The Year of the Woman -- Almost

I think I was about 15 years old when it happened. The Academy Awards proclaimed that year's ceremony the "Year of the Woman." There was the usual gaudy hoo-ha, complete with musical numbers. There was only one problem - that year's films had hardly a drop of estrogen among them. Of course, that wasn't just because the Academy was overlooking female-centered films - there indeed was a shortage. That's why it was especially heartening to see this year's crop of nominees. Only one of the five, "Gladiator" is blatantly testosterone-laden. Another nominee "Traffic" is mostly a boys club, but it does feature two strong female roles, played by Catherine Zeta-Jones and Erika Christensen. But in the other three films, women - refreshingly independent women -- take center stage. In "Erin Brockovich," Julia Roberts plays a tough single mother who takes on a chemical company that's poisoning the residents of a neighboring town. "Chocolat" features Juliette Binoche as another free-thinking single mom - this one a confectioner who unsettles a puritanical French town with her candies, low-cut blouses and disregard for propriety. Most notably, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" is about three warriors in ancient China - two of them women. Why this sudden interest in the fairer sex? Who can say? It's not as if Hollywood has suddenly taken an enlightened view toward women. There's still a shortage of meaty roles for women. And as long as there's a plan to make "Basic Instinct 2," there's still no reason to jump for joy. But seeing films with strong female characters at the core get recognized does give me hope. It wasn't long ago that women in the best actress category were mostly nominated for glorified supporting roles. These roles were usually secondary to those played by the men - wives, girlfriends, mothers and - all too frequently - prostitutes. Occasionally, there's a notable exception, such as Frances McDormand's statue for her turn as a smart, strong police officer in "Fargo" or Hilary Swank's recognition for her gender-bending work in "Boys Don't Cry." However, the awards are mostly a guy thing, like movies in general and it's rare to see so many female-centered films - not to mention strong female performances - get a nod. Unfortunately, I don't think "Dragon," "Chocolat" or "Erin Brockovich" will score the best picture win. My money is on Golden Globe winner "Gladiator" or critical darling "Traffic." However, "Dragon" is a favorite to win Best Foreign Language Film and Julia Roberts is the front-runner for the Best Actress prize.

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