"Parasite" is a movie that has been getting a lot of well deserved praise, and I would definitely count myself among its fans despite thinking that some of the claims about how good it is (like that its the greatest movie of the decade) are a bit much. Still, I don't really have any complaints about this movie at all, because it really is amazingly done on every level, it's a beautifully shot and compelling story with an award-worthy ensemble cast, but it's also very very weird. I personally like the weirdness but some moments really are way over the top. This is nothing new if you are a fan of Bong Joon Ho's films, and you should also expect his films to cross genres, which Parasite definitely does. This film is a dark comedy mixed with anxiety-inducing suspense as well as some elements of drama and horror, this is all without ever overshadowing that at the heart of this movie this is a story about a family aspiring for a better life in a world of extreme classism. What this film also does well is that the characters are all flawed yet sympathetic causing the audience to sometimes root for things they probably shouldn't be rooting for or see victims as possibly getting what they deserved. The key to making a story like that work is the epic cast, where there isn' t one bad actor in the entire cast (yes, not even the mostly silent kid lol)

Although this is an ensemble cast effort, and Song Kang Ho is clearly marketed at the star of the film, the real star of this story, in my opinion, is Choi Woo Shik as Kim Gi Woo. Gi Woo is the catalyst for everything that happens in this film and I thought he was really great as the idealistically naive but ingeniously calculating son of the family. Song Kang Ho as the impulsive father, Park So Dam as the extremely clever sister, and Jang Hye Jin as the supportive mom with an edge complete the family. The Kim family is the epitome of poor and struggling and seeing how they make their situation work is heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. They have amazing chemistry as a family which made me laugh and even cry and made it very easy to root for them no matter what they did. They are contrasted with the well off and extremely privileged Park family. I've loved Lee Sun Kyun since Coffee Prince, so I really liked seeing him as less of the nice guy character I am used to seeing him as. I also loved Cho Yeo Jung as the "gullible because she's privileged enough to be" wife who is very nice but also obliviously elitist. However, I liked that she never played her as too stupid, which makes what the Kims are able to accomplish even more plausible and hilariously impressive. The way the two families played off of each other, from the most subtle gestures to the more extreme moments were amazing.

But my favorite actor in the ensemble is Lee Jung Eun as the Park family's maid. She is so good at saying so much with just her expression, and then some. I won't say more because I don't want to give anything away about the story at all. The less you know about Parasite before watching the better.

What I will say about the story is that the Park family literally and figuratively live far above the Kim family. In spite of this they seem nice enough to not be reduced to stereotypical hateful rich caricatures which made any conflict between the two families seem less about good or bad people and more about the dynamics classism creates and how the lines it builds defines who we are but at the same time how easily those lines can blur with some manipulation. The events are also sometimes funny even at their worst and it's so entertaining that it takes some of the seemingly most mundane things like cooking a meal or carrying fruit and makes watching that like watching a fast-paced action thriller. There are no boring parts in this film even during the less eventful scenes, and it has so much great symbolism without relying more on that than an actual story with a coherent plot. It excels when it comes to symbolism and storytelling equally. There are no real plotholes either, all the weirdness made complete sense in this film's world.

Would I watch it again? Of Course. This is a movie that I thought was beautiful and fun to watch. Knowing what will happen will definitely lessen the suspense but it's so beautifully shot with such great scenes and performances that that is enough to put the rewatch rating at a 10. I also would love to maybe catch some things that I maybe missed the first time.

Overall, Parasite is a satire with an extreme yet simple story and it stayed with me emotionally long after the film was over, but not in a sappy overly sentimental way. I laughed a lot while watching it, so despite the theme, this is far from just a downer. Parts of this film may not be for everyone, and the ending may not be either, but I really think this is the type of story that I want to recommend to everyone just so we can talk about it! This is definitely the kind of storytelling that gets folks talking, and I really doubt you will see many bad reviews (although one person in the theater I saw it in was audibly unhappy at the end). This movie is art down to the details but it's also an entertaining story that leaves you thinking without having to be super preachy or depressing. This is also exciting and unpredictable from start to finish, and if you love movies where you can't guess what will happen next no matter how obvious and inevitable the unraveling seems to be, then you definitely won't be disappointed. Who knew that a constant "something bad is gonna happen" feeling could be so much fun. My anxiety was on high, and I liked it. I would never say it's one of the greatest films of all time, but it is definitely one of the most unique films I have ever seen.

Also, I will never look at a peach the same way again.