Parasite

This is a movie about a class struggle in South Korea, like what movie "Us" attempts to do but done properly. It is a stark reminder of what true living standards for most South Koreans look like, and its realism is very painful. Few are aware of the fact that up to the 1980s, South Korea was in fact more impoverished than North Korea, and it was only late that the situation reversed with famines of the 90s etc, but many people still live miserable lives, and situation is very similar to that in China, where a few got gloriously rich but the urban masses still live in bug infested cheap dwellings.

Some crafty members of this underclass manage to con contemptuous rich man into employing them as his servants. For many Asians smell is a way to express utter contempt, and this is often directed against the white people, who, being able to process milk, smell "like butter" and are seen in rac ist light as unclean, but the same rac ist contempt is directed towards the poor. The poor accept these valuations and fight for the crumbles, like roaches in the dark, but in life and death situations, resentment might boil up and the contempt might cost the rich their empty heads.

The movie paints a sad picture of modern East Asian societies, with many subtle points, criticizes their culture and emulation of the America, with a few cruel but precise strokes. The sheer talent of the Korean filmmaker, but also the fact that West likes movies from foreign countries that are self bashing, allowing the worst condescension rooted in colonialism that failed miserably in East Asia to thrive, one more reason to cheer this slightly overrated movie.

As a film about a family imposing on another, and keeping dark secrets hidden beneath the surface, Parasite achieves what Jordan Peele set out to do with Us: tell a multi-layered story in a widely entertaining manner, but without sacrificing the believability of its central narrative.

That's not to say that Us is an ineffective film by any means, but when it comes to crafting weighty social commentaries under the guise of lighter fare, writer-director Bong Joon-ho is in a class of his own.

The film follows a lower-class South Korean family as they slowly integrate themselves in the lives of an upper-class family and their lavish household. As their entanglement is spun out of a web of deceit, the lowly family find themselves skating on thin ice when it comes to keeping up appearances.

It's a twisty satire on social-economic disparities in South Korean society that swings broadly in tone, and sometimes threatens to tip over the edge, but never feels less than meticulously calculated in its tonal shifts.

However, to reveal anything more about the story would be to take away from the overall experience, as each act is marked by a major plot twist or revelation that keeps the film one step ahead of the viewer at all times. Go in blind if you can and expect an unforgettable ride.

This is a well written and well perfomed original film. With a lot of repetitive cinema these day i felt this was something new. I felt connected and engaged with the character throughout the film. There are several well directed tense moments throughout the film. A popular topic of class struggled well portrayed. Its always nice to see foreign language films having worldwide success.

In my latest IMDb review, I wrote the following;

"1917 is British director Sam Mendes' latest opus. I also believe that it is the next Best Picture, and that he is worthy of his second Academy Award statuette for directing."

Don't get me wrong, 1917 is a splendid and absorbing war movie. But after watching Parasite, I no longer agree with my earlier statements regarding Oscar statuettes ...

Parasite is perhaps one of the most unique films I have ever seen. One second, it is a hilarious comedy, and in the other, a terrifying horror flick. Suddently, it turns into a romance and then you find yourself watching a jaw-dropping thriller. The greatest thing about it, is that you don't even notice these dynamic changes in genre. The natural flow of the movie is just so beautiful.

I don't even know how Joon-ho was able to craft such a film as Parasite. No single shot is wasted, the intelligent script is baffling and sometimes the characters feel even more alive than real people.

Some complain over the fact that the film is in Korean, and that you end up reading the subtitles more than watching the actual movie. I find that statement to be nonsense. Maybe it is because I am quite used to reading subtitles that I find it to be so (I am from Sweden), but perhaps also because the acting is just so good that you know the feelings of each character just by looking at their facial expressions.

To conclude, I wish for Parasite to win five out of six possible nominations at the Academy Awards tonight;

Best picture: Sin-ae Kwak, Bong Joon Ho

Best Achievement in Directing: Bong Joon Ho

Best Original Screenplay: Bong Joon Ho, Jin Won Han

Best Achievement in Film Editing: Jinmo Yang

Best International Feature Film South Korea

I believe that Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood had better sets, but in all honesty, what is it compared to Parasite ?

I would not hesitate to put it in my top 10 best movies which I have ever seen. And, it is probably, the greatest movie of the 2010's. Read no further about it, just watch it. You will be delighted.

10/10

This movie is a gosh darn masterpiece. It will make you belly laugh, it will chill you to the bone, and it will make you shed a tear. This movie will stay with you long after the credits are over.

If you plan on watching this movie, AVOID SPOILERS AT ALL COSTS.