Parasite

I quite enjoyed Parasite. I also loved Parasite. In my opinion, it feels like two films augmented into one with surgical precision, and it’s one of the most compelling cinematic experiences I’ve ever had. The director masterfully blends genres in a way that always kept me hooked. This movie is a comedy. It’s also a thriller, and even a horror film at times. I have to admit that before I’d seen it, I thought there was some science fiction element that the title was referring to, and I kept thinking to myself ‘where is the Parasite though?’. When the meaning of the title finally clicked (even though it was probably obvious to most people that aren’t as dumb as I am), it was an awesome moment. It goes without saying that the themes and cinematography of this film are executed flawlessly. I’m super dense when it comes to symbolism in films, and even I figured out the meaning of the verticality in the film. The nature of capitalism is so well examined in the film. Very often, media that critiques capitalism likes to have a comically evil bourgeois villain the audience can throw tomatoes at, as it makes for a simpler narrative on screen. But Parasite actually takes the time to develop the stereotypically rich Park family. They aren’t ‘bad people’, just like how in reality, the owning class is not morally degenerate. Instead, they are part apathetic and mostly ignorant to the severe suffering their wealth accumulation necessitates. The film understands that they are both people and parasites simultaneously. EDIT: To add on to this point, I love the line 'But that smell crosses the line.' I think it really gets at what the film is trying to say about the relationship between the two families. I wrote the following in my Sway for English class: There is a line between the Parks and the Kims, the line between the rich and the poor. The 'parasitic' relationship between the owners and the workers is seen as 'ugly' by the Parks, in the same way as someone eating a steak might consider the industrial farming of beef 'ugly'. They do not enjoy the exploitation, but they have internalised the idea that it is necessary, and prefer to think about the poverty of the lower classes as little as possible. That is what Mr Kim's smell represents. It is a reminder of the standards the rest of the world suffers through. That is what the line represents, the boundary between these worlds. Reminding the Parks of the abject poverty that is necessary to fund their lavish life in any way is 'crossing the line'. Also, the face Mr Kim makes hearing this is absolutely heartbreaking, another reason why he's my favourite character from the film. All the characters and actors were flawless, but Kim Ki-taek (the dad) gave a fucking heartbreaking performance, and was so well written. - Watch this movie. It has almost everything. Funny dialogue. Gorgeous cinematography. Insightful political commentary. A shocking twist. A horrifying ending. Heartbreak. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have much hope. P.S. This is the best movie poster ever and I will fight you about it