Parasite

Gisaengchung AKA Parasite (8/10)
Genre: Drama/Comedy/Thriller
Director: Bong Joon Ho
Cast: Kang-ho Song, Sun-kyun Lee, Yeo-jeong Jo, Woo-sik Choi
Country: South Korea
Language: Korean
Year: 2019

First, When the Kim family were having their party at the Park residence and were panicked by the unexpected arrival of the Park family, they tried to clear their mess and hide everything in the living room and kitchen in a hurry. Later, there's no trace of it and broken glasses, neither the Kim family gets rid of it.

Second, When the Kim family's house gets flooded, and they try to gather their stuff, there is water everywhere, but there is no sign of electrocution. Honestly, I can let this one pass.

Now, why am I bothered? Well, Parasite is a perfect film in terms of storytelling and execution, but a couple of things remain unanswered, at least on the first view. I'm sure there's some logical explanation, or maybe I missed something, but to me, these questions are like scratches on a brand new Maserati.

Finally, I rectified my blunder of not watching Bong Joon Ho's multiple Academy Award-winning film Parasite, and like everyone else, fell in love with it. There are moments in the film that made me anxious about what is going to happen next - a sensation that connects you to this film as if you're a part of it. The film had my undivided attention from the start, and it just kept on getting better. Joon Ho's brilliant writing, accompanied by his skillful direction, creates a unique tale and characterization soaked in metaphors. 

The underlying shades of social disparity and desperation of human needs provoke your thinking - is it just a movie or the bitter truth of our society transpired into cinema? How a lack of privileges can turn talent into social evil instead of social reform is addressed in the film with dark humor. The parallel comparison between the two families on opposite ends of the social strata juxtaposes the dilemma of human nature in contemporary society. The beautiful portrayal of the characters by the film's cast makes it memorable, which is not new for Bong Joon Ho film as he has a clear understanding of what he needs from his actors.

The story is about a poor-family who cons a rich-family to satisfy their selfish needs before things get nasty, resulting in the loss of lives. 

Bong Joon-Ho is a master storyteller, and his films have proved it time and again. If I'm honest, then Parasite is not exceptional from his other films in terms of quality, but I guess the marketing demands deemed this film be labeled higher than his earlier films. 

Ho's regular collaborator Kang-ho Song joins hands for yet another memorable collaboration. Sun-kyun Lee, Yeo-jeong Jo, Woo-sik Choi, So-dam Park, and Hye-jin Jang completes the formidable cast. The film does not have too many characters, which helps to keep the narrative tight and engaging without any distractions or sub-plots. The production design is outstanding, especially the house. The editing is exceptional, and so is the cinematography and sound. 

With six nominations and four wins at the Academy Awards, Parasite lives up to its reputation. I might be a little late to watch it, but it was worth every moment of it.