Disneynature Born in China (2017)

"Born in China" is the latest in the Disneynature series. The Disneynature films are not as graphic as other documentaries, but that does not mean that they shy away from from the harsh realities of life.

"Born in China" focuses on different species of animals that are native to China. The audience follows these different species for a year and we see them life live in the different seasons.

John Krasinki narrates and brings charm and humor to the lives of these animals.

Obviously the film is gorgeous to look at. During the end credits we get a glimpse into the filming process. It is fascinating and you can't help but appreciate the hard work these filmmakers put into delivering these stories.

Falling in love with the animals featured in "Born in China" is inevitable. Tao tao is a golden monkey who is ignored by his family once his little sister is born. Dawa the snow leopard is a mother who will do anything to make sure he cubs survive. Ya Ya is a panda who just gave birth to Mei Mei and like any mother struggles with the fact that her baby grows more and more independent each day.

Ya Ya and Mei Mei are the poster animals for this film and their storyline is adorable. The one that stuck with me the most though, was that of Dawa and her cubs. I do not want to give too much away, but it is the most difficult storyline to watch.

Disneynature films are educational. They are also full of heart. This one is no exception. You feel what the animals are feeling.You are taken to another world and what a journey it is.

13 Reasons Why (2017)

Having read the book, I instantly knew I was going to be watching this show. 13 Reasons Why follows high school student Hannah Baker after she commits suicide and her classmates deal with the aftermath. We see difficult scenes from rape, to harassment, and everything in between while not holding anything back from its viewers.

I know about the controversy surrounding this show.

It would be easy for me to say that people will not be affected negatively by this, but I am a grown woman with no history of mental health issues. It is easy for me to recommend this show without realizing I could be influencing someone in a way that I would not like to.

The characters are all affected by Hannah's suicide and the way Hannah handled life has caused a lot of people to call her a selfish character. I personally disagree with that as this is a high school girl dealing with a lot more than she could handle.

I cannot in good conscience recommend this show anymore as mental health professionals have condemned the content of this show. I can personally watch this kind of content and not be triggered by it in any way. However I understand others cannot. People either love or hate this show for the reasons mentioned above. If you have not watched it and decide to, just be aware of the controversy surrounding it and how it may affect you.

Fist Fight (2017)

Rated R - 91 Minutes

 Teachers are getting fired left and right at this school on the last day before summer vacation. Ice Cube's character challenges Charlie Day's character to a fist fight once the final bell rings as Day gets Cube's character fired. This film is over the top and silly and it did get some members of the audience to laugh. The most uncomfortable aspect of this film was Jillian Bell's character as a guidance counselor propositioning one of the male students and actually getting him in the end. Not okay.

Official Site: fistfightmovie.com
Director: Richie Keen
Producer: Shawn Levy, Max Greenfield, John Rickard, Dan Cohen, Toby Emmerich, Richard Brener, Samuel Brown, Dave Neustadter, Charlie Day, Ice Cube, Marty P. Ewing, Billy Rosenberg and Bruce Berman
Cast: Ice Cube, Charlie Day, Tracy Morgan, Jillian Bell, Dean Norris, Christina Hendricks, Dennis Haysbert, JoAnna Garcia Swisher, Kumail Nanjiani, Charlie Carver, Max Carver, Austin Zajur, Alexa Nisenson and Chanel Celaya

Thinner (1996)

2.5/5 Stars

Look at that poster. It looks like the film should at least give you some tingles as you watch it. Alas, this is far from it. It's one of the ill-fated Stephen King adaptations.

The film is directed by Tom Holland. He directed Child's Play. Ignoring the fact that its sequel was my favorite film as a kid (true story!), you would think some of his.... expertise? would slip into this film. Of course, it does not. The film follows Billy Haleck (Robert John Burke) an overweight lawyer. If you think the fat suit the actor is wearing it only gets worse.

Billy and his wife (Lucinda Jenney) are driving and she begins pleasuring him causing him in turn to crash into an old gypsy woman killing her instantly. Trust me when I say Thinner trying to take itself seriously. Anyway, being a great lawyer he gets off scot free making the gypsy woman's father place a curse on him. At first, everything seems okay. He begins to lose weight while eating anything he wants. As he continues to lose weight he realizes he will continue to do so until he dies.

This film is awful in more ways than what you have read so far. He blames his wife for the whole situation and wants revenge against her. There is no happy ending, but the ending is unsatisfying on so many levels especially when it comes to this douche bag. The poster has nothing to do with the film. Do not even get me started on the portrayal of Gypsies. The young women are nothing but hot and the older ones are nothing but vengeful.

This is a definite skip.

Get Out (2017)

Daniel Kaluuya as Chris in Get Out

I was not sure what to expect from this film initially, but all my friends began talking about it and instantly my curiosity grew.

Get Out begins like every other horror film out there. A young man walks down a dark suburban street as a car approaches him. The young man is black and he has a lot to fear. Suddenly the person driving the car attacks and we see the young men get dragged into the trunk of the car.

This is where the similarities to other horror films ends. The abducted young man seems unimportant until you realize the importance of the color of his skin.

Black men in horror films usually equal one thing: instant death. Here though, the use of horror is used to tell a much more important story. It is a highly political film.

It will definitely be remembered as one of the best political films out there. It also exceeded box office expectations despite starring relative unknowns.

This is a film about racial tensions although it doesn't necessarily slap you in the face with it. Yes, you start to see it as the story line goes on, but it is fantastically done.

Get Out follows Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) and his girlfriend, Rose (Alison Williams). They have been together a few months and it is time to take the next step: meeting the parents. Rose's parents live in a perfectly white world and while she says they are not racist she admits she hasn't told them her boyfriend is black.

They arrive at Rose's parents house and immediately they try to prove how not racist they are. Chris is tolerant, but it is overwhelming. Rose's dad (Bradley Whitford) is a neurosurgeon. Her mom (Catherine Keener) is a therapist.

Her family is more than welcoming, until her brother shows his racist side during dinner. Chris assures Rose that everything is fine, but he still feels out of place especially concerning the servants working for Rose's family. The next day the family has their annual party. Chris is surrounded by people who mean well, but their comments and actions make him question who he is. He sticks out like a sore thumb and everyone makes sure he knows it.

Daniel Kaluuya in Get Out

Every one makes some sort of inappropriate comment whether they are aware of it or not. There is one other black guest at the party, but he is also oddly okay with his circumstances. Chris needs an escape and when he tries to talk to the female servant she can barely respond. Tears well up, but she smiles through it. She is hurting, but can't seem to express it fully.

Chris, who usually handles everything just fine, needs someone he can vent to. He calls his best friend played by Lil Rey Howery. He is mistrustful of the people Chris is with, and is oddly the voice of reason while also providing comedic relief.

Get Out borrows a lot of elements from classic horror films. It is creepy to watch. Of course it is also meant to offend people as the victims and villains are clearly laid out. Get Out makes you root for the black characters and deservedly so.

Many people in the United States will be able to relate to Chris and his struggles and it is easy to see why this film dominated the box office.