Movies have often been an instrument of advancing human rights and equality. Here are five recent films that have imprinted social issues into the minds of audiences the world over.

HAIRSPRAY
If you are looking for some fun, why not try Hairspray, the musical film starring John Travolta and Nikki Blonsky? At first glance, Hairspray is about how Tracy (Nikki Blonsky), a short, overweight girl, overcame the odds by dancing her way into a popular TV program and winning the love of her high school crush. However, the backbone of the story, which gives it weight and makes it more than just another teenage romance, is really about racial integration and accepting people who are different. While Tracy and her African American friends fight for racial integration, she and her mother (John Travolta!) fight their personal battles against social prejudices toward physically unattractive or overweight people.

Hairspray’s wow factor lies in its ability to handle these grave issues with grace while embellishing them with some rollicking good dancing; it also gives hope that one can triumph over social stereotypes.

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
In the same vein of challenging social prejudices is Slumdog Millionaire. In the film, Jamal (Dev Patel), a boy from a Mumbai slum, manages to answer all the questions in Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, thus raising suspicions that he cheats. The police inspector interrogating him scoffs at the idea that Jamal, an uneducated “slumdog,” really knows the answers.

Slumdog Millionaire gives its audience a brilliant cinematic experience with beautifully directed scenes and interesting narrative structure. Yet at the end of the day, society’s bigotries are challenged but not overturned, for the film clearly shows that the slumdog’s victory is attributed to nothing more than the lucky coincidence of being at the right place at the right time.

TAKEN
Liam Neeson stars in this film as Bryan Mills, who is reluctant for his daughter to go for a holiday in Europe, but gives in after much persuasion and whining. The girl gets kidnapped by a human trafficking Albanian gang in France and her daddy goes after the bad guys in a way expected of an ex-CIA agent in a movie (and only in a movie), kick-starting about an hour and half of carnage on screen. This film is action-packed and exciting but you can definitely leave your brains at the door and pick them up on your way out when it ends. The moral of the story? There are bad people everywhere who do horrible things, so listen to your dad the next time.

BLOOD DIAMOND
Blood Diamond tells the story of how white mercenary Archer (Leonardo DiCaprio) and slave diamond miner Vandy ( HYPERLINK “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Djimon_Hounsou” \o “Djimon Hounsou” Djimon Hounsou) try to retrieve a pink diamond during the Sierra Leone Civil War, both with different motives. Archer plans to use the diamond to leave Africa while Vandy hopes that it can help him save his family, especially his son who has been conscripted as a child soldier. Blood Diamond is essentially an exposé about the brutality and violence in the trade of conflict diamonds.

CRASH
A carjack sets in motion a chain of events where a group of multi-racial characters cross paths with one another. Each character has his/her own prejudices which are played out in his/her interactions with one another. The character portrayal is realistic as characters are multi-dimensional, each performing actions that challenge the audience’s expectations. This Oscar winning movie directed by Paul Haggis explores issues of racism, poverty, and social prejudices, among others. It is thought-provoking and arresting, but definitely not something you would pick up if you are looking for some light entertainment.

Angeline Chew is formerly a civil servant and volunteer coordinator in a local hospice. She now finds work from home to avoid taking the public transport during peak hours. She worships at Covenant Evangelical Free Church with her husband, Eric.