A Glean movie guide
Beyond Parasite
Tense, twisty, and thought-provoking.
Sharp social thrillers and dark satires that explore class, power, and deception.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
The Handmaiden
A masterfully crafted tale of deception featuring intricate plot twists and stunning power dynamics.
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.
- 02
The Menu
This high-concept satire blends dark humor with suspense as a luxury dining experience turns deadly.
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.
- 03
Burning
A slow-burn psychological thriller that masterfully examines class tension and obsession.
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.
- 04
Triangle of Sadness
A biting, chaotic satire that exposes the absurdities of wealth and social hierarchy.
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.
- 05
Shoplifters
A deeply human look at a marginalized family that challenges traditional social structures.
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.
- 06
High and Low
Akira Kurosawa’s procedural masterpiece offers a tense, definitive exploration of the class divide.
A Yokohama shoe executive faces a wrenching choice when kidnappers mistakenly seize his chauffeur’s son but demand the ransom anyway.
- 07
Saltburn
A visually stylized and provocative look at obsession and the allure of the aristocracy.
Struggling to find his place at Oxford University, student Oliver Quick finds himself drawn into the world of the charming and aristocratic Felix Catton, who invites him to Saltburn, his eccentric family's sprawling estate, for a summer never to be forgotten.
- 08
Knives Out
A sharp, witty whodunit that uses an ensemble cast to skewer the dynamics of a wealthy family.
When renowned crime novelist Harlan Thrombey is found dead at his estate just after his 85th birthday, the inquisitive and debonair Detective Benoit Blanc is mysteriously enlisted to investigate. From Harlan's dysfunctional family to his devoted staff, Blanc sifts through a web of red herrings and self-serving lies to uncover the truth behind Harlan's untimely death.