[Current & Culture] Park Chan-wook, Tom Cruise, and the Cannibal Girl

As the year comes to an end, I would like to share some thoughts on the films of this year. After several years of losing ground to online streaming services (OTT) like Netflix due to COVID-19, the cinema industry has somewhat regained its vitality. Among the films screened in theaters, the best work was Park Chan-wook’s Decision to Leave. It was a masterpiece that exquisitely blended genre entertainment with artistic symbolism. I also want to give heartfelt applause to Park Hae-il and Tang Wei, who brought to life vibrant characters without being overwhelmed by the director’s immense control. It was only natural that the film swept the Blue Dragon Film Awards for Best Film, Best Director, and Best Actor and Actress. Even when including international films, I wonder if any movie this year surpassed Decision to Leave. Of course, this is based on personal evaluation and taste.

The next film I would pick as the movie of the year is Top Gun: Maverick. Although it was a sequel made after a long 36-year gap, it cleverly used the passage of time as part of its material. Lead actor Tom Cruise, despite his age, was more than worthy as the protagonist of a blockbuster action film. If someone asked me whether Tom Cruise is the greatest actor in history, I might hesitate to answer, but if asked who the greatest action star is, I would name him without a second thought. Of course, Tom Cruise is an actor and producer who has thrown himself into numerous films across genres, from action to romance and even outrageous comedy. Even now, he makes films with more passion than any rookie actor, literally throwing his body into the work. The veteran pilot “Maverick” in Top Gun, who says, “There will come a day when I let go of the controls, but today is not that day,” felt like a direct reflection of the real Tom Cruise, which made me feel solemn throughout the movie.

Among the films released on OTT platforms this year, All Quiet on the Western Front stands out. Before watching this film, I thought “Netflix Original movies” were not worth paying to see in theaters and were only suitable for viewing on a monitor. However, All Quiet on the Western Front made me want to pay extra to watch it again in a theater. It immerses you deeply in the trench warfare of World War I from the perspective of a German soldier, portraying the hellish experience with great intensity. The only downside is that the horror and monotony are so vividly realistic that it can be exhausting. It is arguably the best Netflix film ever made.

The films mentioned above are considered mainstream, but I would also like to mention one film that attracted fewer than 40,000 viewers. It is Bones and All, the new work by Luca Guadagnino, director of the widely acclaimed Call Me by Your Name, reunited with lead actor Timoth?e Chalamet. Unfortunately, the film has been overlooked by audiences due to its uncomfortable and unrealistic theme of cannibalism. Beneath this extreme subject matter lie social and philosophical themes such as hatred and fatalism. Even I, who found the film intriguing, cannot confidently recommend it to readers, but those who can endure or even enjoy disturbing scenes might want to give it a try. I select it as the most provocative film of the year.

As a way to wrap up the year, I recommend choosing your favorite film or drama. It allows you to reflect on the enjoyment and emotions the work gave you, and the day you watched it may come back to life. I remember the day I left the theater after watching Decision to Leave, sitting blankly on a bench in front of the cinema, reminiscing about a love that never was. I comforted myself by thinking that some stories suit open endings better, then got up. And with that, this story ends here.

Lee Jae-ik, Novelist