In the 18th century, rabbits were considered pests and generally despised. In The Favourite, Queen Anne has 17 pet rabbits and two maids, each determined to one-up the other and become the queen's favorite (favourite). The Favourite is a dark comedy and a semi deconstruction of the classic period piece. It favors (favours) whip pans and fisheye lenses and doubles down on anachronisms like 21st century hip-hop dancing in the ballroom. By the end we were left with many questions and thoughts, and a real take you'll hear is that The Favourite is The Green Book of queer cinema.
It's also a stealth double feature! On the last bit of the episode, Cam and Travis recommend the documentary American Factory (2019), in which a Chinese company moves into a shuttered GM Plant in Ohio, creating not just hundreds of new jobs, but a clash of cultures. We both thought the documentary did a great job of portraying the comedy that results when two wildly different cultures of work and labor are brought together under a bumbling management.
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Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Joel Aleman, and producer Travis Lien.
8: The Favourite (2018)