Parásitos (2019)

I have watched it because it has received a lot of awards so my expectation was very high.
I think this movie is way too overrated. The cast is overall good, the story is well written since we can clearly see the difference between the rich and the poor, the movie draws a clear separation between the two and illustrates how difficult it is to cross that separation for both of them. For the music, I think it was too simple, it did not attract me.
I would not recommend this movie to be honest. It is a little bit too weird and the start is too slow which makes the movie a little bit too boring. I wanted to skip many parts because I felt it was too slow. In clear words, I was disappointed. The last 30 minutes were better.

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[EDITED]

There are already so many video essays or reviews on YouTube from film critics who analysed the film before the Oscars happened, so if you are like me who was not entirely blown away by the movie at first watch, I suggest you watch them afterwards. I have also included multiple links in the discussion section on the drama page to help ease your apprehension as to why this movie won Best Picture and widely acclaimed in film festivals. I have since reconsidered my view and thought that this was indeed a technical mastery. However, I do find the story to be way too complex to be told in the limited space of two hour movie format which explains why my score for the story won't change.

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We may not get much about the rich family, but i guess you have to extract it from their small conversations such as the night at the couch insinuating that they are not exactly 'clean' people. well i guess most uber-rich families are guilty like that, and these are people who are well above the middle class.

which is quite telling of the Korean social class, like in Secret Garden, BoF or SKY Castle. except in the first two dramas i mentioned here, the ML are the pushovers, or tsundere characters, whereas in this movie, it's likened as if the poor girl is the one throwing herself onto rich guys and perhaps, trying to jump up the social class.

personally i feel this movie is in the same genre/quality as SKY Castle therefore evoking very strong emotional response by people who especially 'get it'.

SPOILER: the daughter of the poor family feels like the mother of Yeh Suh in SKY Castle who faked her real identity in order to survive/blend in with the elite class.

this movie is not just relevant for the Korean social class. i have watched videos of journalists investigating the uninhibited mansions with a secret bunker by Western billionaires, concentrated in many parts in Queenstown, New Zealand for them to move into should there be nuclear war or more cities would sink due to rising sea levels, which leave many New Zealanders there without a proper housing. so yeah, this movie could have been more complex and explore this subject more deeply in my opinion, which explains my scoring of it.

overall, i'm glad i watched this after SKY Castle; it helped me understand the gravity of this movie.

personally i think the idea/concept/theme of this movie can be nicely translated into a drama version and i'd totally watch it. it has a lot of room for characters, backstories and conflicts expansion which explains why 80%++ of the time, i watch dramas more than i watch movies.

Enjoy!

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The family of four what con artist they are but had to get out of where they were... I understand. They way they conned their way in... is unbelievable. Alcoholics, a bunch of them! Now I understand why the name of this movie is called Parasite. Wow, they ended up owning it. I was saddened by one of the deaths. This not my type of movie but I was curious about what it was about after hearing the controversy. I mean, okay writers, how did you all come up with this type of story? This is the weirdest movie I ever viewed. The imaginary thought process is something that needs to be put on the screen. That picnic scene was definitely crazy.

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Very Good Though Overrated...

Review for first time watching: 4*: Engaging and funny though with a questionable character actions. The performances are all great! The production design and cinematography excellent! The story is razor-sharp until it gets revealed that the old housekeeper's husband is living in the house's bunker. From there, the actions of the characters became questionable, until the very end. Why didn't anyone take the phone away from the housekeeper when she was recording them in the bunker? Why didn't anything happen with Da-Song figuring out that someone was communicating to him in Morse code? Why did Ki-taek snap and kill Mr. Park when Mr. Park was disgusted with the smell of Geun-sae, who probably smelled bad because he hasn't actually showered in days and is covered in blood (thus, a different smell from Ki-taek and his family)? Also, I was kinda expecting/hoping for more in the final act. I was hoping that it would be more messed up. More f*cked up. More 'Parasite'-like persay. But, of course, I had to remind myself that Park Chan-wook wasn't the director, but still. The final act could've not been rushed and executed better. Other than that, a great film! I hope to see this film get some Oscar nominations! On a side note, this film has become my favorite of Bong Joon-Ho, with Mother and Snowpiercer being other favorites. Wasn't a fan of Okja or The Host though...

Review for second time watching: 3.5*: I've been wanting to rewatch Parasite ever since I first saw it in theaters when it first came out, but didn't until today (about one year later). I still have the same sentiments upon my second watch. The film was entertaining and engaging though very much overrated. I still felt that the film wasn't as deep or poignant as critics raved it to be. And I still don't like the climax which felt like a cheap cop-out gore fest where characters make decisions that don't make any sense, particularly Mr. Kim killing Mr. Park because Mr. Park was disgusted by the smell of Moon-Gwang's husband and yet he did nothing to the husband who stabbed his daughter. The fact that the husband smelt made sense as he probably hasn't showered in awhile since he was living underground. Mr. Kim's snap didn't make sense which made the climax and its consequences feel unearned. However, the film was still the best choice for the Best Picture Oscar of 2019 as it was my favourite film of 2019. On a side note, I cannot wait to see what Bong Joon-Ho cooks up next!

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Because of the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, I could watch Parasite at the cinema on the big screen and this is one a good thing.

I do like:
1. social commentary and sarcastic portrayed contrast between the poor and the rich
2. North Korean speech
3. coherent plot and fast action of the first part of the film
4. black humor in the first part of the film
5. cast, especially Jo Yeo Jung who excellent played naive rich wife
6. motive of revenge

I do not like:
1. Director’s job because it seems like he doesn't know what direction the film must go and what it is about. Is this a sarcastic picture of society and social differences? Or is this a thriller? Or is this an illogical and untrue story, such a storytale and biblical allegory? This is too much for me.
2. oneiric elements and disconnection from reality
3. symbolic and pseudo-symbolic elements
4. unknown motivations of the characters’ action
5. stereotypical characters that thay don't seem like real persons
6. reduction of human nature to social status

I don't know what to think about it:
1. mix of black comedy, thriller and social problems
2. the ending

I watched this out of curiosity, it's not bad but there are many Korean films that I like them more. If you want watch something really good and real you can try Japanese Shoplifters. Or you can enjoy the fact that you have subbs in your language at the cinema.

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Spoilers ahead:

The word "masterpiece" gets used a lot these days to the point that its lost its meaning. People would even call blockbuster popcorn flicks a "masterpiece" these days. That being said, I gave this movie a watch out of curiosity after I saw a few people deem it a "masterpiece". This movie is literally like the Japanese movie Shoplifters, only instead of shoplifting to survive, this family leeches off of other people to survive. The story starts with the premise that this family leeches off of other people to survive down to even stealing wifi from other people. Koreans do a great job of making unlikeable characters as protagonists since I felt the same dislike I had towards the protagonists of this movie towards the protagonists of The Handmaiden. Unlike Shoplifters, this movie made each member of the parasitic family dislikeable to the point that you wish death upon them. The daughter of the parasitic family (Ki-jeong) in particular was so unlikeable to the point that I wished death upon her as I watched the movie. Hell,she was acting and speaking like a drunk would for most of the movie and even spoke like a drunkard as she was getting stabbed by the deranged husband of the housekeeper and bleeding to death. I liked the social commentary this movie had by showing the divide of class between the rich and the poor. It also had its moments of black comedy humor here and there. I would have been angry if these characters got a happy ening but I'm glad its a grim and bleak ending we got at the end. Altho, how Ki-Woo survived getting hit with a stone twice on the head is beyond me. I'm no neurosurgeon but how he is functioning as a normal human being despite that and avoided braindamage makes me question if this is possible. Overall, I enjoyed the movie despite its initial predictability of the family members replacing the servants of the rich family and enjoying a life of leisure the house of this rich family had to offer as they worked for them. For me, things started taking a turn when it was revealed that the former housekeeper was leeching off of this rich family as well and had a husband held up in the bunker whom she fed regularly. Thats when my interest peeked since I was about to give up on this movie when I saw these unlikeable characters enjoy a luxurious lifestyle as they leeched off the rich family. It would have been nice if the protagonists were more likeable and if this rich family they leech off were mean or abusive instead of the nice family they were potrayed to be in the movie since that would have given us a chance to root for the former despite the parasitic family's sins. Either way, the film takes a bit to get interesting and to get out of the bowels of predictablility but despite that, I wouldn't call it a "masterpiece" like most reviewers claim it to be. I have never seen a movie made by Bong Joon-ho so I'm completely unbiased since most people will call anything made by their favorite directos a "masterpiece" these days. Watch this movie only if you have patience and can withstand unlikeable characters.

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This is rated one of the best Korean thriller movies and after watching I can certainly see why. While all reviews and trailer highlighted the theme of class struggle the theme itself is portrayed in a very subtle way. The pace and plotline of the movie are very unique and very,, unlike other conventional movies. The characters in this movie aren't particularly interesting, however, the theme is still subtly indicated. I do find this movie to be impactful and is a must-watch in a cinematic point of view but it lacks rewatch value. It's a movie that doesn't hold any significance the second time around, knowing the plot and climax of the movie.

Overall, this movie has a unique plot and a distinctive cinematic layout.

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"Parasite" is a movie that has been getting a lot of well deserved praise, and I would definitely count myself among its fans despite thinking that some of the claims about how good it is (like that its the greatest movie of the decade) are a bit much. Still, I don't really have any complaints about this movie at all, because it really is amazingly done on every level, it's a beautifully shot and compelling story with an award-worthy ensemble cast, but it's also very very weird. I personally like the weirdness but some moments really are way over the top. This is nothing new if you are a fan of Bong Joon Ho's films, and you should also expect his films to cross genres, which Parasite definitely does. This film is a dark comedy mixed with anxiety-inducing suspense as well as some elements of drama and horror, this is all without ever overshadowing that at the heart of this movie this is a story about a family aspiring for a better life in a world of extreme classism. What this film also does well is that the characters are all flawed yet sympathetic causing the audience to sometimes root for things they probably shouldn't be rooting for or see victims as possibly getting what they deserved. The key to making a story like that work is the epic cast, where there isn' t one bad actor in the entire cast (yes, not even the mostly silent kid lol)

Although this is an ensemble cast effort, and Song Kang Ho is clearly marketed at the star of the film, the real star of this story, in my opinion, is Choi Woo Shik as Kim Gi Woo. Gi Woo is the catalyst for everything that happens in this film and I thought he was really great as the idealistically naive but ingeniously calculating son of the family. Song Kang Ho as the impulsive father, Park So Dam as the extremely clever sister, and Jang Hye Jin as the supportive mom with an edge complete the family. The Kim family is the epitome of poor and struggling and seeing how they make their situation work is heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. They have amazing chemistry as a family which made me laugh and even cry and made it very easy to root for them no matter what they did. They are contrasted with the well off and extremely privileged Park family. I've loved Lee Sun Kyun since Coffee Prince, so I really liked seeing him as less of the nice guy character I am used to seeing him as. I also loved Cho Yeo Jung as the "gullible because she's privileged enough to be" wife who is very nice but also obliviously elitist. However, I liked that she never played her as too stupid, which makes what the Kims are able to accomplish even more plausible and hilariously impressive. The way the two families played off of each other, from the most subtle gestures to the more extreme moments were amazing.

But my favorite actor in the ensemble is Lee Jung Eun as the Park family's maid. She is so good at saying so much with just her expression, and then some. I won't say more because I don't want to give anything away about the story at all. The less you know about Parasite before watching the better.

What I will say about the story is that the Park family literally and figuratively live far above the Kim family. In spite of this they seem nice enough to not be reduced to stereotypical hateful rich caricatures which made any conflict between the two families seem less about good or bad people and more about the dynamics classism creates and how the lines it builds defines who we are but at the same time how easily those lines can blur with some manipulation. The events are also sometimes funny even at their worst and it's so entertaining that it takes some of the seemingly most mundane things like cooking a meal or carrying fruit and makes watching that like watching a fast-paced action thriller. There are no boring parts in this film even during the less eventful scenes, and it has so much great symbolism without relying more on that than an actual story with a coherent plot. It excels when it comes to symbolism and storytelling equally. There are no real plotholes either, all the weirdness made complete sense in this film's world.

Would I watch it again? Of Course. This is a movie that I thought was beautiful and fun to watch. Knowing what will happen will definitely lessen the suspense but it's so beautifully shot with such great scenes and performances that that is enough to put the rewatch rating at a 10. I also would love to maybe catch some things that I maybe missed the first time.

Overall, Parasite is a satire with an extreme yet simple story and it stayed with me emotionally long after the film was over, but not in a sappy overly sentimental way. I laughed a lot while watching it, so despite the theme, this is far from just a downer. Parts of this film may not be for everyone, and the ending may not be either, but I really think this is the type of story that I want to recommend to everyone just so we can talk about it! This is definitely the kind of storytelling that gets folks talking, and I really doubt you will see many bad reviews (although one person in the theater I saw it in was audibly unhappy at the end). This movie is art down to the details but it's also an entertaining story that leaves you thinking without having to be super preachy or depressing. This is also exciting and unpredictable from start to finish, and if you love movies where you can't guess what will happen next no matter how obvious and inevitable the unraveling seems to be, then you definitely won't be disappointed. Who knew that a constant "something bad is gonna happen" feeling could be so much fun. My anxiety was on high, and I liked it. I would never say it's one of the greatest films of all time, but it is definitely one of the most unique films I have ever seen.

Also, I will never look at a peach the same way again.

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Does it deserve the Oscar awards it got, it is your decision to make

I guess everyone has a different interpretation of the story, despite some people's claims that the movie was boring. In my opinion, three classes—the rich, the poor, and the poorer—were represented in the narrative. The poorer people I am referring to are, without a doubt, the former housekeeper and her husband. Most people would wonder why the father had to kill Mr. Park, but someone once told me that Mr. Park's subconscious sudden admission that he thought Kelvin's father and the former housekeeper's husband were the same because they both smelled bad was the final straw that caused him (Kelvin's father) to kill Mr. Park.
The film serves as a metaphor for a number of social problems that exist globally, most notably in South Korea. It focuses on classism and how it relates to capitalism, poverty, social strata, and other issues.
Despite the comedic nature of the film's opening, we are thrust into the spotlight when we discover that the entire family are con artists. We are all perplexed as to why the Parks are so clueless, and unaware of what is happening. However, in reality, when you trust someone, you often naively believe everything they say and do.
The movie then attempts to present itself as a thriller, but it falls short in this regard; in my opinion, it actually presents itself as survival horror mixed with comedy horror.

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Yep it was worth the hype

Finally got to watch this and while I admit it had a slow start (like a lot of Asian cinema) once it gained speed it kept me plastered to the screen making me understand that this indeed is a movie worthy of its hype, awards and so on and so on.

This is not a character driven story as no one except for maybe the bad ass sister is actually interesting or lovable for that matter. This is more of a what is going to happen next, this is absurd type of movie making you wonder how much more absurd it can get. While still staying kind of casual... Though the ending is a bit predictable in some ways... other ways not... the main selling point of this drama is in the contrast between rich-poor, dark-light, basement- room with natural light... funny dark humour without those over the top annoying characters we sometimes get. As well as the words not spoken...

Or something like that I actually have no idea what I am trying to say here but I was bored in the beginning got drawn in to this mess, and once it got messy I loved every moment of it.

Acting was top, cinematography and story got better and better...

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This movie made me uncomfortable, scared, annoyed, speechless, confused, angry, and I think it's amazing. Truth to be told, this review was written for myself, to make sense of the movie and how I see it, not for others. There are so many different interpretations everyone can have, I don't think anyone is truly wrong with how they view it.

I went into this movie without knowing much about it. I have seen the trailer once and that was it. Miraculously, I was able to avoid any spoilers, and I'm sure it made the experience even better.

While „Parasite” is often described as dark comedy, the comedy aspect died for me pretty quickly. The whole set up for every family and the situation made me feel extremely anxious. For the longest time I felt scared for the Park family, seeing Kim's as more questionable people. It frightened and frustrated me how easily they were able to slip into the house and daily lives of Parks. The closer we got to the ending, I was starting to see more flaws in the rich family too. The biggest one was their ignorance about anything not related to their life. They lived in the bubble, being scared of even rumors that might break it. That's why they didn't even try to find out the truth about the driver and Moon Gwang. It was easier to just cut them off and pretend like the problem never existed.

What makes the movie so good, was the idea that there are no good characters here. Everyone is twisted to some extent. Kims are willing to cross a lot of lines to gain a better life, but they never put the effort into making a realistic plan. Gi Taek does not act like the head of the family, and in my eyes, he was the one dragging them down. He seemed like the least skilled of them all, failing all his businesses. Both Gi Woo and Gi Jung had amazing potential that was killed by the environment they were living in - both economic and social. They adopted the existence of their parents, dreaming of a better life, but not striving for it, which can be clearly seen in one of the beginning scenes when they barely put any effort while working for the pizzeria. Even the ending shows how twisted the view of reality Gi Woo has. He does not have any meaningful plan, he just wants to be rich. He doesn't want to create, has no idea what he can offer others, that would make them want to invest in him. He has no idea. He just wants to be rich to buy that house. The dream that is impossible to reach. He does not want a better life, a life out of poverty. He wants to be rich, buy the house that became his obsession and live there with his family.

Moon Gwang and Geun Sae had the most parasitic-like mentality from all the families. Geun Sae accepted his life the way it was, in the dark basement, not even being part of the society. It was far more like an existence, as passive as possible. Both he and his wife did not find the situation that strange, keeping it as it was for 4 years. They got used to it, so they didn't really try to change it, until the external situation forced them into action. Even then, they didn't even have a plan. When they've got the upper hand over Kims, they didn't try to come up with an idea out of the situation, they just enjoyed their time in the house, making fun and treating Kims like less of a human. There was no planning, no future in their minds.

Parks are living in denial of reality. Their biggest sin (how much I hate this word) was their ignorance. They didn't deliberately try to hurt anyone, but they were not aware of the suffering of others. It simply didn't even cross their minds. My biggest struggle while watching the movie was placing Yeon Kyu somewhere in my judgment bin. She was a good person extremely unaware of everything that was going on around her. She was oblivious about the advantages she had based on her social and economical status. She didn't try to hurt anyone, but she also didn't try to help and be concerned. All she cared about was herself and her family. It never crossed her mind that the choices she made might have tragic consequences for people around her.

The problem of economic differences and inequality is huge and truth to be told, almost impossible to solve. The idealistic idea of taking away from the rich and giving to the poor is "nice", but would never solve anything. After some time we would end up with exactly the same social structure as we have today. Some people who were on top would not be able to climb back, some who were poor, would be able to invest in their life. But we would still end up with people barely surviving, and the rich getting richer. Some people would be able to produce goods that others want to buy, while some would have no idea how to invest the money to have a long term profit from it. The movie presents an amazing social commentary on the topic that just breaks my brain when I try to think about it. At the end of the day, the money made Kims, Moon Gwang and Geun Sae do despicable things, treating each other like bugs and dogs, not worth even being called humans. It also allowed Park's to ignore it all and not care about the painful events of people who, to some extent, are part of their life.

I think it's also important to add how amazingly shot the movie was. Even just the beginning scene gave me chills. The stunning scenery we've got, the symbolism behind some scenes. It all made a perfect picture that will hunt me for some time.

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