I've finally seen all the features directed by my favourite filmmaker, Bong Joon-ho.

So for those interested - a thread!

And yes, some are not available legally here in the UK. This includes Bong's shorts, of which I have only seen one. Fingers crossed this will change in the future, in the wake of the success of Parasite. I hope you're listening @criterion @neonrated @studiocanal !!!

Bong's debut feature was Barking Dogs Never Bite (2000). It is a quirky comedy that I enjoyed, mostly for individual scenes and characters, rather than the overall story (it's a snapshot view of a a high-rise apartment neighbourhood).

You might be better starting with The Host or Parasite before trying this film, because of its unique and darkly comedic tones. Don't watch if you're a dog lover!

Sadly not yet available in the UK through digital or DVD release.

Memories of Murder (2003). Even in the wake of Parasite's success, many fans still claim this is Bong's best film. It's easy to see why. His dramatisation of serial killings that took place in South Korea, from 1986 to 1991, is both thrilling and tragic.

Views of police officers and suspects switch as the story's twists and turns unfold - four years before Zodiac explored similar territory.

And the hype about the final shots is justified - they are mesmerising and haunting - even though the killer has since been identified in the South Korean press.

Sadly not currently available in the UK, but Film4 have broadcast it. @criterion have announced a future re-release.

The Host (2006). My favourite of Bong's films, and my current favourite of all time. It is a film that shouldn't work. It is so many different genres all-in-one.

Monster movie, dysfunctional family drama, black comedy, political satire, action, horror - Bong spins all these different plates with amazing skill. I still laugh and get goosebumps every time I watch it.

This was also Bong's second film with Song Kang-ho (after Memories of Murder) and Doona Bae (Barking Dogs Never Bite). Available on DVD through @studiocanaluk, and on digital platforms.

Tokyo! (2008). Though Bong's short films are hard to find, one that is available on a Region 2 DVD is part of this compendium of stories about Japan's capital city (though it is now out of print, and is only available second-hand).

The other shorts are also entertaining.

Michel Gondry's Interior Design sees a couple try to find an apartment of their own, which ends unexpectedly. Leos Carax's Merde sees a disgusting gaijin terrorise the city, complete with sound effects from the original Godzilla film. A funny twist on Japanese stereotypes.

Bong's Shaking Tokyo reveals the life of a hikkikomori who has lived indoors and alone for over 10 years. But earthquakes and pizza delivery staff eventually change this status quo.

This story particularly reveals Bong's recurring themes, and makes a lot of sense if you have seen Parasite beforehand.

Mother (2009). Some fans of The Host expressed disappointment with Bong's follow up, though I think that may have been down to how it was marketed. Thankfully it is widely available on DVD and on digital platforms.

This is great because it contains a tour-de-force performance from Kim Hye-ja as the lead.

She plays the mother of a mentally disabled man, who becomes the chief suspect of a young girl's murder. Because of the desperate actions of the mother, and Bong's unexpected twists and turns, this becomes much more than a simple quest for justice.

Snowpiercer (2013). Bong's return to science fiction also marks the first of his two international collaborations. Though widely available now, on digital and disc, this was not always the case.

Bong said no to Harvey Weinstein's intended cuts for an international release, and the producer notoriously limited the film's distribution.

Snowpiercer is easily summarised as both a comic book adaptation, and Metropolis-on-a-train. But it is so much more. Bong uses the setting to explore the highs and lows of a post-apocalyptic microcosm of capitalist culture.

Anyone who loved the critical eye of Parasite will be immensely satisfied with this film.

Okja (2017) has been claimed by some to be Bong's weakest film. I disagree. It's his most ambitious. It may not all work, but there is a lot to enjoy. Another stellar international cast is assembled to explore the issues of the meat industry, veganism, corporate greed...

... media and celebrity, and even terrorism - all told through the plot of one girl's efforts to save her genetically modified animal friend.

Only available on Netflix, though this may change in future, as some of their films are being released through @criterion.

Parasite (2019). A film that is now seen as changing the Oscars, and perhaps the film industry, forever. Its success has shown that language is not a barrier for great filmmaking - which was already known by many dedicated fans of the medium.

To say too much would be to spoil the film's joys. Though not my favourite of Bong's, it is a wonderful exercise in taut and thrilling storytelling, as the poor Kim family slowly intertwine themselves into the the lives of the wealthy Parks.

This is Bong's fourth film with Song Kang-ho (he was also in Snowpiercer).

Hopefully Parasite will perhaps be on digital, DVD and Blu-ray soon, like other new releases. Like many others, I got to see it on the big screen before they closed due to the pandemic.

Unfortunately, life has perhaps imitated art, as seen in Bong's films. He has always been highly critical of capitalism and greed - and a parasitic virus has now shown how redundant capitalism is.

No wonder Trump didn't understand it.