Talking Movies

As March bids us farewell, I just have to speak of some movies with very compelling narratives starring women as the lead characters.

1. Joy – For weeks last year after it’s official release in America, this film sat on my laptop, but I'm glad I decided to watch it around the period where we celebrated the international women's day last year because this film spoke to me in different ways. It's the tale of a woman's rise in the world of entrepreneurship. The risks she took, the sacrifices she was willing to make, the discouragement from people and life as well as the disappointment from trusting those she loved. Seeing her sit idle, watching the discussions around her, made the character feel so real/down to earth because it was unlike the image of business savvy women that the world paints as the criteria to succeed in business. It showed the process of learning on the job while being determined to see your creation come to life. Released in 2015 and deemed as comedy Drama (genre), I found little to laugh about because of the nature of the subject matter. Despite being inspired by the actual story of Joy Mangano’s rise to success, there were deviations from the real story such as the fact that she didn't give up her education and she met her husband at the University (Pace University) where she studied Business. Her degree, however, didn't translate into immediate success for her as she still had to work low-end jobs as depicted in the film till she invented the mop. If you are a woman looking to go into entrepreneurship, you’ll enjoy this movie.

2. Room - Usually I judge a film by the first 5 minutes, and as I began this film, I was bored and wondered what the movie had to show that it extended to a full 113minutes (i.e. 1hr 53mins) but for some weird reason, I kept on watching. By 20minutes into the film, I had judged the characters as a prostitute with a child depending on a pimp for survival. An hour into the movie, I was in tears. I was so wrong about this film. This 2015 drama genre was suspenseful and harrowing as it touched on the subject matter of abduction - live in captivity and life afterwards. The trauma was so real that I could hardly believe it was a screen adaptation of a novel bearing the same name as the film, written by Emma Donoghue. It told the tale of a mother's love, how a child could save a mother from herself emotionally by giving her the will to live, it showcased the innocence of a child in the most traumatic situation. When I decide to watch it, I had no idea what the ratings or critics reviews of the movie were. It was kind of interesting to find out that though it didn't do so well in box office upon its release, the number of Award nominations for the film boosted its gross earnings. Made on a $13million budget, it went from a little above $5million after its release in October 2015 showing in 198 theatres to over $14 million in North America and $35million worldwide by April 2016. It ended up winning multiple awards and earning the reputation among critics as one of the best films released in 2015.

3.Hidden Figures - I have some friends who are committed to watching latest movies on a weekly basis, and when they saw this biopic released in December 2016, that was all they could talk about for weeks. When I finally got my hands on this movie, I could understand why. Hidden Figures tell the tale of three African American women who worked at NASA at a time where racial equality was a big deal for the black race. They fought for opportunities using their intelligence/skill and caused a change in their circumstances through unconventional means. Though the movie is a departure from the book (which was a non-fiction piece with the same name), the sensationalised parts brought with it a heightened effect of the triumph of these women. For instance, Katherine Goble/Johnson in real life didn't take 40mins break off work to use the ladies room daily. Neither did Mary Jackson go to a night white only class to earn her engineering degree, she simply asked the city of Hampton, Virginia for an exemption and was granted even though the school ran two parallel systems. Mary Jackson did finish her course, earning her engineering degree and got promoted. Also, Katherine didn't get a one-time opportunity to be part of the editorial meetings because that one meeting was most important, she had to persevere before she got into that circle of planners. These differences do not take away from the film in the least. It is still a powerful movie which I'd advise anyone to watch.

4. Queen of Katwe - A real testament to the strength of a mother's love and the power of holding on to virtue. I know my focus should have been on the journey of the 11year old Ugandan chess champ, Phiona, but I couldn't take my eyes off her mother, Harriet, whose character was played by Lupita Nyong'o. Life dealt her a hard blow, she went from being loved and protected to being widowed and struggling to survive, but she didn't let that dampen her spirit. She did all she could to ensure her children were educated and given the best possible chance in life if they chose the path laid out for them. Yes, she had a black sheep of a daughter, but all just goes to show that our champ's life could have easily swung the other way had she not determined to make something meaningful of her life despite her family background. I could feel the rising discontent Phiona must have felt when she experienced better living conditions. It ate at her for a while, but she turned that pain into a zeal to excel. This film stood out because although it had the typical Disney happy ending, it showed a side of life not usually identified with by Disney and that is a star#'s rise from abject poverty in Africa.

All ordinary women, who were moved to do the impossible according to the dictates of the standard of life familiar to them. These films go to show that nothing is impossible if you put your mind to it, you'll find that hard work and determination do pay off and being a woman should not be seen as a limitation. Make use of what you have, strive to be the best version of yourself, and you'll be a reference point to the world someday.