Ethical Issues in Films
Carnegie Council's Ethics on Film series presents full reviews of films that deal with ethical issues within Carnegie Council's focus areas.
Focusing on topics including international relations, the proliferation of nuclear weapons, emerging technology and its effect on society, the climate crisis, and much more, these reviews provide a synopsis of the film and analyze ethical issues in the storylines and connect them to current debates. The reviews also provide discussion questions and further resources, for use by students and teachers in the classroom.
Reviews are written several times per year. Learn more and read the reviews below.
Featured Reviews
DEC 10, 2024 • Article
Ethics on Film: Discussion of "Dr. Strangelove"
JUL 12, 2023 • Article
Ethics on Film: Discussion of "RRR"
This review discusses the themes of this wildly successful Indian film and looks at ethical issues related to politics, colonialism, religion, and class.
MAY 13, 2008 • Article
Ethics on Film: Discussion of "Blood Diamond"
Set during Sierra Leone's civil war in 1999, "Blood Diamond" draws attention to the fact that the diamond trade has been used to fund conflicts.
More Reviews
OCT 21, 2013 • Article
Ethics on Film: Discussion of "Iron Man 3"
So what can a blockbuster movie about a superhero tell us about current American attitudes towards U.S. foreign policy, PTSD, racial stereotypes, the War ...
SEP 7, 2013 • Article
Ethics on Film: Discussion of "Fire in the Blood"
With the tagline "Medicine, Monopoly, Malice," this powerful documentary tells how Western drug companies fought to keep discounted AIDS medications from reaching HIV-positive citizens of ...
AUG 26, 2013 • Article
Ethics on Film: Discussion of "The Act of Killing"
It is not hyperbole to call this documentary an epochal film. It brings viewers into the minds of mass murderers, illuminates a horrific piece of ...
JUL 8, 2013 • Article
Ethics on Film: Discussion of "The Island President"
As "The Island President" makes clear, it is impossible to overstate the catastrophic effect global warming will have on the Maldives. During the 2009 Copenhagen Summit, ...
APR 3, 2013 • Article
Ethics on Film: Discussion of "Argo"
"Argo," which tells the story of a creative and daring escape from revolution-era Iran, won the Oscar for Best Picture and was a resounding commercial ...
MAR 11, 2013 • Article
Ethics on Film: Discussion of "Zero Dark Thirty"
A fictional adaptation of the CIA's hunt for Osama bin Laden, this blockbuster has reignited the debate surrounding the CIA's use of "enhanced interrogation techniques"...
MAR 10, 2013 • Article
Ethics on Film: Discussion of "In My Lifetime"
This deeply moving documentary tells the history of atomic weapons and the anti-nuclear movement. From Hiroshima and Nagasaki to nuclear tests in Nevada to the ...
MAY 5, 2009 • Article
Ethics on Film: Discussion of "The Battle of Algiers"
Shot in documentary style, this classic about the Algerian struggle for independence from France in the 1950s has become a learning tool both for rebel ...
JUL 14, 2008 • Article
Ethics on Film: Discussion of "Hotel Rwanda"
Based on the true story of a Rwandan hotel manager who saved the lives of over 1,200 refugees during the 1994 genocide, this film points blame at ...
MAY 13, 2008 • Article
Ethics on Film: Discussion of "Blood Diamond"
Set during Sierra Leone's civil war in 1999, "Blood Diamond" draws attention to the fact that the diamond trade has been used to fund conflicts.