"A Furious Indictment of the Horrors of Neoliberalism"
'Oldboy' Ranked 43rd, 'Memories of Murder' 99th
"Parasite" (2019), directed by Bong Joon-ho, was ranked at the very top of the "100 Best Movies of the 21st Century" list selected by The New York Times (NYT).
On June 27 (local time), NYT released these results and described the film as "a story about the haves and have-nots, a wild, twisted, anxious, and shocking movie that delivers a furious indictment of the horrors of neoliberalism."
The newspaper further evaluated, "Bong Joon-ho, a master of genre unconstrained by convention, moves fluidly between broad comedy and sharp social satire, only to burn everything down with a shocking outburst of tragic violence."
"Oldboy" (2003), directed by Park Chan-wook, was ranked 43rd, while Bong Joon-ho's "Memories of Murder" (2003) was placed 99th. NYT highlighted the scene in "Oldboy" where Oh Dae-su (Choi Min-sik) swings a hammer and escapes down a blood-soaked corridor. The paper noted, "This famous action sequence symbolizes the operatic violence of this twisted thriller," adding that "the film delivers provocation and unease right up to the final scene."
Regarding "Memories of Murder," NYT stated, "From the very first scene, it is clear that the film is not bound by Hollywood genre conventions." The paper continued, "Bong Joon-ho has a firm perspective on the limits of humanity in the face of unfathomable evil," and introduced that "he explores this by mixing unexpected humor with sharp drama."
"Past Lives" (2023), directed by Korean-Canadian director Celine Song, was ranked 86th. NYT wrote, "The story, unfolding between New York and Seoul, is filled with exquisite reflections on time, love, fate, and reinvention," and added, "The final scene will break your heart."
This ranking was compiled based on a survey of 500 people, including world-renowned directors, actors, producers, and cinephiles, targeting films released since January 1, 2000.
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