Television The Sympathizer (HBO, 14 April 2024) - limited series based on fantastic post-Vietnam War espionage novel, three episodes directed by Park Chan-wook

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

 

[TheLeon]

I know this is just part of a Max dump, but it’s honestly rude to put out a trailer like this then tell me I’ve gotta wait a year to see it. 

[Keyser_Soze]

Down for Park Chan-wook but don't have Max so will probably never see it.

[unogueen]

On 4/13/2023 at 12:47 AM, Keyser_Soze said:

Down for Park Chan-wook but don't have Max so will probably never see it.

Sail the seas adventurer.

[Moa]

The book was a lot of fun.

[Keyser_Soze]

17 minutes ago, unogueen said:

Sail the seas adventurer.

 

Too much work. It's a lot easier to not do anything instead.

[unogueen]

Just imagine the whole thing.

[Keyser_Soze]

5 minutes ago, unogueen said:

Just imagine the whole thing.

 

Your imagination is much more vivid than mine. I'll leave that to you.

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

 

[Greatoneshere]

Will definitely be watching this. I keep meaning to watch Chan-wook Park's previous TV show, The Little Drummer Girl as well.

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

This debuted tonight and I very much enjoyed the first episode!

 

I think it really captured the impending sense of absurdity and desperation within Saigon in the days leading up to its fall to the NVA.

 

Isn't that right, Uncle Ho?

 

[TheLeon]

Great start! We’re really getting spoiled with TV lately. 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

@foosh was impressed by the spoken Vietnamese dialogue!

[Greatoneshere]

Finally caught the first episode (of what looks like will be seven total episodes). This was a really strong start to a show I had very little idea what it was about going in but I come away wanting to watch more. Some of the broad comedy feels tonally misplaced but overall I really enjoyed an area of the Vietnam War that isn't often covered. Hard to believe it'll be 50 years next April since the Fall of Saigon. Chan-wook Park, who not only directs the first three episodes but co-writes all seven, brings all of his incredible skills to bear on the episode, so it is really well made and directed. Everyone should really check this out alongside other recent TV winners like The Gentlemen, Fallout, Tokyo Vice (season 2), Shogun, 3 Body Problem and Invincible (season 2) just to name some really recent stuff. The A.V. Club really enjoyed the first episode as well.

 

The Sympathizer premiere: A unique spy thriller with a lot to say

WWW.AVCLUB.COM

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Oldboy director Park Chan-wook's HBO miniseries weaves a tangled web of lies, timeline jumps, and historical fury.

 

[Greatoneshere]

I liked this past Sunday's episode even more than the premiere as the show begins to dig in and lay out the long term game plan. The main actor Hoa Xuende is doing an incredible job playing smooth and sociable with an entire breadth of things happening behind the eyes underneath the surface. Also if you wanted to know if Chan-wook Park would add another bizarre scene with a squid into something he's made, well, he's done it again. Far less uncomfortable than in Old Boy at least, but weird all the same.

 

Getting so much Chan-wook Park all at once is so good.

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

OLOLOLOLOLOLOLO @ RDJ playing a third character in this episode! 

 

Also, OLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO @ the gift of a knife 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

Oh God - four RDJs in one scene and each one representing the worst aspects of American institutions: the military/intelligence complex, academia, politics, and entertainment 

[foosh]

On 4/16/2024 at 5:26 PM, Commissar SFLUFAN said:

@foosh was impressed by the spoken Vietnamese dialogue!

Yah. I wish you could all understand it too because the subtitles are a bit more tame compared to whats actually being said lol. Not much more.