7. The Devil Wears Prada
Witty expose of New York fashion scene, “Devil Wears Prada” gave Meryl Streep yet another iconic role and also helped Emily Blunt to earn acclaim for her scene-stealing turn in this David Frankel film which was both commercially and critically successful. Streep and Blunt may have meatier roles, but Hathaway establishes herself as America’s sweetheart once again.
It’s not an entirely great film, it’s bit manipulative, bit shallow, bit unnecessarily melodramatic but the performances and the wittiness of the script overcomes all negative sides. Some of the formula is familiar but it surprisingly works, and overall, the film is an entertaining ride. And if you’re some kind of showbiz and fashion lover who loves to see women in pretty clothes, then this and “Ocean’s Eight” are the two Hathaway films you shouldn’t skip.
6. Nicholas Nickleby
Christopher Plummer is a treasure and his terrific performance is one of the reasons why “Nicholas Nickleby” turned out to be a well-made Charles Dickens adaptation and dare we say, one of the best Dickens adaptations on film actually.
The cast is so delightful and Douglas McGrath has done a splendid job as a director. The writing here is so surpsingly good that it’s likely to satisfy those who read the book and those who’ve never even heard of it. Settings are also something else. Hathaway is not the MVP here but her charm most definitely adds a lot to the film. It’s also probably the best “family film” Hathaway has ever been in.
5. Interstellar
Interstellar is probably Nolan’s more divisive film, even if it’s also mostly beloved and acclaimed film. But poor Hathaway was the one who got to deliver the line “Love is the one thing that we’re capable of perceiving, that transcends dimensions of time and space”. This line is one of the most criticized moments of the film as according to many, it diminishes the whole movie and it’s being said by a scientist character probably makes everything even worse.
Though you can’t blame Anne for the writing, she delivered it in the best way she could. As for the film, while you can criticize it for this and few more things, but “Interstellar”, while not great as Nolan fanboys claim, is also not bad as much as Nolan haters would claim and probably general audience would agree that “Interstellar”, despite all of its flaws, is a visually stunning, strongly acted, one of the better science fiction films of the recent years that asks interesting questions.
4. The Dark Knight Rises
Maybe it’s because “The Dark Knight” was so great, and so extraordinary that those were critical of “The Dark Knight Rises’ ended up being way too harsh to it because at that moment anything short of that felt like a letdown.
Pity because even if you try hard for to find faults, “The Dark Knight Rises” is still hell of a great film. In terms of action filmmaking, this may actually be Nolan’s best work of the series. Sometimes you may predict what’s going to happen but Chris Nolan finds a way to put all pieces into together in such way that it keeps you engaged and even fascinated by everything. Hans Zimmer’s score is another highlight and the cinematography was impressive as well.
Anne Hathaway’s casting as Catwoman was divisive as fans prior to the release, as expected. It was yet another risk took by Hathaway. Michelle Pfeiffer played it perfectly (and probably is still the best Catwoman) in “Batman Returns”. But Hathaway didn’t copy her performance, neither did Nolan’s vision. Hathaway made it her own. Oh and we still won’t mind a Nolan-directed Selina Kyle film.
3. Les Miserables
Not without its flaws (Russell Crowe’s voice?) and definitely not something that would satisfy everybody, “Les Miserables” still has some kind of epic feeling into it that makes it an impressive, admirable watch. Especially if you like musicals, it’s such a treat but if you’re unfamiliar with the musical and have only read the novel, you might be put off by it.
It may also feel a bit long, and some may rather admire it more than loving it but in technical aspects, it’s all around great and the acting here is very strong. This could have been easily boring, but the material here is so strong that three hours of nonstop singing just flew by and it’s certainly an accomplishment, especially in a story like this where almost everybody is familiar with
. It’s visually stunning and the cast is very powerful. Jackman makes a strong lead, Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter’s comic relief are very welcome here but it’s Hathaway’s performance that is probably the most memorable and heartbreaking moment of the film. She’s not in it much but it’s what supporting performances are made of, her “one big scene” is… well, what a scene. She doesn’t just sing, she makes you feel the pain and the anger; she is heartbreaking and full of passion. Luckily it paid off and led her to well-deserved Oscar win.
2. Rachel Getting Married
Still her best acting performance to date, “Rachel Getting Married” is the moment where Hathaway finally convinced everyone that she is actually a great talent. Hathaway’s performance brought her first National Board of Review Award as well as nominations for a NYFCC award, a Golden Globe, SAG and of course, the Oscar.
May Jonathan Demme rest in peace, he gave us such strongly directed tale of family angst and a darkly realistic look at the dysfunction within a family thrown into disarray. It’s mostly a character study and the idea of exploring family dysfunctions in American indie cinema is not something new, it’s been done to death.
It needs a uniquely sensitive writing and vision, of course but what else it needs is a strong acting and Hathaway is more than up to her task. Her remarkable work as a young woman currently in rehab who is released tentatively to attend her sister’s weekend nuptials and confronting her dark past and memories is one of the reasons why the movie is so great. She’s amazing to watch. Demme’s raw and spontaneous energy, Hathaway’s and the rest of the cast’s stellar performances and its intelligent script makes “Rachel Getting Married” a gripping drama.
1. Brokeback Mountain
You must have seen it coming. “Brokeback Mountain” left audiences speechless when it was first got released and is still the best film of Hathaway’s filmography. Ang Lee’s masterpiece was a groundbreaking and revolutionary cinema for so many reasons and is an important part of the history of LGBT cinema.
Incorporates almost every scenic description of Annie Proulx’s short story with the same name, the film also benefits from haunting score, elegant cinematography, subtle tone, and of course, heart wrenching story.
Ang Lee treats his subject very seriously; his way of looking at the subject was very refreshing for its time. The result is extraordinary. The show belongs here to Jake Gyllenhaal and the late Heath Ledger for sure (and yes, let’s not forget Michelle Williams) but Anne Hathaway was also very effective. She does the best that could be done with the material and of course, that telephone scene which arguably is one of the best moments of her acting career.
It was the first time the general audiences saw her in an unlikely role and it opened many doors to her, now she was showing that she’s not the charming girl of Disney teen comedies anymore and is now ready to expand her range.