Women leading the charge in 2017 film

The most dynamic performances this year so far belong to women. Given how so many of the roles in mainstream movies are written for men, it’s an accomplishment worth celebrating.

In the run-up to Academy Award season, many names are often thrown about in the Best Actor and Supporting Actor categories. As someone who has fun making Oscar predictions every year, I know the same isn’t often true for the Actress and Supporting Actress categories. Most years, there are generally only six or seven actresses under serious consideration, simply because there are fewer showstopping parts for women in Hollywood. And half of those roles seem to go to Meryl Streep.

The performances I remember best from the first 10 months of 2017 are from women, and we’ve still got another two months of prestige pictures to add to the pile. Movie aficionados shouldn’t have to make a big deal of this, but until Hollywood gets rid of ALL the scumbag producers, and women receive the same opportunities in front of and behind the camera, the point should be made.

Here are some of the performances worth remembering come awards season.

Florence Pugh, “Lady Macbeth”

It takes only minutes for “Lady Macbeth” to reveal itself as something much more twisted than the typical period/costume drama. Pugh, starring as a desperate woman trapped in a loveless marriage in an English country estate circa 1865, slowly reveals her character’s guile and ruthlessness. While her transformation begins as something celebratory, her actions escalate into horrors equal to and exceeding how men have treated her. Through all this, Pugh is magnetic, making it all the more difficult to turn against her. Available on home video platforms.

Rooney Mara, “A Ghost Story”

In pop culture, “A Ghost Story” is largely known for two things - 1. Casey Affleck stars in a largely silent role as a ghost draped in a white bedsheet, and 2. There’s a five minute scene where Rooney Mara eats an entire pie in real time.

Dismissals aside, “A Ghost Story” is a sad, overwhelmingly powerful film for those who can settle on its wavelength, and Mara’s grief-stricken character is key to its success. The actress takes a minimalist approach, never resorting to sobbing or loud outbursts to convey the character’s loss. Available on home video platforms.

Anne Hathaway, “Colossal”

Perhaps the quirkiest “monster movie” ever made, Hathaway stars as an alcoholic who can summon a giant beast in South Korea. “Colossal” could have gone wrong in so many ways, and it’s a testament to how Hathaway and writer/director Nacho Vigalondo refuse to portray the character with broad stereotypes about booze and female empowerment. The movie is about those things, but it’s about them in fascinating, original ways. Available to stream on Hulu.

Zoe Kazan, “The Big Sick”

Though considered a breakout hit for star/comedian Kumail Nanjiani, the conflict of “The Big Sick” only works because of a star turn by Zoe Kazan. She plays Emily, the one in the story who gets a rare disease and slips into a coma for half the movie. It’s Kazan’s charismatic and rich characterization that makes you miss Emily during the middle stretch of the movie, which humanizes the struggle of Nanjiani’s character. Then, in the third act, Kazan returns to provide new and compelling shades to Emily. Holly Hunter is also terrific in the movie, no surprise. Available on home video platforms.

Carla Gugino, “Gerald’s Game”

Handcuffed to a bed for almost its entire running length, Gugino is onscreen for nearly every second of “Gerald’s Game,” a taut, well-made adaptation of a Stephen King Novel. Gugino is incredible playing by herself and against herself as the character tries to break free of both literal and figurative traps. Available to stream on Netflix.

Salma Hayek, “Beatriz at Dinner”

While I didn’t love the movie itself, “Beatriz at Dinner” provides Hayek with her best role since “Frida” and the first in a long time to really showcase both her dramatic range and comedic timing. Here she plays a sensitive massage therapist who awkwardly agrees to a dinner party of one her clients. It’s there where she begins to push back at the behavior of the other elite guests, notably John Lithgow as a callous businessman. Though the third act unravels, Hayek remains a showstopper. Available on home video platforms.

Gal Gadot, “Wonder Woman”

Just when the DC Comics movie brand needed resuscitation, Gadot and director Patty Jenkins delivered a “Wonder Woman” that was fun, thoughtful and empowering to superhero fans old and young, male and female. With Gadot, everything just clicks - she stole the attention away from Batman and Superman in “Dawn of Justice,” and now she has an origin movie worthy of comparison with some of the best installments in the genre.

More excellent performances in 2017 - Jennifer Lawrence and Michelle Pfeiffer in “mother!,” Lily James in “Baby Driver,” Allison Williams in “Get Out,” Melanie Lynskey in “I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore,” the entire cast of “The Beguiled.”

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Tyler Wilson can be reached at [email protected]