Our Favorite Documentaries
While our focus is to provide land conservation and nonprofit resources, we also want to share some of our other favorite links and resources. Here we share some favorite documentaries. Many of these are available on Instant Watch on Netflix. (For more info, the titles below are hyperlinks to movie websites.)
Escape from Suburbia: Beyond the American Dream
This documentary starts with a great Rumi quote meant to point out where we are as a collective: Sit, be still, and listen, for you are drunk, and we are on the edge of the roof. The movie’s website provides, “An award-winning feature documentary of our times. Meet ordinary people making extraordinary choices as they tackle the key issues facing us today — the rising cost and supply of energy, the roller-coaster economy, and the faded memories of the American Dream.” While the film is a bit slow in places, their are some powerful statements by the diverse people interviewed. One discussion that particularly struck home was the fact that it is almost taboo to talk with friends and family about things like the fact that oil is a non-renewable resource. This movie, which came out several years ago, may be even more powerful today with the happenings in the Middle East and the push by some lawmakers to increase drilling for oil in the U.S.
Sharkwater
Filmed in visually stunning, high definition video, Sharkwater takes you into the most shark rich waters of the world, exposing the exploitation and corruption surrounding the world’s shark populations in the marine reserves of Cocos Island, Costa Rica and the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador.
The Cove
Academy Award® Winner for Best Documentary of 2009, THE COVE follows an elite team of activists, filmmakers and freedivers as they embark on a covert mission to penetrate a remote and hidden cove in Taiji, Japan, shining a light on a dark and deadly secret. Utilizing state-of-the-art techniques, including hidden microphones and cameras in fake rocks, the team uncovers how this small seaside village serves as a horrifying microcosm of massive ecological crimes happening worldwide. The result is a provocative mix of investigative journalism, eco-adventure and arresting imagery, adding up to an unforgettable story that has inspired audiences worldwide to action.
End of the Line
The End of the Line is not against fishing. It is not against eating fish. But it is for a responsible attitude towards the oceans. More info here
The End of Suburbia
Suburbia, and all it promises, has become the American Dream. But as we enter the 21st century, serious questions are beginning to emerge about the sustainability of this way of life. With brutal honesty and a touch of irony, The End of Suburbia explores the American Way of Life and its prospects as the planet approaches a critical era, as global demand for fossil fuels begins to outstrip supply. World Oil Peak and the inevitable decline of fossil fuels are upon us now, some scientists and policy makers argue in this documentary.
Queen of the Sun
From the director of The Real Dirt on Farmer John comes a profound, alternative look at the tragic global bee crisis. Juxtaposing the catastrophic disappearance of bees with the mysterious world of the beehive, Queen of the Sun weaves an unusual and dramatic story of the heart-felt struggles of beekeepers, scientists and philosophers from around the world.
Blue Gold
An Irvine filmmaker’s documentary about water rights becomes an arsenal in grassroots efforts to battle water privatization. “Blue Gold was power-packed with knowledge for our community not just to stop the sale, but gave us the inspiration to keep fighting for our human rights. If there is a formula for stopping privatization of water and sewer plants in a community, Blue Gold is definitely part of that equation,” Kinsey Osborne wrote.
