New ‘Okja’ Photos Bring Us Braceface Tilda Swinton
I come bearing good news for all readers currently struggling to pull themselves out of the weekly Monday-morning existential spiral of perspective — what am I doing here, will this all amount to anything, what’s left, etc. etc. Those questioning the purpose of their labors here on Earth can take some small solace in a new report on Bong Joon-ho’s impending follow-up to Snowpiercer, the left-of-center creature feature titled Okja. In the period of grave self-doubt that begins every work week, it can be helpful to pin your hopes and sense of personal meaning on something greater than yourself. So, without further ado, to those feeling lost in the world and perhaps in need of a new god, I give you: BRACES TILDA.
Take a moment to drink it all in. Tilda Swinton. Braces. Platinum bob wig. So many questions, chiefest among them being how it took us this long to put some braces on Tilda Swinton. Bong last messed with the Oscar-winning actress’ mouth by slapping some fake teeth on her as Snowpiercer’s cowardly, perfidious Minister Mason, and now he’s brought his experiments with Tilda Swinton dental work to their logical conclusion. Note the expression of joy, of unadulterated ecstasy, splayed across Swinton’s face. She knows.
This morning brings some additional tidbits regarding the film scheduled for a theatrical release via Netflix on June 28. We‘ve gotten new photos of Jake Gyllenhaal (pictured below in what I assume is the process of auditioning for a Real Estate cover band) and Korean star Ahn Seo-hyun as well, in addition to a fuller plot synopsis for this intriguing project. Feast your peepers:
For 10 idyllic years, young Mija (An Seo Hyun) has been caretaker and constant companion to Okja – a massive animal and an even bigger friend – at her home in the mountains of South Korea. But that changes when the family-owned multinational conglomerate Mirando Corporation takes Okja for themselves and transports her to New York, where image obsessed and self-promoting CEO Lucy Mirando (Tilda Swinton) has big plans for Mija’s dearest friend.
With no particular plan but single-minded in intent, Mija sets out on a rescue mission, but her already daunting journey quickly becomes more complicated when she crosses paths with disparate groups of capitalists, demonstrators and consumers, each battling to control the fate of Okja…while all Mija wants to do is bring her friend home.
Sounds like Bong’s sticking to his can’t-fail formula for success established with Snowpiercer: two parts Commie agitprop, two parts genre weirdness, one part Tilda Swinton teeth. The Cannes Film Festival is set to announce their slate of Competition titles soon — this could very well land on it, so keep both eyes open.