Okja – Consumption on a Mija scale

Remember to pack your non violent petals and umbrella darts as we discuss the heartwarming 2017 film, Okja.

Director: Bong Joon-ho

Screenplay: Bong Joon-ho, Jon Ronson

Cast: Tilda Swinton, Paul Dano, Seo-hyun Ahn, Steven Yeun, Jake Gyllenhaal, Giancarlo Esposito, Choi Woo-sik

Breakdown and Analysis

• “I think that films aren’t necessarily tools to change the world,” Bong Joon-ho muses, through the aid of his translator. “A film is just a beautiful thing in itself. However, when someone is experiencing the beauty of a film, that itself is changing the world in some aspect.”
• https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/okja-interview-bong-joon-ho-release-date-netflix-veganism-vegan-cannes-controversy-a7807771.html
• We were immersed in the first half of the film but it started to split into caricature tangents.
• Oti felt in some moments it was too preachy and not enough characters to want to care about.
• The use of an animal that doesn’t exist helped to address initial uneasiness and having real animals provided a brilliant juxtaposition to the existing landscape.
• KT would have been fine just staying in the mountains in South Korea and never leaving there.
• There is nothing wrong with having social commentary within an insular story but this key component appeared to become a hindrance to the beautiful set up in the first half.
• The corporation characters came off very cartoonish and they pulled us out of the emotion. Their dialogue wasn’t great either.
• It says a lot when Mija is the best performing character with the most substance.
• The First half were sad heartwarming tears. Last half were rampage tears.
• Mija is everything good about this movie. We bought into her bond with Okja from the beginning. Take what you need, take care of the environment. Her exchanges with her grandpa were the highlights of the film.
• We’re at an age where we understand the pure love Mija had for Okja but old enough to know the world isn’t built on dreams.
• Nancy was presented as a one dimensional villain so it becomes a stretch that Mija would be able to appeal to her emotionally.
• Commentary was very heavy handed on how Corporations act and how we, as individuals should evaluate our consumption.
• KT softens and says it was very clear that something was going behind the scenes of the Corporation.
• The lackeys in the Corporation offer nothing. If they aren’t going to add layers, it becomes tedious.
• Dr. Johnny Wilcox came across as someone who pretended to care and only really wanted attention. KT calls him an Ephialtes.
• It was made clear that Johnny knew their operation was anything less than an advertising brochure.
• Oti challenges that no character has any development and we are in the same place since when the movie started.

Unrelated but vital points

• Oti and KT evaluate whether bloody is a swear word.
• In the FYR household, everything starts at a 6.
• Tilda Swinton is her own sovereign nation.
• KT does not care for recruiting big names to get butts in seats.
• Certified ‘KT’s crying kinks’.
• KT makes a Princess Mononoke reference.
• We sploosh at Paul Dano’s altar in this household.
• Babe is the gold standard.
• KT makes an Archer reference.
• Esposito has an archetype so betrayal was a surprise to no one.
• Oti schedules his fuck ups like KT schedules her break downs.