5 films that show the US in crisis

The US is in the middle of a crisis. Even from halfway across the world, it's been impossible not to get caught up in the drama surrounding the forced separation of more than 2,000 children from their families and imprisoning them for the “crime” of being the children of immigrants and asylum seekers.

Trump may have been forced to halt the policy, but that doesn’t mean he’s ready to step back from his strident approach to immigrants.

This isn’t the first time the US government and corporations have exhibited a flagrant disregard for human rights, as evidenced in these documentaries.

1. Birthright: A War Story

If you thought The Handmaid’s Tale could never happen in real life, Birthright will convince you otherwise. It shows how the reproductive rights of women in the US have been stripped away by politicians. This harrowing documentary reveals the war that's turning pregnant women into criminals, and it’s first and only on Showmax. Watch now »

2. Big Men

One brave filmmaker, Rachel Boynton, digs into the oil industries of Africa, exposing the underlying corruption. The film opens with two quotes from Nobel Prize winner Milton Friedman about how power-hungry CEOs run their corporations on greed while the everyday workers live in poverty. The movie’s central narrative follows the US billionaires who own oil company Kosmos Energy and run the first Ghanaian oil field. Watch now »

3. Warning: This Drug May Kill You

Addiction to painkillers is a massive epidemic in the US. This unflinching HBO documentary follows four families with members caught in the spiral of the opioid epidemic that's destroying everyone's lives around them and causing a serious healthcare crisis in the US. Watch now »

4. We Are Many

On February 15 2003, about 30-million people across the world gathered to protest against the impending Iraq War. We Are Many is an award-winning and highly acclaimed documentary that tells the story of the largest protest event in human history. Watch now »

5. Super Size Me

While most of us know fast food isn’t the healthiest option, one man decided to see just how unhealthy it is by going on a McDonald's-only diet for an entire month. The documentary Super Size Me chronicles his journey and takes a long, hard look at the role fast-food companies play in marketing junk food to us.

This controversial film will encourage you to re-evaluate your lifestyle choices and think about the real dangers of easy food and zero exercise. It’s a true eye-opener for modern society and remains as relevant as when it made its debut at the Sundance Film Festival almost 15 years ago. Watch now »

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This article was paid for by Showmax.