The list of 1001 movies to watch before you die was updated in October with the most recent Oscar nominees and winners. I decided to pick two movies from this list to watch: The Favourite [IMC DVD 942.07 F275 2019] and Crazy Rich Asians [IMC DVD 306.7 C911 2018].

The movie The Favourite was different than I thought it would be. I was expecting a straightforward historical fiction movie, but it ended up incorporating LGBTQ themes that were very interesting, especially in the historic setting. Emma Stone did a wonderful job, and I was also impressed with the other two leading ladies: Olivia Colman (who won the Oscar for Best Actress Performance) and Rachel Weisz. What fascinated me the most about this movie was how your feelings for characters can change so dramatically, and it’s all dependent on how much information the screenplay writers give you. I’ve seen similar viewer manipulation in The Hero, and, to me, it always warrants a re-watch to catch things you might have missed the first time around.

My second movie, Crazy Rich Asians, was a movie which had been recommended to me, but ended up falling short of my expectations. The plot ended up being a stereotypical Cinderella movie, and the acting (especially in some crucial big roles) was not very good—even cringeworthy in some parts. My favorite character ended up being Peik Lin Goh, Rachel’s friend in Singapore. If you’re looking for a low-key movie, this might be for you.

The IMC has a new DVD display titled: “Movies You Were Born For”. We’re featuring movies from between 2000-2006—come check out what was popular those years! If you’re starting your own travelogue adventure, you can track it here: https://letterboxd.com/peterstanley/list/1001-movies-you-must-see-before-you-die/.