Film franchises like Underworld and Resident Evil have earned loyal fans and billions of dollars. Photo taken Hindustan Times
Mumbai, India (BBN) - Two Hollywood films released this week: Ghost in the Shell and Colossal.
They’re both genre films; Ghost in the Shell is an American adaptation of a beloved Japanese science fiction anime, and Colossal is a monster movie with a quirky take, reports Hindustan Times.
What you probably didn’t notice, mainly because it hasn’t been advertised as such, is that both films’ protagonists are women.
In India, the ‘female-centric’ movie has become a genre unto itself.
In recent past, films like Pink, Neerja, Kahaani 2, Phillauri, and Naam Shabana have boasted about featuring strong female characters at the centre.
In fact, with Dirty Picture, the two Kahaani films, and the upcoming Begum Jaan, Vidya Balan has cornered the market.
In stark contrast, the Hollywood films in which tough women kick butt, the films that often have subtle feminist subtext, barely make any noise about this.
In 2017 itself, we’ve seen numerous ‘female-centric’ films come out of Hollywood which, no one really boxes into these categories.
It’s only March, but here’s a list of films that feature strong female characters
UNDERWORLD: BLOOD WARS
This is the fifth installment of the resilient Underworld franchise.
If it weren’t for the second film on our list, the fact that there have been five movies in this Kate Beckinsale action/fantasy series, would be a very notable feat. Actually, it still is.
RESIDENT EVIL: THE FINAL CHAPTER
For 15 years, Milla Jovovich has proved that not only can women be great action heroes, they can also be major box office draws.
The Resident Evil franchise includes six installments, all led by Jovovich, that have made $1.2 billion at the worldwide box office.
BEFORE I FALL
Before I Fall is directed by, written by, starring, and based on a novel by women.
If that’s not worth mentioning, then what is.
THE LAST WORD
The Last Word has not one, but two central characters that are women.
In fact, it is the definition of a ‘female centric’ film. Shirley McLane and Amanda Seyfried bond over life and death.
CATFIGHT
Bridesmaids disproved the biggest misconception out there: That women can’t do raunchy humour.
Six years and close to $300 million later, here’s Catfight, admittedly not the best example of the genre, but it stars Sandra Oh, Anne Heche and Alicia Silverstone.
RAW
Perhaps the most talked about film in this list, Raw is a French coming of age story about cannibals.
Ever since its debut at film festivals around the world, the feminist horror movie has been attracting buzz.
Its director Julia Ducournau is already a cult star.
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
Finally, the biggest movie of 2017, Disney’s live-action remake of the classic animated movie has made over $700 million at the BO, and is expected to hit the coveted $1 billion mark by the end of its run.
Notably, it will eclipse the earnings of some of star Emma Watson’s Harry Potter movies.
And let’s not forget xXx: The Return of Xander Cage, and Life, the survival thriller set in space.
Both featured strong women (xXx gave Deepika Padukone a solid platform to showcase her skills, and in Life, Rebecca Ferguson stole the show from the likes of Jake Gyllenhaal and Ryan Reynolds).
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