8. The DiCaprio party double-bill: The Great Gatsby & The Wolf of Wall Street
In these two movies released in the great Cinema year of 2013, Leonardo DiCaprio is the leading man partaking in his era’s craziest gatherings! Although Baz Luhrmann’s glitzy affair and Martin Scorsese’s too-bad-to-be-true dramedy tell entirely different stories, they share many similarities. Their protagonists are despicably rich dudes who positively don’t look like they deserved their luck but they may, or may not, get the end they deserve. The titular character in The Great Gatsby throws the most lavish parties filled with the most nauseous yet enjoyable entertainments, while The Wolf of Wall Street is the gift that keeps on giving with its frantic characters, bonkers real-ish story, and spectacular scenes filled with a killer cast full of attitudes.
9. Crazy Rich Asians
Jon M. Chu’s 2018 smash hit based on the book appears, at first glance, to be a romantic comedy about a “simple” American girl being swept off her feet by her upper-class boyfriend. She discovers the life of the rich and famous in Singapore while reconnecting with her roots and heritage. But let’s be honest, the plot of Crazy Rich Asians is just an excuse for viewers to marvel at stylish people having fun at jamborees worthy of Gatsby himself. One might argue that this is strictly a film about the celebratory affairs of the super-wealthy with side drama, but as much as we want to #eattherich, we’ll give these crazy ones a pass since the movie was a box office milestone for diversity and carries an important message.
10. The Farewell Party
This Sharon Maymon and Tal Granit 2014 project is a beloved Israeli motion picture full of ups and downs about euthanasia and old age. Despite being set in a retirement home where people either want to die with dignity or want to help their loved ones do so, The Farewell Party brings out some laughs and smiles. It follows an odd bunch of older folks organizing illegal, compassionate farewell parties. It also features a very “free and freeing” party, reminding us that these retirees are, as one of the characters mentions, “children inside, only their bodies have aged.” Let’s hope that, in the near future, flicks like this with a cast of exclusively senior actors still living their best lives, is doable without worry of a deadly virus.
(Warning: The film could be a very sad watch especially now for those who lost loved one prematurely and are truly worried about our elders, hoping they will be protected from those going around senselessly doing the great reaper’s work…)
Continued in Part 2.
