Mood: Enlighten Me

Like the community and era they represent, the Derry Girls bring a feisty resilience to their teenage troubles, and in spite of the larger Troubles surrounding them, they're unafraid to speak their minds and stand up for themselves.

A smart, unique workplace drama set in wealthy 80s Kuwait, The Exchange drops us into a vibrant world we haven't seen before and looks at it through the eyes of the only two women working at the Kuwaiti stock exchange.

A stirring documentary about iconic actor and activist Sidney Poitier's life and its impact -- on Hollywood, on Black history, and on American history.

A gripping biopic about the Navy's first Black fighter pilot - Jesse Brown - and the inspiring friendship that transcended racism and the conflicts of the Korean War. Starring Jonathan Majors and Glenn Powell.

If you're looking for some historical context for all the news and fictional obsession with monarchs, The Serpent Queen brings a modern, often funny take on one of the most powerful female rulers in history, one that sheds light on our current preoccupation with all things royal.

Capturing the wake of a critical moment in history through the eyes of a mother's grief, Till walks a tightrope balancing the devastation of what happened with the power of what it inspired. It's a movie you won't want to turn away from.

Rutherford Falls is a clever and sweet satire similar to Michael Schur’s other half-hour comedies. Like Parks and Recreation and The Good Place, it's surprisingly deep and deserves just as much attention.

Like the mythical creature of the title, The Essex Serpent slowly draws you out to sea and before you know it you're in deep, totally immersed.

This isn’t a high-octane spy thriller or a war film in the style of Saving Private Ryan. It’s a quiet piece whose entertainment value is found in the incredulous fact that this really did happen, but that doesn’t make it any less enjoyable.

Pachinko is a beautiful, sweeping, historic epic spanning generations as one family faces wars, strife, peace, and its own complex legacy.

Heartstopper is, without a doubt, the best film or TV show about gay teenagers I have ever seen. Innocent, romantic, and tenderly wrought, it is the story and the representation that the LGBTQ community has been craving for decades.

Everything Everywhere All At Once is a collage of farce, action, sci-fi, and metaphysical drama that's entertaining, yet not overdone.

Abbott Elementary will catch you off guard and surprise you. It captures the balance between comedy and heart, much like its mockumentary predecessors—but with a new spin, because the work these characters are doing truly matters.

This film is heartwarming and heartbreaking in all the ways you want in a character-driven indie about a subject matter that we need to talk more about.

The Worst Person in the World is a fluidly told story not about love, but instead about self-awareness, acceptance, and the persistent insecurity that accompanies the pursuit of both.

This film might break your heart, but it also might inspire you to action. I ended up energized by the idea that we can reverse the loss of wildlife and slow the pace of climate change, and that doing so will make our lives better.