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"Together We Can Overcome Anything" reads a decorative burnt wooden board in the efficient and modestly decorated apartment of the newlyweds Hyun-su and Soo-jin. The South Korean version of a "Live, Laugh, Love" portrait hanging on the wall of a couple's townhome somewhere in Maryland, perhaps, though Hyun-su and Soo-jin's family motto has a slightly more menacing bent to it. "What's to be overcome?" one might consider. And what if being together is itself the obstacle to be vanquished? South Korean director Jason Yu's directorial debut, Sleep, gets to the bottom of that fire-branded adage.

Sleep (2023)

Director Jason YuRelease Date September 21, 2023Writers Jason YuCast Kim Nam-woo, Hong Ha-na-im, Oh Yun-su, Park Hyun-jeong, Lee Dong-chan, Kim Jun, Kim Keum-soon, Lee Kyung-jin, Kim Kuk-hee, Lee Sun-kyun, Yoon Kyung-ho, Jung Yu-miCharacter(s) Soo-jin's Co-worker, Drama Actress, Park Chun-gi, Jin-hyeok, Soo-jin's Mother, Hyun-su, Soo-jin, Nurse, Doctor, Min-jung, Shaman, ReceptionistRuntime 95 MinutesGenres Mystery, Thriller,...

Just when you thought your sleep talking and/or walking was bad, the late, great South Korean actor Lee Sun-kyun (Parasite) has a new performance out this week to prove you're no match for his character's troubles. There have been some wonderful films about insomnia released over the decades, but Sleep is a completely unique new addition to the canon. It dabbles in a mish-mash of genres and a handful of relatable themes tied to family dynamics, love sacrifice, and more.

Exhuma, another Korean supernatural-laced thriller, was released not too long ago and evoked a similar kind of supernatural vibe amid modern Asian culture. However, Sleep, written and directed by Jason Yu, is based on an entirely different tale, as a young couple expanding their family with a precious newborn is challenged at every turn once one of them starts acting erratically at a certain time of the day. Brace yourselves,...