It's rare for a coming-of-age story to sideline romance and get straight to the point with zero angst. Thankfully, it's 2018, and vampires and werewolves no longer define young adult entertainment.

"The Hate U Give" opened in select cities across the U.S. this past weekend and opens nationwide on October 19. If you want to consider yourself at least slightly "woke", you'll go see it. The film is based on Angie Thomas's 2017 novel of the same name, which I encourage reading before watching the new adaptation. "THUG" follows the story of Starr Carter, an African-American teenager caught in a tug-of-war between two worlds: her "black" neighborhood and the white private school she attends. This struggle intensifies after she witnesses the shooting and death of her childhood friend, Khalil, at the hands of a biased white police officer. Starr must cope with her status as a witness to the event and all the publicity that comes along with it.