As a lover of films and popcorn, I recently went to see Crazy Rich Asians. This movie was incredible and I would love to go see it a third time! Yes, I did cry both times, but that’s beside the point. Crazy Rich Asians is changing the way we think about movies and how we perceive them. And to be frank, this movie was one of the best comedies I have seen all year. At its core, Crazy Rich Asians is a beautiful story that we all can experience.
Credit: medium.com
With that being said, this movie surpassed and crushed its expectations with its representation. As many people have brought to light, diversity in the film industry has been basically nonexistent, this being just one of the major faults with the industry.
It’s about to get all statistical up in here, so be prepared.
According to Dave McNary, minorities as film leads are underrepresented and remain to be only 13.9% (2016) of all films. This does not include the almost nonexistent representation in film directors, writers, and other roles of production.
Credit: Splash Report
Hollywood is not a reflection of its audience or of most of the world’s population and this needs to change. This year, we have seen the tide slightly change. In 2018, we have been gifted with some of the most diverse films possibly in the history of film. Some of these successful films are Black Panther, Sorry to Bother You, and last year’s hit Get Out.
I also cannot talk about diversity without mentioning the Netflix hit, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before: That would be sacrilegious.
I know the discussion of diversity is sensitive, but it is necessary and something that has been put on hold in the history of movie making. Don’t just go to see Crazy Rich Asians because it is an amazing film with a beautiful cast. Rather, notice how it delivers everything that we wish a film to evoke from us: great laughter and raw emotion. And to be honest, there are some major swoon moments too. The way we make movies is progressing in a direction that we have long hoped for and it is sparking a true movement.
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