Emma Watson, born on April 15, 1990, came under the spotlight very young for playing Hermione in the Harry Potter saga. We saw her grow up from a young blooming start to a beautiful woman in the eight installments of the Harry Potter series. However, Emma Watson also has an eclectic range of other hit movies to her credit. Besides her movie career, she is also known for being an activist and one of the most influential women in the world.
Her recent movies are Greta Gerwig and Little Women. Unfortunately, after these movies, she reportedly retired from her acting career at the young age of 31. However, she is doing a lot of work off-screen. For example, she served as a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador. In addition, she supported the launch of the UN Women campaign HeForShe, as she is a great advocate for gender equality. Honoring her career and positive influence on women, we recall her top 10 movies in the following list.
Image Courtesy: IMDb
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The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Year: 2012
Genre: Drama
Director: Stephen Chbosky
Co-stars: Logan Lerman, Ezra Miller, Paul Rudd
The movie is based on Stephen Chbosky’s novel of the same name. The movie explores teenage sexuality, relationships, and even abuse. Charlie (Logan Lerman) is the wallflower from the title, which meets Sam (Emma Watson) and Patrick (Ezra Miller). They help him enter the world of music, friendship, and teenage relationships. The movie’s turning point is the dark secret behind Charlie’s introverted personality.
This coming-of-age drama, directed and written by Stephen Chbosky, won the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Film-Wide Release, and Watson earned the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Dramatic Movie Actress.
Image Courtesy: IMDb
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Noah
Year: 2014
Genre: Biblical, Adventure, Drama
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Co-stars: Russel Crow, Anthony Hopkins, Jennifer Connelly
The well-known Darren Aronofsky directed the 2014 epic biblical drama, Noah. It was inspired by the biblical tale of Noah’s Ark in the Book of Enoch and The Book of Genesis. Emma plays the role of Noah’s (Russel Crow) adopted daughter, Ila.
The movie was met with mixed feedback from various figures from the Abrahamic faiths. Yet, reviewers generally gave it a favorable review. While it is certainly not without its critics — possibly justly so, but perhaps not — the huge scale of the film is difficult to ignore.
Image Courtesy: Teen Vogue
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Little Women
Year: 2019
Genre: Romance, Drama
Director: Greta Gerwig
Co-stars: Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh
“Little Women”” is a reworking of Louisa-May Alcott’s classic book that tells the tale of the sisters March Amy, Beth, Jo, and Meg in their daily lives as they are impacted both for the better and the worse by the Civil War’s final years.
The film premiered to critical acclaim, earned more than $215 million at the box office, and earned Six Academy Award nominations (winning Best Costume Design). Of Watson’s Meg performance, Forbes stated that it was the most challenging role for Watson.
Image Courtesy: Teen Vogue
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Beauty and the Beast
Year: 2017
Genre: Fantasy, Adventure
Director: Bill Condon
Co-stars: Dan Stevens, Josh Gad, Luke Evans
Belle (Emma Watson) is confronted by a terrifying Beast when she is kidnapped by her father and demands to join him in the live-action version of “Beauty and the Beast.” After Belle is kept in an ancient castle filled with magical artifacts, she makes friends with the Beast and starts to recognize him as the person he was once.
Some critics believed that the movie was too dependent on computer-generated graphics. Still, its ensemble of actors, led by Watson, impressed the audience.
Image Courtesy: Roger Ebert
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Colonia
Year: 2015
Genre: Biography, History, Drama
Director: Florian Gallenberger
Co-stars: Daniel Brühl, Richenda Carey, Michael Nyqvist
Based on real-life events, Colonia (The Colony, based in the UK) is an escape-style film. In the movie, Watson is the rescuer, a young woman named Lena, who anticipates a chance to escape with her boyfriend, Daniel. The story has dark undertones and also connotations of abuse. The tale examines the abuse of the power of an organization and echoes the background of the government coup.
Image Courtesy: IMDb
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Regression
Year: 2015
Genre: Crime, Drama
Director: Alejandro Amenábar
Co-stars: David Thewlis, Ethan Hawke
Regression is among the films that cover almost everything, which includes horror, mystery, psycho-thriller, and drama. The detective, Bruce Kenner (Ethan Hawke), and Professor Kenneth Raines (David Thewlis) examine the sexual assault of Angela Gray (Emma Watson) perpetrated by her father. Through recovered memory therapy, the Professor begins to discover more than sexual abuse. The dark underworld of cultists and satanic rituals is revealed.
Regression is a better film than many give it credit. Watson and Hawke each give captivatingly dark and eerie performances that echo the theme. It’s dark, incredibly dramatic, and extremely subdued.
Image Courtesy: Roger Ebert
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The Circle
Year: 2017
Genre: Thriller, Drama
Director: James Ponsoldt
Co-stars: Tom Hanks, John Boyega
The largest technology business in the world, headed by CEO Bailey (Tom Hanks), recruits Mae (Emma Watson) for the job she’s always wanted. Bailey’s dream is that understanding and being aware of everything will create a better place. If Mae is asked to become completely transparent, constantly streaming and filmed for all the world to view, ethics, morality, and even her entire life will be forever changed. Bailey’s vision is not quite so clear.
Image Courtesy: The New Yorker
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The Bling Ring
Year: 2013
Genre: Biography, Drama, Crime
Director: Sofia Coppola
Co-stars: Israel Broussard, Katie Chang
The Bling Ring is inspired by a Vanity Fair article titled “The Suspects Wore Louboutins,” which Sofia Coppola developed into a film. The article describes a group of teenagers from the San Fernando Valley who robbed the houses of celebrities, stealing goods worth millions of dollars. Nicki Moore, portrayed by Watson, is the group’s ringleader. She delivers an outstanding performance as a hideous whose only goal in life is to become famous at the highest level.
Image Courtesy: IMDb
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My Week with Marilyn.
Year: 2011
Genre: Biography, Drama
Director: Simon Curtis
Co-stars: Kenneth Branagh, Michelle Williams, Eddie Redmayne
Michelle Williams plays the titular blonde beauty in My Week with Marilyn, which is set against the backdrop of the 1957 film The Prince and the Showgirl. Marilyn is in London filming her latest movie, where she continues to break the hearts of anybody who falls in love with her despite her ongoing internal struggle with the concept of character. Unfortunately, Colin Clark (Eddie Redmayne) is an overeager film student on set.
Michelle Williams is outstanding and was nominated to win the Oscar for best actress. Lucy, played by Emma Watson, is Colin’s fleeting love interest. My Week with Marilyn was shot well and perfectly captures a bygone age of cinema, maybe for an older generation. Still, it is also for lovers of film and excellent performances.
Image Courtesy: Movie Web
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This is the End
Year: 2013
Genre: Comedy, Fantasy
Director: Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg
Co-stars: Seth Rogen, James Franco, Jonah Hill
Almost no other movie is like This is the End. It’s outrageously creative, racy, and irreverent. It imagines a universe where the apocalypse prophesied in the Book of Revelation occurs at a party thrown by some of Hollywood’s most prominent stoner comedians (Jay Baruchel, Seth Rogen, James Franco, Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, Danny McBride, and Craig Robinson, all playing versions of themselves). There is mayhem and shenanigans. Brief but hilarious cameo by Emma Watson (as herself) in the film.
