The Host is like Little Miss Sunshine meets Cloverfield... in Korean!

[The Fake Shemp]

Certainly not awful like a lot of folks made it out to be.  And the visual and creature effects were surprisingly strong for a foreign film.  All I wanted is more monster mayhem and less anti-American sentiment!

[Eric P]

the effects were done by white people

and who said the host is awful?

where do these people come from?

[The Fake Shemp]

When I got it on Blu-Ray (superior format!) ages ago, I believe a few folks said it was awful.  I know it was a very polarizing film at NeoGAF when it was initially released.

I know there were a lot of comparisons to Cloverfield when that came out last January, but I just don't see it.  Maybe some of the crowd mayhem on a smaller scale, but that goes for any disaster film.  This felt eeriely similar to Little Miss Sunshine - except enjoyable - more than anything else.

[Eric P]

it's a family comedy which happens to have a monster.

i think the monster part throws people off

[The Fake Shemp]

I think the funniest part is when the aunt shows up with a bronze medal at the vigil, right after she just lost the gold, and they all start crying that, "[your aunt] brought you bronze!"  I couldn't tell if they were upset because they were mourning the death of a loved one or because the aunt only brought bronze, isntead of gold.

[Eric P]

also people who decry the anti-american sentiment it's not that bad

there is a marine who is really heroic at the beginning of the film

the bits i hated were all of the slapstick moments

[The Fake Shemp]

Yes, but it is the same marine who is responsible for all the virus propaganda!  He likely had herpes from intercourse with all those Korean prostitutes and nearly cost several folks' their lives as a result!

[Joe Molotov]

The Host is a good movie, haters can choke on a amazonian river dolphin.

[jiji]

it's a family comedy which happens to have a monster.

comedy/TRAGEDY

i mean it is a korean film after all

[Eric P]

i hate that about korean movies

[HyperZoneWasAwesome]

The Host is fucking gold.  Who are those people.

Besides the base similarity of both movies having man-eating monsters, I don't see any similarities to Cloverfield,

it's a family comedy which happens to have a monster.

i think the monster part throws people off

you're dead on about that.  I thought the anti-American satire was pretty funny actually.  Yeah, the marine kicks ass at the beginning, but in subsequent news reports he's the only fatality mentioned (brave American soldier) while the dozens of Korean people who became snack food don't even register in the news.  C'mon, that's funny.

Bong Joon-Ho's previous film, Memories of Murder is, I swear, one of if not the best police procedural film I've ever seen.  It kicks The Host's ass, which is remarkable as its a pretty dang solid film.

Seriously,  Everybody who saw and dug The Host, you MUST see Memories of Murder.  Its bloody fantastic.

[demi]

I was reading on GA and OA about this movie, called [REC] - it is a spanish film made in the same way as Cloverfield slash Blair Witch. Supposed to be really good.

[Joe Molotov]

I was reading on GA and OA about this movie, called [REC] - it is a spanish film made in the same way as Cloverfield slash Blair Witch. Supposed to be really good.

Sounds interesting. I'm acquiring a copy. From my friend in Spain.

[TVC15]

I was reading on GA and OA about this movie, called [REC] - it is a spanish film made in the same way as Cloverfield slash Blair Witch. Supposed to be really good.

Sounds interesting. I'm acquiring a copy. From my friend in Spain.

I was reading on GA and OA about this movie, called [REC] - it is a spanish film made in the same way as Cloverfield slash Blair Witch. Supposed to be really good.

Sounds interesting. I'm acquiring a copy. From my friend in Spain.

Oddly enough, my Spanish friend just sent me a copy.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

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[Joe Molotov]

Ilsa, She-Wolf of the SS

[Eric P]

Seriously,  Everybody who saw and dug The Host, you MUST see Memories of Murder.  Its bloody fantastic.

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even this had strong satarical elements

the cops were way out of their league.

have you seen The President's Last Bang?

[Bloodwake]

Definitely a huge fan of the Host. Much, much better than what I expected.