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glitter_n_goreOften by the time people who watch / judge award shows catch wind of certain actors and filmmakers, or start paying enough attention to go, "Hey, they're pretty good," the horror geeks among us have already been following them for awhile. This happens ALL the time. Parasite is part of a long-standing tradition of the general public glomming onto inventive, terrific filmmakers who have been circulating horror blogs for like ten years. It's a weird trend, but one I've come to expect.
So, since many of us are in binge-mode, I made a list! Also, I highly recommend YouTuber Screened's video essay on why Korean horror is the way it is. It contains SPOILERS, so be careful with that one.
On to the list!
The Host
From Parasite director Joon-ho Bong, and not to be confused with the Stephenie Meyer alien flick of the same name, this classic-style monster movie has plenty of action, solid special effects, and some of the most poignantly human acting moments you'll ever see. A sea monster attacks a coastal village and a family comes together to save a young girl and boy who've been taken. The government somehow makes it worse. You should know getting into this that Bong's work almost always has something to say about class, poverty, and family. Even when giant monsters are involved.
Thirst
VAMPIRES! Everyone knows about Chan-wook Park's Vengeance Trilogy (Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Oldboy, and Lady Vengeance), and a few who follow this blog know about Stoker, but not as many know about Thirst. There's more sex and nudity in it than I generally like, but you need to meet this vampire lady. You need to. She is amazing. After the original vampire--a survivor of a blood transfusion gone VERY wrong--turns her as a companion, she's like, "Oh HELL yes! Let me show you my hit list and get started." Park's emphasis on dark humor is a fantastic touch, and makes the gore and violence go down a little easier.
A Tale of Two Sisters
Directed by Jee-woon Kim. This is a tricky one. Almost everything after the twist ending throws the rest of it out of alignment. It's loosely based on a folk tale called "Rose Flower, Red Lotus," but apart from the Evil Stepmother, I can't quite put the pieces together. I've watched it four times and I'm still trying to make sense of it. I mean that as a sincere compliment. There was an American remake in 2009 called The Uninvited starring Emily Browning and Elizabeth Banks, and it was all right, but the original is just delicious. It is my very favorite movie on this list.
Train to Busan
Zombies on a train! Directed by Sang-ho Yeon. I promise it's much more fun and inventive than it sounds. Also quite bleak, so brace yourself for that. In fact, many of these movies are bleak-to-ambiguous when it comes endings. If you're looking for a tidy resolution where the good guys always win, this genre might be a bit much for you. However, this one in particular is very fast-paced and action-packed, and doesn't let up for a moment. If you're among the general public who seem to find stories about fast-spreading pandemics weirdly comforting right now, this is your movie.
The Wailing
Directed by Hong-jin Na. What happens when an inept police sergeant gets called in to solve a murder case that involves ghosts, small-town superstition, fire, and a truly revolting skin rash? This movie. For the slow-acting pandemic fans out there. I saved this for last because it is the most brutal of all the movies on this list. You're gonna want to work up to it. It's grisly, and it's D-A-R-K. Also, like A Tale of Two Sisters, it is maddeningly difficult to summarize. The plot unwinds like a Gordian knot, showing you one more baffling detail just when you think you have a handle on what's really going on. A lot of Asian cinema plays loose with linear time, letting the characters unknowingly plot their own doom in the process of trying to solve what they think is an unrelated riddle. Brace yourselves, and enjoy.
So, since many of us are in binge-mode, I made a list! Also, I highly recommend YouTuber Screened's video essay on why Korean horror is the way it is. It contains SPOILERS, so be careful with that one.
On to the list!
The Host
From Parasite director Joon-ho Bong, and not to be confused with the Stephenie Meyer alien flick of the same name, this classic-style monster movie has plenty of action, solid special effects, and some of the most poignantly human acting moments you'll ever see. A sea monster attacks a coastal village and a family comes together to save a young girl and boy who've been taken. The government somehow makes it worse. You should know getting into this that Bong's work almost always has something to say about class, poverty, and family. Even when giant monsters are involved.
Thirst
VAMPIRES! Everyone knows about Chan-wook Park's Vengeance Trilogy (Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Oldboy, and Lady Vengeance), and a few who follow this blog know about Stoker, but not as many know about Thirst. There's more sex and nudity in it than I generally like, but you need to meet this vampire lady. You need to. She is amazing. After the original vampire--a survivor of a blood transfusion gone VERY wrong--turns her as a companion, she's like, "Oh HELL yes! Let me show you my hit list and get started." Park's emphasis on dark humor is a fantastic touch, and makes the gore and violence go down a little easier.
A Tale of Two Sisters
Directed by Jee-woon Kim. This is a tricky one. Almost everything after the twist ending throws the rest of it out of alignment. It's loosely based on a folk tale called "Rose Flower, Red Lotus," but apart from the Evil Stepmother, I can't quite put the pieces together. I've watched it four times and I'm still trying to make sense of it. I mean that as a sincere compliment. There was an American remake in 2009 called The Uninvited starring Emily Browning and Elizabeth Banks, and it was all right, but the original is just delicious. It is my very favorite movie on this list.
Train to Busan
Zombies on a train! Directed by Sang-ho Yeon. I promise it's much more fun and inventive than it sounds. Also quite bleak, so brace yourself for that. In fact, many of these movies are bleak-to-ambiguous when it comes endings. If you're looking for a tidy resolution where the good guys always win, this genre might be a bit much for you. However, this one in particular is very fast-paced and action-packed, and doesn't let up for a moment. If you're among the general public who seem to find stories about fast-spreading pandemics weirdly comforting right now, this is your movie.
The Wailing
Directed by Hong-jin Na. What happens when an inept police sergeant gets called in to solve a murder case that involves ghosts, small-town superstition, fire, and a truly revolting skin rash? This movie. For the slow-acting pandemic fans out there. I saved this for last because it is the most brutal of all the movies on this list. You're gonna want to work up to it. It's grisly, and it's D-A-R-K. Also, like A Tale of Two Sisters, it is maddeningly difficult to summarize. The plot unwinds like a Gordian knot, showing you one more baffling detail just when you think you have a handle on what's really going on. A lot of Asian cinema plays loose with linear time, letting the characters unknowingly plot their own doom in the process of trying to solve what they think is an unrelated riddle. Brace yourselves, and enjoy.