Movies About America

From Ava DuVernay, starring Melina Abdullah, Michelle Alexander, Cory Booker, Dolores Canales
Rated TV-MA

13th is a documentary film by Ava DuVernay which examines the history of racial inequality in the United States with a focus on the disproportionate incarceration of African Americans. It details the history of the Thirteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution, which abolished slavery, and how its loopholes have been used over time to continue the oppression of black people in the United States. The film includes interviews with activists and scholars, archival footage, and statistics to illustrate how the criminal justice system has been used to maintain a system of racial injustice. The film ultimately argues that mass incarceration of black people in the United States is a form of modern-day slavery.

From Lars von Trier, starring Nicole Kidman, Paul Bettany, Lauren Bacall, Harriet Andersson
Rated R

Dogville is a 2003 experimental drama film written and directed by Lars von Trier. Set in a small fictional town in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, the film follows a fugitive (Grace, played by Nicole Kidman) who seeks refuge in Dogville, a town inhabited by a mix of good and bad people. The residents agree to hide her from the outside world as long as she follows a list of rules they have imposed. As time passes, however, the townspeople's actions become increasingly brutal and oppressive, culminating in a violent showdown. The film is a modern-day parable of morality, with a powerful message about the consequences of exploiting and abusing power.

From Robert Kane Pappas, starring Vincent Bugliosi, Jeff Cohen, Dennis Kucinich, Charles Lewis
Rated Unrated

Orwell Rolls in His Grave is a documentary examining the modern media landscape and its effects on society. Director Robert Kane Pappas investigates the consolidation of media ownership since the 1980s and its implications for democracy. Through interviews with media scholars and journalists, including Noam Chomsky and Ben Bagdikian, the film explores the ways in which the media have been used to manipulate public opinion and control the national conversation. The documentary argues that the rise of corporate media has undermined democracy, as the media are used to promote corporate interests and political agendas instead of providing citizens with factual, unbiased news. The film also examines the role of the media in the 2000 election, the war on terror, and other major political issues, and the implications of these events for the democratic process.

From Chris Smith, starring Star: Michael Ruppert
Rated Unrated

Collapse (2009) is a documentary film directed by Chris Smith. It follows Michael Ruppert, a former LAPD narcotics officer-turned-investigative journalist, over the course of 8 years as he predicts and prepares for the global collapse of our industrialized society. Throughout the film, Ruppert shares his evidence-based theories on the interconnectedness of the global economy, politics, and the environment, which he believes is leading to the inevitable demise of human civilization. The film also explores the personal struggles Ruppert faces with his own mental health, his strained relationships, and his attempts to warn the public of the impending disaster. By the end of the film, Ruppert is living in a cabin in the woods, awaiting the collapse.

From Directors: Josh Kriegman, Elyse Steinberg, starring Anthony Weiner, Huma Abedin, Jordan Zain Weiner, Barbara Morgan
Rated R

Weiner is a 2016 documentary directed by Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg. The film follows the tumultuous mayoral campaign of former United States Congressman Anthony Weiner, who unsuccessfully ran for Mayor of New York City in 2013. After leaving Congress in disgrace due to a sexting scandal, Weiner seeks to rebuild his public image by attempting a comeback in the crowded race for Mayor. Through unprecedented access, the documentary provides an inside look at Weiner and his wife Huma Abedin’s personal and political lives as the campaign spirals out of control. It captures the human cost of ambition and ultimately reveals the nature of scandal in the 21st century.

From Jeff Orlowski-Yang, starring Tristan Harris, Jeff Seibert, Bailey Richardson, Joe Toscano
Rated PG-13

"The Social Dilemma" is a documentary film directed by Jeff Orlowski-Yang that examines the dark side of social media. It reveals how tech companies have designed their platforms to manipulate users, exploit their data, and ultimately create a dangerous feedback loop that threatens the very fabric of society. Through interviews with tech insiders, researchers, and activists, the film highlights the privacy concerns, ethical issues, and mental health challenges that have arisen as a result of our online addiction and reliance on social media. It serves as a warning of the potential consequences of our reliance on technology, and encourages us to take a closer look at our relationship with the digital world.

From Michael Moore, starring Michael Moore, Johnny Fancelli, Christina Fancelli, Lorena Lardini
Rated R

In his latest documentary, Michael Moore travels around the world to “invade” other countries and learn from their successes. He visits countries in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, discovering progressive policies such as free healthcare, free higher education, paid vacation days, and even free gourmet meals in schools. He then brings these ideas back to the United States, advocating for the implementation of such policies in the US. Ultimately, the film suggests that the US should learn from the ideas and successes of other countries, rather than trying to impose its own ideas on them.

From Anthony Baxter, starring Michael Forbes, Donald Trump, Anthony Baxter, Kevin Brown
Rated Not Rated

You've Been Trumped is a documentary film by Anthony Baxter which chronicles the struggles of a small community of farmers living along the coast of Aberdeenshire, Scotland against Donald Trump's plans to build a golf course and luxury housing development known as the Trump International Golf Links. The film follows the residents of Balmedie as they are forcibly evicted from their land, denied access to their own water, and suffer other forms of harassment by Trump and his security force. The film also examines the environmental impact of the project, showing how the construction of the golf course has destroyed the environment and wildlife, as well as the economic harm it has caused the area. In the end, the small community of Balmedie was able to resist Trump and protect their land.

From Errol Morris, starring Megan Ambuhl Graner, Javal Davis, Ken Davis, Anthony Diaz
Rated R

From Directors: Susan Froemke, Matthew Heineman, starring Clive Alonzo, Don Berwick, Elizabeth Blackburn, Krystal Bracy
Rated PG-13

From Amy Berg, starring Evan Henzi, Michael Egan III, Mark Ryan, Joey Coleman
Rated Unrated

From Directors: Sarah Kerruish, Matt Maude, starring Tony Fadell, Andy Hertzfeld, Marc Porat, John Sculley
Rated TV-PG

From Justin Folk, starring Adam Carolla, Dennis Prager, Jordan B. Peterson, Ben Shapiro
Rated PG-13

From Rick Rowley, starring Jeremy Scahill, Nasser Al Aulaqi, Saleha Al Aulaqi, Muqbal Al Kazemi
Rated Not Rated

From Jim Bruce, starring Liev Schreiber, Paul Volcker, Janet Yellen, Peter Atwater
Rated Not Rated

From Cullen Hoback, starring Max Schrems, Moby, Mark Zuckerberg, Orson Scott Card
Rated Not Rated

From Oliver Stone, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Shailene Woodley, Melissa Leo, Zachary Quinto
Rated R

From Abby Epstein, starring Mary Helen Ayres, Julia Barnett, Sylvie Blaustein, Louann Brizendine
Rated Not Rated

From Todd Douglas Miller, starring Stan Adelstein, Lanice Archer, Robert Bakker, Philip Currie
Rated PG

From Adam McKay, starring Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Steve Carell, Sam Rockwell
Rated R

From Scott Thurman, starring Don McLeroy, Kathy Miller, Jonathan Saenz, Stephanie Klenzendorf
Rated Not Rated

From Kimberly Reed, starring Jon Tester, Debra Bonogofsky, Jim Peterson, Ellie Hill
Rated TV-14

From Lauren Greenfield, starring Jaqueline Siegel, David Siegel, Lorraine Barrett, June Downs
Rated PG

From Steve James, starring Thomas Sung, Hwei Lin Sung, Cyrus Vance Jr., Matt Taibbi
Rated Not Rated

From Errol Morris, starring Donald Rumsfeld, Errol Morris
Rated PG-13