It’s an overused joke: There are some Mondays that feel like they stretch on forever – so much so that by 3 pm, you’re all Friday-ed out.
Ladies and gentlemen, that’s what last Monday (February 10) felt like. We were in the middle of Oscars 2020 coverage when, in the middle of a please-let-Parasite-win delirium, I finally looked up and learned that Jose Calida, the country’s solicitor general, had filed a petition asking the Supreme Court to revoke the franchise of media giant ABS-CBN. It felt almost improper to celebrate Parasite’s big wins (Best Picture! Best Director! Best Original Screenplay! Best International Features!).
The importance and impact of Parasite’s win is hard to ignore. It’s hard to believe that in the year of our lord 2020, these are the hard facts: it’s the first time for a film in a foreign language to win the best picture award. And as momentous as this sounds, here are other facts to sober you up: only 5 women (ever, in the history of the Oscars) have been nominated for Best Director and only one woman has won the award (Kathryn Bigelow for The Hurt Locker).
And while we celebrate long-wanted diversity in the “mainstream” movie industry, we also remember that despite its wins and nominations, the Parasite cast has been snubbed from the acting awards – save for Oustanding Ensemble Performance in a Motion Picture from the Screen Actors Guild Awards (its equivalent of Best Picture).
I guess the lesson here is that the entertainment industry (or at least, the American aka dominant entertainment industry) can make strides – albeit one at a time.
The Academy Awards both matter and don’t. It’s an award that’s fueled by expensive and expansive campaigns and is riddled with politics. But even if Parasite's Bong Joon-ho considers it a “local” festival, there’s no denying the impact the Oscars have, not just on the movie industry but on entertainment and pop culture as whole. Representation and visibility matters.
It is, of course, with delightful irony that Parasite has now turned into Hollywood’s new darling. The film isn’t restricted by genre. While it is clearly written in the context of South Korean culture and class, its message cuts across cultures: (insert reference here that I won’t spell out lest I spoil the movie).
If it isn’t already painfully clear, Parasite takes a hard and sometimes uncomfortable look into class tension and universal truth of social inequity.
The “parasites” in Parasite are numerous — there’s the poor Kim family who literally infiltrates an affluent household and the Parks who rely on the poor for even the most basic of needs. Film critics have pointed to another Parasite in the movie: hope.
In the most trying of times, like the one we’re living in now, hope is elusive. Hope can be heartbreaking. But hope is all we have, for better or worse.
I’ll end this already long email with a note on Parasite, courtesy of the internet’s favorite, Miss Frankie Pangilinan. She recently tweeted about the movie and got clap back — which is cruel but unexpected, especially since she’s the daughter of the “Megastar” and a Philippine senator.
But Frankie, who still definitely needs that photo for the revolution, pointed out that she is well aware of her privilege and how, whether she likes it or not, she’s part of the problem.
“But I promise to do my part (AS) soon as I’m able,” she said.
Ah, there you have it: hope.
What are you hopeful for despite the most trying to times, dear reader? Let me know and maybe we can all be hopeful – and maybe find the energy to fight another day.
I hope in thee for us,
Bea
A lot of things happened in tech and pop culture today. Here’s a few you should NOT miss:
Yay to love! NBA superstar Dwayne Wade’s kid is a transgender person. Here’s what you need to know about that.
Samsung just announced a lot of exciting new things. Here’s the latest from Gelo Gonzales, who’s in the US for the Samsung event.
Oh, it’s Valetine’s. Right. If that’s something that interests you, here’s a guide on how to spend it like the rom-com we all deserve to have.
…and there’s this story about ghosting and what to do if it happens to you (or you happen to do it)
…and a guide to dating coworkers or your boss (pro tip: just don’t)
Don’t miss Earl Generao’s latest Live Jam guesting!
