Entertainment
As December approaches, so does the perfect weather to escape to the movies. And these December 2018 films written or directed by women cover the gamut of genre options. Hollywood is still notoriously backwards when it comes to giving women behind-the-scenes roles, but the upcoming month promises plenty of varied films that suggest that things are slowly changing.
The list of December releases includes Oscar contender Mary Queen of Scots, which, besides having a female director. also puts women at the forefront with stars Margot Robbie and Saoirse Ronan. Then there’s Bumblebee, written by Christina Hodson. Though it’s part of the Transformers universe, it’s not helmed by notoriously problematic director Michael Bay, and centers around a heroine, Charlie (Hailee Steinfeld), instead of a male lead characters.
But besides those two, there are plenty of highly anticipated films driven by creative women women, including a Netflix original comedy about a plus-sized teen who tries out for a beauty pageant (Dumplin’), an adorable animated Christmas flick (Elliot the Littlest Reindeer), a touching true story about a man suffering from PTSD who copes by creating a miniature village (Welcome To Marwen), and more.
There are so many great options, and you’ll want to make time to watch them all. Here's what women in Hollywood have coming up this month:
1
'Elliot: The Littlest Reindeer'
An adorable Christmas movie written and co-directed by Jennifer Westcott, featuring familiar voices like Josh Hutcherson, Morena Baccarin, John Cleese, Martin Short, and more.
In theaters Dec. 1.
2
'Clara's Ghost'
Actor Bridey Elliott makes her feature film debut as writer-director in this off-kilter supernatural flick.
In theaters Dec. 6.
3
'Dumplin'
What's better than an empowering comedy that you can watch from the comfort of your own bed? This Netflix original not only has a female-led cast, starring Jennifer Aniston and Danielle Macdonald, but its writer and director are women, too: Kristin Hahn and Anne Fletcher, respectively.
On Netflix Dec. 7.
4
'Great Great Great'
This indie drama about a young woman's relationship being tested after her parents announce their divorce is co-written by Sarah Kolasky.
In theaters Dec. 7.
5
'Divide And Conquer: The Story Of Roger Ailes'
Director Alexis Bloom made one of the most poignant documentaries of the year, looking into how the former Fox CEO achieved his level of power and then flagrantly abused it.
In theaters Dec. 7.
6
'The Invisibles' a.k.a 'Die Unsichtbaren'
This period drama, co-written by Alejandra López, looks into how four young Jews managed to survive Nazi Germany.
In theaters Dec. 7.
7
Mary Queen Of Scots (Dec. 7)
This much-buzzed about film is one of the top Oscar 2019 contenders — and it was directed by Josie Rourke.
In theaters Dec. 7.
8
'Mortal Engines'
This long-awaited adaptation of Philip Reeve's novels of the same name was co-written by New Zealand screenwriter Philippa Boyens.
In theaters Dec. 11.
9
'Bird Box'
Susanne Bier directed this intense Netflix drama-thriller about a woman who embarks on a dangerous (and blindfolded!) journey with her children, as they escape a supernatural force that kills anyone who looks at it.
On Netflix Dec. 13.
10
'Capernaum'
Nadine Labaki co-wrote and directed this Lebanese drama about a 12-year-old boy who escapes his abusive parents and sues them for negligence.
In theaters Dec. 14.
11
'That Way Madness Lies'
Sandra Luckow directed a compelling, personal documentary about her brother Duanne's severe paranoid schizophrenia.
In theaters Dec. 14.
12
'Bumblebee'
If you've felt put off by the Transformer series due to Bay's well-documented sexist treatment and portrayal of women, you may find this Bumblebee flick refreshing. This installment of the franchise is written by Christina Hodson, plus, you get to see Hailee Steinfeld play a badass heroine.
In theaters Dec. 21.
13
'Second Act'
If you love Younger, you'll love this rom-com co-written by Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas, about Maya (Jennifer Lopez) a 40-year-old woman who gets a chance to fulfill her career dreams when a private finance firm is misled into thinking she's a successful consultant.
In theaters Dec. 21.
14
'Welcome To Marwen'
This touching true story about Mark Hogancamp, a survivor of a violent attack who copes with PTSD by making a miniature village called Marwencol, was co-written by Caroline Thompson.
In theaters Dec. 21.
15
'On The Basis Of Sex' (Dec. 25)
This Ruth Bader Ginsberg biopic was directed by Mimi Leder, who has worked on various hit TV shows, including The West Wing, Shameless, and The Leftovers.
There's something for everybody coming up next month, so pick your faves and support some awesome female creatives.
