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Hollywood had a good (read: decidedly repugnant) run with creating movies that portrayed women as divas, temptresses, trophy wives, and other outdated stereotypical archetypes, but now more than ever, the film industry is putting complicated women at the forefront of its motion pictures, and you better believe we’re clapping for that like Meryl Streep at the 2015 Oscars.
Stories about complex women who don’t fit in the mold of society’s standards have always been wanted and needed, but it wasn’t until recently that they began being told at a mainstream, internationally-reaching level — like that of the world’s most prestigious films.
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Whether they are a mess of personal problems in the clutches of fear of failure like Michelle Yeoh’s Everything Everywhere All at Once character, have a bewilderingly chameleon-esque personality like that of Decision to Leave‘s Seo-Rae, or are complicated in a cunning manner like Anya Taylor-Joy’s character in The Menu, we relish every film that dissects the labyrinthine depth of women and their diverse stories — an invigorating trait every one of these movies shares.
The following films not only put many-faceted female characters front and center of their plots, but are also nominated for a prestigious Golden Globe award for their excellence in the arena of American and international filmmaking. Read on for 2023’s Golden Globe-nominated films that tell stories about women in all of their glorious, complex, refreshing imperfection, and be sure to add them to your watch list ASAP.
‘Babylon’
Nominated for Best Picture – Musical/Comedy — with Margot Robbie also nominated for Best Actress – Motion Picture – Musical/Comedy for her role as Nellie — Babylon follows the rise and fall of several characters in the 1920s as sound films replace silent films in Old Hollywood.
Robbie’s character is an aspiring starlet who quickly attains fame, falling into the lure of drugs and gambling. As Hollywood transitions from silent to sound films, Nellie struggles with the unfamiliar demands of sound films, and thus falls more heavily on her addictions. Babylon chronicles her ensuing spiral, cutting through the drama with jaw-dropping humor.
The movie’s star-studded cast, in addition to Robbie, includes Jean Smart, Brad Pitt, Tobey Maguire, Spike Jonze, Diego Calva, and more.
‘Decision to Leave’
Starring Tang Wei and Park Hae-il, Decision to Leave is about a detective investigating a man’s death, who gets caught in the riptide of the dead man’s suspicious wife as he anguishes over the case.
Wei stars as Seo-Rae, widower of a man who mysteriously fell off a mountain while hiking. Hae-Jun, lead detective on the case, suspects Seo-Rae may have been nefariously involved in her husband’s untimely death, but her name is ultimately cleared. Seo-Rae and Hae-Jun become romantically involved, and the film follows their ultimate demise — both as a couple and as individuals.
Decision to Leave is nominated for the Golden Globes’ Best Picture – Non-English Language award.
‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’
Everything Everywhere All At Once follows several characters of the Wang family, including Evelyn. A Chinese immigrant who is concurrently dealing with an IRS audit, the cusp of a divorce from her husband, and a visit from her father — a man of devout tradition — she finds herself thrust into an unbelievable adventure in which she must connect with parallel universe versions of herself to prevent the destruction of the entire multiverse.
The film is a nominee in the Golden Globes’ Best Picture – Musical/Comedy category. Michelle Yeoh is also up for the Best Actress – Motion Picture – Musical/Comedy award for her role as Evelyn, and Jamie Lee Curtis is nominated for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture for her role as Deidre.
‘The Fabelmans’
Directed and co-written by Steven Spielberg with a cast lineup including Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen, and Paul Dano, The Fabelmans chronicles a loose retelling of Spielberg’s adolescence and budding career as a filmmaker.
The film follows Sammy, played by Gabriel LaBelle, as he discovers and develops his passion for filmmaking while his home life implodes around him. Said home life includes Mitzi, Sammy’s mother, who has an affair with her husband’s business partner that ultimately sets the family on a turbulent course as Sammy discovers and develops his dreams into reality.
The Fabelmans is nominated for Best Picture – Drama, and Williams is up for Best Actress – Motion Picture – Drama for her role as Mitzi.
‘Tár’
Nominated for Best Picture – Drama, with Cate Blanchett included in the nominees for Best Actress – Motion Picture – Drama, Tár follows the downfall of musical composer and conductor Lydia Tár, the first-ever female music director of a major German orchestra.
With infidelity, inappropriate workplace relations, acts of misplaced passion, legal accusations, and more pandemonium, Blanchett’s Lydia is, undoubtedly, a very complicated woman.
‘Good Luck to You, Leo Grande’
While Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, in addition to the following films, wasn’t nominated for Best Picture – Musical/Comedy or Drama at the Globes this year, its leading actress, Emma Thompson, is nominated for Best Actress – Motion Picture – Musical/Comedy for her role as Nancy.
The film follows Thompson’s character — a retired religious education teacher, widower, and woman who’s never experienced an orgasm. Nancy longs for adventure and great sex after a lifetime of neither, and her plan to experience both involves hiring a hot, young sex worker named Leo Grande.
‘The Woman King’
The bonus films continue with The Woman King, for which Viola Davis is nominated for Best Actress – Motion Picture – Drama for her role as General Nanisca.
The film follows the Agojie, an all-female warrior unit that protected the West African kingdom of Dahomey in the 1800s. King Ghezo, provoked by the Oyo Empire’s slavers abuducting Dahomean women, charges General Nanisca to train the next generation of warriors to fight their enemies.
‘The Menu’
Lasty, we offer up The Menu, whose Anya Taylor-Joy is nominated for the Golden Globes’ Best Actress – Motion Picture – Musical/Comedy award.
Following several flamboyant characters who travel to a private island to eat at an exclusive restaurant, Taylor-Joy’s Margot deftly navigates a chaotic evening of comically gruesome events, using her double identity to her advantage.
Taylor-Joy is joined by Ralph Fiennes, who is nominated for Best Actor – Motion Picture – Musical/Comedy for his role as Julian, as well as Nicholas Hoult.
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