Bong Joon-Ho's Latest Masterpiece 'Parasite' Is Coming Stateside

There is no question that all over the world, one can find talented filmmakers. But one place that is known for putting out unique movies is South Korea. Many of the country's filmmakers continuously put out amazing titles that astonish audiences all over the world. Of all these celebrated auteurs of cinema, Bong Joon-Ho's work is simply masterful. Bong is responsible for some excellent, thought-provoking, high concept films like Snowpiercer and The Host. His next unsettling vision of the world seemingly shifts gears into something much different.

Parasite is a family drama that has been described as a blisteringly enticing affair. The news on this flick is that audiences will expect the hilarious morality tale to be one thing, but it's really something else. This nerve-racking narrative has those that have had the pleasure to see it claiming that it is in the running for best movie of the year. From the looks of the latest trailer, I can’t tell you how great the film is, but what I can tell you is I need to know whats going on. I need to see this film and you will too.

For those hypnotized by the tantalizing teaser and haunted by the fear of never figuring out what's happening, all is not lost. Indie distributor Neon, who is responsible for bringing such great films to your eyes like I, Tonya and Revenge, are bringing the twisted tale stateside. Bong’s latest is a welcomed addition to an already impressive 2019 lineup which includes Luce, Little Woods, The Beach Bum and the upcoming horror flick The Lodge. Neon has a knack for picking provocative cinema. Every title they put out is something full of surprises that makes people think long after the credits roll. That's good cinema, and not many auteurs are making films that do that. It's nice that there is an entity out there making sure great cinema is being seen. And picking up Parasite makes a lot of sense given all the acclaim it's receiving.

The critics are raving, and it's no surprise considering the film has already won the coveted Palme d'Or at Cannes. Since the screening, the hype has grown considerably. This intriguing narrative of upper and lower class worlds colliding has a lot of buzz going for it, mostly because it's shrouded in so much mystery. The impenetrable and vague trailer gives viewers just enough to get hooked and leaves a lot up to their imagination. Given what we’ve seen, the term parasite is most likely symbolic and representative of the Kim family infecting the wealthy Park family by manipulating them. They enter the rich household like a virus enters the body, living off the host's wealth and privilege. And then chaos ensues as both sides fight to survive.

To bring this whole thing together and ensure its execution was brilliantly orchestrated, Bong enlisted some of his frequent collaborators on Parasite. Song Kang-ho is notorious for starring in the prolific filmmaker's works. He worked on both The Host and Snowpiercer. From Okja, reuniting with Bong on Parasite is Choi Woo-shik, who fans will recognize from the trendy South Korean zombie film Train to Busan. It also features Korean singer Jang Hye-jin as well as Lee Sun-kyun and Jo Yeo-jeong. Parasite is armed with a seasoned filmmaker surrounding himself with some talented performers. And they’d have to be to pull off one of these crazy flicks. Together under the guise of a genre-defying filmmaker, Parasite will no doubt feature some exemplary performances.

Bong goes out of his way to offer moviegoers an experience they wouldn't get on lesser films and takes them on a mind-bending twist-filled ride. Just when you think you have a handle on what's going on something shocking occurs and thrusts the audience in a completely different direction. He has a refreshing skill set and vision that has resulted in some unique and compelling cinema. Being able to witness his work is a very gratifying experience.

For me, the appeal mostly stems from the fact that I'm not 100% sure what one is getting when one sees the film. Is it supposed to be a thriller? A drama? A dark comedy? An intense horror piece? Is there an alien parasite controlling the rich people? Honestly given Bong’s affinity for insane twists and high concept science fiction, that last one doesn't seem that far off. I mean, it could be everything, or it could be something completely different. Either way, the trailer isn't giving much away, and going into this one cold will make it a much more memorable experience. This is one parasite you want to be dug into your brain because when you watch one of Bong's film, it's hard not to take something away from it.

Parasite will start infecting theaters on October 11, 2019.