Last Watched

[MrCarmady]

Perhaps the best thing about Parasite is that it will stimulate more general interest in Korean cinema, and Bong in particular. It has certainly worked on me as I watched both Mother and The Host over the weekend, although I've seen a bunch of Hong's, Lee's, and Park's stuff already.

They're both great! His absolute contempt for authority, his ability to mix humour and tragedy, and his sense of pacing are all superb. He's happy to let the camera roll and observe the characters in their environment, but is also really good at editing action scenes and cross-cutting between different characters' perspectives in a way that feels very engaging and coherent. The extremely strong family bonds in all three films of his I've seen are delightful, and the classic trope of characters thinking on their feet and overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds is rarely executed as well as the office escape scene in The Host or the slapstick antics of Parasite. But Mother is the real revelation of all three to me, as it manages to both ask really probing questions about the justice system and the nature of justice in general, and also show maternal love as an all-powerful, all-destructive force in a way that never feels exaggerated even though his sensibility isn't tending towards realism. This is so metaphorical, man.

[Roscoe]

Agreed about MOTHER, which was the first Bong Joon-Ho film I saw, and it is light years ahead of the foolishness that he's wasted his time on since.

[MrCarmady]

It's interesting you had such divergent responses to Mother (but who is the real mother???) and Parasite, because seeing all three films in quick succession with no other films in between really made me appreciate how Bong consistently bangs on about the same topics of family bonds, social inequality, and stupid authorities. He uses the same DoP on these two as well. I certainly preferred Mother because it has a much better ending, but I don't see them as worlds apart. Then again I think Bergman, Fellini, Hitchcock, Hawks, and Ford have made some of the best and some of the absolute worst garbage I've ever seen. Sometimes I think a lot of it just depends on my mood and the expectations I bring to the film.

[Silga]

I've only seen Snowpiercer from Bong and I am glad that the upcoming local film festival will show 4 Bong films (Parasite, Mother, The Host, Barking Dogs Never Bite) next month. In addition, there will also be a small retrospective look at the Korean cinema of the 60s with 4 films presented: The Housemaid (Kim Ki-young, 1960), The Aimless Bullet (Yu Hyun-mok, 1961), A Woman Judge (Hong Eun-won, 1962) and A Day Off (Lee Man-hui, 1968).
I'd love some recommendations for ones I shouldn't miss.

[MrCarmady]

I think The Host would be really fun on the big screen, it was the #1 highest grossing Korean film of all time for a reason. I haven't seen any of the 60s stuff but would also love some guidance, haven't really seen anything pre-new wave from there.

[Umbugbene]

A Day Off (Lee Man-hui, 1968)

See A Day Off by all means. If you miss it on the big screen there's an excellent English-subtitled copy on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2f6eLMTooaM

For that matter there's a ton of classic Korean cinema on that channel that I've recently begun to explore. A lot of people here like A Seaside Village, which I haven't seen yet.

As for Parasite I'm not going to go out on a limb defending a movie I've only watched once, but I want to thank Roscoe and MrCarmady for your comments, because they led me to a surprising discovery. In short, there's another movie with striking similarities to Parasite that aims for the same thing and does it better (I guarantee nobody will guess it, and I doubt Mr. Bong is aware of it). I can share once I've rewatched and confirmed.

[Evelyn Library P.I.]

Phantom Lady (1944, Siodmak) -- A major favourite of noir fans that I'd never got around to seeing. So good ! Ella Raines forever.

[Roscoe]

L'INNOCENTE, Visconti's last film, and well, okay. Handsomely done all round. Not at the same level as THE LEOPARD or ROCCO, but a pretty good viewing. I was more taken with Giannini than I usually am.

[Roscoe]

It's interesting you had such divergent responses to Mother (but who is the real mother???) and Parasite, because seeing all three films in quick succession with no other films in between really made me appreciate how Bong consistently bangs on about the same topics of family bonds, social inequality, and stupid authorities. He uses the same DoP on these two as well. I certainly preferred Mother because it has a much better ending, but I don't see them as worlds apart. Then again I think Bergman, Fellini, Hitchcock, Hawks, and Ford have made some of the best and some of the absolute worst garbage I've ever seen. Sometimes I think a lot of it just depends on my mood and the expectations I bring to the film.

Yup. MOTHER, all those years ago in its initial release, raised hopes that foolishness like SNOWPIERCER and now this PARASITE thing have pretty well dashed, not so much about the exploration of similar things but just in terms of Bong making interesting movies. I'll check out THE HOST, but well, I'm not looking forward to it.

And yeah, great filmmakers make shitty movies sometimes. Bong's best is nowhere near the level of Bergman Fellini Hitchcock Hawks Ford or others' best.

[Silga]

See A Day Off by all means.

Thanks, Umbugbene! I'll make sure to watch A Day Off!

[pabs]

So I watched Bong's MOTHER last night thanks to this discussion, and it was indeed excellent. What a great cast! The mother especially. I loved the camera angles and framing, which gave certain scenes a brief and completely unexpected (as well as a strange, satisfying, jarring) semi-comedic flavour. Yes, this was streets ahead of PARASITE in myriad ways. Beautifully filmed and framed. So grateful to you guys!

[MrCarmady]

So I watched Bong's MOTHER last night thanks to this discussion, and it was indeed excellent. What a great cast! The mother especially. I loved the camera angles and framing, which gave certain scenes a brief and completely unexpected (as well as a strange, satisfying, jarring) semi-comedic flavour. Yes, this was streets ahead of PARASITE in myriad ways. Beautifully filmed and framed. So grateful to you guys!

Glad you liked it as much as me!
I went to the cinema to watch The Lighthouse last night, yet another film which took months between its US and UK releases. Really enjoyable, solid silent movie pastiche with strong visuals and fun performances, even if Pattinson's accent is all over the place. Don't get why people are calling it pretentious, it's not really striving for profundity in my eyes, just an enjoyable descent into madness due to isolation (cf. Aguirre) / battle of the wills with changing power dynamics (cf. all of Pinter's work) type story which executes both manoeuvres reasonably well. Shout out to that seagull.

Speaking of silent movie pastiches, I also watched Sally Potter's The Gold Diggers the other day, which didn't really say much about the patriarchy or capitalism except that they're linked, but was visually and aurally engaging enough not to overstay its 85-minute runtime. Should probably watch Orlando even though I found the novel really boring.

[thoxans]

good time (benny safdie / josh safdie) a disappointment tbh. while there was lots to like (pattinson's perf in particular; the colours taking over the entire frame, like some silent movie with different tinted film stocks; the slight forays into something more seemingly surreal, like pattinson sitting in front of tv screen static with dye in his hair, not to mention the whole funhouse/haunted house sequence), there was just one too many false note hollywood moments. the random special connection with the black girl. pattinson's little holier than thou monologue with the drunk fuckup. the clunky narrative that really ends up feeling like nothing more than a series of set pieces. and the ending felt rushed, which might've been a side effect of the film's nonstop go-go-go pulse, but even then there wasn't much punch to the conclusion. idk. maybe my expectations were too high cuz i've been waiting to see this one since it originally released. or maybe i've just been watching too much miike here recently, and afterwards everything else by comparison seems rote and tame. might bump up my rating, if the film continues to linger with me, but as of now i didn't think it was all that

[Roscoe]

So I watched Bong's MOTHER last night thanks to this discussion, and it was indeed excellent. What a great cast! The mother especially. I loved the camera angles and framing, which gave certain scenes a brief and completely unexpected (as well as a strange, satisfying, jarring) semi-comedic flavour. Yes, this was streets ahead of PARASITE in myriad ways. Beautifully filmed and framed. So grateful to you guys!

Glad you dug it. I've been wanting to revisit it -- maybe with the orgy of Bong everywhere this will be more available.

Anybody got any words on IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE?

[MrCarmady]

good time (benny safdie / josh safdie) a disappointment tbh. while there was lots to like (pattinson's perf in particular; the colours taking over the entire frame, like some silent movie with different tinted film stocks; the slight forays into something more seemingly surreal, like pattinson sitting in front of tv screen static with dye in his hair, not to mention the whole funhouse/haunted house sequence), there was just one too many false note hollywood moments. the random special connection with the black girl. pattinson's little holier than thou monologue with the drunk fuckup. the clunky narrative that really ends up feeling like nothing more than a series of set pieces. and the ending felt rushed, which might've been a side effect of the film's nonstop go-go-go pulse, but even then there wasn't much punch to the conclusion. idk. maybe my expectations were too high cuz i've been waiting to see this one since it originally released. or maybe i've just been watching too much miike here recently, and afterwards everything else by comparison seems rote and tame. might bump up my rating, if the film continues to linger with me, but as of now i didn't think it was all that

I haven't seen it since release and wanna re-watch it in the wake of loving Uncut Gems, but the black girl scene isn't what you say it is, from memory - she's very young and he's manipulative/exploitative/predatory, their 'connection' is fairly illusory and shows his lack of scrupulousness and using his looks in his favour, which works well with the casting. I do agree it felt like a collection of set-pieces but the soundtrack is one of the best of the decade.

[rischka]

oneohtrix point never 4-ever

my main issue with good time was him getting his bro into this mess in the first place but i liked the emotional connection between them. uncut gems is still better imo

[greennui]

Sea Fever (Alberto Cavalcanti, 1927) - I really liked the well-lit, smoky port enviroment in this one. The exeggerated acting is def something you can like or dislike depending on your mood I guess.





The Beautiful Sailor (Harry Lachman, 1932) - Under the Bridges-light, directed by an American, in French, starring Jean Gabin. Presumed lost for many years until five reels were found and restored quite recently. There's still four reels missing and I felt like the film did suffer a little from it. A little slight compared other films in the genre but I could watch nothing but these barge romances all year round.

[sally]

barge poll!

but omg sea fever looks lovely. thank you so much (for when 1914 lets up)

[rischka]

parasite wasn't worth the two days it took me to finish it but i guess i shoulda known when it won the oscar

[nrh]

tomb of ligeia, roger corman 1964

my wife and my dead wife. has its issues for sure - a kind of lopsided structure, and it never quite figures out its relationship to the supernatural, or at least wants to have it both ways - but this is a strange and fascinating film, with an all time great creepy vincent price performance and one of the best horror movie cats.

so far i like these films best when price is in some way an active participant in his own doom; here he struggles with half remembered night time compulsions, with possession and mesmerism floated as possible (if not wholly convincing) explanations for necrophiliac desire...

edit - also weird to read, after just re-watching petulia last night, that corman originally wanted chamberlain in the price role

[rischka]

love it ^

i watched kleber mendonça filho's bacurau which, is this how movies are now? quite bloody apocalyptic sci fi spaghetti western -- with much in common with parasite

marginally more fun though

[Evelyn Library P.I.]

30 minutes in to Lubitsch's Madame DuBarry, and I'm loving it well beyond its reputation as a stodgy bore. Studio mode of production narrative filmmaking at its pinnacle circa 1919, and some Lubitschian touches on the side.

[liquidnature]

Knives Out (2019)
Okayish, but no where near as good as the film it plagiarises, Hercule Poirot's Christmas, which executes every facet of the mansion family mystery dymanic with a more striking atmosphere of suspense and drama.

The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (1962)
I liked it - as others have noted its faux-zaniness and gyrating tone makes for a strange experience, but it was charming and earnest in its adaption.

Blood of the Beasts (1949)
No plans currently to become a vegetarian/vegan, but this nearly propelled me to action.

Halfway through Hitchcock's Rebecca (1940) and oh my dear lord is it good...

[liquidnature]

Halfway through Hitchcock's Rebecca (1940) and oh my dear lord is it good...

straight masterpiece. can't imagine any Hitch being better, but have high hopes for Vertigo of course.

[thoxans]

Rebecca (1940)

of the 20+ hitch's i've seen, shamefully still haven't gotten round to rebecca (tho one of the last big crushes i had irl was a gurl named becca, so cute, dead ringer for a young lisa edelstein). vertigo is good of course, but imo also feels like a film you have to think is good while you're watching it. it's got its quirks. interested to hear your thoughts once watched

[Roscoe]

Wish I could share the love for REBECCA, one of those films that I like a bit less every time I see it. Brilliantly made and acted all round, there's just something missing, maybe the utter doormatness of Fontaine's "I" character, which doesn't bother me in the novel in the same way. That little episode with the dress would have sent any sensible woman straight to Mrs. Danvers with the command that she clear out at once and fuck two weeks pay and don't think about a reference, bitch. But of course it couldn't happen that way, and all that, I know I know. Maybe it's the way the story seems to deflate when the boat is discovered, what had been a mood piece about a struggle for control of Manderley turns into a rather drab courtroom thing.

[Holymanm]

the film it plagiarises, Hercule Poirot's Christmas

The 90s TV movie...?

And Rebecca is fantastic!!! Is it never talked about anymore just because it doesn't have a more memorable title, or what?

[Holymanm]

And ditto all love for Mother. That's why it's funny for me that Parasite is suddenly the biggest deal in the history of the universe, after he's been making better movies than that for years. But just funny for me, rather than fully ironic - I think Snowpiercer is by far his best, after all, and everyone seems to hate it

[...]

Part of the deal with Rebecca is that it was almost as much a Selznick movie as a Hitchcock one, which puts some of the more auteury folks off from the get go and does make for some oddness in the mix of values on display. That isn't to say Rebecca isn't worthy of esteem, just that it is a bit of an odd duck that doesn't quite fit some sets of expectation.

[Roscoe]

For REBECCA It's not the Selznick/Hitchcock thing -- it's the "movie that impresses on a first viewing but forty years later feels rather thinner than it did at first sight" thing.