It’s OK, That’s Love

Ranking third television program if 2014 according to koreatimes.co, this Korean drama tackles serious mental health issues that Korea collectively tends to ignore, and does it well as shown by its worldwide popularity. As a more taboo subject in Korea and a strong female lead psychiatrist living with three of her friends, this drama is laugh out loud at times while still bringing issues to light and telling a compelling story and being respectful. The love story in this drama shows a very real relationship that makes the audience root for the couple. This drama also has many plot twists with clever writing that leads the viewer to think something is completely true, when in fact, it often isn’t.

Instructions Not Included

The lead role in this movie is played by Eugenio Derbez, “unquestionably one of Mexico’s best-known stars…the most recognized actor among the Spanish-speaking population in the United States,” according to imbd, and his talent for acting is clear on screen. In the film, Debez portrays a man from Mexico who has a past fling from America show up at his home a year after. She leaves her baby with him, the baby he accidentally got her pregnant with during their time together. After being left with the child, he goes on a journey to America to find her, and ends up raising the child in the US. After raising her for her entire life, suddenly the mother gets back into the picture and fights for full custody of their child. This movie is extremely funny, with Derbez playing off comedic energy with the daughter in the film with excellent comedic timing. As he doesn’t speak any English, the movie is half in English and half in Spanish with his daughter being bilingual. The movie is fun to watch without subtitles for people interested in improving their Spanish comprehension skills, as well as for anyone who’se in the mood to see an amazing childhood fantasy apartment with a cute father-daughter relationship.

Silenced/Crucible

This movie is a serious one that will make you cry. A man in Korea goes to a new school for deaf children to work at, and finds that the orphans there are being targeted by teachers for abuse. As he comes to find out what’s happening behind closed doors, he fights for the student’s freedom with everything he has, but barely any persecution falls on the abusers. The movie is based upon the reality of what some schools were like in Korea, and more specifically, to a case in which six abusers got away with barely any charges after doing horrible things. After watching this movie that brought to life current issues in Korea, Korean citizens learned what was happening, and took up to protesting. In October 2011, a revised bill was passed to “abolish the statute of limitations for sex crimes against minors and the disabled,” according to korea.net. This movie does a great job of making a person aware of social issues in other countries, and making a person cry very hard.

Miss Granny

This is a funny story with literally no drama at all. In this movie, a hilarious spirited Korean grandmother learns that her family, except for her grandson, doesn’t like her nearly as much as she thought. Angry, she goes to get her picture taken so that when she dies her funeral picture won’t look ugly like a friend of hers who’d just passed. Through unknown magic, she is transformed back into her 20-year old self. In her youth she was a beautiful singer, and with her new magic she goes through the music industry with her grandson while trying to keep her family from finding out, still acting like an 80-year old, and finding out her 80-year-old friend likes her. A witty and comedic movie, the young actress steals the show with her acting and great voice. My mom made me re-wind her first song three times before letting us continue watching the movie.

The Intouchables

The Intouchables is a movie of the friendship between an un-wealthy man who lives in an apartment with his many other siblings and mother and a rich quadriplegic man. Masterfully filmed and acted by these two men, the film’s hard work paid off, becoming second biggest box office in France and continuing its success when released in North America according to hollywoodreporter.com. While looking for a job to apply to to meet his jail job-search quota without real intent to actually work, the man applies to be the billionaire’s personal caretaker, and the rich man hires him. The two go through hardship and life and even escape the police. A very feel good movie, this French film shows two completely different people coming together and is adorable and enjoyable to watch, and this movie is based on a true story as well.