Happy Earth Day, Awe Inspiring Nature Documentaries
by urbanemovies | created - 03 Apr 2016 | updated - 28 Mar 2022 | PublicApril 22nd is Earth Day, a day devoted to raising awareness and appreciation of the planet Earth and its ecosystems. In the spirit and tradition of Earth Day, a poll dedicated to movies that celebrate awareness and appreciation of the Earth.
Which of these nature documentaries best raises your awareness and appreciation of the planet?
Discuss the topic here.
- Instant Watch Options
- Genres
- Movies or TV
- IMDb Rating
- In Theaters
- Release Year
- Keywords
1. Planet Earth (2006)
TV-PG | 49 min | Documentary, Family
A documentary series on the wildlife found on Earth. Each episode covers a different habitat: deserts, mountains, deep oceans, shallow seas, forests, caves, polar regions, fresh water, plains and jungles. Narrated by David Attenborough.
Stars: Sigourney Weaver, David Attenborough, Nikolay Drozdov, Thomas Anguti Johnston
Votes: 220,375
2. Life (2009)
TV-G | 43 min | Documentary
David Attenborough's legendary BBC crew explains and shows wildlife all over planet earth. From giving an overview of the challenges facing life to hunting the deep sea and various major evolutionary groups of creatures.
Stars: Oprah Winfrey, David Attenborough, Doug Allan, Roger Munns
Votes: 42,823
3. Frozen Planet (2011–2012)
TV-PG | 33 min | Documentary
Focuses on life and the environment in both the Arctic and Antarctic.
Stars: David Attenborough, Alec Baldwin, Chadden Hunter, Michael Kelem
Votes: 33,004
4. Human Planet (2011)
TV-PG | 50 min | Documentary
A cinematic experience bringing you the most amazing human stories in the world. Humans and wildlife surviving in the most extreme environments on Earth
Stars: John Hurt, Roger Munns
Votes: 27,802
5. Africa (2013)
TV-PG | 51 min | Documentary
Africa, the world's wildest continent. David Attenborough takes us on an awe-inspiring journey through one of the most diverse places in the world. We visit deserts, savannas, and jungles and meet up with some of Africa's amazing wildlife.
Stars: David Attenborough, Simon Blakeney, Bill Rudolph, Justine Evans
Votes: 17,133
6. Madagascar (2011)
240 min | Documentary
Over 80% of Madagascar's animals and plants are found nowhere else on Earth. Discover what made Madagascar so different from the rest of the world, and how evolution ran wild there.
Stars: David Attenborough, Gavin Thurston, Tim Fogg, Emma Napper
Votes: 2,322
7. Wild Pacific (2009– )
TV-PG | 50 min | Documentary
A documentary series on life in and adapted to the conditions of the Southern part of the Pacific Ocean, a vast aquatic region with an unequaled number of islands. Both wildlife and human ... See full summary »
Stars: Benedict Cumberbatch, Mike Rowe, Richard Wollocombe, Mark Brownlow
Votes: 2,517
8. Nature's Great Events (2009)
49 min | Documentary, Family
This exploration of the planet's most breathtaking natural events follows vast migrations, huge ocean convergences, powerful weather systems and mighty floods.
Stars: David Attenborough, Joe Stevens, Shane Moore, Owen Newman
Votes: 3,373
9. Wild China (2008)
60 min | Documentary
An in-depth look at some of China's most impressive natural sites such as the ancient Han kingdom, the Mongol steppes, the Silk Road and the Tibetan Plateau.
Star: Bernard Hill
Votes: 2,882
10. Yellowstone (2009– )
50 min | Documentary
Filmed over the course of a year in Yellowstone, this documentary tracks the area's wildlife as they grapple with life and death within one of America's last remaining wilderness regions.
Stars: Peter Firth, Mary Beth Schwartz, Jeff Henry, Dick Powell
Votes: 1,884
11. Life on Earth (1979)
54 min | Documentary
David Attenborough's groundbreaking study of the evolution of life on our planet.
Star: David Attenborough
Votes: 3,252
12. The Blue Planet (2001)
TV-G | 49 min | Documentary
Mammoth series, five years in the making, taking a look at the rich tapestry of life in the world's oceans.
Stars: David Attenborough, Pierce Brosnan, Peter Scoones
Votes: 42,726
13. Life in the Undergrowth (2005)
50 min | Documentary
David Attenborough's ground-breaking exploration of a group of organisms that are vast in number, yet often too small to be noticed: the invertebrates.
Star: David Attenborough
Votes: 3,848
14. The Life of Mammals (2002–2003)
50 min | Documentary
David Attenborough's comprehensive study of how a remarkable group of animals evolved - a group that includes ourselves.
Star: David Attenborough
Votes: 4,242
15. Earth: The Power of the Planet (2007)
Not Rated | 60 min | Documentary
In each episode, geologist Dr. Iain Stewart explains the effects and importance of a specific force of nature, such as wind or volcanism. He also examines the various ways in which it ... See full summary »
Stars: Iain Stewart, Leo Houlding, Victor Baker, Jerry Wiant
Votes: 2,091
16. Home (I) (2009)
Not Rated | 118 min | Documentary, Family
With aerial footage from fifty-four countries, 'Home' is a depiction of how Earth's problems are all interlinked.
Director: Yann Arthus-Bertrand | Stars: Yann Arthus-Bertrand, Glenn Close, Jacques Gamblin
Votes: 23,053
French
17. Winged Migration (2001)
G | 89 min | Documentary
Documentary on the migratory patterns of birds, shot over the course of three years on all seven continents.
Directors: Jacques Perrin, Jacques Cluzaud, Michel Debats | Stars: Jacques Perrin, Philippe Labro
Votes: 12,371 | Gross: $10.76M
18. March of the Penguins (2005)
G | 80 min | Documentary, Family
In the Antarctic, every March since the beginning of time, the quest begins to find the perfect mate and start a family.
Director: Luc Jacquet | Stars: Morgan Freeman, Romane Bohringer, Charles Berling, Jules Sitruk
Votes: 59,960 | Gross: $77.44M
19. Koyaanisqatsi (1982)
Not Rated | 86 min | Documentary, Music
A collection of expertly photographed phenomena with no conventional plot. The footage focuses on the relationship between nature, humanity, and technology.
Director: Godfrey Reggio | Stars: Edward Asner, Pat Benatar, Jerry Brown, Johnny Carson
Votes: 41,513 | Gross: $1.72M
20. Beautiful People (1974)
G | 92 min | Comedy, Documentary
Hilarious documentary on the wildlife of the Namib Desert.
Director: Jamie Uys | Star: Paddy O'Byrne
Votes: 4,161
21. The Last Lions (2011)
PG | 88 min | Documentary, Family
Fifty years ago there were close to half-a-million lions in Africa. Today there are around 20,000. To make matters worse, lions, unlike elephants, which are far more numerous, have ... See full summary »
Director: Dereck Joubert | Star: Jeremy Irons
Votes: 4,375 | Gross: $0.64M
22. Wonders of the Universe (I) (2011)
TV-G | 59 min | Documentary, Family
Professor Brian Cox visits some of the most dramatic parts of the globe to explain the fundamental principles that govern the laws of nature - light, gravity, energy, matter and time. With ... See full summary »
Stars: Brian Cox, Steven Mackintosh
Votes: 4,343
23. Born to Be Wild (2011)
G | 40 min | Documentary, Short, Adventure
This heartwarming film documents orphaned orangutans and elephants and the extraordinary people who rescue and raise them-saving endangered species one life at a time.
Director: David Lickley | Stars: Birute Galdikas, Daphne Sheldrick, Morgan Freeman, Chris Fries
Votes: 3,149 | Gross: $25.89M
24. Bears (I) (2014)
G | 78 min | Documentary, Family
A documentary that follows an Alaskan bear family as its young cubs are taught life's most important lessons.
Directors: Alastair Fothergill, Keith Scholey, Adam Chapman | Star: John C. Reilly
Votes: 7,102 | Gross: $17.77M
25. Monkey Kingdom (2015)
G | 81 min | Documentary
Life is an adventure for a young monkey and her son, living among ancient ruins in the jungle. But when her family is forced from their home, she must lead them to safety amidst strange new creatures and surroundings.
Directors: Mark Linfield, Alastair Fothergill | Star: Tina Fey
Votes: 4,175 | Gross: $16.43M
26. Chronos (1985)
Not Rated | 43 min | Documentary, Short
Carefully picked scenes of nature and civilization are viewed at high speed using time-lapse cinematography in an effort to demonstrate the history of various regions.
Director: Ron Fricke
Votes: 3,845
27. Chimpanzee (2011)
G | 78 min | Documentary, Family
Meet adorable young chimp Oscar and his fellow mayhem-creating buddies, who see the world as their playground. Full of curiosity, joy and a love for mimicking others, these are some of the most extraordinary personalities in the jungle.
Directors: Alastair Fothergill, Mark Linfield | Star: Tim Allen
Votes: 6,367 | Gross: $28.97M
28. Encounters at the End of the World (2007)
G | 99 min | Documentary
Film-maker Werner Herzog travels to the McMurdo Station in Antarctica, looking to capture the continent's beauty and investigate the characters living there.
Director: Werner Herzog | Stars: Werner Herzog, Scott Rowland, Stefan Pashov, Doug MacAyeal
Votes: 19,260 | Gross: $0.94M
29. Microcosmos (1996)
Not Rated | 80 min | Documentary
A documentary on insect life in meadows and ponds.
Directors: Claude Nuridsany, Marie Pérennou | Stars: Kristin Scott Thomas, Jacques Perrin
Votes: 11,655 | Gross: $1.57M
30. Chasing Ice (2012)
PG-13 | 75 min | Documentary, Biography
Follow National Geographic photographer James Balog across the Arctic as he deploys time-lapse cameras designed for one purpose: to capture a multi-year record of the world's changing glaciers.
Director: Jeff Orlowski-Yang | Stars: James Balog, Svavar Jónatansson, Louie Psihoyos, Kitty Boone
Votes: 8,866 | Gross: $1.33M
31. Atlantis (I) (1991)
TV-PG | 78 min | Documentary, Music
Atmospheric soundtrack follows this compilation of nature footage that focuses on the ocean and various life forms that live, mate and die in it.
Director: Luc Besson
Votes: 1,959 | Gross: $0.14M
32. Under the Sea 3D (2009)
G | 41 min | Documentary, Short
An underwater look at the diverse coastal regions of Southern Australia, New Guinea and the Indo-Pacific areas and the impact of global warming on the oceans.
Director: Howard Hall | Stars: Jim Carrey, Zozo Kahramana
Votes: 1,932 | Gross: $36.15M
33. Planet Earth II (2016)
TV-G | 50 min | Documentary
David Attenborough returns with a new wildlife documentary that shows life in a variety of habitats.
Stars: David Attenborough, Chadden Hunter, Gordon Buchanan, Elizabeth White
Votes: 158,344
Added 10 January 2017
34. David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet (2020 TV Movie)
PG | 83 min | Documentary, Biography
One man has seen more of the natural world than any other. This unique feature documentary is his witness statement.
Directors: Alastair Fothergill, Jonathan Hughes, Keith Scholey | Stars: David Attenborough, Max Hughes
Votes: 34,568
Added 28 March 2022
Tell Your Friends