Film Critics Discuss “Parasite’s” Historic Oscar Win

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR: So, just give us a sense and put it in context, both in film context and the emotional reaction that you and so many others had.

KAREN HAN, ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER, POLYGON: I think to a certain degree, the reactions are kind of inextricable just because at least we — as Americans, we consider the Academy Awards kind of a be all, end all, for movies. When I saw “Parasite” for the first-time last year, so many great films were in competition, including the other Oscar nominee, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” but “Parasite” was the one that really struck me when I saw it and the one that really stayed with me for almost a year now up until the Oscar ceremony. And I feel that it’s such an extraordinary film that everyone who has gone to go see it has had a similar kind of emotional reaction to it and immediate attachment to it. It’s something you leave the theatre wanting to talk to everyone about. And I think that also gets into why the social media flare-up as soon as it was announced that it won Best-Picture was so big just because everyone was enthusiastic about it, everyone kind of had a — almost personal vestment in its win.

AMANPOUR: There we are showing the film with you, you know, having that moment, Karen. Let me just go over — I mean, it is extraordinary that the president of the country himself would open a cabinet meeting with that congratulations, or maybe not. Let me go over to A.O. Scott and ask. I mean, you know, this has been an amazing outpouring of reaction for this film. It’s obviously a really great film, but it was not the favorite. 1917 was the favorite at the Oscars. What do you think is the reason it won, particularly in this context as I’ve described, as very little diversity amongst the nominees?

A.O. SCOTT, CHIEF FILM CRITIC, THE NEW YORK TIMES: Yes, I mean, I think there’s a very simple answer to the question, which is that many of the academy voters felt the way that Karen felt about it, the way that I felt about it, the way that a great many critics and ordinary moviegoers around the world have felt about it, which is that it was the best picture. It’s just a flawless piece of craft. Its great story telling, great acting, a really surprising suspenseful story that tackles some very important and painful social issues without seeming ever to kind of — to preach or scold or to make you feel bad. So, it’s a wonderful piece of popular art.