FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING AND COMING TO STREAMING/VOD
Wonder Woman 1984 – Directed by Patty Jenkins; Written by Patty Jenkins, Geoff Johns, and Dave Callaham
At long last, we’re being reunited with Wonder Woman, and seeing her onscreen feels like a balm for the soul in this relentlessly grim year. Gal Gadot once again radiates strength and kindness as Diana, who is now working as a senior anthropologist at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C., and moonlighting as a caped crusader. Set in ‘84, decades after the events of the film film, “Wonder Woman 1984” sees Diana still struggling to come to terms with the loss of Steve (Chris Pine), who sacrificed his life to help save the world. Seemingly laser-focused on her responsibilities at the institute as Diana and to humanity as Wonder Woman, she doesn’t appear to have many personal relationships, if any at all. She finds a friend in a new co-worker, Dr. Barbara Ann Minerva (Kristen Wiig). Awkward and insecure, Barbara goes unnoticed by most — but Diana appreciates her humor and liveliness. And Barbara positively idolizes Diana, whom she considers impossibly cool and glamorous. When a mysterious ancient artifact, later identified as a Dreamstone, lands at the Institute, the pair initially struggle to identify it. Before they realize what the mystical object is capable of, they make wishes in its presence — wishes that come true, and forever alter the trajectories of their lives. In the meantime, a struggling businessman/con artist, Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal), is scheming to get his hands on the Dreamstone.
An indictment of lies and greed and a celebration of the truth and its power to transform, “WW84” certainly feels timely, but with a running time of over two-and-a-half hours, the film struggles to maintain a sense of urgency and emotional resonance. I was smitten with its opening scene, but by its last, I was ready for it to end. Still, the power and joy of seeing Wonder Woman light up the screen cannot be overstated — being in her presence really does feel nourishing — and watching “WW84” was a great way to bookend 2020 and move into 2021 with a little more hope. (Laura Berger)
“Wonder Woman 1984” hits theaters and HBO Max December 25. Find screening info here.
Promising Young Woman – Written and Directed by Emerald Fennell
“Promising Young Woman”
“Promising Young Woman” is one helluva debut feature. The first film from actress and former “Killing Eve” showrunner Emerald Fennell is a sharp, stylish take on rape culture and is frankly one of the most cathartic movies I’ve seen in a long time. Carey Mulligan stars as Cassie, who left med school years earlier after a mysterious incident. By day, she’s a bored barista with few personal connections. By night, she goes to clubs, pretends to be drunk, and teaches the predatory men who take her home a lesson about consent. One day, she encounters a former classmate, Ryan (Bo Burnham), is reminded of her time in school, and decides to do something about all the anger she’s been carrying with her since. “Promising Young Woman” — similar to “I May Destroy You” — feels like one of the great pieces of art to come out of the #MeToo era. With a righteously furious protagonist and a candidness about sexual violence and complicity, it’s the feminist thriller we’ve been waiting for. (Rachel Montpelier)
“Promising Young Woman” hits theaters December 25. Find screening info here.
Sylvie’s Love
“Sylvie’s Love”
The jazz is smooth and the air sultry in the New York summer of 1957. Sylvie (Tessa Thompson) helps around her father’s record store as she waits for her fiancé to return from war — until sweet saxophonist Robert (Nnamdi Asomugha) walks in looking for a day job to subsidize his residency at the Blue Morocco lounge. This chance meeting kindles a deep passion in each of them unlike anything they’ve felt before. Sylvie’s mother immediately disapproves and reminds Sylvie of her engagement, while Robert’s band books their first big gig overseas. As time passes, the sexual revolution begins, and Motown becomes king, the two fall in and out of each other’s arms, but never out of love.
“Sylvie’s Love” is now available on Amazon Prime Video.
DNA – Directed by Maïwenn; Written by Maïwenn and Mathieu Demy
“DNA”
Summer in Paris, and the city is deserted. Neige (Maïwenn) regularly visits her beloved Algerian grandfather in his retirement home. It was Emir (Omar Marwan) who raised her, and who offered protection from her toxic parents. She is surrounded by her extended family — brothers, sister, aunt, mother. Relations between them are difficult, rife with resentment and bitterness. Emir’s death will escalate family tensions and trigger a profound identity crisis for Neige.
“DNA” will be available on Netflix December 26.
Herself – Directed by Phyllida Lloyd; Written by Clare Dunne and Malcolm Campbell
“Herself”
Single-mother Sandra (Clare Dunne) escapes her abusive partner with her two young children, only to find herself trapped in temporary accommodation. After months of struggling, she draws inspiration from one of her daughter’s bedtime stories and hits upon the idea of self-building an affordable home. She finds an architect who provides her with plans and is offered land by Peggy (Harriet Walter), a woman she cleans for. Aido (Conleth Hill), a building contractor, appears willing to help too. But as her past rears its head, in the form of Gary (Ian Lloyd Anderson), her possessive ex, and as bureaucrats fight back against her independent spirit, will Sandra be able to rebuild her life from the ground up?
Read Women and Hollywood’s interview with Phyllida Lloyd.
“Herself” hits theaters December 30. It will be available on Amazon Prime Video January 8.
Pieces of a Woman – Written by Kata Wéber
Martha (Vanessa Kirby) and Sean (Shia LaBeouf) are a Boston couple on the verge of parenthood whose lives change irrevocably when a home birth ends in unimaginable tragedy. Thus begins a yearlong odyssey for Martha, who must navigate her grief while working through fractious relationships with Sean and her domineering mother (Ellen Burstyn), along with the publicly vilified midwife (Molly Parker), whom she must face in court.
“Pieces of a Woman” hits theaters December 30. It will be available on Netflix January 7.
Shadow in the Cloud – Directed by Roseanne Liang; Written by Roseanne Liang and Max Landis
“Shadow in the Cloud”
In the throes of World War II, Captain Maude Garrett (Chloe Grace Moretz) joins the all-male crew of a B-17 bomber with a top-secret package. Caught off guard by the presence of a woman on a military flight, the crew tests Maude’s every move. Just as her quick wit is winning them over, strange happenings and holes in her backstory incite paranoia surrounding her true mission. But this crew has more to fear — lurking in the shadows, something sinister is tearing at the heart of the plane. Trapped between an oncoming air ambush and an evil lurking within, Maude must push beyond her limits to save the hapless crew and protect her mysterious cargo.
Read Women and Hollywood’s interview with Roseanne Liang.
“Shadow in the Cloud” hits theaters and VOD January 1.
Audrey (Documentary) – Written and Directed by Helena Coan
“Audrey”: Trinity Mirror/Mirrorpix/Alamy Stock Photo
Actress, humanitarian, and recognized as a film and fashion icon, Audrey Hepburn was undoubtedly one of the greatest legends from the Golden Age of Hollywood. This in-depth documentary looks back at the life, loves, and career of this enigmatic star.
Read Women and Hollywood’s interview with Helena Coan.
“Audrey” will be available on VOD January 5.
Dear Comrades! – Written by Elena Kiseleva and Andrei Konchalovsky
USSR, Novocherkassk, 1962. Lyudmila (Yuliya Vysotskaya) is a member of the local Communist Party. She’s a staunch upholder of the Communist regime and ideals and despises any form of dissent. During a labor strike at the local electromotive factory, she witnesses the shooting on the protesters by the Army sent by the government to quell the strike: a massacre. An event that will change her vision of the world forever. The city is torn apart by riots, arrests, hasty convictions, and the curfew. Many people are injured and several are missing. Precisely in those days Lyudmila’s daughter disappears into thin air and the woman starts an anguished, dangerous, and relentless search, in spite of the blockade of the city, the arrests, and the attempt at a cover-up by the authorities.
“Dear Comrades!” hits virtual cinemas December 25. Find screening info here.
Two Ways Home
Kathy (Tanna Frederick), a woman newly diagnosed with bipolar disorder, is released from prison on good behavior and returns to her country home in Iowa to reconnect with her estranged 12-year-old daughter (Rylie Behr) and her cantankerous elderly grandfather (Tom Bower). Her return home is turbulent and a rough, unwelcome transition in which Kathy must come to terms with her diagnosis and its implications on her identity, while also realizing that her family was happier when she was gone. Conflict with her family intensifies as she struggles to keep her head above water, putting her self-worth and well-being to the ultimate test.
“Two Ways Home” will be available on VOD December 29.
FILMS MADE BY WOMEN OPENING AND COMING TO STREAMING/VOD
One Night in Miami… – Directed by Regina King
“One Night in Miami…”: Amazon
On one incredible night in 1964, four icons of sports, music, and activism gathered to celebrate one of the biggest upsets in boxing history. When underdog Cassius Clay (Eli Goree), soon to be called Muhammad Ali, defeats heavy weight champion Sonny Liston at the Miami Convention Hall, Clay memorialized the event with three of his friends: Malcolm X (Kingsley Ben-Adir), Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr.), and Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge). Based on the award-winning play of the same name, and directed by Regina King, “One Night In Miami…” is a fictional account inspired by the historic night these four formidable figures spent together. It looks at the struggles these men faced and the vital role they each played in the civil rights movement and cultural upheaval of the 1960s. More than 40 years later, their conversations on racial injustice, religion, and personal responsibility still resonate.
“One Night in Miami…” hits theaters December 25. It will be available on Amazon Prime Video January 15.
Alaska Is a Drag – Written and Directed by Shaz Bennett
“Alaska Is a Drag”
From her own script and inspired by writer-director Shaz Bennett’s own experiences, “Alaska Is a Drag” explores themes around the fluidity of gender identity, conforming to norms, and being accepted for who you are. The fish out-of-water dramedy centers on Leo (Martin L Washington Jr.), a glam-obsessed young man with dreams of being a drag superstar while working in a fish cannery in Alaska and defending himself against homophobic attacks. After taking abuse from the town bully one too many times, Leo and his twin sister Tristen (Maya Washington) put his unlikely punching skills to the test with the help of his boss and former amateur boxer (Jason Scott Lee).
“Alaska Is a Drag” will be available on Netflix December 31.
My Rembrandt (Documentary) – Written and Directed by Oeke Hoogendijk
“My Rembrandt”
Rembrandt’s paintings have lost none of their appeal in the 350 years since his death. Collectors worldwide cherish the magic of the Dutch master’s work. This entertaining documentary shows the passion of a variety of Rembrandt enthusiasts. An eccentric, aristocratic Scot is looking for the ultimate place to hang his beloved portrait of a woman reading, and an animated Amsterdam art dealer has his eye out for a second chance to discover a “new” Rembrandt — this descendant of an old merchant family, whose ancestor was once painted by Rembrandt himself, has got something to prove. An ambitious American businessman and his wife proudly make “their” Rembrandts available to the Louvre, and the Rothschild family’s decision to put Rembrandt’s wedding portraits of Marten Soolmans and Oopjen Coppit on the market threatens to provoke a diplomatic row between the Netherlands and France. “My Rembrandt” provides fascinating insight into what makes the work of this Dutch master technically so extraordinary, and why different people are so deeply affected by his oeuvre, or a specific work. Meanwhile, centuries after Rembrandt’s death, his paintings are still a source of drama and gripping plot twists.
“My Rembrandt” hits virtual cinemas January 6. Find screening info here.
In Corpore – Directed by Sarah Jayne Portelli and Ivan Malekin
“In Corpore” delves deep into the grey areas of relationships, exploring how four couples deal with love and lust, commitment and infidelity, and traditional expectations versus self-fulfillment. With four stories taking place in Berlin, Malta, Melbourne, and New York, this international film tackles the consequences faced when one chooses to suppress or give in to the inner desires of body and soul.
“In Corpore” will be available on VOD December 26.
Gun and a Hotel Bible – Directed by Alicia Joy LeBlanc and Raja Gosnell
Spend one hour in one desperate man’s life when Pete (Bradley Gosnell) comes “face-to-face” with everything he once believed in. Gideon — being, ya know, a bible — doesn’t get out much. Still, he has plenty to say, but Pete’s heard it all before, and he’s more than ready to spar with the “Word of God.” As ideas about morality, the Bible, and God fly, the clock ticks. Gideon and Pete battle and bond as they are forced to deal with their inadequacies. Unfortunately, time is short — when all hope is lost, can the lost find hope?
“Gun and a Hotel Bible” will be available on VOD January 5.
TV AND EPISODIC PREMIERES
Shadow Lines – Created by Kirsti Manninen and Katri Manninen; Directed by Alli Haapasalo and AJ Annila (Premieres December 24 on Sundance Now)
Set in the 1950s, “Shadow Lines” follows Helena (Emmi Parviainen), a student just returned to Helsinki from America, who is being recruited by her godfather to join a top-secret Finnish task force in furthering the work of its ongoing missions: to prevent two global powerhouses — the United States and the Soviet Union — from meddling in Finland’s presidential election, and to keep their homeland independent while the CIA and the KGB vie for control of the country.
Bridgerton (Premieres December 25 on Netflix)
“Bridgerton”: Liam Daniel/Netflix
“Bridgerton” follows Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor), the eldest daughter of the powerful Bridgerton family as she makes her debut into Regency London’s competitive marriage market. Hoping to follow in her parents’ footsteps and find a match sparked by true love, Daphne’s prospects initially seem to be unrivaled. But as her older brother begins to rule out her potential suitors, the high society scandal sheet written by the mysterious Lady Whistledown (Julie Andrews) casts aspersions on Daphne.
Death to 2020 (Comedy Special) – Directed by Alice Mathias and Al Campbell (Premieres December 27 on Netflix)
A comedic look at the year we all want to end through the eyes of the worst-informed commentators you’ll ever meet.
Equinox – Created by Tea Lindeburg (Premieres December 30 on Netflix)
Astrid (Danica Curcic) was traumatized by the mysterious disappearance of a school class in 1999. Twenty years later, when she finds out that the only survivor from 1999 mysteriously died, Astrid sets off to discover what really happened.
Yearly Departed (Comedy Special) – Directed by Linda Mendoza; Written by Karen Chee, Akilah Green, Bess Kalb, Franchesca Ramsey, and Jocelyn Richard (Premieres December 30 on Amazon Prime Video)
This comedy special features eulogies for the year 2020 with a line-up of all-women comedians discussing everything from casual sex to beige Band-Aids and everything in between that we’ve “lost” in 2020.
Cleaning Up (Premieres December 31 on Sundance Now)
Struggling mum Sam (Sheridan Smith) discovers access to lucrative stock market information while working as an office cleaner at Canary Wharf.
Call Me Kat (Premieres January 3 on Fox)
Based on the BBC UK original series “Miranda,” “Call Me Kat” stars Mayim Bialik as a woman who struggles every day against society and her mother to prove that she can still live a happy and fulfilling life despite still being single at 39.
Elizabeth Is Missing (TV Movie) – Directed by Aisling Walsh; Written by Andrea Gibb (Premieres January 3 on PBS)
“Elizabeth Is Missing”
Returning to television for the first time in nearly three decades, two-time Academy Award-winner Glenda Jackson stars as a woman desperately trying to solve two mysteries as she declines ever deeper into dementia.
A Woman’s Work: The NFL’s Cheerleader Problem (Documentary) – Directed by Yu Gu; Written by Elizabeth Ai (Premieres January 4 on PBS)
“A Woman’s Work”
Football and feminism collide in this feature documentary that follows two former NFL cheerleaders who file class-action lawsuits against their teams and the league alleging wage theft and illegal employment practices. After more than 50 years of pervasive silence, these young women expose the gender inequality at the heart of America’s favorite pastime, while facing exile from their communities and the job they love. Their fight is a microcosm of the battle women wage across all industries today.
Read Women and Hollywood’s interview with Yu Gu.
Mr. Mayor – Created by Tina Fey (Premieres January 7 on NBC)
“Mr. Mayor” follows a retired businessman (Ted Danson) who runs for mayor of Los Angeles to prove he’s “still got it.” Once he wins, he has to figure out what he stands for, gain the respect of his biggest critic (Holly Hunter), and connect with his teenage daughter, all while trying to get anything right for America’s second weirdest city.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE WEEK
Saudi Arabia Adds “Scales” to Oscars’ International Feature Race
“Nomadland” Dominates Chicago Film Critics Association Awards, Chloé Zhao Wins Best Director
L.A. Film Critics Association & New York Film Critics Circle Name Chloé Zhao Best Director for “Nomadland”
2020’s Best Documentaries By and About Women
2020’s Best New Television Created By and About Women
Guest Post: How I Went from Sketch Writing to Feature Films — And Got My First Feature Made
Note: All descriptions are from press materials, unless otherwise noted.
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