100 Movie Challenge 2017 - #82: Okja

Director: Joon-ho Bong
Genre: Adventure/ Drama/ Science Fiction
Runtime: 118 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Tilda Swinton, Paul Dano, Steven Yeun, Lily Collins, Jake Gyllenhaal, Giancarlo Esposito

Description: Meet Mija, a young girl who risks everything to prevent a powerful, multi-national company from kidnapping her best friend - a massive animal named Okja.

Review: Cannes 2017 got criticized because it showed two Netflix original films. But thankfully the boohs the audience gave when seeing the Netflix logo, turned into smiles and tears, because “Okja” is an endearing film.
Lucy Mirando thinks she has the solution for the world wide food problem and introduces the so-called super pig. Farmers all over the world are given the task to take care of those pigs. It’s a ten year project, where eventually the pigs will become food.
Okja is one of those super pigs, who grows up with Mija, in a beautiful green environment in Korea. Okja is as big as a hippo now and enjoys his life in freedom. He is sweet and loyal, yet clumsy and happy. The connection between Mija and Okja is heartwarming. But the Mirando Corporation disturbs their careless life when they take Okja away.
“Okja” calls for many different emotions. It puts a smile on your face, gets you excited, touches you and gets you to think. The acting is somewhat over-the-top, but fits the setting perfectly. Tilda Swinton and Jake Gyllenhaal excel here.
The message of the film is strong, if you are an animal lover or not. “Okja” is a great film, watch it on Netflix now!

Rating: 4/ 5

Movie Trailer Sunday (293)

Here are this week's trailers.

Band Aid
Director: Zoe Lister-Jones
Description: A couple who can't stop fighting embark on a last-ditch effort to save their marriage: turning their fights into songs and starting a band.
Starring: Zoe Lister-Jones, Adam Pally, Colin Hanks, Brooklyn Decker, Fred Armisen, Jamie Chung,
Trailer: Trailer "Band Aid"
Comment: Yay, this seems fun!

The Emoji Movie
Director: Tony Leondis
Description: Gene, a multi-expressional emoji, sets out on a journey to become a normal emoji.
Starring: Anna Faris, T.J. Miller, Patrick Stewart, Sofia Vergara, Jennifer Coolidge, James Corden, Christina Aguilera, Maya Rudolph, Jake T. Austin, Rob Riggle, Steven Wright
Trailer: Trailer "The Emoji Movie"
Comment: Meh emoji... I do like the poop emoji.

Battle of the Sexes
Director: Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris
Description: The true story of the 1973 tennis match between World number one Billie Jean King (Emma Stone) and ex-champ and serial hustler Bobby Riggs (Steve Carell).
Starring: Emma Stone, Steve Carell,
Trailer: Trailer "Battle of the Sexes"
Comment: Can't wait, this is Oscar bait!

The Glass Castle
Director: Destin Daniel Cretton
Description: A young girl comes of age (Brie Larsson) in a dysfunctional family of nonconformist nomads with a mother (Naomi Watts) who's an eccentric artist and an alcoholic father (Woody Harrelson) who would stir the children's imagination with hope as a distraction to their poverty.
Starring: Brie Larsson, Woody Harrelson, Naomi Watts, Sarah Snook, Max Greenfield
Trailer: Trailer for "The Glass Castle"
Comment: This looks amazing, and what a cast!

Okja
Director: Bong Joon Ho
Description: Meet Mija, a young girl who risks everything to prevent a powerful, multi-national company from kidnapping her best friend - a massive animal named Okja.
Starring: Tilda Swinton, Jake Gyllenhaal, Paul Dano, Lily Collins
Trailer: Trailer "Okja"
Comment: I will probably need tissues for this.