One of the Best of 2019

Rating: 8/10 (26 November 2019)

I'm a fan of Joon-ho Bong's films, although I haven't seen one of his most famous films, "Memories of Murder." I was very excited to see this movie with my wife, who, uncharacteristically, was interested in a foreign art film.
There's a lot going on in this movie so I am afraid my own exploration of it here, will only scratch the surface of what there is to say about it. I'll only briefly mention the cinematography which is just wonderful. This is Joon-ho unleashed from the bonds of entertainment that are part and parcel with a film that is released on Netflix (Okja) or in American theaters (Snowpiercer.) Here, he can luxuriate with height imagery ranging from subterranean staircases to winding city streets descending into the slums in order to sub-textually communicate ideas to his audience and he does it with subtle panache'.
What I think the average movie goer will appreciate most about this film is the dichotomy of humor and terror in the characters, acting, script, and general 'feel' of the film. It is certainly the most jarring turn of atmosphere I have seen in a film this year and one that I like to imagine every one who watches this film will enjoy and experience as a true revelation.
The themes of class struggle and survival all writ large in this film. From the beginning where we see the poor as they seek to find the means to sustain their lives by abandoning their true identities to be whatever the rich want them to be in order to glean scraps from their table to the dismissal of the poor for even the hint of an offense rather than actually getting to know them and their place to the desperation of people being asked to sub-exist and their eventual reaction, this film stuns by not only displaying the benefits of a life linked to a wealthy person and the happiness that some find there but also watching that happiness turn to despair as time passes.
The humor and joy that is in "Parasite" is truly experienced by the audience so that the turn feels true as well when the rug is pulled out. This isn't a horror movie with a dash of humor, or a funny movie with a sprinkle of violent class struggle. It is both, one of the funniest movies I've seen all year and the terror inducing in the same way as the best atmospheric horror that $11.50 at your local cinema can buy.
All of this is interesting but, if done too heavy-handed, feels preachy or propagandist. Luckily, Joon-ho knows how to restrain himself from such blunt force methods as having someone scream something like "Soylent green is people," or "You maniacs, you blew it up." (boy did CH ever corner the market on that.) By restraining himself it allows the audience to come to conclusions, ask questions, and discuss amongst themselves without the feeling of manipulation. It respects the audience enough to say, "I'm not going to tell you how to think but check out this funny, crazy, and fantastic situation and let's hear what YOU think."
I imagine there are a host of other interesting reading of this film and that is what makes it so fascinating and gives me some degree of comfort when I call this movie more than a movie. It is Art.
Not everyone is into art. I am. If you are too than you should definitely be searching this movie out, supporting it, thinking about it, and discussing it. I know I was thinking about it for days afterward. Weeks now, I guess.