Watched a few films recently. Will try my best to remember.
The Host
I've had this one on my watch list for quite some time, but was waiting for it to pop up on a streaming service that I have. I knew very little about this other than it was a Bong Joon-ho film and that it was rated quite highly. I really liked it, as did the wife. There 'attack' scene that happens in the first part of the film is frantic and pulsating. The 'quest' for the second part is intriguing and you're never quite sure what will happen next, combined with a few twists and a bittersweet ending. I personally thought it was very good. I like his style a lot and this one is perhaps a little different to some of his other films, but it's also still got that 'heart' that runs throughout, and a few societal and moral questions, too. I loved it and will watch this again at some point in the future.
Memories of Murder
Again, I went into this one completely blind and only knew it was by Bong Joon-ho when I looked it up. Think it was on Channel 4's streaming service. Again, I really, really liked it. This one is closer to Parasite than some of his other films in the sense that it depicts that grim, imbalanced world. It's partly based on a series of real life murders and it's somewhat disturbing to see how close it actually is to the reality, even in some of the more bizarre parts. It's very, um, anti-Police in various parts, so to speak. The ending will frustrate some as there is a lack of resolution, but I found that to be very powerful, especially the final closing scene. Kim Sang-kyung arguably steals the show as a detective from Seoul who basically gets brought down to Song Kang-ho's level. It's quite tragic in that sense, almost that the longer you spend in the system, the further it weakens and corrupts you. This is up there with the greats of the 21st century, in my opinion.
Pearl
I've seen X, which I liked a lot, but I personally thought this was better. Without spoiling it, that ending shot will stay with me for a long time. It's masterfully crafted with the way that specific scene is filmed. It's the best kind of prequel in the sense that it doesn't go too far to explain why the events in the first film happen the way they do, but it serves well as it's own separate story that could be viewed without even ever watching X. Mia Goth is utterly brilliant and so watchable in this. Nothing seems to go right and it only seems that it's going to end up going one way...which is complete and utter mayhem. This really should be on people's watchlists if they are into that modern day horror/psychological thriller vibe.
Green Room
This was a grim watch, but it's also a great film, in my opinion. Firstly, it's sad watching Anton Yelchin and knowing that he passed away a year after this film. He had so much promise and he's a great lead in this film. Secondly, Patrick Stewart makes for a very compelling villain. He's not the most obvious choice for the role that he plays, but he carries it through very well. This film handles the whole claustrophobia/backs against the wall feeling well, and it's pretty tense in various places. As mentioned earlier, there are more than a couple of moments that are not easy to watch due to the gruesome nature of the film, so it's not for everyone. However, I'd put this in the same category as Pearl above, in the sense that's a good modern day psychological thriller, with a pretty decent runtime of 95 minutes. I liked it, but I'm not in a rush to watch it again so soon.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978 remake)
I'm a huge fan of this film and the original. I grew up watching the original probably a few times a year, as I'm a huge fan of the genre. I have to say that I do think that this film surpasses it and that it is one of the best films of its type, ever. It's just brilliant. Magnificent. It reminds me of that Night/Dawn of the Dead sort of film where the stakes just get higher and higher throughout. I do think that this film handles the growing sense of dread and paranoia slightly better than the original, and the 'garden' scene where Donald Sutherland decides to take a nap is just absolutely fecking terrifying. The way that scene plays out makes my skin crawl and I don't think either myself or my wife took a breath during that sequence. The ending is, in my opinion, one of the greatest all-time endings to any film. It's shocking, it's thrilling, it's memorable, and it's just so well executed.
Looking back on these 5 films, I think I'm on a very good run!
