Films, Series, & Documentaries

An amazing true story - a biographical drama about Saroo Brierley, who was lost to his family in India at age 5 after ending up on a train bound more than 1,000 kilometers away from his hometown. Based on Brierley's memoir A Long Way Home, the movie chronicles how Saroo (Dev Patel) used Google Earth to track down his birth family after a 25-year separation. Offers powerful lessons about perseverance, gratitude, family bonds, and the power of technology.

An empowering road/buddy movie with themes of kindness and empathy. It's also powerful from a representation standpoint, as it centers on a character with Down syndrome (Zack Gottsagen). Simple but timeless story, gorgeous scenery, and a powerful message of hope and empathy for anyone with a disability, their family, and friends.

Wonder is an earnest, emotional family drama based on R.J. Palacio's award-winning novel of the same name. It centers on Auggie Pullman (Jacob Tremblay), a young boy with a genetic facial difference. Auggie meets both cruel bullies and good friends as he attends school for the first time; his supportive family (including his parents, played by Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson) is always there for him -- even when he tries to push them away. The movie has clear positive messages about choosing kindness, appreciating everyone for who they are (rather than what they look like), and true friendship; empathy and perseverance are also strong themes.

The Hate U Give is based on Angie Thomas' award-winning book about Starr Carter (Amandla Stenberg), a black teen who witnesses the fatal police shooting of a close friend. Like the acclaimed novel, the movie deals frankly and powerfully with race and racism. It also addresses the tension between the police and the communities they're supposed to serve and protect and the differences between teens growing up in predominantly African American neighborhoods and those from affluent white neighborhoods. Viewers will appreciate the movie's messages about standing up for what you believe in, being proud of who you are, and communicating honestly with your parents and friends.

A reimagining of the classic 1970s–1980s sitcom about a single woman raising her two children. In this version, a Cuban woman raises her son and daughter while living with her mother in the same apartment. The family is deeply invested in its Cuban heritage; viewers not familiar with Cuban history and traditions will learn more.

A food show that focuses on cuisine local to several South and Central American cities and is a window into Latin American cultures. The show features local favorites and hole-in-the-walls, describing the food and telling the backstory of the chefs and restaurateurs. These stories are often about the resourcefulness and dedication it takes to run even the smallest restaurant.

A funny, heartfelt dramedy produced by America Ferrera (Ugly Betty, Superstore) that explores cultural identity and gentrification through the struggles and triumphs of a tight-knit Mexican-American family in Los Angeles' Boyle Heights neighborhood.

A drama set in the 1960s about a racist Italian American man (Viggo Mortensen) who takes a temporary job chauffeuring an acclaimed black pianist (Mahershala Ali) during his concert tour of the Midwest and Deep South. The story explores how the two men had to abide by the titular Green Book, a "traveling while black" guide to restaurants and accommodations that allowed black guests in the '60s.

Two brilliant high school juniors use their time machine to try to go back in time to a moment before someone becomes the innocent victim of a fatal police shooting. The ethics and morality of time travel and attending unforeseen consequences are explored.

A dramatization of the Central Park Five case, in which five teenagers were wrongly convicted of the violent rape of a 28-year-old woman. The 1990 trial was widely publicized at the time and has become an example of institutional racism within the police and the American justice system.

In this one-man Broadway show, John Leguizamo finds humor and heartbreak as he traces 3,000 years of Latin history in an effort to help his bullied son.

If Beale Street Could Talk is writer-director Barry Jenkins' adaptation of James Baldwin's love story set in early 1970s Harlem. Starring KiKi Layne and Stephan James as young lovers Tish and Fonny, the movie is equal parts romance, family drama, and crime story about the injustices faced by African Americans. Contains valuable messages about the power of unconditional love and the importance of people who will support and protect you.

A sweeping, thrilling drama that mature teens will be able to take -- and will probably very much enjoy. The film revolves around issues of class (how could a poor "slumdog" like the lead character possibly do so well on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?) and includes many images of modern India, including real depictions of poverty and class issues.

“13th” looks at the current American state of “mass incarceration,” a phrase that has quickly grown numbing with repetition; director Ava DuVernay puts the...feeling back into it. When you watch “13TH,” you feel that you’re seeing an essential dimension of America with new vision. That’s what a cathartically clear-eyed work of documentary art can do.

“American Son” begins with Kendra Ellis-Connor (Kerry Washington) in an empty waiting room at the police station, waiting for information about her son, Jamal, who didn't come home last night. The officer on duty (Jeremy Jordan) is especially unhelpful, and Kendra thinks that race may have something to do with it: She is Black, he is White. When her estranged husband (Steven Pasquale) shows up, himself a White police officer, it further complicates the situation and heightens the tension between the three of them.

Crazy Rich Asians

Age 13+

(HBO max)

Rachel Chu is happy to accompany her longtime boyfriend, Nick, to his best friend's wedding in Singapore. She's also surprised to learn that Nick's family is extremely wealthy and he's considered one of the country's most eligible bachelors. Thrust into the spotlight, Rachel must now contend with jealous socialites, quirky relatives and something far, far worse -- Nick's disapproving mother.

Shang-Chi

Age 13+

(in theaters now or

streaming on Disney+)

Marvel Studios' "Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings" stars Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, who must confront the past he thought he left behind when he is drawn into the web of the mysterious Ten Rings organization. The film also stars Tony Leung as Wenwu, Awkwafina as Shang-Chi's friend Katy and Michelle Yeoh as Jiang Nan, as well as Fala Chen, Meng'er Zhang, Florian Munteanu and Ronny Chieng.

Parasite

Age 16+

(Hulu)

Four-time Oscar winning film by Bong Joon Ho. Greed and class discrimination threaten the newly formed symbiotic relationship between the wealthy Park family and the destitute Kim clan.

Kim's Convenience

Age 16+

(Netflix)

While running a convenience store in Toronto, members of a Korean-Canadian family deal with customers, each other and the evolving world around them.

'black* ish

ABC & Hulu

Dre Johnson (Anthony Anderson) has it all - a great job, beautiful wife Rainbow (Tracee Ellis Ross), four kids and a big home in a classy neighborhood - but as a black man, he begins to question whether all his success has brought too much cultural assimilation for his family. With the help of his father (Laurence Fishburne), Dre begins to try to create a sense of ethnic identity for the members of his family that will allow them to honor their background while preparing them to embrace the future.

Jane the Virgin

Age 14+ (Netflix)

The daughter of a teen mother, Jane Villanueva grew up determined not to repeat her mom's mistakes. At 23, her life is on track; Jane is studying to be a teacher and engaged to a handsome detective who supports her decision to remain a virgin until marriage. Then a routine clinic visit flips her life upside down. Inseminated by a specimen meant for a patient in the next room, now-pregnant Jane is in a situation made only more insane when she learns that the sperm donor is her boss, Rafael. As her meticulously planned life gets more like the telenovelas she loves, she faces a lot of complicated decisions about where to go from here.

Fresh off the Boat

Age 14+ Hulu

Based on chef Eddie Huang's best-selling memoir of the same name, "Fresh Off the Boat" takes a humorous look at the lives of immigrants in America. In the 1990s, Eddie, a hip-hop-loving 11-year-old, relocates with his parents and two brothers to suburban Orlando from the Chinatown section of Washington, D.C. As Eddie's dad, Louis, pursues the American dream by opening a Western-themed restaurant named Cattleman's Ranch Steakhouse, Eddie and the rest of the family try to acclimate to their new, strange surroundings.

Never Have I Ever

Age 14+ Netflix

Never Have I Ever is an American coming-of-age comedy-drama television series starring Maitreyi Ramakrishnan and created by Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher. Although the show takes place in the area of San Fernando valley, the comedy is loosely based on Kaling's childhood experiences in the Boston area.

Speechless

Age 14+ Hulu

Maya DiMeo, a wife and mother, is fiercely protective of her husband, Jimmy, and their three children, Ray, Dylan, and J.J. -- who has a condition that leaves him with unique mobility and communication challenges. While Maya's mama bear instinct may be one of her most admirable qualities, it's not without its drawbacks and sometimes the injustices she sets out to make right end up being all in her head. Together, the family members work to make a new home for themselves and find the right person to come in and give J.J. a voice of his own.

House of Sand and Fog

Hulu

Reformed drug addict Kathy Nicolo (Jennifer Connelly) has her California coast house, which she inherited from her father, taken away by the county due to a misunderstanding about back taxes. The place is bought by Iranian immigrant Massoud Amir Behrani (Ben Kingsley), who intends to fix it up and sell it in order to provide a better life for his wife (Shohreh Aghdashloo) and son (Jonathan Ahdout). However, Kathy, desperate to get the house back, begins harassing Behrani so he will return it.

The Chef

Amazon Prime Video

After a controlling owner (Dustin Hoffman) pushes him too far, chef Carl Casper (Jon Favreau) quits his position at a prestigious Los Angeles restaurant. As he tries to figure out what his next step should be, he finds himself in Miami. Carl joins forces with his ex-wife (Sofía Vergara), best friend (John Alberto Leguizamo) and son (Emjay Anthony) to launch a food-truck business, and the venture provides a chance to reignite his passion for cooking -- as well as his zest for life and love.

Snowpiercer

Hulu

Set more than seven years after the world has become a frozen wasteland, this series centers on the remaining people, who inhabit a gigantic, perpetually-moving train that circles the globe.