OK - do you want to watch a fantastic movie? Watch Mother by Bong Joon-ho; you will not be disappointed.
This is only Joon-ho's fourth movie as director. I have not been able to see the first, Barking Dogs Never Bite (2000), but I have now seen movies 2 through 4 and they are amazing. Memories of a Murder (2003) is an intense story about a serial killer, and you won't see a movie like this in the US. It is substance over flash, performances over tricky camera work. The Host (2006) is a horror film and family drama about a big walking, man eating fish / mutant.
And then comes Mother. There is a crime here, but the story is about an overly dedicated mother trying to free her son from prison. It's got a nice twist to it (I didn't see it coming!) and one of the best performances I have ever seen. I hope Kim Hye-ja as the mother gets a lot of awards for this one. Just watching this woman's face is an acting lesson.
I was telling my friend D about Mother this morning, and I said it was hard to categorize. It's a drama, and a murder mystery, and a family story. She said it sounded like Lives of Others or I've Loved You So Long. Both these movies are fantastic, and I'm not sure either fits into a single genre.
Watch any of these movies, and if you like it, add the rest to your queue. This is a great bunch of films.
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