Two weeks ago, the world simultaneously gasped and collectively cheered when Parasite was announced as the Best Picture winner at the 2020 Oscars. It was the first time in The Academy’s storied history that a non-English language film clinched the biggest award of the night. Few people will tell you that Parasite did not deserve it. One of the few people that will tell you exactly that, though, is the President of the United States, Donald Trump. Trump is beyond livid that Parasite won the top prize. He hates the idea that a non-American film could be awarded Best Picture at the Oscars.
While speaking at a rally in Colorado Springs for his re-election campaign, Donald Trump suddenly began ranting about Parasite. The most ridiculous part? He openly admitted that he hasn’t even seen the film.
And the winner is a movie from South Korea! What the hell was that all about? We got enough problems with South Korea with trade, on top of that they give them the best movie of the year. Was it good? I don’t know. And I’m looking for, like… Let’s get Gone With the Wind? Can we get, like, Gone With the Wind back please? Sunset Boulevard? So many great movies. The winner is from South Korea! I thought it was Best Foreign Film, right? Best Foreign Movie? No, it was the- this never happened before.
Trump goes off on the Oscars for giving Best Picture to Parasite because it's a South Korean movie pic.twitter.com/GUGKdExTbw
— Claudia Koerner (@ClaudiaKoerner) February 21, 2020
But just like everything else that comes out of Trump’s mouth, it’s best if you just ignore it altogether.
The brilliance of this Bong Joon-Ho film is that it can be enjoyed on two levels. On the surface, it’s a fun, funny and exciting film about a poor family scamming a rich one. But behind the funny lines, exciting tone and suspenseful beats lie a chilling and dark commentary about the way our society is built. Parasite is pure unadulterated Bong from start to finish — funny, suspenseful, unabashedly weird, bloody, manic and powerful. Not to mention, it has one of, if not the best montage sequence I’ve ever been lucky enough to bear witness to.
