1054 Parasite

[domino harvey]

He didn't even write a review of the film. This is the entirety of his commentary:

Parasite is so overstylized that the sense of intimacy that permeates Bong Joon-ho's early films and makes them unique is completely lost. Additionally, the social contrasts that are supposed to give its narrative a structure are mismanaged in ways that make the entire project look like an underdeveloped parody. I did not like it at all.

Completely useless observations/criticisms if they're not backed up by evidence. Presumably not given because they can't be backed up by the evidence of the film...

[soundchaser]

I can only think of two scenes off the top of my head that are even remotely "stylized," if he's even talking about the filmmaking itself.

[tenia]

Nothing surprising there, but as usual, the blu-ray.com thread started discussing Svet review and is now being cleaned and suspensions being distributed. I wonder what for ? Talking politics ans making social commentaries ? That'd be ironic.

I keep wondering why blu-ray.com as a structure keeps putting with all this crap, but also how they're refusing to accept that some people might question that since Svet is the only one to use every movie he can as a springboard for his political view, this is transforming blu-ray.com as a one-sided political platform.

[Feiereisel]

I can only think of two scenes off the top of my head that are even remotely "stylized," if he's even talking about the filmmaking itself.

I agree that "overstylized" is very poor word choice. To unpack it a bit, I took it to mean something like "not presented in a realistic manner" rather than the film overtly or excessively employing an unreal-seeming cinematic technique (such as slow motion) to its detriment. He seems to be equating the film's figurative conceits--the film's layered presentation of domestic space; dwellings-as-metaphor; the characters' behavior within domestic spaces--to broader, more visual, and more subjectively-perceived sense of "style," which is a lot to lay onto a single word.

On the whole, I think it is fair to refer to Parasite as a stylized film; the error is in using the word as a pejorative. Further articulation and explanation would have at least allowed him to support the claim with evidence...although based on the tone and content of his other writing, I doubt it would be done in a sufficiently convincing manner. Using "pretentious" or "overwrought" in place of "stylized" may have been a better and more concise option.

Nothing surprising there, but as usual, the blu-ray.com thread started discussing Svet review and is now being cleaned and suspensions being distributed. I wonder what for ? Talking politics and making social commentaries ? That'd be ironic.

I keep wondering why blu-ray.com as a structure keeps putting with all this crap, but also how they're refusing to accept that some people might question that since Svet is the only one to use every movie he can as a springboard for his political view, this is transforming blu-ray.com as a one-sided political platform.

I am not crazy about the cleaning and suspending either; it is a blunt solution to an issue that needs a more specific and nuanced remediation. Even though it may be unintentional, it seems as though legitimate concerns are falling on deaf ears, particularly true with regard to the content of Svet's reviews and the subsequent response. As to the structure of the site, my guess is that it simply may not be set up in a way that can effectively manage these issues. The situation gives the site an unfortunate "family-dinner" vibe, failing (or choosing not to) acknowledge that curtailing political discussion in the name of being apolitical is in itself a politically provocative act that sours the whole experience.

Is there any sense that something is being done behind the scenes to correct--or at least minimize--this?

[TheKieslowskiHaze]

At least he didn't go all "I, Daniel Blake" on it and invent a right-wing subtext for an obviously left-wing film. Simply saying "I don't like this" is much more honest.

[cdnchris]

I think my favourite is where Election is about how public schools are a failure.

[tenia]

Is there any sense that something is being done behind the scenes to correct--or at least minimize--this?

The only thing that has been done on a seemingly long-term perspective is that Svet doesn't post on the board anymore. I don't know if he has been requested not to, or if he stopped, but that's the result. He has resumed posting in the news section's comments though, and his interactions don't seem very different from what they were on the main board.

Aside from this, the website response still is to delete any criticism and suspend/ban the concerned members, so nothing has fundamentally changed despite this shift in Svet's reviews' content (and his personal page feed).

By every look of it, since there is no other reviewer offerint another political stance and that no debate is possible on the board by the members, blu-ray.com as a structure seems at least OK if not happy to be politically one-sided this way.