LogFAQs > #949153955

kateee posted...

Bacchus is a very popular energy drink in small glass bottles but there's also a darker connotation involving elderly prostitutes in South Korea.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacchus_Ladies
https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-27189951

I think you may be on to something with this - if you read down the article a little there's a paragraph that potentially ties it right back to acupuncture - "Inside those bags the Bacchus Ladies carry is the source of a hidden epidemic: a special injection supposed to help older men achieve erections - delivered directly into the vein. Dr Lee confirms that the needles aren't disposed of afterwards, but used again - 10 or 20 times."

I've seen The Host, Snowpiercer, and Parasite before but this was my first viewing of Mother. 9/10!

I think Hitchcock would be impressed, this is a tight noir with well-executed tonal variety and substance. Unreliable protagonists keep us guessing and the twists never feel cheap. Joon-Ho's sense of dark humor always shines in perfectly placed moments. It doesn't hurt that the orchestral score was taking cues from Bernard Hermann's style at times!

I like how the real motive traces back to Momma's orders - retaliate against anyone who insults you. Although I guess it's technically involuntary manslaughter and not murder so idk if 'motive' is the right term. And that whole reveal with the guy being indecisive with the phone was great, rode the line of creepy and funny but shows he *almost* consciously turned himself in (and instead leaves her on the roof to be found). It was a very Bojack Horseman moment.

One common thread between the Bong Joon-Ho movies I've seen is he likes the tension of someone having to sneak out of a room without waking someone else up. In Host it's the little girl and the monster, in this it comes after the closet voyeurism (another noir trope) with the young couple. In Parasite this goes even further with an entire family sneaking out from under a coffee table while the rich sleep on the couch. It's an effective formula.

Someone else said it but the bookend shots are fantastic, it really ties it together and leaves you on a high note. I was reminded of the danse macabre scene that concludes The Seventh Seal, although I kinda doubt it was referencing that intentionally. It just looked similar with the dancers silhouetted. And it was just shot with such style, great little moment of passion to cap it off.
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You bow to no one, azuarc