Top watched movie on Netflix for good reason. This one really shook people and got a lot of publicity. Narrated by a famous UFC fighter it follows his process researching the best diet for an athlete. A lot of tests on athletes including NFL players are done throughout the documentary proving how beneficial a plant based diet is for their lifestyle and job.
This one is more scientific and shows the detailed effect plants have on the body vs. animal products. Many of my favorite doctors are interviewed and share the research of their findings. It talks about the state of sickness America is in and why- and what we can do to combat it. This one is produced really well too and taps a little into politics and the medial industry.
If global warming is one of the reasons you want to eat less animal products this one is for you. Very eye opening footage and interviews showing exactly how factory farming is effecting the planet's rainforests, air, and oceans. Shows calculations like the direct impact a hamburger has on the planet vs. driving a car. Also taps into a little about why so much of this is hidden from the public.
This one really tears at your heartstrings and actually isn't a documentary at all- just a well made fictional movie. This is about girl's beloved pet Okja (a giant beast who is actually animated to be really cute and affectionate) that is taken from her to be sold to the meat industry and her fight to find him again and bring him home. It's adorable and also a tear jerker.
If you or someone you know has diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or a heart condition this one will be really eye opening and beneficial for you. It's kind of like an older version of What The Health but worth watching if you are really into the nerdy science stuff since it dives into it a little deeper. It follows patients with serious health issues that are on multiple medications and watches them cure themselves completely by adopting a plant based diet.
This is more of a political movie that dives into how we are marketed to eat animal products, how much money corporations are making off it, and how the government funds it. For example it taps into how the "got milk" is a government funded campaign. It shows how campaigns opposing the meat and dairy are shut down and kept quiet. And it also shows how as the U.S gets sicker from eating this way the pharmaceutical industry is benefiting greatly.
Full disclosure this one is slaughterhouse footage. If you are really truly ready to discover where your food is from (because it's not a sunny field full of happy cows) then go for it. If you aren't ready then you aren't ready- no one can make that choice for you. It's basically hidden cameras inside factory farms all over the country starring Joaquin Phoenix. If you need something to push you to change your diet this will most definitely do the trick. You will probably be hurt and angry after watching it because at the core we are all animal lovers- but take comfort in knowing there are a lot of activists out there trying to spark change.
Honorable Mentions: Eating You Alive, Fat Sick & Nearly Dead, Dominion, SpeciesISM, Eating Animals, Vegucated