People unfamiliar with the award-winning South Korean film Parasite will automatically think of it as the usual cartoon movie about insects.
But that is the opposite; the one who made up the title is smart because they took its meaning to a deeper level. If you loved and enjoyed the movie, from its cinematography, plot, actors, sound, and more, then you should try these 13 Best movies like Parasite.
Parasite (2019)
Everything in this world is political. And these days, people are becoming more and more woke and, at the same time, bold and critical enough to talk about hard pressing societal issues. Many viewers have enjoyed watching the film Parasite even if it is not in the universal language.
The film introduced so many social class issues that are present even today. It reflects the reality most people have while opening the eyes of everyone.
The film itself is considered a masterpiece and is proven by the fact that it has won multiple awards and is even acknowledged by the most prominent award ceremonies in the film industry.
Watch the film to discover the relationship between the two families from two social classes. Moreover, to fully understand the plot. After all, the title Parasite itself can spark someone’s curiosity.
13 Best movies like Parasite
1. Wild Tales (2014)
Spanish 2h 2m IMDb
Director: Damián Szifron
Stars: Darío Grandinetti, María Marull, Mónica Villa
Wild Tales movie has garnered so much positive feedback from millions of viewers. They loved the entire film as it had a variety of genres and, at the same time, was educational in a way that enables the viewers to understand the extremities of our behavior as a human, especially when in times of distress.
People loved this film as the plot was well thought of, and at the same time, the entire movie was well directed. Moreover, it has talked about multiple satirical topics similar to Parasite. It has spoken about social classes in modern society, corruption issues, and much more, even if it is an anthology film.
Though, comedy scenes in the movie complement the dark side of humanity. Hence, you can enjoy it while being either woke or educated without having a heavy heart as you watch the entire film.
2. Black Pond (2011)
English 1h 23m IMDb
Director: Tom Kingsley, Will Sharpe
Stars: Chris Langham, Simon Amstell, Amanda Hadingue
Black Pond is one of London’s many locally self-produced films that are considered the best and the strongest film in 2011 despite having a tight budget during production.
People did not only like the film because of how the actors gave justice to each character, but it also has an exciting plot that is a mixture of comedy, mystery, and at the same time, psychological plot twists.
Though many people loved the film, and most of them are British, the movie still has something to improve as not everyone appreciated it as not all viewers have the same perspective on life.
Though a few people were disappointed with the plot, most of them enjoyed the movie, especially when it highlighted the storyline where the main casts are in a dysfunctional family to which most people can relate.
3. Panic Room (2002)
English 1h 52m IMDb
Director: David Fincher
Stars: Jodie Foster, Kristen Stewart, Forest Whitaker
As the title of the movie implies, the Panic room is all about a space where the characters do whatever it takes to claim the objects within that space, hence, a little thrill and panic. A lot of film viewers actually loved this film because it did not disappoint!
Starting from the opening credits, where it catches the viewers’ attention until its ending, the consistency of the thrilling storyline and on-edge turn of events are rarely achieved by directors and producers.
Though, some scenes are actually gory, so parents who have watched this already would suggest being with their kids when watching the film unless they are okay with a bit of brutality.
And in addition, the viewers appreciated the storyline and the cinematography, which is why it deserved to be nominated and win some movie awards from various awarding ceremonies.
4. Memories of Murder (2003)
Korean 2h 11m IMDb
Director: Bong Joon Ho
Stars: Song Kang-ho, Kim Sang-kyung, Roe-ha Kim
Memories of Murder is one of the many films that debuted earlier than Parasite and were loved by many worldwide film viewers. Of course, these two films are directed by no other than Bong Joon-ho, and he never disappoints.
Take note that Hallyu Wave had not yet taken the world by storm when this was released, so that is a big win and something to flex about this film.
People loved this film because it was well directed by Bong Joon-ho, a well-known director in South Korea who was acknowledged across the world for producing great movies such as the Parasite. Many people have watched this to the point that it is considered to be the top 4 most-watched movies.
It is one of the best movies to be considered as the actors gave justice to every character. At the same time, the direction, cinematography, color-grading, production design, and script writing are superb. People who are into thriller movies appreciated the film because the storyline and plot were well thought out.
6. Demon (2015)
Polish 1h 34m IMDb
Director: Marcin Wrona
Stars: Itay Tiran, Agnieszka Zulewska, Andrzej Grabowski
Even long before the film Demon made its debut in countless cinemas in the United States, it had already made headlines as its own director had committed suicide. The film Demon was well-loved by most people in its entirety.
It was well-written, well-directed, and well-played by the actors who portrayed each character. It is thrilling and a bit scary but with a pinch of some humor and psychological twist in its storyline.
On the other hand, though some viewers have loved the film for being funny at some point, it is recommended to brace yourself because the film will bring you on a roller coaster ride of having mixed emotions.
However, despite it having many viewers who appreciate the beauty and well-crafted of the entire film, Demon, there are still a few who demand closure as it was an open-ended story that will make you guess in its finale.
7. May (2002)
English 1h 33m IMDb
Director: Lucky McKee
Stars: Angela Bettis, Jeremy Sisto, Anna Faris
The movie May is intriguing, engaging, and shocking all at the same time because of its plot, where it also tackled some psychological conditions, especially of a social outcast. Though the movie’s flow might be a bit slow for some people, it is definitely worth watching, especially when it finally reaches its climax.
In addition, the cinematography and the music have made a harmonious relationship resulting in a beautiful movie such as May. This film awakens the curiosity and open-mindedness of the viewers that there are lonely people who suffer from mental illnesses and have some obsessions that ordinary people find weird.
Moreover, most people appreciate the movie’s entirety and consider it one of the brilliant movies that were not only realistically but also well portrayed by the actors involved.
8. Villains (2019)
English 1h 30m IMDb
Director: Dan Berk, Robert Olsen
Stars: Bill Skarsgård, Maika Monroe, Blake Baumgartner
Though not that perfect, the movie Villains is one of the must-watch-movies you should include on your binge-watch list for the coming weekend. The storyline is quite interesting because if you put your place in the two main characters, it is like you meet a worse version of yourself.
You may not see this coming, but it is about how two novices met the experts who made their lives more difficult. Many moviegoers highly recommend this film as it perfectly balances all its genres.
This includes action, comedy, and drama. Hence, you will not notice that the film is actually about to end until it is finally over. Moreover, the actors gave justice to each character they portrayed.
9. Cheap Thrills (2013)
English 1h 28m IMDb
Director: E.L. Katz
Stars: Pat Healy, Ethan Embry, Sara Paxton
Cheap Thrills is one of the recommended movies you should watch after binge-watching Parasite and other similar movies. It is a fusion of comedy, drama, and crime where it talks about fighting dares and temptations, especially when you have to do whatever it takes for your family’s life.
Moreover, it highlights how money can also be the root of evil because some people would do whatever it takes to get it. Many people who have watched the film highly recommend this to those who have not yet seen it.
Watch now, or you will be late for the party! It is quite a successful and great movie which proved it more by winning different awards locally and internationally. Though its title may be Cheap Thrills, it was not short on thrills!
10. The Housemaid (2010)
Korean 1h 47m IMDb
Director: Im Sang-soo
Stars: Jeon Do-yeon, Lee Jung-jae, Youn Yuh-jung
The Housemaid is one of the best and most-watched Korean Films in the movie industry. The storyline is quite interesting, especially when it is relatable even up to this day. The rich can get whatever they want, while the poor have nothing to lose.
However, it is those who are marginalized who lose. It is when they decided to sell their conscience and morality over some inhumane actions.
Most movie-goers enjoy the The Housemaid movie because it is well-written and well-directed at the same time. Although, not everyone enjoyed the entire film and found it just average. After all, we are different from each other, and we have different standards.
11. The Rules of the Game (1939)
French (France) 1h 50m IMDb
Director: Jean Renoir
Stars: Marcel Dalio, Nora Gregor, Paulette Dubost
The Rules of the Game may be considered the oldest film compared to the recent award-winning movie such as the Parasite, but it deserves to be included on this list. This film is older than most of the readers here, but it is worth trying to watch it.
Though, the new generation of movie critics may find multiple errors as there was not much technology when this film was shot and produced. Thus, you may stumble upon their shared concerns about the technicalities of making the movie.
However, despite critics, some approved of the storyline while others were confused about where the story was going. The film is quite exciting and pretty much similar to the movie Parasite because of how you will notice the vast difference between being rich and poor living in the middle of World War III.
12. Gosford Park (2001)
English 2h 17m IMDb
Director: Robert Altman
Stars: Maggie Smith, Ryan Phillippe, Michael Gambon
If you cannot get enough of the storyline of the film Parasite, you can watch this interesting movie Gosford Park which was released in 2001. The film’s plot is set in the 1930s, where many pretentious people and groups act as if they were rich and famous like celebrities.
However, the exciting plot twist of the film is when someone in the group is murdered. A lot of people, especially movie critics, adored the film so much because of its cast’s excellent portrayal of the characters as well as how well the script was written, especially when the movie tackled political topics such as homicide as well as social class issues.
12. Knives Out (2019)
English 2h 10m IMDb
Director: Rian Johnson
Stars: Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas
You can binge-watch the movie Knives Out with your family, mainly because your kids will enjoy its plot because of its comedy, crime, and drama genre. The film has not yet been released that long, but many people still love and enjoy watching it.
Simply because it was well-written despite the fact that it has only a limited running time. The plot was well-sawn together gracefully as it was able to show many points of view from the characters. Apart from this, people also loved the cinematography and the set and production design of the entire film making it more likable to watch.
13. Sorry to Bother You (2018)
English 1h 52m IMDb
Director: Boots Riley
Stars: LaKeith Stanfield, Tessa Thompson, Jermaine Fowler
Greed is included in the 7 deadly sins; this was tackled in the movie Sorry to Bother You, which you can find very similar to the storyline of Parasite. Money and also power are the root of all evil. People become increasingly greedy, primarily when they are used to getting the things they want.
Many people resonated with the movie the most. Simply because they also believe that even if the film was set in an alternate universe or somewhat dystopian world.
Not all people favored it because of some personal preferences despite the countless moviegoers who loved the storyline and the genius script writing of the movie writers. Nevertheless, people enjoyed its entirety from the production, set, storyline, cast, and such.
Summary
In case you cannot get over with the entire Parasite movie, then while you are still in the verge of your emotions, you can opt to try these 13 Best movies like Parasite.
You will definitely love these entries just as much how you loved the movie Parasite. Watching more and more movies can also lead you to some technicalities, thus, somehow making you like an actual movie critic.