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List of KDramas and Their Grades

To make your next drama selection a little easier, I have sorted all the Korean dramas I've watched into one list, ranked by grade. They...

Friday, May 12, 2017

InFilm to Watch: Happy New Year (2014)

Happy New Year (2014)

Viewing Platform: Netflix

Charlie concocts a plan to exact revenge on the man who ruined his family's good name and framed his father for an incredible theft. Charlie assembles a team to break into a safe and steal millions of dollars worth of diamonds from the two-faced, manipulative, greedy Grover. Unfortunately, it all hinges on Charlie's team gaining access to a certain room in a certain building: the hotel hosting the Worldwide Dance Competition. Will they be able to convince the bar dancer to help them, even though her only dream is to open a dance studio for children? What happens when Charlie starts to develop feelings for their instructor? Will it interfere with his plans to successfully avenge his father and bring honor to his nation?

*It's an odd combination of action, drama, comedy and romance, but when you have a 3 hour movie, it can all fit. I didn't care for the “bar dancer” scene when they go to recruit their instructor (there were half-naked women dancing on poles as men threw money at them), or the opening scene with the street fighting and gratuitous violence. The rest of the show was fun, with lots of vibrant colors and upbeat music. I find it interesting that most female lead characters in these Indian films start off as feisty and independent, which initially attracts the male lead, but through the course of the movie, they are shown to possess all the traditional qualities and habits of women that make a good wife. This could be anything from the way she smiles at children, serves the lead a cool beverage, bows respectfully to an elder, or burns incense and prays to a deity statue in her daily routine. That makes me think those things are important in Indian culture. I've also noticed that most of Shah Rukh Khan's films have lots of national pride woven into the stories and motivations for his characters; another important aspect of their culture. Overall, if you like heist movies and dance competition movies, you'll like this movie, too. I might watch it again.*

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