is supposed to be the paradise of children and one of the symbols of the American dream, a single mother struggles to make end come for her and her young daughter (6). To survive, both mother and daughter manipulate people around them. Left behind by the economic bonanza, they fight for the right to have their place in the sun.

Cast: Brooklynn Prince, Willem Dafoe, Bria Vinaite, Christopher Rivera, Valeria Cotto, Caleb Landry Jones, Macon Blair
Director: Sean Baker
Writer: Sean Baker, Chris Bergoch
Cinematographer: Alexis Zabe
Editor: Sean Baker

“Princess Cyd” by Stephen Cone (USA, 2017)

Princess Cyd

Sex and relationships in the eyes of a teenage girl and a woman in her late 40’s.
A movie staging 3 women in a finely-tuned coming-of-age and out-of-the-closet story, with balanced personages, multi-faceted sexual identities, and an healthy racial distribution.
“You may look at Miranda, and think immediately, ‘Oh, okay, I know who that woman is’. You would be wrong. The same for Cyd. ‘Oh, okay. Bored teenager sunbathing in a bikini. I know who that is’. Again, you would be wrong.” writes Sheila O’Malley.

Cast: Rebecca Spence, Jessie Pinnick, Malic White, James Vincent Meredith, Tyler Ross, Matthew Quattrocki
Director: Stephen Cone
Writer: Stephen Cone
Editor: Christopher Gotschall
Director of Photography: Zoe White
Original Music Composer: Heather McIntosh

“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” by Martin McDonagh (USA, 2017)

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

An exceptional success at mixing comedy and drama / Rich representations of minorities, excellent dialogues

Cast: Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, Abbie Cornish, Caleb Landry Jones, Kathryn Newton, Clarke Peters
Director: Martin McDonagh
Writer: Martin McDonagh
Cinematographer: Ben Davis
Editor: Jon Gregory
Composer: Carter Burwell

“Barracuda” by Jason Cortlund & Julia Halperin (USA, 2017)

Writing in pair: man + woman directing

Barracuda

Good music, excellent acting, great tension build-up on a somewhat weak scenario

Cast: Sophie Reid, Allison Tolman, JoBeth Williams, Luis Bordonada, Tanner Beard
Director: Jason Cortlund, Julia Halperin
Writer: Jason Cortlund
Cinematographer: Jonathan Nastasi
Composer: Chris Brokaw

“The Battle Of The Sexes” by Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris (USA, 2017)

Working in pair: man + woman directing

The Battle Of The Sexes

Too predictable and at times grotesque

Cast: Emma Stone, Steve Carell, Andrea Riseborough, Sarah Silverman, Alan Cumming
Director: Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris
Writer: Simon Beaufoy
Cinematographer: Linus Sandgren
Editor: Pamela Martin
Composer: Nicholas Britell

“What Happened To Monday” by Tommy Wirkola (UK, 2017)

What Happened To Monday

Some excellent moments alternating with loss of momentum and some ridiculously weak bad guys

Cast: Noomi Rapace, Glenn Close, Willem Dafoe
Director: Tommy Wirkola
Writer: Max Botkin, Kerry Williamson
Cinematographer: José David Montero
Editor: Martin Stoltz
Composer: Christian Wibe