Dear Richard Linklater,
I've been watching your movies for a while now, starting from Slacker. You know. The movie that made me all 'woke' about all kinds of shit since freshman high. The philosophies, the by-chances, the mishaps, the conflicts, all examples of art imitating life.
I watched Before Sunrise a few years ago, which made me believe in romantic films of the Golden Age of Hollywood again. The idea that two people walking and talking and getting to know each other being presented in such an understandable and profound way was so beautiful to me, it deeply saddens me that I won't ever get to make something nearly as brilliant as your "Before" Trilogy. I had seen "Before Sunset" before on TV and I didn't know it was a sequel, that's how compelling and timeless your stories are to me.
I've finally seen your final installment in your beloved trilogy tonight with my significant other. I've been putting it off for years since it came out (in 2013). I figured it was the right time since I've transitioned from being completely alone (and forever single) to being a working adult. I loved everything about it. I expected to see some new issues coming up in this romantic endeavor, what with the troubles arising as time passes (I've noticed that the perception and passage of time were common themes in your films), and, as couples grow older, how incredibly difficult relationships could be.
Thank you, Richard Linklater, thank you for this beautiful trilogy.
Love,
Basil.