Getty Elephants at Kaudulla National Park on October 11, 2018.
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, Hulu has released a special collection of earth-themed movies and tv series for a limited time.
Here’s the five best:
1. Jane
The National Geographic documentary, Jane, was released in 2017 to critical acclaim. The documentary, directed by Brett Morgan, features never-before-seen footage of the life and work of Jane Goodall, whose research revolutionized the contemporary understanding of chimps and humankind’s relationship to the natural world. In 2018, the documentary won a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Cinematography and Outstanding Directing.
2. Dr. Seuss: The Lorax
Not to be confused with the 2012 flick featuring Danny DeVito, this 1972 TV special features the story you know and love in a crisp 24 minutes. The story is perfect for kids of all ages, and packed with nostalgia for those who grew up reading the famous Dr. Seuss fable.
3. March of the Penguins 2: The Next Step
This gorgeous documentary is a sequel to the 2005 documentary, March of the Penguins, which chronicles the journey of the emperor penguins of Antarctica as they move from the ocean to their breeding grounds and back. The original film won an Oscar in 2006 for Best Documentary Feature. The sequel was released in France in 2017, and follows a young penguin and his father as they attempt to survive the harsh, frozen world of Antarctica. Like it’s predecessor, the film is narrated by Morgan Freeman.
4. Guardians of the Amazon
This hour-long, investigative documentary, directed by Brian Epstein, follows a secretive team, known as the Guardians, as they hunt down loggers who are illegally deforesting the Amazon. The documentary includes footage of a series of jungle raids and an interrogation at gunpoint. Released in 2020, this documentary is a tense, necessary look at an industry as it attempts to destroy the rainforest and the locals standing in its way.
5. Saving Jaws
Saving Jaws follows Ocean Ramsey, a marine biologist, scuba instructor, and professional model as she makes a case for shark conservation. The footage features Ramsey free diving with great white and tiger sharks – to the layman, this means swimming sans cage or a convenient air-canister-and-rifle combo. The film is made in the effort to revamp the public image of sharks, an image that remains malignant despite the fact that people are 10,000x more likely to be injured in a ladder-related home improvement accident than a shark attack. The hour-long documentary includes stunning shots of Ramsey swimming alongside endangered sharks, and offers a glimpse into the lives of these predators.