I’m such a big fan of the late Charles Bronson. Though I have not seen every film on his résumé, I have seen enough to know that if you give that man a gun, you have a movie. From his leading roles in Once Upon a Time in the West and the Death Wish franchise, to his supporting roles in The Great Escape and The Magnificent Seven: if he is in it, I want to see it. Perhaps he is best known for his leading roles as hardened vigilantes or silent hit men, but it is safe to say, you are not watching Borderline for the story. You are watching it for Bronson.

Borderline takes place on the Mexican border, 20 miles from San Diego. Charles Bronson stars as Jeb Maynard, a seasoned border patrolman. One night, his long time partner Scooter Jackson (Wilford Brimley) is shot and killed by Hotchkiss (Ed Harris, in his first theatrical role), a ‘coyote’ smuggling immigrants across the border. Hotchkiss makes a decent living by smuggling immigrants onto a ranch owned by Carl J. Richards (Bert Remsen). With the help of the newly employed Jimmy Fante (Bruno Kirby), Maynard tracks down Hotchkiss and tries to take down Richards’ ranch in the process.

As one who uses animal shows as a precursor to taking a nap -- much like Pavlov’s theory when I hear the melodious voice of the narrator, I drift off into a restful slumber -- I expected the same experience with the second season of Science Channel’s Mutant Planet. Having never experienced season one, with popcorn and large cup of coffee in hand, sitting – not reclining -- in my living room recliner – I was ready to ward off the yawns. Boy, was I was wrong. Mutant Planet Season Two in its glorious five-episode 220-minute runtime is, in one word, amazing. I was not expecting to say “wow” every 10 or so minutes, but that’s exactly what I did watching what animals did to adapt to their ever-changing surroundings. Mutant Planet, in layman’s terms, explained how animals evolved and mutated to survive against the odds based on their environment. This is not a show to watch in standard definition. The stunning cinematography of this program made me glad for my high-definition TV, showcasing the brilliant colors and crisp details of the odd inhabitants of the most unique ecosystems on Earth.  From capturing footage that would normally never be seen by the human eye to exploring the history of the animal and its changing locale via CGI, I have never been more fully paying attention to an animal show than this one. Mutant Planet Season Two toured across the world from Africa, Borneo, India, Namibia, and Central America, visiting the most interesting, sometimes frightening, creatures and plants on our planet. These are a few of my favorite highlights.

In Africa, with exotic species found nowhere else on Earth, I was introduced to terrifying blind killer driver ants that communicate by touch and scent, and devour everything in their path. I was hoping when the episode focused on the adorable-looking chimpanzee in the Albertine Rift, that I could ooh and aww over precious babies, but instead I discovered this benign-looking creature which I see occasionally in the zoo is a meat-eater. Not only is he a meat-eater, but a hunter who could eat fruit, but sometimes has a craving for the flesh and blood of other smaller monkeys. After closing my eyes until my husband said the chimps were done devouring the BABY of their prey, I will never look at Tarzan’s BFF the same way again.

Typically I do not seek out modern war films for leisure watching. They may take great strides to make battles seem realistic, or just more extreme. Normally with the focus on cinematography and editing, the depth of the story is sacrificed in the process. Sure, you have a narrative to follow, but ultimately what satisfies is the visual masterpiece. For me, ’71 followed this pattern accurately, though I was pleasantly surprised with the visuals, as they went above and beyond my expectations.

’71 is director Yann Demange’s first feature film, as well as writer Gregory Burke’s first theatrical screenplay. The film follows British soldier Gary Hook (Jack O’Connell) as he leaves behind his younger brother to police Belfast during the Northern Ireland conflict. He is separated from his unit while they are quelling a riot and is left behind on the violent city streets. While trying to survive the night, he discovers a secret political agenda led by prominent figures from both Belfast and the British Army. His quest to survive ends the next day, when his unit returns to find him.