Documentaries & Movies Thread.

Zombienosh · 28-06-2013 11:53am #1

I've been meaning to talk about documentaries. I've been watching a load in regards food and food culture this in turn has lead me to some that document the meat industry.

We can use this thread to post movies or documentaries that touch on the subject of food and the nutrition industry whether it directly refers to meat or not.

Last night I watched Forks Over Knives
It seemed to focus on the China Study, which I don't know a lot about but I'm led to believe a lot of it was debunked? In general the message seems to be a balanced diet which focuses on vegetables and plant based protein lowers and could possible reverse disease.

I've just got a copy of Earthlings, I'm surprised I haven't heard about this before, I did know Joaquin Phoenix was involved in animal issues due to peta campaigns. I haven't been able to watch it yet, some clips have made me think....argh...do I really want to see this?

I've also got a copy of The Cove I haven't watched it yet.

anyways that's what I've watched lately.

Tar.Aldarion · 28-06-2013 3:15pm

The cove

Benny_Cake · 28-06-2013 5:03pm

I really enjoyed "Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead". I'm pretty skeptical regarding fad / miracle diets, but there is no doubt that the narrators health improved over the course of his juice diet - I certainly don't think it would be for everyone though. I found the talks he had with the people he met along the way quite revealing, so many people are willing to eat themselves to death rather than making a small change.

I believe "Peaceable Kingdom" is quite good, not sure if I have what it takes to be able to watch it though.

Hagar the Nice. · 28-06-2013 5:07pm

Go onto YouTube,watch A letter to Zachary,you can thank me later,but try and keep control when watching it,trust me you'll be shocked to the core.

liz1991 · 28-06-2013 5:18pm

Earthlings is well worth watching.

--LOS-- · 28-06-2013 8:19pm

Zombienosh wrote: »

I've just got a copy of Earthlings, I'm surprised I haven't heard about this before, I did know Joaquin Phoenix was involved in animal issues due to peta campaigns. I haven't been able to watch it yet, some clips have made me think....argh...do I really want to see this?

I've also got a copy of The Cove I haven't watched it yet.

anyways that's what I've watched lately.

umm ye if I had a choice to unsee some of that stuff

Just be prepared I warn you, I am kinda glad I watched it as it really is a good motivator for being vegan but I found it deeply upsetting.

Hagar the Nice. wrote: »

Go onto YouTube,watch A letter to Zachary,you can thank me later,but try and keep control when watching it,trust me you'll be shocked to the core.

I think the poster might be talking about more vegetarian/vegan themed films/docus :P I found dear zachary crap anyway, over-hyped, it didn't move me at all

Hagar the Nice. · 28-06-2013 9:20pm

--LOS-- wrote: »

umm ye if I had a choice to unsee some of that stuff Just be prepared I warn you, I am kinda glad I watched it as it really is a good motivator for being vegan but I found it deeply upsetting.

I think the poster might be talking about more vegetarian/vegan themed films/docus :P I found dear zachary crap anyway, over-hyped, it didn't move me at all

Yep I just noticed the vegan part,sorry.
Have to admit it,anyone I have come across really enjoyed A letter to Zachary,did you watch it in its entirety?
How the US police/lawyers got it so wrong was incredible IMO.

Zombienosh · 28-06-2013 9:48pm

I've got a copy of fat sick and nearly dead too, will watch that soon.

Earthlings is gonna be a tough watch alright, I'm not looking for motivation to be vegan, I'm sort of a part time one at the moment but yeah I've seen enough factory farming footage already and It never gets any easier or it never makes me less angry/sad.

Tar.Aldarion · 29-06-2013 7:03pm

Hagar the Nice. wrote: »

Yep I just noticed the vegan part,sorry.
Have to admit it,anyone I have come across really enjoyed A letter to Zachary,did you watch it in its entirety?
How the US police/lawyers got it so wrong was incredible IMO.

Hmm, I thought it was a good story but badly shot for a film-viewing audience. It was more of a movie for the family themselves.

Hagar the Nice. · 29-06-2013 7:56pm

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

Hmm, I thought it was a good story but badly shot for a film-viewing audience. It was more of a movie for the family themselves.

Have to agree,there was a miss mash at one point that was unnecessary, but I thought overall it was good,it was the producer's first film so I'll give him the benefit of doubt.

--LOS-- · 17-07-2013 2:36pm

The Superior Human

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2332847/

Anyone ever see this? could be worth a look

Zombienosh · 17-07-2013 8:44pm

That does sound good, I'm gonna try get a copy.

Serendipity99 · 19-07-2013 4:34pm

List of documentaries and films here on 'The Irish Vegan', some can be watched on youtube:

http://irishvegan.ie/?page_id=340

--LOS-- · 31-05-2014 10:22pm

Just gona drop this here...

My imdb list of veggie/vegan related movies

I'll probably add to it if I think of anything else.

http://www.imdb.com/list/ls058441962/

sok2005 · 03-06-2014 8:31am

Not just related to veggies or vegans but http://documentaryheaven.com/watch-online/ is a place to watch documentaries free online. The Cove and Food Matters are on there afaik.

loveisdivine · 04-06-2014 2:07pm

I don't think I'm gonna watch earthlings. I've already converted to veganism, I've already seen way too many horrible things, too much undercover slaughterhouse footage. I can honestly say that there are some things I still think about when I'm laying in bed at night, on a regular basis too. I certainly don't need to add any more fuel to that fire.

However, I am super interested in movies/docs that explore the human effect on nature/the environment as a whole, speciesism etc.

I have The Superior Human on my watch soon list

--LOS-- · 04-06-2014 7:18pm

loveisdivine wrote: »

I don't think I'm gonna watch earthlings. I've already converted to veganism, I've already seen way too many horrible things, too much undercover slaughterhouse footage. I can honestly say that there are some things I still think about when I'm laying in bed at night, on a regular basis too. I certainly don't need to add any more fuel to that fire.

However, I am super interested in movies/docs that explore the human effect on nature/the environment as a whole, speciesism etc.

I have The Superior Human on my watch soon list

Ye I don't think you should watch it just for the sake of it, I'm not sure I'll ever watch it again tbh

veganrun · 05-06-2014 12:36am

Food Inc

Food Matters (this is my favourite).

blatantrereg · 10-06-2014 12:59am

Earthlings takes a sledgehammer approach to its argument. I found it very distressing to watch. At one point in it -

where the dog is thrown into the trash compactor on the bin lorry

- I had to turn it off and leave the room for a bit. As far as I remember I came back and watched the rest later.

It's a good film and makes its point very well. It just really doesn't pull punches and it's definitely not something that would be classed as entertainment.

[As I recall I did decide to become vegan afterwards. I didn't hold myself to that decision though, beyond eliminating dairy for the most part for a number of months. I think I will eliminate dairy from my diet now though, and it probably has an influence on that decision, though the immediate cause is the observation that I seem to think more clearly when I don't consume it.]

For the most part though documentaries like this don't have the impact they might hope simply because most of the people who watch them already agree with the arguments they make, and probably are at least vegetarian already. If you try to encourage others to watch them you risk reinforcing a modern parents style stereotype of vegetarians, which is counterproductive to the ideology.

Zombienosh · 10-06-2014 7:37am

That scene you mentioned killed me also, really hard to watch.

afterglow · 03-11-2014 5:15pm

Zombienosh wrote: »

That scene you mentioned killed me also, really hard to watch.

Hi

I have listened to earthlings before on youtube, and emailed the people on the website to see if earthlings was available with audio description but they never got back to me. honestly think it would make me cry if I could see it given how sad I was just listening to the narative, but when i was on a CE scheme last year I sent it to one of the people who worked there and she said it was very hard to watch alright. I always feel, even with distressing things that I do miss out on things because of not being able to see them

Zombienosh · 06-08-2015 11:09am

Just giving this a bump....

I notice the people behind Earthlings have a new documentary coming out called Unity.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2049636/

anyone heard about it? There's a live screening next week in Dundrum Cinema, I might head along.

Also re-watched earthlings recently, It's no easier to watch even when you know whats coming.......

Zombienosh · 17-08-2015 2:17pm

Just watched Cowspiracy over the weekend, It's a real eye opener in terms of the environmental impact of agriculture.

So death of animals aside, a meat based diet is destroying the planet.

blatantrereg · 17-08-2015 3:21pm

Zombienosh wrote: »

Just watched Cowspiracy over the weekend, It's a real eye opener in terms of the environmental impact of agriculture.

So death of animals aside, a meat based diet is destroying the planet.

Thanks for mentioning that; it is an aspect that I'm curious about and have found contradicting information about.

My understanding at this point is that red meat has a massive environmental impact, while poultry, fish, eggs and milk have an impact closer to vegetarian foods. (Taking shipping into account and from the perspective of our approximate geographic location.)

blatantrereg · 17-08-2015 3:28pm

Zombienosh wrote: »

Just giving this a bump....

I notice the people behind Earthlings have a new documentary coming out called Unity.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2049636/

anyone heard about it? There's a live screening next week in Dundrum Cinema, I might head along.

Also re-watched earthlings recently, It's no easier to watch even when you know whats coming.......

I see Deepak Chopra in the credits which is a major nagative indicator for me anyway. I hate spiritualistic mumbo jumbo and I'm highly suspicious of people who make a lot of money by preaching it.

blatantrereg · 17-08-2015 3:36pm

In retrospect I doubt Earthlings made anyone eat less meat. I realise now it was just a big self-righteous hate **** about how horrible people are. You watch it thinking you'll gain insight or educate yourself but just end up traumatised. I reckon unity will be more of the same.

Zombienosh · 18-08-2015 7:49am

I think the opening scene of Unity was more powerful in terms of making someone become veggie/vegan than the whole of earthlings.
The Deepak parts of Unity were small and probably the only downside.

Level 5 Vegan · 20-08-2015 9:39am

I've never watched Earthlings and probably won't. Was hoping to go to the unity screening but couldn't make it. Although if this opening scene is as bad as anyone says I dunno now

CMOTDibbler · 15-11-2015 10:42am

blatantrereg wrote: »

Thanks for mentioning that; it is an aspect that I'm curious about and have found contradicting information about.

My understanding at this point is that red meat has a massive environmental impact, while poultry, fish, eggs and milk have an impact closer to vegetarian foods. (Taking shipping into account and from the perspective of our approximate geographic location.)

According to that documentary, not so. The basic premise is the feed to food ratio; How much you have to feed the animal and how much food it produces. All poultry seem to have a huge feed input in relation to the amount of meat/eggs etc. they produce. Fishing is just species destruction.

Milk has the same effect as beef production. Cattle are being raised in environments that really can't support them, so the land use is enormous. It's not sustainable. You should have a look at that documentary, it's riveting.

pheasant tail · 13-12-2015 2:30am

Enjoyed some of the documentaries mentioned in here. Just watched Racing Extinction 2015. Highly recommend it. It's not that hard to watch like some of the ones mentioned here, but it's very real and quite inspiring at times

Documentaries & Movies Thread.

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