Parasite (South Korean movie) wins Oscar's best picture, but ...

[Jingthing]

OK, first of all I haven't seen all of the competitive films this year but I have seen Parasite. It definitely deserves awards up the wazoo. A truly incredible movie.

 

But I'm kind of confused. 

 

I always saw the Oscars as basically a promotion vehicle for the American movie industry particularly HOLLYWOOD. 

There were categories for foreign films and that was great, but a foreign language film would never win best picture, or even generally even be nominated.

 

Perhaps exceptions for Mexican movies as the culture in L.A. is so linked to Mexico. 

 

So now I guess that's totally over. I don't really have a problem with that but it still feels kind of strange. 

 

Also so why even have foreign film categories at all going forward if foreign films are eligible for all the other categories, which I assume they are if a foreign film can win best picture?

Edited February 10, 2020 by Jingthing

[UbonThani]

Is it about farangs in Pattaya?

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, UbonThani said:

Is it about farangs in Pattaya?

Not specifically. 

The Oscars are part of international entertainment and many expats here watch many of the movies that were nominated or won at the Oscars either at home or in the local Thai cinemas.

[UbonThani]

2 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Not specifically. 

The Oscars are part of international entertainment and many expats here watch many of the movies that were nominated or won at the Oscars either at home or in the local Thai cinemas.

Do they? Most of them are garbage.

[Jingthing]

5 minutes ago, UbonThani said:

Do they? Most of them are garbage.

Them meaning the movies or the expats?

Anyway, I would definitely recommend Parasite as definitely not garbage.

[UbonThani]

Films in general. They rehash the same ideas.

 

 

 

 

[Jingthing]

2 minutes ago, UbonThani said:

Films in general. They rehash the same ideas.

 

 

 

 

Yeah, many or most do, especially the comic book franchise movies that are commercially dominant. 

But I can assure there really are great and original movies being made today as well. 

Edited February 10, 2020 by Jingthing

[UbonThani]

Havent seen one for years.

[ThailandRyan]

What the "Joker" did not win, how can that be!!!!!!!!!!

[UbonThani]

Forest Gump lost me.

[Jingthing]

4 minutes ago, UbonThani said:

Havent seen one for years.

Well, most of what they show in the Thai cinemas is the kind of <deleted> that you refer to. But there are other sources where you can find more interesting stuff. 

[UbonThani]

Seen 2000 movies. It's all been done.

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, UbonThani said:

Seen 2000 movies. It's all been done.

If you say so. Not sure why you're posting on this topic though if that's how you feel. but, whatever!

[UbonThani]

Tell me what's new then?

[spiekerjozef]

Well deserved, best movie this year.

So many great Korean movies were made the last 20 years.

I've seen most of them. Have you?

[4MyEgo]

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

Also so why even have foreign film categories at all going forward if foreign films are eligible for all the other categories, which I assume they are if a foreign film can win best picture?

I find that foreign films are as good as, if not better than what comes out of Hollywood, especially romantic movies.

 

Regardless, nothing beats a good movie, especially if you director and actor, and your actresses are a bunch of young Asian ladies ????

[DannyCarlton]

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

I always saw the Oscars as basically a promotion vehicle for the American movie industry particularly HOLLYWOOD. 

Brits have won several times. Just dissappointed that there are no black people or lesbians in the movie once again.

[champers]

Saw Parasite at SF Central Beach Road in Pattaya. I hope it gets a 2nd run now that is so famous. I do recall Life is Beautiful, an Italian film, doing very well at the Oscars a few years back. If the Oscars are the movie World Championships then any film from anywhere should be able to win. 

French cinema make better movies than Hollywood, IMHO, and I would like to have a venue in Pattaya to see these and other "independant" movies. Maybe Major at the Avenue complex could dedicate a screen or 2.

[watthong]

A best picture is a best picture in any language, or lack of one ("The Artist".) Having said that, Parasite got oscars for, among other biggies, both Best Pic and International Feature Film categories. Now that's a bit rich for me. This seems to be carried over from the olden days when we had Best Pic and Best Foreigh Pic categories. You get either one (if made mostly by Americans and generally English-speaking) otherwise you get the other. But not both. Back then Parasite would have surely got and totally deserved a Best Foreign Pic. But then again I feel the Academy began losing its footing when they expanded the Best Pic category to ten picks, doubling the golden rule of 5. That says scrambling in desperation. The Oscar game since then has become too complicated, albeit pointless, for me.

 

Among this year Best Pic noms, I was able to watch Parasite and 1917. A blast re the former and a jaw-locking yawn re the later. All said and done, I would never give up on American-made films (or anywhere- made for that matter). Last night I watched "Eighth Grade" (2019), an under-the-radar coming of age  movie that doesn't feature a single act of violence, or a gun (though there was one fake one - along with fake blood - during an active-shooter drill in a middle school) and no alpha male. Written and directed by one person (just like Parasite) instead of a writing committee or Michael Bay. Original screenplay to boot. Great acting by unknowns. It had me both laughing and (inwardly) crying. So much truth about life, and may I say, love, that it hurts (in this day and age.)  Kinda reminded me of Moonlight of recent oscar history.

[Kadilo]

3 hours ago, UbonThani said:

Do they? Most of them are garbage.

Bit like your posts. 

[UbonThani]

1 minute ago, Kadilo said:

Bit like your posts. 

Well then enjoy.

[JHolmesJr]

4 hours ago, Jingthing said:

OK, first of all I haven't seen all of the competitive films this year but I have seen Parasite. It definitely deserves awards up the wazoo. A truly incredible movie.

 

But I'm kind of confused. 

 

I always saw the Oscars as basically a promotion vehicle for the American movie industry particularly HOLLYWOOD. 

There were categories for foreign films and that was great, but a foreign language film would never win best picture, or even generally even be nominated.

 

Perhaps exceptions for Mexican movies as the culture in L.A. is so linked to Mexico. 

 

So now I guess that's totally over. I don't really have a problem with that but it still feels kind of strange. 

 

Also so why even have foreign film categories at all going forward if foreign films are eligible for all the other categories, which I assume they are if a foreign film can win best picture?

 

you sound like an advert for white privilege.

[Jingthing]

3 hours ago, JHolmesJr said:

 

you sound like an advert for white privilege.

Please try your flame tactics on someone else.

[Jingthing]

6 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

I find that foreign films are as good as, if not better than what comes out of Hollywood, especially romantic movies.

 

Regardless, nothing beats a good movie, especially if you director and actor, and your actresses are a bunch of young Asian ladies ????

There are great English language films and there are great non-English language films. It depends on the specific film. I've been a movie nut since an early age and do love movies from all over the world. There are many people who just won't watch movies with subtitles no matter how good they are. In most cases I think that shows a closed mind but I guess there are some people that just have some kind of cognitive problem with reading and watching at the same time. A movie that really got me going long ago was Fellini's Satyricon. Anyway, I don't think it's my imagination that the Oscars has "traditionally" been a way to promote the Hollywood film industry. Obviously it has come some ways over time to be somewhat more inclusive. 

[JHolmesJr]

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

Please try your flame tactics on someone else.

 

No need to be sore....

The reason Parasite took best picture was because of an original idea and script...

something none of the other nominees in BP category had.

[Jingthing]

This win definitely does signal a major change in the Oscars. Great non-English language films have been with us all along. 

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/02/10/parasite-best-picture-oscars/
 

Quote

 

‘Parasite’s’ best picture win suggests a new Hollywood globalism

Broad hits from outside the English-speaking world until now were almost nonexistent

 

 

[Why Me]

Please, please, can someone tell me how to see Parasite. Yes, if it played in theaters already I missed it because I hardly go out to watch movies any more and don't keep track.

 

I just checked SF and Century Movie listings - blank.

 

 

[shy coconut]

32 minutes ago, Why Me said:

Please, please, can someone tell me how to see Parasite. Yes, if it played in theaters already I missed it because I hardly go out to watch movies any more and don't keep track.

 

I just checked SF and Century Movie listings - blank.

 

 

If you know how (I don't ????????) you can stream it from a number of reputable outlets

like Amazon, reputable because it is probably legal, not their tax avoidance attitude!!

 

Or if you do prefer the cinema experience, it will probably get another release as there

would be a lot of interest from cinema patrons who may have missed it 1st time round.

[scubascuba3]

i watched it last night and would say it's overrated. Maybe 7\10 if i was very generous. Most movies seem to fall between 6 and 7 out of 10

[UbonThani]

11 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

i watched it last night and would say it's overrated. Maybe 7\10 if i was very generous. Most movies seem to fall between 6 and 7 out of 10

Correct. Yawn. Oscars is a joke really. Overpaid imposters playing dress ups.

 

Books leave movies for dead.