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Our wrap up of 2018 continues with our Top 5 Female Performances of the year. 2018 was one HELL of a year in film. Perhaps the very best in CinemaJaw history. This week we take a look at the women who gave film performances that helped make this past year what it is.

Joining us is a woman who loves to examine film from the feminine perspective. Pamela Powel has been on the film beat for nearly a decade. With shows on radio, television and the internet, she is a true voice in film criticism. We are proud to call her a friend of the show!

To listen to the podcast, go to http://cinemajaw.com/wordpress/cinemajaw-404-pamela-powell-best-female-performances-of-2018/

Margot Robbie has no fear of playing characters with an ugly heart, and her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth I in her newest film “Mary Queen of Scots” is a prime example.

The story, based on the book “Queen of Scots: The True Life of Mary Stuart” by John Guy, adapted by Beau Willimon and directed by Josie Rourke, breathes life and understanding into an era of two women vying for the British throne. This previously inanimate time in history, forgotten or never known to most of us, comes alive with vibrant and rich characters and a story that is simply spellbinding.

You don’t have to be a fan of history or British history to love this film. You do, however, have to be a fan of a great story, and “Mary Queen of Scots” is a powerful one. We meet young Mary (Saoirse Ronan), recently widowed and returning from France in search of her home and homeland. She is the rightful heir to the British crown, but that seat is currently occupied by her barren, insecure and lonely cousin, the daughter of King Henry VIII, Queen Elizabeth I (Robbie).

To read the review in its entirety, go to https://www.daily-journal.com/life/entertainment/reel-talk-mary-queen-of-scots/article_f8b74d70-0d17-11e9-a308-07c077b43048.html