The Best Way to Stay Woke in September 2020
Recommendations from Emmy award-winning documentary Chasing Ice to the second season of Rotten.
By Chhata Gupta
Another month, another list of exciting things to watch. Stuck amid a pandemic, it’s not uncommon to feel like you’ve exhausted this list of movies, tv shows, and documentaries. While binge-watching season 4 of KUWTK — the end of an era — on Netflix is completely acceptable, with the world going up in flames all around us let’s take a moment to educate ourselves about the current climate crisis.
While there are over 100 different suggestions we could give you today, these six are the most easily available and include a few of our favourites regarding this topic. Our picks range from truth-telling exposés about the fashion and food industries to heavy-hitter wildlife docs covering climate change, pollution and the ever-changing health of our oceans. From Emmy Award-winning documentary, Chasing Ice to the second season of Rotten, here’s a list of some of the best shows and documentaries to watch this September and stay woke…
Netflix’s documentary series “Rotten” is a brilliant exposé on the food industry. It takes something as common as the food we consume and shines a light on the reality of the industry. ‘Rotten’ reshapes the conversation about what we put in our bodies by following various subsets of the food industry and displaying their darker parts. Each segment is an introduction to a different food we take for granted. The constant emphasis of the human side of the food production makes up the entirety of the show. From the food crimes to the economic factors, ‘Rotten’ keeps us hooked while reminding us that our appetites are becoming less sustainable by the year.
“Worth watching”
- The Atlantic
‘Chasing Ice’ follows and documents the work of acclaimed environmental photographer James Balog as he works towards publishing the effects of global warming on the planet’s rapidly melting glaciers. It’s the story of Balog’s mission to alter history by capturing undeniable evidence of our planet changing. After a trip to the Arctic on an assignment for Nat Geo in 2005, Balog realised just how real climate change was. He then conceived the boldest expedition of his life: The Extreme Ice Survey where he deployed time-lapse cameras across the Arctic to capture a multi-year record of the world’s changing glaciers. ‘Chasing Ice’ is the collection of these hauntingly beautiful videos that compress Balog’s years of hard work into seconds and capture these glaciers in all their glory as they disappear at a breathtaking rate.
“As watchable as it is important”
- The New York Times
Not for the faint-hearted, ‘Cowspiracy’ is a captivating documentary about how farming is impacting our planet. As viewers, we are taken on a shocking journey of an aspiring environmentalist while he tries to search for solutions to the most pressing environmental issues of today. ‘Cowspiracy’ explores how the meat industry is the leading cause of deforestation, water consumption, greenhouse gas output and more, as well as how the large impact of this industry has been ignored, over the past few decades. Joining the rest of the world as they question the practices of the meat industry, ‘Cowspiracy’ will have you rethinking everything you know about farming and mass-producing animals as well as being a non-vegetarian.
“Provocative documentary”
- Common Sense Media
A story hidden below waves, ‘Chasing Coral’ reveals just how coral reefs around the world are vanishing at unprecedented rates. It follows a team of divers, photographers and scientists over 3 years, across coral bleaching in over 30 countries to display the massive devastation caused by pollution. It’s an exciting and somewhat dangerous journey that highlights the first-hand effects of global warming by exploring healthy, dying, and polluted coral reefs. A tear-jerker for sure, ‘Chasing Coral’ educates the public and helps launch an impact campaign to ensure the loss of our reefs does not go unnoticed.
“A disturbing, yet moving film”
- Variety
A story about the clothes we wear, the people who make them and the impact the fashion industry has on the environment; ‘The True Cost’ is a groundbreaking documentary that takes us all on an eye-opening journey across the world straight into the lives of the people who make our clothes. It pulls back the curtain and makes us feel hopelessly guilt-ridden while also educating us about the pernicious effects of the fast fashion industry. The film convincingly induces viewers into changing their ways and realising who really pays the price of their clothes. ‘The True Cost’ marks the beginning of a movement to boycott fast fashion and certainly leaves a huge dent in the fast fashion industry.
“Gut-wrenching and alarming”
- Elle Magazine
Uncovering the abominable truth of our disposable lifestyle, ‘A Plastic Ocean’ draws attention to our world, awash with rubbish. It explores the deep blue depths of our oceans while shining a light on the alarmingly large amount of plastic present. The film juxtaposes gorgeous shots of blue whales with footage of heavily polluted parts of our planet, sending the clear message that our actions and choices severely impact the planet. The end of this frighteningly beautiful documentary leaves us hopeful for the possibility of a bluer planet by presenting reasonable solutions to the problem of plastic in our oceans.
“Insightful, frightful and cautiously hopeful, a must-see”
- London School of Film
PS. All the documentaries except ‘The True Cost’ are available on Netflix!
Works Cited
Gleiberman, Owen. “Film Review: ‘Chasing Coral’.” Variety, Variety, 7 Feb. 2017,
variety.com/2017/film/reviews/chasing-coral-review-sundance-1201979770/.
Greene, Steve. ‘Rotten’ Review: Netflix True Crime Series Finds a Shocking Battleground in the Food We Eat. 6 Jan. 2018,
www.indiewire.com/2018/01/netflix-rotten-review-food-true-crime-series-1201913544/.
Rackow, Emily. “13 Of the Best Environmental Documentaries on Netflix 2020.” Wowe Lifestyle, 2020,
wowelifestyle.com/blogs/better-living/13-of-the-best-environmental-documentaries-on-netflix-2020.
“Synopsis.” Chasing Ice, 2012, chasingice.com/about-the-film/synopsis/.
The True Cost, 2015, truecostmovie.com/.
Truong, Gary. “Film Review: A Plastic Ocean Shows Us a World Awash with Rubbish.” The Conversation, 3 June 2020,
theconversation.com/film-review-a-plastic-ocean-shows-us-a-world-awash-with-rubbish-74534.
