Chef and "Appetites" author Anthony Bourdain explains what goes into the perfect burger and when to add additional toppings.

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Ditto, the final missing Pokémon in Pokémon Go, has finally appeared in the game, after literally months of non-stop searching from dedicated fans.

While Pokémon Go developer Niantic has not made an official statement, players are noticing that the shapechanging Ditto is starting to show up on their maps.

But because, as in the original Pokémon series, Ditto is a shapechanger, he'll take the form of more common Pokémon like Pidgey, Ratatta, or Magikarp.

When you make the successful catch, surprise, it's Ditto!

Here's a video, first spotted by TechCrunch:

In battle, Ditto will take the form of whatever Pokémon you're fighting against: 

Excluding Legendary Pokémon — which are said to be coming at some point, likely in a bigger way than simply being capturable in the wild — Ditto was the only Pokémon of the original 151 represented in the game that's yet to be found.

SEE ALSO: No one can find the last Pokémon in Pokémon Go

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NOW WATCH: Pokémon GO could be adding 100 new Pokémon very soon — here's what we know

The FBI has officially closed the investigation into child abuse allegations against Brad Pitt.

The agency issued the following statement to press late on Tuesday night:

"In response to allegations made following a flight within the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States which landed in Los Angeles carrying Mr. Brad Pitt and his children, the FBI has conducted a review of the circumstances and will not pursue further investigation.  No charges have been filed in this matter."

The FBI statement confirms reports earlier this month that the actor had been cleared of the charges against him.

The investigation stemmed from an alleged incident on a plane in September in which Pitt was accused of child abuse against his 15-year-old adopted son with Angelina Jolie, Maddox Jolie-Pitt.

The Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services initially began the investigation into the allegations. But since the incident reportedly occurred on a flight, jurisdiction landed with the FBI and the case was transferred.

Jolie filed for divorce soon after the allegations against Pitt were made. Custody of the couple's six kids is at issue in the divorce.

SEE ALSO: Here's how movie star and Oscar-winning producer Brad Pitt rose to fame

DON'T MISS: Angelina Jolie says she and Brad Pitt have reached a custody agreement — but that may not be the case

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NOW WATCH: Brad Pitt praised Angelina Jolie for her 'no vanity' approach to cancer

You've eaten the turkey and you've had enough with football, so what's next?

Time to watch something on Netflix. 

Whether you're hosting Thanksgiving this year or you're the one responsible for settling down all the kids, we have 13 movies or shows currently streaming on Netflix that everyone in your family, young or old, will enjoy.

From a classic like Disney's "Fantasia" to full seasons of "Friends," we have plenty of options before you slip into that turkey coma.

Check out the best Netflix streaming options for Thanksgiving:

SEE ALSO: The 30 best movie endings of all time, ranked

1. "Adventures in Babysitting" (PG-13)

Elisabeth Shue plays a responsible suburban babysitter who has to take the kids she's watching to the big city to help out a friend. Adventures aplenty ensue. 

2. "Are We There Yet?" (PG)

Ice Cube proves he can be a convincingly responsible dad. Here the rapper plays a bachelor who agrees to drive the kids of the woman he's interested in from Portland to Vancouver. Let's just say the kids aren't on their best behavior. 

3. "Fantasia" (G)

Walt Disney combines the talents of his animators with some of the most memorable classical pieces of all time to create an incredible animated movie that is enjoyable for any age group.

Martin Scorsese has been trying to adapt Shûsaku Endô's 1966 novel "Silence" for two decades, and we are one step closer to finally seeing it.

The trailer for the movie went online late Tuesday night and shows off a sprawling tale about two Jesuit priests (Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver) who travel to Japan in search of their mentor (Liam Neeson) and propagate Christianity. But they face many who do not want to hear their gospel.

It looks to be another heart-wrenching movie from Scorsese, who has explored a fascination with religion his whole career, ranging from "The Last Temptation of Christ" to "Kundun."

And the glances we get of the performances by Garfield and a rail-thin Driver in "Silence" have us very excited.

The movie will open in limited release December 23 and wide in January.

Watch the trailer below:

SEE ALSO: Here are the must-see movies most likely to win the Oscars in 2017

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NOW WATCH: Watch the first trailer for Disney's live-action 'Beauty and the Beast' starring Emma Watson

If you've already begun to hear Christmas music pop up in retail stores this year, you aren't alone.

The start date for Christmas music season has been pushed back over the years, according to Magnus Rydén, who heads up content for Spotify-backed Soundtrack Your Brand, a startup that provides music for businesses.

Rydén says a few years ago, the season began in earnest the first week of December, but now some businesses are rolling out the Christmas tunes even before Thanksgiving.

This might work to get the Christmas — and gift-shopping — spirit going earlier, but it can be grating for retail employees. "We start to get complaints [from employees] the first and second week of December," Sven Grundberg, SYB's VP of communications, explains. Their professional advice for retailers: mix it up a bit, don't just have the same exact covers. "Think about your employees," Grundberg adds. (Here's an "Indie Christmas" playlist SYB recommends).

As to which artists rule Christmas, SYB looked at data from over 30 million song streams from six countries last year, and found that Michael Bublé was the undisputed winner. He was followed by Justin Bieber and Mary J. Blige, though old favorites Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby made the top bunch.

Grundberg says that while newer artists record Christmas music, producing an original Christmas hit that isn't a cover is extremely difficult. He considers the last big one to be Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You," which was released in 1994.

Here's a chart of SYB's Christmas artist power ranking:

And here is a look at the top Christmas songs:

Rydén says that in SYB's experience working with clients, retail stores begin playing Christmas music earlier than restaurants. But there's two places you're a lot less likely to hear it : the spa and the gym. 

SEE ALSO: This guy used a frequent-flyer trick to take a $16,000 first-class trip for $480 — here's what it was like

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NOW WATCH: How practicing gratitude helped one woman cure herself of migraines that had plagued her for years

It's been a passion project for director Martin Scorsese for nearly 30 years. Finally, his film, "Silence," hits theaters on December 23 and it's already generating some early awards hype. 

Set during the 17th century, the film follows two Jesuit priests, played by Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver, who embark on a journey into the Japanese jungle to find their mentor, played by Liam Neeson. From the trailer, it appears their efforts to find their mentor and spread the gospel of Christianity is met with violence and persecution.

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Ellen DeGeneres got emotional as she accepted the Presidential Medal of Freedom honor from President Barack Obama in a ceremony on Tuesday.

The comedian was one of 21 recipients of the honor, bestowed on those who makes significant progress for the US.

A White House aide summed up DeGeneres' three-decade career, spanning stand-up comedy, her hit sitcom "Ellen," and her current talk show. He also noted how DeGeneres has consistently stood up for equality, coming out as gay in the '90s when it was not common for major Hollywood stars to do so.

“Ellen DeGeneres has showed us that a single individual can make the world a more fun, more open, more loving place, so long as we just keep swimming,” he said, referencing the actress' voice role in the Pixar hit "Finding Nemo."

DeGeneres held back tears as President Obama put the medal around her neck.

The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest honor bestowed on civilians in the US.

Watch Ellen DeGeneres receive the honor below:

SEE ALSO: The 30 best movie endings of all time, ranked

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NOW WATCH: Mickey Mouse is the secret force behind modern copyright law

Video games aren't exactly known for smart send-ups of social issues. The "Grand Theft Auto" series is the most well-known example of cultural criticism as a video game — and its level of "criticism" veers toward the snotty teenager end of the scale.

A new game named "Watch Dogs 2" takes video games as cultural critique to new levels.

It's a third-person, open-world action game, along the lines of "Grand Theft Auto." What do you do in "Watch Dogs 2?" The same kinda stuff you do in "Grand Theft Auto" games: Take on story and side missions, occasionally shooting guns or driving cars/motorcycles in service of those missions.

There's a main story that's loosely important to what you're doing, but it's just a vehicle for your character, Marcus, to sneak into X location, hack something, and get out. That's the main stuff you do in "Watch Dogs 2" — sneak and hack. 

Instead of controlling a former gangster or a broken sociopath, you control a normal guy named Marcus Holloway.

He's a young black man from Oakland, Ca., and the game's story takes him places he's never been before — like the Google campus (lampooned in the game as "Nudle"). 

The game's story mission that brings Holloway to Nudle (Google) has him driving one of the Bay Area's notorious Silicon Valley shuttle buses.

You know, the buses that bring tech workers from their homes in San Francisco and Oakland to places like Palo Alto, Cupertino, and Mountain View? The ones that sparked real-life protests in real-life Oakland? Yeah, those.

Parody aside, the real gem of this mission is a short conversation between Marcus and his friend Horatio. Horatio is a Nudle employee, a gifted programmer, and, most importantly for this conversation, a black man. 

Throughout "Watch Dogs 2," Marcus is portrayed as a fearless ideologue, galvanized in the face of adversity. The very first mission has him breaking-and-entering, hacking a computer system, and escaping dozens of armed security guards. He's the embodiment of overconfidence.

But the first thing he says to Horatio when he gets off the bus is this:

"Hey, Horatio man. I'm scared bro." Scared? Of what?

Marcus isn't scared of street gangs, which he takes on repeatedly in "Watch Dogs 2." He's not afraid of scaling buildings, or riding motorcycles. He's not even afraid to sneak into the game's equivalent of Google, one of the world's most powerful companies.

So, what's he afraid of?

"Nobody look like us." Indeed, all the people who exited the bus — other than Marcus and Horatio — are white. 

This is a joke ... kind of. Marcus isn't afraid, but also he's definitely afraid. Regardless of his ability to hack into security systems, he realizes that he stands out dramatically on Nudle's campus. Horatio, being an employee there, laughs off Marcus' reaction with a fantastic joke:

Horatio: "Ha, man, welcome to Silicon Valley. Hey, what do you call a black man surrounded by thousands of white people?"

Marcus: "What?"

Horatio: "Mr. President."

This conversation between Horatio and Marcus is intended to make players laugh, of course, but it's one of the few moments in "Watch Dogs 2" that addresses the Bay Area/Silicon Valley setting of the game without kid gloves on. 

Much of the game's setting focuses on lampooning the kombucha-drenched, namaste-spouting frivolity of the Bay Area. But in this particular mission, Horatio and Marcus have a surprisingly real conversation about being a person of color in a largely white environment. 

"There's only three other black people that work here. Two guys, one woman. We have our own mailing list," Horatio tells Marcus, seriously. "That's rough. But hey, you're fighting the good fight, changing the face of corporate life in the Valley," Marcus responds, trying to put a positive spin on the situation.

And that's when Horatio offers the best cultural critique in "Watch Dogs 2," in answering Marcus' upbeat spin. Horatio says:

"Hah. You haven't experienced corporate life until you're the only brother in a meeting and have to represent all of blackdom. If I had a nickel for every time someone complimented me for being 'well-spoken.'"

Another social critique "Watch Dogs 2" presents is how Horatio's character changes dramatically as he enters the work environment. He becomes, for lack of a better word, corny. He's ridiculously polite, and seemingly embraces the Silicon Valley mentality during work hours. Part of this is him (he's actually into the silly sounding food in Nudle's kitchen), but part is clearly an attempt to fit in somewhere that he stands out.

Games, especially on the blockbuster scale like "Watch Dogs 2," rarely attempt this kind of critique. "Watch Dogs 2" both attempts and nails it. The game is out now on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC — check out our full review right here.

And here's the full video of that mission (starting at the 13:30 timestamp):

SEE ALSO: 'Watch Dogs 2' is the best 'Grand Theft Auto' game to come out this year

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NOW WATCH: How the ‘perfect body’ for men has changed over the last 150 years

With Thanksgiving this week, Stephen Colbert is already saying thanks that President-elect Donald Trump isn't fulfilling one of his boldest promises of the presidential campaign.

Trump had previously softened his vow to build a wall on the US-Mexico border and have Mexico pay for it. But on Monday he went back on another controversial pledge he made during his campaign.

"During the campaign, Donald Trump promised to do a lot of things as president," Colbert said on Tuesday night's "Late Show" episode. "But maybe the strangest and strongest was his promise, his pledge, his rallying cry to jail Hillary Clinton."

During the second presidential debate on October 9, Trump said that if he were to be elected, he would assign a special prosecutor to look into Clinton's use of a personal email server during her time as secretary of state. But on Tuesday, he said during a meeting with The New York Times that he wouldn't pursue charges against his former opponent.

In a clip from MSNBC, Trump's senior adviser Kellyanne Conway called Trump's decision "a strong message."

"That strong message: Ignore all my previous strong messages," Colbert said. "And I don't know about you, but that is something I'll be giving thanks for this Thursday."

Watch Colbert discuss Trump's broken campaign promise below (at about 4:10 in):

SEE ALSO: Seth Meyers: Trump's 'Hamilton' feud is distracting us from the real news about him

DON'T MISS: Stephen Colbert and John Oliver talk how to handle Trump: 'Don't give him an inch'

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NOW WATCH: Trump will not pursue an investigation into Clinton’s private email server

Disney continues to dominate the box office in 2016. 

Its latest animated title, "Moana," featuring a character voiced by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and music by "Hamilton" creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, grossed a record-breaking $2.6 million at its Tuesday preview screenings, according to Variety.

That's double the previous Tuesday preview record holder "The Good Dinosaur" (another Disney property, created by Pixar), which earned $1.3 million last year.

"Moana," created by Walt Disney Animation Studios, is projected to earn $75 million over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend (Wednesday to Sunday).

The movie follows a Polynesian girl (Auli'i Cravalho) who sets sail with a demi-god (Johnson) for a fabled island.

"Moana" is the third animated feature released by Disney this year. "Zootopia" and "Finding Dory" each earned over $1 billion globally.  

SEE ALSO: Michael Shannon explains the one part of the movie business he finds "disgusting"

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NOW WATCH: LL COOL J: The biggest workout mistakes people make at the gym

One of the most beloved shows of the 2000s comes to life after 10 years off the air with Netflix's four-part revival "Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life," available to stream on Friday.

Since it went off the air in 2007, "Gilmore Girls" reached cult status with a combination of the WB-turned-CW show's original fans yearning for more and new fans who discovered it later and binged their way through the seven seasons. I admit, I belong to the latter group. There's no telling how big that combined audience is now. Even if it isn't that big, bringing the show back could've only been made possible by a company like Netflix. It doesn't need high ratings — it just needs new subscribers.

That said, fans of the show are going to be delighted with this new revival. It's constructed to do just that. And everyone seems to have made their way back, even if for one scene, including the cast members who have gone on to stellar careers: Movie star Melissa McCarthy reprises her role as Lorelai's best friend, Sookie St. James; "This Is Us" star Milo Ventimiglia is back as Luke's nephew and Rory's ex, Jess; "The Good Wife" star Matt Czuchry reprises his role as Rory's college boyfriend, Logan; and "How to Get Away With Murder's" Liza Weil returns as Rory's alpha-female frenemy, Paris.

Not to mention, there's a host of cameos by some pretty big stars, which Netflix has made me and other critics promise not to reveal.

Split into four 90-minute-ish episodes named after the four seasons, "A Year in the Life" brings Rory (Alexis Bledel) back to small, quirky Stars Hollow and reunites her with mom/best friend Lorelai (Lauren Graham) within seconds. That first hour of the show feels like a trippy fan dream as the two run around Stars Hollow and get reacquainted with the eccentric townsfolk who never left.

As the title suggests, this show has always really been about the Gilmore family girls and the ways that life brings them together and pulls them apart.

In these new chapters, we see them once again in different stages of their lives. The funny thing is all three — yes, don't forget the force that is Lorelai's mother, Emily Gilmore (Kelly Bishop) — are struggling with romantic and career questions that are very specific to where they are in their lives.

There is also a tear-inducing flashback to an event that affects all of them: the death of patriarch Richard Gilmore. The actor who played him, Edward Herrmann, died of brain cancer in 2014.

Possibly the biggest problem with the miniseries is that there's very little story for pretty much the first episode. Things pick up going into episode two. But again, fans just want to see their favorite characters again and probably won't care about an extended tour of the show's world for an episode. It's the same reason there's a call for a new "Sex and the City" movie — even if the past ones are pretty awful.

The true joy for fans will be creator Amy Sherman-Palladino's return after leaving the show ahead of its final season. After all, it's her world and rapid dialogue that we fell in love with. She splits the the writing/directing of the miniseries with her producing partner and husband, Daniel Palladino, but she gets to start and finish the tale with "Winter" (episode one) and "Fall" (episode four) — as it should be.

And finally, fans will find out the last four words Amy Sherman-Palladino had always planned for the "Gilmore Girls" series finale and never got to use. We're interested to see if they live up to the fandom's built-up expectations. I suspect there will be some displeasure over it.

Watch the trailer below:

SEE ALSO: Melissa McCarthy is returning for Netflix's 'Gilmore Girls' revival after all

DON'T MISS: Netflix's new royal drama 'The Crown' is worth every penny of its $100 million price tag

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NOW WATCH: The 7 best TV shows on Netflix you've probably never heard of

Seth Meyers dedicated Tuesday's "A Closer Look" segment on "Late Night" to the growing concerns over President-elect Donald Trump's foreign business ties.

Previously, Meyers said that Trump has been able to distract Americans from the real news with his feud with the "Hamilton" cast. On Tuesday, Meyers said Trump's cabinet picks have the media "running wild with it."

Meanwhile, Meyers pointed out, the president-elect never released his tax returns, has been able to bury the news that his DC hotel marketed itself to foreign diplomats, and has yet to make good on his promise to place his businesses in a blind trust.

"Trump doesn't seem to be taking any steps to separate his business from his government work," the host said.

He then brought up this week's reports that Trump used a diplomatic call with Argentina's president Mauricio Macri to push a stalled project in Buenos Aires. For the record, both Trump and Macri denied it happened.

In a tweet on Monday, Trump accused the "crooked media" of over-blowing the fact that he has many international businesses.

 "Yeah, the crooked media has some kind of crooked hard-on for the crooked Constitution," Meyers said. "There aren't any laws prohibiting the president from running a business. But legal experts are warning that if Trump receives foreign money from his hotels or any other part of his company while he's president, not only could that be unethical, it can actually be a violation of a clause in the Constitution that prohibits public officials from accepting gifts from foreign powers."

In a clip, one pundit said that the founders were so worried about bribes that they barred them in two places in the Constitution. In the case of impeachment, it specifically lists two high crimes: treason and bribery.

"Treason and bribery, which incidentally were both majors at Trump University," Meyers quipped. "In the end, this should be a serious concern not just to Trump critics but to his supporters as well."

Watch the segment of "A Closer Look" below:

SEE ALSO: Stephen Colbert: Trump is already breaking his 'strangest and strongest' promise

DON'T MISS: Seth Meyers: Trump's 'Hamilton' feud is distracting us from the real news about him

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NOW WATCH: 'We’re in a room of liars': Trump reportedly lashes out at the media in off-the-record meeting with top journalists

Last night, I took a break from the news to watch an episode of "Star Trek," and it turned out to be the most relevant commentary on science and President-elect Donald Trump I've seen so far.

On Wednesday morning, The Guardian reported that Trump's administration was "poised to eliminate all climate change research conducted by NASA as part of a crackdown on 'politicized science,'" as senior Trump campaign adviser Bob Walker has said.

This is the clearest policy stance on climate science that we've seen so far from the Trump administration.

As far as Trump the individual goes, his stated opinions on human-induced climate change have wavered. In 2012 he denied it, saying instead that climate change was a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese to cripple US manufacturing. On Tuesday, however, he acknowledged that it could be real, telling a room of New York Times reporters and editors that he believed there was "some connectivity" between humans and climate change.

Of course, his policy speaks louder than his personal opinion.

And if this morning's statement is any indication of what climate change policy will look like under President-elect Trump, we should be worried. Essentially, Trump is proposing to halt future NASA research on climate change. NASA currently does a ton of work in this field — just take a look at climate.nasa.gov. NASA researchers would be significantly limited in working on the climate models that show how and why our actions are contributing to a warmer planet.

On a more positive note, Gavin Schmidt, a climate scientist and director of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies, which studies the changing atmosphere, has told my colleague Rafi Letzter that it won't be simple for Trump to purge federal agencies of climate researchers during his presidency.

"Chopping off science just to prevent people from talking about climate change won't work," Schmidt said. "You need science for hazards, for weather forecasting, and climate comes along for the ride."

I hope he's right. Still, I'm terrified by the prospect that climate change research would be limited in any way. So last night, I turned away from the news and toward science fiction television for solace.

Mistake.

I rewatched a classic episode of "Star Trek: The Next Generation," an episode I saw for the first time when I was a kid. I'd seen it with my father, a self-proclaimed Trekkie and a man from whom I continue to draw endless inspiration.

Turns out the episode was one of the most powerful critiques of Trump's proposal — which is essentially a ban on future NASA-led climate change research — that I've come across.

"Force of Nature" (season seven, episode nine, available on Netflix), takes place aboard the main ship, the Enterprise, and focuses on its reliance on warp drive, a faster-than-light spacecraft propulsion system that they use skip around the galaxy. Basically, if warp drive allows the Enterprise to ferry itself around in a Ferrari, without it, it would be reduced to something like crawling on all fours.

The warp drive is to the Enterprise what fossil fuels are to us

Unfortunately, unbeknownst to the crew members, every time they engage warp drive, they slowly contribute to the creation of a phenomenon they call "a rift," which is causing terrible damage to multiple solar systems. The rift is like a massive tear — every time someone uses warp drive, they wreak havoc on the solar system nearby. The rift does everything from shifting the planets' tilt to triggering massive earthquakes, both of which are small now but will destroy the planets as the rift grows.

In the episode, the crew is using warp drive for a rescue mission — it's traveling to an area of space where a friendly ship has been stalled. On the way to the ship, the Enterprise is rendered powerless by an unrecognized ship and boarded by a pair of strangers.

When they come aboard, the strangers — a brother and sister from another planet — tell the Enterprise it must immediately stop using warp drive. "You are killing us!" the sister says.

'Maybe I was a little threatened, the thought that warp engines might be doing some kind of damage'

The Enterprise crew members, while initially outraged that they've been shut down by an unrecognized vessel and boarded without permission, eventually agree to look into the pair's claims.

The Enterprise's captain, Jean-Luc Picard, essentially tells them their claims are reasonable and promises to ask the powers in charge (the Federation Council) to conduct "more research" on their behalf in exchange for the strangers' agreement to let the Enterprise go. The sister responds angrily, saying it isn't good enough. She leaves aboard her ship and sends herself into warp drive to prove her point. In the process, she destroys her ship and kills herself.

They all soon see that she and her brother were right. Some of the crew members who earlier dismissed her claims say they feel responsible.

"Maybe I was taking the whole thing personally. Maybe I was a little threatened, the thought that warp engines might be doing some kind of damage," Geordi La Forge, the chief engineer, says.

Finally, the Enterprise sends its report, which concludes that warp drive is harmful, to the Federation Council. The agency responds by announcing strict policies limiting the use of warp drive except for specific situations when it is necessary. At the end of the episode, Captain Picard says he feels partially responsible for using warp drive even though he wasn't aware of the damage it was doing.

"I've charted new worlds. I've met dozens of new species. I believed that these were all valuable ends in themselves," says Picard. "And now it seems that all this while I was helping to damage the thing that I hold most dear."

SEE ALSO: Trump tells New York Times there is 'some connectivity' between humans and climate change

DON'T MISS: 3 reasons researchers are terrified about Donald Trump's presidency

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NOW WATCH: Trump's pick for UN Ambassador once said he was 'everything a governor doesn't want in a president'

With holidays and cold weather arriving at the same time, it's the perfect time of year to curl up on the couch and lose yourself in a good movie.

And if you're looking for something entertaining and beautiful that'll also make you knowledgeable, there's an incredible variety of science- and nature-focused documentaries and TV episodes streaming on Netflix right now.

You can find compelling documentaries that'll captivate you with the beauty of the planet, you can delve into the details of how food arrives on your plate, or you can explore the mysterious and alien world that exists in oceans around the globe.

But there's a downside to all of that choice: It's a lot to choose from. So to make it easier, we've asked our colleagues to pick out some of their favorites from the Netflix documentary selection.

Here are our favorites, listed in no particular order:

This is an updated version of a post originally by Julia Calderone.

SEE ALSO: A treasure trove of shipwrecks has been revealed by a new mapping technology

"Cooked" (2016)

What it's about: Journalist and food expert Michael Pollan explores the evolutionary history of food and its preparation in this four-part docuseries through the lens of the four essential elements — fire, water, air, and earth. 

Why you should see it: Americans as a whole are cooking less and less, relying more on unhealthy, processed, and expensive and prepared foods. Pollan aims to bring viewers back to the kitchen by forging a meaningful connection to food and the joys of preparation. [Click to watch]

"Blackfish" (2013)

What it's about: This film highlights abuses in the sea park industry through the tale of Tilikum, an orca in captivity at SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida. Tilikum has killed or been involved in the deaths of three people while living in the park. 

Why you should see it: This documentary opens your eyes to the troubles with keeping wild animals in captivity through shocking footage and emotional interviews, highlighting potential issues of animal cruelty and abuse when using highly intelligent animals as entertainment. Sea parks make billions of dollars off of keeping animals captive, often at the expense of the health and well-being of its animals. This documentary played a huge role in convincing SeaWorld to stop their theatrical "Shamu" killer whale shows. [Click to watch]

"Particle Fever" (2013)

What it's about: This documentary follows six scientists as they prepare for one of the biggest and most expensive experiments in history: recreating conditions from the Big Bang with the launch of the Large Hadron Collider in Europe. Their aim is to unravel the mysteries of the universe and the origins of matter.

Why you should see it: Physics is often considered a forbiddingly dense subject, but 'Particle Fever' gives you a window into physics without breaking your brain. It documents the discovery of the famous Higgs boson particle that many physicists think holds the key to understanding the universe. Instead of getting bogged down with the complexities of particle physics, the film focuses more on the human drama of the discovery, and how it could change our understanding of the world around us. [Click to watch]

The nine-year wait for a "Gilmore Girls" television reunion will be over on Friday when Netflix releases the miniseries "Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life."

Once a seemingly impossible feat, it took one event and the right content company to make the revival happen.

"I lobbied for it for years," Scott Patterson, who played diner owner and Lorelai's love interest Luke on the series, recently told Business Insider. "I really tried to take up the cause for the fans, because I know they wanted it so badly and deservedly so. It was a concerted effort over a number of years."

"Gilmore Girls" followed young, single mom Lorelai (Lauren Graham) and her daughter/best friend Rory (Alexis Bledel), who live in a small, quirky New England town. Lorelai's past comes back to haunt her when she realizes that she has to ask her wealthy, judgmental parents (played by Kelly Bishop and the late Edward Herrmann) for a loan so she can send Lorelai to a highly regarded private high school.

Patterson and many of the WB-turned-CW show's stars went on to pretty successful careers. Meanwhile, the fan base for "Gilmore Girls" grew to include its original viewers and a whole new generation of fans who were able to watch the show via DVD, On Demand, and streaming.

Buzz around the show seemed at an all-time high when a growing TV festival held in Austin, Texas, the ATX Festival, planned to reunite the show's creator Amy Sherman-Palladino and its cast for a panel in 2015.

"I had virtually given up hope, but then ATX Festival in Austin in the summer of 2015 kind of changed the temperature on the whole thing," Patterson said. "I saw that it might happen and it did."

At the festival's reunion, Sherman-Palladino said that a reunion was not in the works, but left the possibility open.

"It would have to be the right everything — the right format, the right timing," she said of the potential project. "It would have to be honored in a certain way. If it ever came around, I think we would all jump in and do it. If it ever happened, I promise we’ll do it correctly."

Patterson told us he got a phone call from Sherman-Palladino not long after the festival. In an interview with TVLine, the show's creator said she got verbal agreements from the four leads — Graham, Bledel, Bishop, and Patterson — before pitching the show to three outlets, including Netflix.

Netflix was an ideal creative partner for several reasons. Not only does it stream all seven seasons of the "Gilmore Girls" run, but its programming president counted the show among the company's most popular offerings. Second, ratings aren't the bottom line at Netflix. Its business is in signing up more subscribers. After all, "Gilmore Girls" was never a highly rated show and ranked No. 129 on TV during its final season. Those aren't promising numbers for outlets that depend on ratings.

"I knew Amy and [producing partner and husband] Dan [Palladino] would write good material given the newfound freedom they had with Netflix, that they didn’t have to adhere to any deep ratings considerations," Patterson said. "Netflix is filled with very bright people who had a vision for this and how to reboot it."

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While it may feel like the commercial breaks have been dominated with festive ads leading up to Thanksgiving, there have actually been fewer holiday-themed ads from retailers this year than last.

Data from research firm Ace Metrix found there were just 47 holiday retail ads airing on US TV by the Monday before Thanksgiving, compared to 111 by the same point in 2015.

There may be fewer ads on air, but retailers that have opted for holiday spots have been producing creative that is going down well with consumers. Of the 85 holiday-themed ads Ace Metrix tested, scroll down to see the most-liked.

Methodology:

Each ad was scored by a panel of at least 500 consumers, demographically balanced according to the US census. The results were presented on a scale from 1-950, based on on metrics including likeability, desire, information, change, and attention.

5. Kohl's — "Give A Little More: The Dinner." Ace Score: 732

Youtube Embed:
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This spot is one of a series of eight, all around the theme of giving "a little more."

The ad sees Kohl's mischievous elf characters jumping through the kitchen window attempting to give a flustered mom a hand with a Thanksgiving dinner, before her teenage son steps in and offers to help.

The campaign was created by Anomaly and Huge.

4. Walmart — "Giving Thanks." Ace Score: 743

Youtube Embed:
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Walmart's holiday spot shows a diverse array of families and service people giving thanks.

It finishes with a snippet of a cover of The Beatles' "Come Together."

3. Coca-Cola — "A Coke for Christmas." Ace Score: 748

Youtube Embed:
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Height: 315px

Coke's festive spot shows a boy carrying a wooden crate stuffed with ice and bottles of Coca-Cola, gifting them to people preparing for the holidays. 

It ends with the boy giving his last Coke to Santa.

The global ad was created by SRA Rushmore-Madrid.

We have hit the prestige movie season, when Oscar hopefuls come out on a weekly basis.

This Thanksgiving, you can catch up with some talked-about contenders like "Moonlight," "Lion," "Nocturnal Animals," and "Manchester by the Sea," which are all in theaters.  

And if studio blockbusters are more your thing, check out "Doctor Strange" and "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them."

Soon you'll be able to see the "Star Wars" spin-off "Rogue One," "La La Land," "Passengers," and Martin Scorsese's long-awaited "Silence."

Here are 32 movies coming out this holiday season that you shouldn't miss:

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"Moonlight" - IN THEATERS

Director Barry Jenkins ("Medicine for Melancholy") creates a moving tale that chronicles the life of a black Miami man from his childhood to adulthood as he's shaped by the environment he lives in and the people around him.

Is this the best film of the year? Many think it is.

"Doctor Strange" - IN THEATERS

For the first time the Marvel Cinematic Universe is delving into the mystical realm of the comics, and the result doesn't disappoint. "Doctor Strange" is a worthy origin story, but the dazzling special effects are what will stay with you.

"Hacksaw Ridge" - IN THEATERS

Mel Gibson has been locked in a PR nightmare for the last 10 years following a DUI arrest during which he made anti-Semitic remarks. But it seems like time has healed those wounds at least enough that his latest directing effort is winning over audiences. It stars Andrew Garfield as a World War II medic who becomes the first conscientious objector in American history to be awarded the Medal of Honor.

Disney CEO Bob Iger has presided over a historic time at the company, which has seen big pickups like Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm (and "Star Wars" with it).

During Iger's tenure, Disney's stock is up over four times, according to Variety.

In a new interview with Variety, Iger looks back at his career — from his first job as a weatherman and a feature reporter to climbing the rungs of the media business — and toward a future where he has to hand over the reins. But tucked at the very end is a hidden gem: Iger's reading list.

Here are seven of Iger's recent favorites:

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'Black Flags: The Rise of ISIS' by Joby Warrick

Amazon description:

"In a thrilling dramatic narrative, Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Joby Warrick traces how the strain of militant Islam behind ISIS first arose in a remote Jordanian prison and spread with the unwitting aid of two American presidents. Drawing on unique high-level access to CIA and Jordanian sources, Warrick weaves gripping, moment-by-moment operational details with the perspectives of diplomats and spies, generals and heads of state, many of whom foresaw a menace worse than al Qaeda and tried desperately to stop it. Black Flags is a brilliant and definitive history that reveals the long arc of today’s most dangerous extremist threat."

'The Wright Brothers' by David McCullough

Amazon description:

"The #1 New York Times bestseller from David McCullough, two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize—the dramatic story-behind-the-story about the courageous brothers who taught the world how to fly—Wilbur and Orville Wright."

'Born to Run' by Bruce Springsteen

Amazon description:

"Over the past seven years, Bruce Springsteen has privately devoted himself to writing the story of his life, bringing to these pages the same honesty, humor, and originality found in his songs."

A sobering look at how things get done in Washington, DC, “Miss Sloane” sheds light on the real influencers in politics: the lobbyists.

Under the steady hand of director John Madden (“Shakespeare in Love,” “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel”), the movie looks at Elizabeth Sloane (Jessica Chastain), a lobbyist who has become a master at her profession by, as the character says, “playing your trump card right after they play theirs.”

While in the midst of putting together one of her perfectly structured pay-for-play deals to help kill an import-tax bill (even hiring actors as instigators among the protesters), Sloane is asked to take the lead in her firm helping the gun lobby attract scared moms.

But with little hesitation, she passes on the offer and jumps ship after being courted by the head (played by Mark Strong) of a much smaller firm with an anti-gun agenda.

Taking on the most powerful lobby in DC, Sloane shows just how ruthless she can be as she goes head-to-head with her old colleague Pat Connors (a perfect performance as usual by Michael Stuhlbarg) and plays a complex mental chess game that includes hiring a private investigator to smoke out moles within her staff and even using a high school shooting survivor on her staff (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) as a pawn.

Yes, the story is of the too-smart-for-its-own-good kind, though Madden is able to wrangle it enough so that it doesn't completely go over our heads (if you’re a politics junkie, you’ll likely love the inside baseball of it).

The real reason you’ll go see this movie, though, is because of the performance by Chastain, which is worthy of the Oscar attention it's getting.

Giving one of the best performances of the year and her career, Chastain plays Sloane less as a trailblazer fighting for a good cause and more as an unapologetic addict of winning at any cost.

For Sloane, defeating the gun lobby would cement her greatness. Though you could make the argument that by the end, her actions prove she’s lobbying for the right reasons.

What’s great about “Miss Sloane” is you never really know the motivations. The script by Jonathan Perera plays everything close to the vest, and Chastain's ice-cold poker face gives very little away. So you're left finding yourself placing more of your own ethics into Sloane’s motivations than what the movie reveals.

It’s a film that requires multiple viewings, not just to get the whole story but to experience the sensational performance by Chastain and the supporting cast one more time.

“Miss Sloane” opens in limited release Friday and nationwide December 9.

SEE ALSO: The 13 best things to watch on Netflix for Thanksgiving that are safe for the whole family

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