my favorite movie of 2018:

Burning

[Korean: Beoning]    버닝  

(Yoo Ah-in, Jeon Jong-seo, Steven Yeun. Directed by Lee Chang-dong.)

Here are my in-depth, scene-by-scene notes on Burning.

This movie isn’t for everyone. It’s long and slow — at times you feel like the movie is daring you not to be bored. You’ll go away from it not being sure exactly what happened, and you might spend a long time thinking about it afterwards. This Rolling Stone review said:

This stunning, slow-build thriller from South Korean director Lee Chang-dong sizzles with a cumulative power that will knock the wind out of you. … Lee has crafted a hypnotic and haunting film that transcends genre to dig deep into the human condition. You won’t be able to get it out of your head.

Stream Burning on Netflix, Tubi (free with ads), Kanopy, or these sites. And again, see my extensive notes on Burning.

Click here for the full list of my favorite movie(s) of each year from 1920 to 2020.