Minari (2020)

 An excellent evening to you or whatever the time this may find you in. 


This particular film that I have come across is quite a unique type of film. I am quite surprised that storytelling like this is coming back to the fore, but I love it, to be quite honest. I want to introduce you to Minari.

 It was a very heartfelt film, I would say, and one of the contenders for one of the movies of the year (for 2020, of course) alongside Sound of Metal, Nomadland (review coming to you soon), Tenet, Soul, and Pieces of Another Woman. I have heard talks that it could be within a shout of an Oscar win, and for that, I'm not too sure, but I will get to that in a short while.

 This movie follows the Yi family, a  Korean American family who has just moved to an Arkansas farm, looking to fulfill their version of the American dream and make it a reality. That, unfortunately, is met with various challenges, firstly being the adjustment to rural lifestyle from the hustle and bustle lifestyle that they had when living in California.



 Jacob, father, and husband, is working in a chicken factory, involved in chicken sexing (basically separating the poultry by gender, male chicken in one section and female chicken in another) accompanied by wife, Monica. Jacob doesn't see that this is what he will always be doing; growing his farm and selling Korean food around America for other Korean families and beyond is what he dreams of doing. Jacob's dream comes with severe consequences; Yi fully believes in realizing his dream, but it almost costs him his family. It's like he has tunnel vision trying to get to his end.

 Watching this was an equivalent of visual poetry; the cinematography was melodic and peaceful on the eyes. I fell in love with the storytelling and how the director, Lee Isaac Chung, doesn't rush the story whatsoever; he takes us through the film's motions. He's a patient filmmaker with an eye for the tiniest of details.  I watched life just in movie form; the highs and lows of it all-it made for a compelling watch.



 The only thing that let me down from this film was awkward pacing in some parts of the film. That a little underwhelmed me, so it doesn't get full marks from me. I enjoyed seeing the family dynamic; it was an authentic relationship between them. Especially between the two siblings David and Anne, there was something heart-warming in how Anne looked out for her little brother. Shoutout to all you big sisters, the real MVP's.  

I will admit this is a slow burner, but it is worth it, and I can assure you that you will not be disappointed with the end of the film. If you have watched this already, please let me know your thoughts on this film.

 Anyhow, I hope this article finds you well, and I do hope you're enjoying watching movies in this lockdown period, wherever you are reading this. Let us know what you're enjoying right now!



 Till next time




Picture reference: 

https://variety.com/2020/film/reviews/minari-review-1203484467/ 

https://www.kinoundco.de/news/your-name-regisseur-makoto-shinkai-ueber-seinen-neuen-film

https://www.mcgilldaily.com/2021/01/theres-nothing-foreign-about-minari/


 

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