7 Eye-Opening Shows And Movies You Should Watch

beauty

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There’s a lot going on in the world right now. From figuring out how to navigate social distancing and dealing with financial and personal strains to learning better how to support and uplift the black community. We know you’re out there doing your best to educate yourself, spread awareness, and practice empathy toward all humankind. But, amid all the chaos, it’s especially important to take some time for yourself to refuel your tank so you can get back out there.

We might be biased, but one of our favorite ways to unwind and practice self-love is via beauty rituals – like face masking, painting our nails, and conditioning our hair – while listening to music or watching something. Self-care is so important, and it’s important to take time out for yourself to reset. If your hair is need of some love, check out Cardi B’s DIY hair mask, which is actually so bomb or get multi-masking with your current faves. Finally, if your skin is stressed out, pop on a soothing mask or check out these 14 amazing deep conditioning products for head-to-toe hydration, so you can recharge your entire body.

To reset and educate at the same time, fire up one of these eye-opening titles.

The 13th

Where to watch: Netflix

Most understand that outright violence and racism against black people had an early and very heinous start via slavery. What many don’t realize, however, is that racism continues to rear its ugly head within the United States particularly within the criminal “justice” system. This documentary does a deep dive into the loophole exploited in the 13th amendment, which has resulted in mass incarceration in “the land of the free” and an incredibly disproportionate number of black men behind bars. It’s a powerful and very important film everyone should watch.

Little Fires Everywhere

Where to watch: Hulu

Adapted from the 2017 bestselling novel by Celeste Ng, Little Fires Everywhere depicts the lives of two very different families in the ’90s who are brought together by their children. With Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington as leading women in the miniseries, you know it’s going to be entertaining, but the show goes much deeper than pure indulgence by diving into race identity, class, and white privilege.

Vice on HBO: Inside The World’s Worst Humanitarian Crisis

Where to watch: YouTube, HBO

It’s far too easy to turn a blind eye to the world’s injustices, but the second you have even an inkling of what atrocities are occurring you’ll feel like springing into action. That’s exactly what this docu-short by Vice and HBO will do. It’s an on-the-ground report, filmed in 2018, of the ongoing violence and poverty in Yemen.

Dear White People

Where to watch: Netflix

Just renewed for its fourth (and final) season, Dear White People has really risen to Netflix fame over the last few weeks as more people are eager to educate themselves on the black experience and BLM movement. While the series is set in an ivy league collegiate setting many might not necessarily relate to, it does a phenomenal job cutting through the PC BS and telling it like it is. It’s real, can bring you to genuine tears, and the drama format will have you hooked within the first few minutes.

The Morning Show

Where to watch: Apple TV

The Morning Show isn’t about race, but it does shine some much-needed light on another important issue: sexual misconduct in the workplace. The 10-episode miniseries – which stars Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston, and Steve Carrell – begins with a popular morning news anchor being accused of sexual harassment. The story develops from there.

Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker

Where to watch: Netflix

If you’re craving a beauty fix, then this biopic film on Netflix is a great place to start. It unravels the story of Madam C.J. Walker, a daughter of former slaves and one of the first self-made black women in the United States. And fun fact: you can actually buy her hair products in stores to this day! Walker paved the way for women and black women, specifically, and her story is an incredible one.

Under the Sun

Where to watch: Amazon

Filmmaker Vitaly Mansky did what very few people can: get permission to walk into North Korea and film. He did so by promising to make a documentary that sang the praises of the dictator-led, poverty-stricken country which, if you know anything about North Korea, isn’t so easy to do. The result is a very unique film that, unlike many others on the topic, turns its focus on the smaller, lesser-discussed nuances of daily life in North Korea through the eyes of a young girl and her family.

A Quick Note from Us: It has taken far too long, but we are so glad that the world is starting to wake up to its many injustices. Taking the time to dig for information and better familiarize yourself with the issues that impact substantial portions of our globe is one way you can ignite the flame in yourself and start having more candid conversations with others. Some of the recommendations here are lighter or heavier than others, but they’ll help get the ball rolling. And if you’re eager for more, Netflix has curated 45+ titles under their Black Lives Matter category.