[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] Director Park Chan-wook's film Decision to Leave has been selected as one of the New York Times (NYT)'s top 10 films of the year.
NYT chief film critic Manohla Dargis introduced 10 films that left a strong impression on her this year on the 6th (local time), mentioning Director Park's film as the eighth on the list.
Decision to Leave is a romantic thriller that depicts the complex emotional changes experienced by a detective investigating a suspicious death case as he investigates the deceased's wife, who is a suspect. Actors Park Hae-il and Tang Wei star in the film.
Dargis described the film as "a labyrinthine movie" that "provides a thrilling pleasure."
She especially compared it to Alfred Hitchcock's masterpiece Vertigo, which features a private detective and a female protagonist involved in crime, praising the originality of Decision to Leave.
Dargis added the interpretation that Decision to Leave is Director Park's response to Vertigo, stating, "Even within the framework of love and betrayal between the male and female leads, Park's film shows a uniquely twisted development."
This kind of praise from the NYT is expected to increase local experts' interest ahead of next year's Academy Awards in the United States.
Earlier, the Korean Film Council selected Decision to Leave as South Korea's submission for the Best International Feature Film category at the 95th Academy Awards, which will be held early next year.
Director Bong Joon-ho's Parasite was also selected as one of the NYT's "Top 10 Films of 2019" before becoming the first Korean film to win an Academy Award in 2020.
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