Mickey 17 is the latest movie by celebrated director Bong Joon-ho, but I was disappointed it didn’t quite reach the heights of his previous work.
Unfortunately, the acclaimed director seems to have set the bar too high following his previous films and so I was left feeling a little underwhelmed, even if there were scenes and moments I really did enjoy throughout one of this month’s new movies.
Still, my lukewarm reaction to Mickey 17 shouldn’t put you off, because Bong Joon-ho has some amazing movies including a Best Picture winner that everyone should watch, and an underrated horror movie you may not have heard of.
Here are three Bong Joon-ho picks you can stream now.
Parasite
Where to watch: Netflix (worldwide), also on Hulu (US); Stan (AU)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 99%
Age Rating: R
Runtime: 132 minutes
Cast: Song Kang-ho, Lee Sun-kyun, Cho Yeo-jeong, Choi Woo-shik, Park So-dam
Parasite absolutely blew me away. I made a point of staying up late to watch the Oscars during the year of its release, where I cheered a bit too loudly when it won Best Picture (sorry to my neighbors).
It deserved that award and then some, it’s one of the smartest, funniest, downright shocking thrillers I’ve ever seen, and also provides some great critique of modern day society.
The less you know about this movie, the better, as it’s the kind that seeks to shock you at every turn. I couldn’t have possibly predicted what goes down, and it’s a movie I like to revisit often.
Snowpiercer
Where to watch: The Roku Channel (US); Netflix (UK); Prime Video (AU)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 94%
Age Rating: R
Runtime: 126 minutes
Cast: Chris Evans, Song Kang-ho, Tilda Swinton, Jamie Bell
I love dystopian thrillers, and Snowpiercer is such a great concept with an all-star cast. It’s set aboard a huge train that people live on in the aftermath of a catastrophic ice age. The wealthy of society live at the front of the train, and the poor at the back, and conditions are drastically different in these carriages, creating a huge divide between the social classes. While the rich enjoy extravagance, the poor are crammed into bad conditions overseen by armed guards.
Finally, enough is enough, and one passenger leads a revolution against the oppressive Snowpiercer train and how it’s managed. It’s a really smart thriller with an important message, and there’s a Netflix show based on it too.
The Host
Where to watch: Max, Hoopla (US); Apple TV (rent or buy – UK and AU)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 93%
Age Rating: R
Runtime: 119 minutes
Cast: Song Kang-ho, Byun Hee-bong, Park Hae-il, Bae Doona
The Host may be the lesser-known of my three picks, especially if you’re not usually into horror. If you love monster movies, Bong Joon-ho’s take on one is very good indeed. I’m keen to see him do even more horror, as he’s so good at the genre. I find myself recommending The Host to people a lot!
When a huge monster emerges from Seoul’s Han River and kidnaps a teenage girl, it forces her family to face it head-on and try and get her back safely. It’s emotionally charged and thrilling with some great monster design, what’s not to love?
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lucy.buglass@futurenet.com (Lucy Buglass)
