A Glean movie guide
Beyond Parasite
Tense, satirical, and unforgettable.
Genre-bending thrillers that explore class, power, and the dark side of human ambition.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
Snowpiercer
Bong Joon-ho’s English-language debut is a masterclass in claustrophobic, high-stakes class warfare.
In a future where a failed global-warming experiment kills off most life on the planet, a class system evolves aboard the Snowpiercer; a train that travels around the globe via a perpetual-motion engine.
- 02
The Handmaiden
A visually stunning, intricate tale of deception and power dynamics from director Park Chan-wook.
1930s Korea, in the period of Japanese occupation, a new girl, Sook-hee, is hired as a handmaiden to a Japanese heiress, Hideko, who lives a secluded life on a large countryside estate with her domineering Uncle Kouzuki. But the maid has a secret. She is a pickpocket recruited by a swindler posing as a Japanese Count to help him seduce the Lady to steal her fortune.
- 03
The Menu
This sharp, biting satire uses a high-end dining experience to dismantle the pretensions of the wealthy elite.
A young couple travels to a remote island to eat at an exclusive restaurant where the chef has prepared a lavish menu, with some shocking surprises.
- 04
Burning
A slow-burn psychological thriller that masterfully examines class disparity through an ambiguous, haunting lens.
Deliveryman Jong-su is out on a job when he runs into Hae-mi, a girl who once lived in his neighborhood. She asks if he'd mind looking after her cat while she's away on a trip to Africa. On her return, she introduces to Jong-su an enigmatic young man named Ben, who she met during her trip. One day Ben tells Jong-su about his most unusual hobby.
- 05
The Platform
A visceral, high-concept allegory for social inequality set within a brutal vertical prison.
A slab of food descends down a vertical facility. The residents above eat heartily, leaving those below starving and desperate. A rebellion is imminent.
- 06
Shoplifters
A deeply moving look at a marginalized family living on the fringes of society by breaking the law to survive.
In the outskirts of Tokyo, a poor but close-knit group living on the fringes of society survives through shoplifting and odd jobs. When Osamu and his son take in a neglected young girl, their already fragile existence begins to unravel. As the family grows attached to her, buried secrets surface, forcing them to confront the true meaning of love, belonging, and what makes a family.
- 07
Nightcrawler
A chilling character study of a sociopathic striver climbing the social ladder through predatory journalism.
When Lou Bloom, desperate for work, muscles into the world of L.A. crime journalism, he blurs the line between observer and participant to become the star of his own story. Aiding him in his effort is Nina, a TV-news veteran.
- 08
Triangle of Sadness
A chaotic, darkly comedic takedown of the ultra-wealthy that turns power dynamics upside down.
A celebrity model couple are invited on a luxury cruise for the uber-rich, helmed by an unhinged, alcoholic captain. What first appears Instagrammable ends catastrophically, leaving the survivors stranded on a desert island in a struggle of hierarchy.