Classpiercer.
132 Mins. Starring: Song Kang-Ho, Lee Sun-kyun, Cho Yeo-jeong, Chang Hyae-jin, Choi Woo-shik & Park so-dam. Director: Bong Joon-ho.
'Roma' roaming its way to surely the Academy Award for 'Best Foreign Film' at the forthcoming Oscars that has Netflix ('The Irishman', 'Marriage Story', 'Dolemite Is My Name', 'The Two Popes') dominating an otherwise dry award season, with his powerful 'Parasite' acclaimed 'Snowpiercer' director Bong Joon-ho (who gave the streaming service the outstanding 'Okja') gives us not only the Cannes most talked about film out of South Korea this year, but the worldwide best of 2019 outside being born 'Once Upon A Time...In Hollywood'. It may not be released in the U.K. until the February award season of the new year, but then again it did take long enough for the 'Snowpiercer' train to make it to the station like platform nine and three quarters (maybe it was because the definitive dystopian blockbuster had something to do with Chris Evans himself, Captain America eating babies? I don't know I'm just spit balling ). But the kitchen knives are out now this writer has watched this perfect picture of class war and divide with subtle symbolism like crawling to the first class, front carriages of 'Snowpiercer' on a plane home for the holidays from the Far East this Christmas. From off Broadway to the West End you could make this into a stage production the storytelling is that sharp. Korea like many (holds up passport) if not every nation (you too America) is a nation divided. From the North and South political peril, to even the one that exists in entertainment. With epidemic levels of suicide in young performers and even young people everyday looking up to these idols or inward to their own lives. Trolling and high standards of pressure and conformity cloaking their artistic expression being one of the main perpetrators to blame without a face, hidden like us all behind a screen. For every BTS and KATIE success story, there is a Sulli or her close friend Goo Hara tragedy (rest peacefully). Further reason why writing hateful comments hiding behind a screen-that includes "liking" or sharing something clearly aimed at somebody-is one of the most dangerous and insidious things you can do to someone's self-esteem and how they view their lives. And one of South Korea's most expressive and epic, amazing artists is 'The Host' director Joon-ho and one of its biggest divides from Seoul to Busan and every other place that calls it home is the have rich and the poor have not. Like the garden arrangement of this movies banner of black, blocked out eyes like something out of the big brother, digital 'Aesop Fable' fearmongering of the reflective shimmer of 'Black Mirror'. From the high rises to the slums soaked, drowning under the sidewalks of piss and trash literally. You can practically see it if you just pick up your dragged feet and for once take a look down at what you're inadvertently or ignorantly walking all over.
Illuminating their faces like they've just discovered the Holy Grail or what's inside Vincent Vega's briefcase, our two young leads camber up top a cramped and dingy ledge above their toilet in the no one should have to share this bathroom, huddled together all to get...a few bars of a WiFi signal. It says it all really...to all of us. It's the first of many hidden highlighted visuals in Bong's magnum opus of masterpieces from Native American headress dress-up to the bleak blackness of bunkers that literally look like the dungeon depths of hell. Plunge into this and you will see the premise from go as this family living in 'Shoplifters' (it's biggest and best foreign film competition this award season Oscar) squalor stack pizza boxes like Domino's ready for the all to fall as they hope to fold them into Won won for their wallets in their back pockets like their last hope and prayer. But that's all about to change like the spare they never beg for but borrow like another day on the breadline. After a far more Muji clean dressed successful friend comes to visit with a wooden box that looks either like a Vega Holy Grail or a coffin, containing a rock that's going to symbolically do more than way down this family like the mountains out of molehills it looks like it makes and moves with. We've all recommended a friend a job. But how about the whole family? And all in a manipulating, playing host way that's as insidious as that movie is scary. Framing try it way to the family portrait of the others that is really a sabotage rooted in self...or at least all the toxic two point four selfish ways. And this subtley so is truly terrifying as it is taught and tense. That's basically the set-up. But in the age of avoiding 'Star Wars' spoilers like fans want to 'The Rise Of Skywalker' (don't. Perhaps with our arms folded we are just really spoilt), we don't want to give the punchline of this black comedy away...or even how its dynamically and definitively delivered. Because every twist and turn will leave you with somewhere you could have never got guessing in this game of class thrones. But let's just say with everything these days phones come into play for something so heart, back and neck breaking you're going to wish the battery was the only thing flattened. As the stakes rise along with the set-ups and set-pieces that will either leave you looking away or nodding in approval depending on your class of person this would be perfect for an episode of the comedy 'Frasier', if this enigmatic, compelling piece of art wasn't so f###### frightening.
Genius. In this social media swiped saturating age by the application of our phones that dictionary definition of a word gets thrown around truly too much these days. But definitive Korean director who made the better 'Mother' movie Bong Joon-hun really is one to the moviemaking world. Just like Song Kang-Ho is a legend to the acting one. As Bong brings out the best of his reunion with the 'Snowpiercer' star like turning an addiction into an explosive. The look of depression, desperate dispondency on the best 'The Taxi Driver' actor since that 'Irishman' De Niro speaks more volumes than subtitles and you don't need any CGI to see it. Whilst opposite the ivory picket fence 'White Tower' of the 'Coffee Prince' husband he's taxi driving around in the oil slick, but perfectly personable, just from different worlds Lee Sun-kyun is the perfect parallel. This is what makes this 'Parasite' to your empathetic audience a villainless and even victimless affair unlike the hit 'John Wick' meets 'Atomic Blonde' first person action flick hit. Just like the 'Concubine' worrying mothering of 'The Servant' and true star Cho Yeo-jeong and the back breaking one of Chang Hyae-jin. But here it's the kids that are alright even if they are glued to their phones like the mice to the sticky traps. From Seoul Station classic zombie off the rails ride, 'Train To Busan', Korean-Canadian star Choi Woo-shik truly excels in what feels like his coming of protagonist age picture. Whilst in the family framing business the scene stealing 'Underdog' actress Park so-dam is the ace and plan B up this 'Parasite' scratching sleeve. She truly takes the cake in this biscuit tin taking dramedy that's all about those two faces of bitter comedy and Gods laughing plan tragedy. Now you don't need to tap into more code to get lost in the translation of this one. You only have to watch the original 'Oldboy', or the latest 'The Handmaiden' tale to see that there is so much soul from the place that Seoul is the capital of, but it really has been the year of South Korea from 'Map Of The Soul', to the Netflix 'Persona' miniseries of different stories all starring singer Lee Ji-eun Aka I.U. But none gets to he heart of our personal socio-economic and dark soul than this first Korean and first since 'Blue Is The Warmest Colour' Cannes unanimous Palme d'Or winner, map of the web wide world today. 'Parasite' is an itch that will get under your skin like an extraterrestrial Scarlett Johansson movie, but sadly nothing feels alien about this movie today. Even the shocking guess whose coming to the dinner party ending that has been pressure cooking since the slow burning start. There's no organism that attaches itself to you like this...not even the lovable, vegan converting 'Okja'. This 'Parasite' has already burrowed and been living inside us for years like not only one of the greatest films of the calendar, but best of the decade too. Nothing we can do about it now. It's already here . TIM DAVID HARVEY.
Further Filming: 'Snowpiercer', 'Okja', 'Shoplifters' .
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