“Into the Wild”, 2007
Director: Sean Penn
Directed by Sean Penn, this film is based on the true story of Christopher McCandless, a young American who gives up his savings and possessions to travel across North America. It explores themes of wanderlust, the beauty of the natural landscape, and the quest for spiritual fulfillment outside of conventional society.
Starring: Emile Hirsch, Hal Holbrook, Marcia Gay Harden, William Hurt, Jena Malone, Brian H. Dierker, Catherine Keener, Vince Vaughn, Kristen Stewart, Jim Galien;
Production year: 2007;
Genre: drama, adventure, biography;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 148 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 8,1;
More information about the film “Into the Wild” on the website imdb.com
“An Inconvenient Truth”, 2006
Director: Davis Guggenheim
This documentary follows former United States Vice President Al Gore's campaign to educate people about global warming. It presents a wide array of data and arguments to make the case for how human actions are causing significant changes to the planet's climate and geography.
Starring: Al Gore, Billy West, Ronald Reagan;
Production year: 2006;
Genre: documentary;
MPAA rating: pg;
Duration: 96 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,4;
More information about the film “An Inconvenient Truth” on the website imdb.com
“Encounters at the End of the World”, 2007
Director: Werner Herzog
Werner Herzog's documentary takes viewers on a journey to Antarctica, exploring the breathtaking landscapes and unique characters who choose to live and work in this extreme environment. The film delves into the physical geography of the continent as well as the human stories that intersect with it.
Starring: Werner Herzog, Scott Rowland, Stefan Pashov, Dr. Doug MacAyeal, Ryan Andrew Evans, Kevin Emery, Olav T. Oftedal, Regina Eisert, David R. Pacheco Jr., Samuel S. Bowser;
Production year: 2007;
Genre: documentary;
MPAA rating: g;
Duration: 101 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,7;
More information about the film “Encounters at the End of the World” on the website imdb.com
“Everest”, 2015
Director: Baltasar Kormákur
Based on the true events of the 1996 Mount Everest disaster, this film focuses on the survival attempts of two expedition groups. It showcases the harsh and unforgiving geography of the highest peak on Earth, highlighting the human spirit's resilience and vulnerability in the face of nature's grandeur and terror.
Starring: Jason Clarke, Josh Brolin, Jake Gyllenhaal, Sam Worthington, John Hawkes, Michael Kelly, Ingvar Sigurdsson, Keira Knightley, Emily Watson, Robin Wright;
Production year: 2015;
Genre: adventure, thriller, drama, biography;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 121 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,1;
More information about the film “Everest” on the website imdb.com
“The Salt of the Earth”, 2014
Director: Juliano Ribeiro Salgado, Wim Wenders
This documentary film is a tribute to the Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado, known for his work that documents the lives of people living in harsh conditions around the world. It is a journey through human geography, reflecting on global issues such as migration, inequality, and environmental degradation through the lens of Salgado's photographic work.
Starring: Sebastião Salgado, Wim Wenders, Lélia Wanick Salgado, Juliano Ribeiro Salgado, Hugo Barbier, Jacques Barthélémy, Régis Muller, João Pessoa Mattos, Leny Wanick Mattos, Maria Teresa Salgado Rocha Bastos;
Production year: 2014;
Genre: documentary, biography, history;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 110 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 8,4;
More information about the film “The Salt of the Earth” on the website imdb.com
These films depict various aspects of geography, from physical landscapes and environmental challenges to human interactions and societal impacts. They each offer a unique perspective on the diverse and intricate relationship between humans and the Earth.
In conclusion, films about geography offer a valuable and engaging lens through which we can explore the world. These films captivate audiences, not only with their sweeping vistas and intricate portrayals of unique locations, but also with the insightful dialogues they open about tradition, culture, and human interaction with the environment. While they can be categorized as entertainment, they play a crucial role in educating audiences about the diversities and similarities we share globally, transporting us to corners of the world beyond our reach, and influencing us to be more responsible inhabitants of our planet. Whether they introduce us to distant galaxies or the hidden depths of our oceans, geographic films continually raise the bar for cinematic storytelling, and their significance in this realm is indisputable.
