Parasite

This was the first film I watched this year, and what a way to start. Aspects of every genre are present here and they blend together seamlessly - blending comedy, romance, drama, horror and much more. Scenes which you initially find funny or seem like a throw away moment often come back to add deeper meaning to the film. Da-song being a prodigy in painting and the smell of Ki-taek being just a couple of examples. The absolutely haunting ‘ghost scene’ has never left me - there was more horror portrayed in this one scene than many films of the genre can portray. Numerous twists and turns mean you never know what to expect, and if you don’t know what happens in the film there is no way to guess which direction it will go. The cast are fantastic and portray a variety of characters that are relatable in their motivations and actions. Following the Kim family on their slow, meticulous and incredibly clever infiltration of the Park family’s house is fascinating. Though they are taking advantage of the easily persuaded nature of the Park’s you can’t help but root for them. The symbolism of the Scholars Rock is interesting to follow throughout the feature, your interpretation may be different to my own but it will remain one of the most intriguing elements of the movie. Now, the major theme of this film (as with most Bong Joon-Ho features) is inequality in class and society. This is best displayed with the beautiful cinematography - the use of lines in frames separating the Park and Kim families when they are on screen together; the use of stairs to show quite literally that the rich are higher and the poor are lower. The choice to have the Kim’s live so far below the Park’s and have us follow their journey down to their home is nothing short of genius. An aspect that isn’t spoken about enough is the sound: it can be haunting. The tension and emotional impact would not be nearly as strong as it is without the magnificent sound design and score. Though the score is not the most haunting aspect of the feature - it’s the ending. The bombastic lead up to the finale is a complete contrast to the slow, thought provoking end sequence which, although it is up for interpretation, is devastating. More than deserving of every piece of praise it receives.