This Month in Entertainment

Record Breaking Movie Black Panther Recasts Women in Powerful Roles

By Ellie Zimmerman

Black Panther, the most-talked about movie of the year after only being released this month, has generated over 476.6 million dollars in the box office with a large number of women in prominent roles. The movie featured Hannah Beachler as production designer, who has been awarded ADG Excellence In Production Design for Awards, Music, or Game Shows and Ruth G. Carter as costume designer who received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Costume Design. Another incredible woman, Rachel Morrison, the winner of the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Cinematographer, worked as cinematographer on Black Panther. From the first few minutes of Black Panther it is clear that this isn’t an average superhero film, where women are helpless and men save the day. Instead, the women of Wakanda show immense leadership, talent and save the day several times. Shuri, played by actress Letitia Wright, is the smartest person in Wakanda and is responsible for most of the nation’s advanced technology. The Dora Milaje, T’Challa’s all-female personal guard opposing gender norms, protect the king at all costs. Obviously, Black Panther displays many women’s incredible acting skills and shows a variety of the typical superhero film, giving women imperative roles.

The Academy Awards – Women To Watch

By Caroline Antonacci

The Academy Awards, the most prestigious awards show in Hollywood, is on Sunday March 4th. After the recent #MeToo and Times Up movements, this year’s Academy Awards will be the first one without Harvey Weinstein. Rachel Morrison is nominated for best cinematographer for her work on the movie Mudbound, and she is the first woman nominated for this award in the 90 year history of the award show. Morrison became the first woman to win the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Cinematographer in 2017. Greta Gerwig is nominated for best director and best original screenplay for Lady Bird. She has previously won a Golden Globe for best motion picture for Lady Bird. Mary J. Blige is nominated for best original song for “Mighty River” from Mudbound. She has won nine Grammys since 2009. The Female Leading role nominees include Frances McDormand from Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Saoirse Ronan from Lady Bird, Sally Hawkins from The Shape of Water, Margot Robbie from I, Tonya, and Meryl Streep, who was nominated for the record breaking 21st time, from The Post. All of the nominees are award winning actresses. Frances McDormand has won one Academy award, one BAFTA award, one tony, four Screen Actors Guild Awards, two lifetime Emmy Awards, one Golden Globe, and honored for one Golden Globe. Previously, Saoirse Ronan has won one Golden Globe Award. Margot Robbie has won one Critics choice award and one People’s choice award. Meryl Streep has won three Academy awards, two BAFTA awards, eight Golden Globes, three Primetime Emmy Awards, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. The Supporting Actress nominees include Lesley Manville from Phantom Thread, Allison Janney from I, Tonya, Laurie Metcalf from Lady Bird, Mary J. Blige from Mudbound, and Octavia Spencer from The Shape of Water. Allison Janney has won a BAFTA award, one Golden Globe, seven Screen Actors Guild Awards, and seven Primetime Emmy Awards. Laurie Metcalf has won two tonys and two Primetime Emmy Awards. Finally, Octavia Spencer has won one Academy Award, one BAFTA award, and three Screen Actors Guild Awards.