100 Best Nature Documentaries of All Time

Critics Consensus: Honeyland uses life in a remote village to offer an eye-opening perspective on experiences that should resonate even for audiences halfway around the world.

Synopsis: A woman utilizes ancient beekeeping traditions to cultivate honey in the mountains of North Macedonia. When a neighboring family tries to do the same, it... View Full Synopsis

Directed By: Ljubo Stefanov, Tamara Kotevska

Critics Consensus: A poetic tribute to tenacity, All That Breathes uses two brothers' tireless efforts to make a broader point about finding triumph within tragedy.

Synopsis: In one of the world's most populated cities, cows, rats, monkeys, frogs, and hogs jostle cheek-by-jowl with people. Here, two brothers fall in love with... View Full Synopsis

Directed By: Shaunak Sen

Critics Consensus: Andy Goldsworthy and his art are beautifully captured in this engaging documentary.

Synopsis: Andy Goldsworthy's art is supposed to fall apart. He creates large-scale outdoor sculptures and artworks out of natural materials like mud, wood, ice and stone... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Andy Goldsworthy

Directed By: Thomas Riedelsheimer

Critics Consensus: Whether as a story of one couple's quixotic quest or simply a stunning collection of nature footage, Fire of Love burns bright.

Synopsis: Fire of Love tells the story of two French lovers, Katia and Maurice Krafft, who died in a volcanic explosion doing the very thing that... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Miranda July

Directed By: Sara Dosa

Critics Consensus: Free Solo depicts athletic feats that many viewers will find beyond reason - and grounds the attempts in passions that are all but universal.

Synopsis: Alex Honnold completes the first free solo climb of famed El Capitan's 3,000-foot vertical rock face at Yosemite National Park.

Starring: Alex Honnold, Tommy Caldwell, Sanni McCandless, Jimmy Chin

Directed By: Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin

Critics Consensus: Blackfish is an aggressive, impassioned documentary that will change the way you look at performance killer whales.

Synopsis: The story of Tilikum, a captive killer whale that has taken the lives of several people, underscores problems within the sea-park industry, man's relationship to... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tilikum, John Hargrove, Samantha Berg, Mark Simmons

Directed By: Gabriela Cowperthwaite

Critics Consensus: Kedi is a cat fancier's dream, but this thoughtful, beautifully filmed look at Istanbul's street feline population offers absorbing viewing for filmgoers of any purr-suasion.

Synopsis: Hundreds of thousands of cats have roamed the metropolis of Istanbul freely for thousands of years, wandering in and out of people's lives, impacting them... View Full Synopsis

Directed By: Ceyda Torun

Critics Consensus: Jane honors its subject's legacy with an absorbing, beautifully filmed, and overall enlightening look at her decades of invaluable work.

Synopsis: Jane Goodall, a young and untrained woman, challenges the male dominated scientific consensus of her time with her chimpanzee research and revolutionizes people's understanding of... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jane Goodall

Directed By: Brett Morgen

Critics Consensus: The human story of Born To Be Wild is captivating and the accompanying nature footage is utterly cute and charming.

Synopsis: Morgan Freeman narrates this documentary about two dedicated animal preservationists. Daphne Sheldrick has created an elephant sanctuary in Kenya, while Dr. Biruté Mary Galdikas has... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Morgan Freeman

Directed By: David Lickley

Critics Consensus: Much like the cosmic debris it investigates, Fireball: Visitors from Darker Worlds is made up of heavy stuff -- but it lights up the screen thanks to Werner Herzog's infectious awe.

Synopsis: A journey across the planet and universe explores how meteorites, shooting stars and deep impacts have awoken wonder about other realms and make people rethink... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Werner Herzog

Directed By: Werner Herzog, Clive Oppenheimer

Critics Consensus: GasLand patiently and powerfully outlines alarming problems with modern fuel extraction -- and the horrific public health risks that go along with them.

Synopsis: When Josh Fox receives a $100,000 offer from a natural gas company interested in exploring in his land in Pennsylvania's Delaware River Basin, he decides... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Josh Fox, Aubrey K. McClendon, Mike Markham, Marsha Mendenhall

Directed By: Josh Fox

Critics Consensus: Equal parts hilarious, poignant, and heartbreaking, Project Nim not only tells a compelling story masterfully, but also raises the flag on the darker side of human nature.

Synopsis: In the 1970s, professor Herb Terrace and his team raise a baby chimp as a human child, as part of an experiment intended to break... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bern Cohen, Reagan Leonard, Anna May Marsh, Dennis Lauricella

Directed By: James Marsh

Critics Consensus: The Truffle Hunters explores a world most viewers will know nothing about -- with delightfully savory results.

Synopsis: A handful of men search for rare, expensive and delicious white Alba truffles deep in the forests of Piedmont, Italy.

Starring: Enrico Crippa, Carlo Gondola, Piero Botto, Sergio Cauda

Directed By: Michael Dweck, Gregory Kershaw

Critics Consensus: Pick of the Litter has all the fluffy adorableness audiences expect from a puppy documentary, along with a story that's as edifying as it is heartwarming.

Synopsis: Following five spirited puppies from the moment they're born through their quest to become guide dogs for the blind.

Directed By: Dana Nachman, Don Hardy

Critics Consensus: Hauntingly filmed and brimming with Herzog's infectious enthusiasm, Cave of Forgotten Dreams is a fascinating triumph.

Synopsis: In this documentary, filmmaker Werner Herzog and a small crew are given a rare chance to film inside France's Chauvet Cave, where the walls are... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Werner Herzog

Directed By: Werner Herzog

Critics Consensus: Chasing Ice captures the urgency of climate change while prevailing as entertainment, thanks the awe-inspiring scenery and James Balog's charisma.

Synopsis: James Balog and his team on the Extreme Ice Survey assemble a multiyear chronicle of the planet's rapidly melting glaciers.

Starring: James Woolsey, James Balog, Louie Psihoyos, Jeff Orlowski-Yang

Directed By: Jeff Orlowski-Yang

Critics Consensus: Stray takes a patient, meditative look at the lives of Istanbul's stray dog population -- and uncovers truths of the human condition in the process.

Synopsis: STRAY explores what it means to live as a being without status or security, following three strays as they embark on inconspicuous journeys through Turkish... View Full Synopsis

Directed By: Elizabeth Lo

Critics Consensus: Though decidedly one-sided, The Cove is an impeccably crafted, suspenseful expose of the covert slaughter of dolphins in Japan.

Synopsis: In Taiji, Japan, local fishermen hide a gruesome secret: the capture and slaughter of dolphins. Activist Ric O'Barry, who trained dolphins for the "Flipper" TV... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Hayden Panettiere, Isabel Lucas, Louie Psihoyos, Richard O'Barry

Directed By: Louie Psihoyos

Critics Consensus: A marvel to watch.

Synopsis: This documentary presents an epic portrait of winter bird migration. Filmed on all seven continents over four years, the footage is brought together into one... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jacques Perrin

Directed By: Jacques Perrin

Critics Consensus: An eye-opening expose of the modern food industry, Food, Inc. is both fascinating and terrifying, and essential viewing for any health-conscious citizen.

Synopsis: Documentary filmmaker Robert Kenner examines how mammoth corporations have taken over all aspects of the food chain in the United States, from the farms where... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Eric Schlosser, Michael Pollan, Joel Salatin, Gary Hirshberg

Directed By: Robert Kenner

Critics Consensus: Interesting and appealing as both a study of man and nature.

Synopsis: A homeless musician's life is transformed after he discovers a flock of wild South American parrots living in San Francisco. How they got there is... View Full Synopsis

Directed By: Judy Irving

Critics Consensus: While the work it honors may pose thorny ethical questions that Salt of the Earth neglects to answer, it remains a shattering, thought-provoking testament to Sebastião Salgado's career.

Synopsis: Juliano Ribeiro Salgado co-directs a look at the career of his father, photographer Sebastião Salgado.

Starring: Sebastião Salgado, Wim Wenders, Juliano Ribeiro Salgado, Hugo Barbier

Directed By: Wim Wenders, Juliano Ribeiro Salgado

Critics Consensus: Only the most hardened soul won't be moved by this heartwarming doc.

Synopsis: At the end of each Antarctic summer, the emperor penguins of the South Pole journey to their traditional breeding grounds in a fascinating mating ritual... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Morgan Freeman

Directed By: Luc Jacquet

Critics Consensus: Gripping even though the outcome is known.

Synopsis: In 1985, two young climbers, Joe Simpson (Brendan Mackey) and Simon Yates (Nicholas Aaron), set out to be the first to reach the summit of... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Brendan Mackey, Nicholas Aaron, Richard Hawking, Joe Simpson

Directed By: Kevin Macdonald

Critics Consensus: Encounters at the End of the World offers a poignant study of the human psyche amid haunting landscapes.

Synopsis: Acclaimed filmmaker Werner Herzog travels to Antarctica, where he finds a desolate, beautiful landscape, largely untouched by human hands, and a group of truly unique... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Werner Herzog, Scott Rowland, Stefan Pashov, Doug MacAyeal

Directed By: Werner Herzog

Critics Consensus: Delightful and strangely moving.

Synopsis: In Mongolia's Gobi desert, a camel belonging to a group of nomadic shepherds gives birth to a white calf. It's a rare occurrence, and the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ikhbayar Amgaabazar, Zeveljamz Nyam, Amgaabazar Gonson, Chimed Ohin

Directed By: Byambasuren Davaa, Luigi Falorni

Critics Consensus: Technically and visually dazzling...

Synopsis: People come face to face with mysterious and stunning creatures of the ocean off Australia and New Guinea.

Starring: Jim Carrey

Directed By: Howard Hall

Critics Consensus: This candid, powerful and informative documentary illuminates some of the myths surrounding its dual subjects: global warming and Al Gore.

Synopsis: Filmmaker Davis Guggenheim follows Al Gore on the lecture circuit, as the former presidential candidate campaigns to raise public awareness of the dangers of global... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Al Gore, Billy West

Directed By: Davis Guggenheim

Critics Consensus: Effectively stirring and bolstered by thrilling visuals, The Eagle Huntress uses its heartwarming message to fill up a feature that might have made for an even more powerful short film.

Synopsis: Aisholpan, a 13-year-old girl, trains to become the first female in 12 generations of her Kazakh family to become an eagle hunter and rises to... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Daisy Ridley, Aisholpan Nurgaiv, Rys Nurgaiv

Directed By: Otto Bell

Critics Consensus: Monkey Kingdom's breathtaking footage of primates in the wild is likely to please animal lovers of all ages.

Synopsis: In South Asia, Maya the monkey and her son Kip struggle to survive within the competitive social hierarchy of the troop at Castle Rock. When... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tina Fey

Directed By: Mark Linfield, Alastair Fothergill

Critics Consensus: A heartwarming look at the way a meaningful bond can transcend just about any barrier, this documentary will leave you asking your friends to come and see My Octopus Teacher with you.

Synopsis: A diver swims with an octopus that lives in a kelp forest off the coast of South Africa.

Starring: Craig Foster

Directed By: Pippa Ehrlich, James Reed

Critics Consensus: Whatever opinion you come to have of the obsessive Treadwell, Herzog has once again found a fascinating subject.

Synopsis: Pieced together from Timothy Treadwell's actual video footage, Werner Herzog's remarkable documentary examines the calling that drove Treadwell to live among a tribe of wild... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Werner Herzog, Jewel Palovak, Warren Queeney, Carol Dexter

Directed By: Werner Herzog

Critics Consensus: Like a perfect summer at the beach, Alamar bathes you in natural warmth as it explores the blossoming bond of a five-year-old and his dad.

Synopsis: A man and his son embark on an epic sea journey.

Starring: Jorge Machado, Natan Machado Palombini, Nestór Marín, Roberta Palombini

Directed By: Pedro González-Rubio

Critics Consensus: Although it raises some uncomfortable ethical quandaries, Wildcat is an affecting testament to the healing power of interspecies bonds.

Synopsis: Wildcat follows the emotional and inspiring story of a young veteran (Harry Turner) on his journey into the Amazon. Once there, he meets a young... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Harry Turner, Samantha Zwicker

Directed By: Melissa Lesh, Trevor Frost

Critics Consensus: Into the Inferno finds director Werner Herzog observing some of the most beautiful -- and terrifying -- wonders of the natural world with his signature blend of curiosity and insight.

Synopsis: Werner Herzog and volcanologist Clive Oppenheimer travel the globe and visit volcanoes in Indonesia, Ethiopia and even North Korea in an attempt to understand man's... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Werner Herzog, Clive Oppenheimer, Katia Krafft, Maurice Krafft

Directed By: Werner Herzog, Clive Oppenheimer

Critics Consensus: Uplifting, educational, and entertaining, The Biggest Little Farm is an environmental advocacy documentary with a satisfying side dish of hope for the future.

Synopsis: A couple are followed through their successes and failures as they work to develop a sustainable farm on 200 acres outside of Los Angeles.

Starring: John Chester, Molly Chester, Matthew Pilachowski, Lydia Marie Hicks

Directed By: John Chester

Critics Consensus: Sweet, beautifully filmed, and admirably short on sugarcoating, Bears continues Disneynature's winning streak.

Synopsis: Filmmakers Alastair Fothergill and Keith Scholey chronicle a year in the lives of an Alaskan brown bear named Sky and her cubs, Scout and Amber.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: John C. Reilly

Directed By: Alastair Fothergill, Keith Scholey

Critics Consensus: Anthropocene: The Human Epoch offers a sobering -- and visually ravishing - look at the horrific ecological damage wrought by modern human civilization.

Synopsis: Filmmakers Jennifer Baichwal, Nicholas de Pencier and Edward Burtynsky travel the globe to document the impact humans have made on the planet.

Starring: Alicia Vikander

Directed By: Jennifer Baichwal, Nicholas de Pencier, Edward Burtynsky

Critics Consensus: Proving 52 is the loneliest number since the number one, The Loneliest Whale: The Search for 52 is an engaging nature documentary about the leviathan efforts to understand our large aquatic counterparts.

Synopsis: THE LONELIEST WHALE: THE SEARCH FOR 52 is a cinematic quest to find the "52 Hertz Whale," which scientists believe has spent its entire life... View Full Synopsis

Directed By: Joshua Zeman

Critics Consensus: Mountain offers a visually thrilling -- and surprisingly affecting -- look at man's relationship with some of Earth's most imposing natural wonders.

Synopsis: A cinematic journey of sound and nature that explores the beauty of the upper world. With advancements in technology, venturing to the peak of a... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Willem Dafoe

Directed By: Jennifer Peedom

Critics Consensus: Patiently constructed and beautifully filmed, Aquarela views man's relationship with water through a sobering -- and awe-inducing -- lens.

Synopsis: From massive waves to melting ice, filmmaker Victor Kossakovsky travels around the world to capture stunning images of the beauty and raw power of water.

Directed By: Victor Kossakovsky

Critics Consensus: An amazing array of images from beneath the sea.

Synopsis: Director James Cameron travels with the crew of a Russian research vessel as they plunge into the depths of the ocean to explore hypothermal vents.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: James Cameron, Pamela Conrad, Djanna Figueroa, Kevin Peter Hand

Directed By: James Cameron, Steven Quale

Critics Consensus: An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power makes a plea for environmental responsibility that adds a persuasive -- albeit arguably less impactful -- coda to its acclaimed predecessor.

Synopsis: Former Vice President Al Gore continues his tireless fight, traveling around the world to train an army of activists and influence international climate policy. Cameras... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Al Gore, Cory Booker, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton

Directed By: Bonni Cohen, Jon Shenk

Critics Consensus: Oceans adds another visually stunning chapter to the Disney Nature library.

Synopsis: Most of the Earth's surface is covered by water; using the latest technology, filmmakers Jacques Perrin and Jacques Cluzaud set out to explore the underwater... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jacques Perrin, Lancelot Perrin

Directed By: Jacques Perrin, Jacques Cluzaud

Critics Consensus: In addition to its breathtaking underwater photography, Sharkwater has a convincing, impassioned argument of how the plight of sharks affects everyone.

Synopsis: Arguing that sharks are misunderstood as dangerous creatures, biologist Rob Stewart travels to the Galapagos Islands, Costa Rica and other places where the animals can... View Full Synopsis

Directed By: Rob Stewart

Critics Consensus: A thought-provoking and insightful documentary about the dangers of commercial fishing.

Synopsis: Rupert Murray's acclaimed film looking at the consequences of unchecked, unregulated sea fishing across the globe. It is not a film about what might happen,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ted Danson

Directed By: Rupert Murray

Critics Consensus: It's a tad heavy-handed in its message, but Samsara's overwhelmingly beautiful visuals more than compensate for any narrative flaws.

Synopsis: Filmmaker Ron Fricke creates a global travelogue with pictures and music, exploring the Himalayas, the American Southwest, European cathedrals, and other beautiful sites.

Starring: Balinese Tari Legong Dancers, Hiroshi Ishiguro

Directed By: Ron Fricke

Critics Consensus: Chimpanzee often anthropomorphizes its subjects, but it's a beautifully filmed, remarkably intimate look at the lives of a family of primates.

Synopsis: Deep in an African forest lives a family of chimpanzees, including a baby named Oscar. Displaying the playful curiosity and ingenuity of fellow primates, Oscar... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tim Allen

Directed By: Alastair Fothergill, Mark Linfield

Critics Consensus: Beautiful yet gut-wrenching, Sharkwater Extinction offers an eye-opening condemnation of an illegal trade -- and a poignant farewell to a talented filmmaker.

Synopsis: Filmmaker Rob Stewart travels across oceans to expose the illegal and violent underworld of shark finning.

Starring: Rob Stewart

Directed By: Rob Stewart

Critics Consensus: As visually dazzling as it is thought-provoking, Fantastic Fungi sets out to make audiences see mushrooms differently -- and brilliantly succeeds.

Synopsis: The magical world of fungi and their power to heal, sustain and contribute to the regeneration of life on Earth.

Starring: Brie Larson, Tony D. Head

Directed By: Louie Schwartzberg

Critics Consensus: Virunga offers a heart-rending glimpse of natural wonders vulnerable to the atrocities of greed -- and the people devoting their lives to defending them.

Synopsis: A team of brave individuals risk their lives to protect the last mountain gorillas.

Starring: André Bauma, Emmanuel De Merode, Mélanie Gouby

Directed By: Orlando von Einsiedel

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: It's time for a young Pacific bottlenose dolphin named Echo to grow up.

Starring: Natalie Portman

Directed By: Keith Scholey

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: From exotic jungles, high mountains and remote islands, filmmakers Richard Dale, Peter Webber and Fan Lixin capture the awesome beauty of nature over the course... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Robert Redford, Jackie Chan

Directed By: Richard Dale, Peter Webber, Lixin Fan

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Legendary free climber Tommy Caldwell tries to get over heartbreak by scaling the Dawn Wall of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park.

Starring: Tommy Caldwell, Kevin Jorgeson

Directed By: Josh Lowell, Peter Mortimer

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Narrated by David Attenborough, never-before-seen footage shows how our living in lockdown opened the door for nature to bounce back and thrive. Across the seas,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: David Attenborough

Directed By: Tom Beard

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Part adventure, part scientific expedition, part personal quest, and part fantastic voyage, this unprecedented non-fiction film takes audiences on a journey with marine biologist Dr.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kenneth Branagh

Directed By: David Clark, Al Giddings

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Scientist Fred Urquhart (Gordon Pinsent) studies migration of the monarch butterfly for 40 years.

Starring: Gordon Pinsent, Patricia Phillips, Shaun Benson, Stephanie Sigman

Directed By: Mike Slee

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: A profile of what happens at sled dog operations after the Iditarod ends and the tourists go home.

Directed By: Fern Levitt

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: A photojournalist exposes the epidemic of poachers who are killing the endangered northern white rhino and the heroic work of those working to save them.

Starring: Kate Brooks

Directed By: Kate Brooks

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: A young penguin answers a mysterious call compelling the animals to venture to an unknown destination.

Starring: Morgan Freeman, Lambert Wilson, Thomas Acda, Sofie Gråbøl

Directed By: Luc Jacquet

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Filmmakers celebrate Texas' diverse landscapes and wildlife while aiming to conserve its remaining wild places and recognize the importance of Texas' conservation on a continental... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Matthew McConaughey

Directed By: Ben Masters

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Bomman and Bellie, a couple in South India, devote their lives to caring for an orphaned baby elephant named Raghu, forging a family like no... View Full Synopsis

Directed By: Kartiki Gonsalves

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: In the Outback, a kangaroo joey named Mala faces famine, frosts and a pack of hungry dingoes as she endeavors to survive her incredible first... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sarah Snook

Directed By: Kylie Stott

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: After a long period of isolation, Antonin, a young man suffering from persisting exhaustion, rediscovers the world at a rehabilitation center for birds. In this... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Antonin Ivanidze

Directed By: Maya Kosa, Sérgio da Costa

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: French filmmaker Barbet Schroeder chronicles the life of Koko, an amazing female gorilla who is trained by Stanford University researcher Dr. Penny Patterson to communicate... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Penny Patterson, Karl H. Pribram

Directed By: Barbet Schroeder

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: There is a crisis of elephantine proportions playing out in the dry sandy Kalahari woodlands of eastern Botswana. A determined family of caring people is... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jerome Flynn

Directed By: Louise Hogarth

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: An off-trail adventure into the mountains and canyons of national parks.

Starring: Robert Redford

Directed By: Greg MacGillivray

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: A veterinarian fights big corporations to protect animals from being exploited.

Directed By: Jennifer Conrad

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: It may appear tiny to the human eye, but there is no denying that the insect kingdom -- as captured by the filmmakers behind this... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kristin Scott Thomas

Directed By: Claude Nuridsany, Marie Pérennou

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Jacques Perrin and Jacques Cluzaud travel throughout Europe to film brown bears, wild horses, wolves and other animals in their natural habitat.

Starring: Jacques Perrin

Directed By: Jacques Perrin, Jacques Cluzaud

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: David Attenborough discusses humanity's impact on nature and the actions we can take to save the planet.

Starring: David Attenborough

Directed By: Alastair Fothergill, Jonnie Hughes, Keith Scholey

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Branching off of his bestselling book, renowned forester and writer Peter Wohlleben guides us through his most precious ideas and understanding of how trees work... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Peter Wohlleben

Directed By: Jörg Adolph, Jan Haft

Critics Consensus: An environmental advocacy documentary with the suspense of a thriller, Sea of Shadows exposes lawlessness on the high seas -- and promotes efforts to thwart it.

Synopsis: The world's smallest whales near extinction as Mexican cartels and the Chinese mafia destroy their habitat.

Starring: Andrea Crosta, Carlos Loret, Cynthia Smith

Directed By: Richard Ladkani, Sean Bogle, Matthew Podolsky

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Ashley Bell and a team of elephant rescuers led by Asian elephant conservationist Lek Chailert embark on a daring 48-hour mission across Thailand to rescue... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ashley Bell, Lek Chailert

Directed By: Ashley Bell

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: A woman's love for her pet ducks, chickens, geese and turkeys -- all 200 of them -- jeopardizes her marriage and ignites a battle with... View Full Synopsis

Directed By: Richard Miron

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: In an effort to counter the increasingly uncontrollable issue of New York City's abandoned cat population, animal welfare activists have taken to the streets to... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tara Green, Claire Corey, Stuart Siet, Latonya Walker

Directed By: Rob Fruchtman, Steve Lawrence

Critics Consensus: Informative, compassionate, and beautifully filmed, The Elephant Queen should satisfy nature documentary lovers of all ages.

Synopsis: A journey of family, courage, and coming home; joining Athena, the majestic matriarch, as she leads her elephant herd across an unforgiving African landscape filled... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor

Directed By: Mark Deeble, Victoria Stone

Critics Consensus: Koyaanisqatsi combines striking visuals and a brilliant score to produce a viewing experience that manages to be formally daring as well as purely entertaining.

Synopsis: Drawing its title from the Hopi word meaning "life out of balance," this renowned documentary reveals how humanity has grown apart from nature. Featuring extensive... View Full Synopsis

Directed By: Godfrey Reggio

Critics Consensus: Roar marries gorgeous photography and a carefully observed narrative in the wild, yielding an eye-opening glimpse into the minds of lions.

Synopsis: Filmmaker Tim Liversedge spends two years near big cats to record their behavior as they try to survive in dwindling habitat.

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible explores Nepal's deep connection to high-altitude mountaineering through the eyes of Nirmal "Nimsdai" Purja, a fearless, fun-loving Nepali climber on... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Nirmal Purja, Suchi Purja, Klára Kolouchová, Reinhold Messner

Directed By: Torquil Jones

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Visionaries and scientists work to mitigate climate change and minimize climate-related events, despite a rapidly warming planet.

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio

Directed By: Leila Conners

Critics Consensus: Voyage of Time marries dazzling nature footage and painterly visual effects to give audiences a tour through the universe that is by turns beguiling and profound.

Starring: Brad Pitt

Directed By: Terrence Malick

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: British engineer Graham Dorrington, who built a little helium-filled zeppelin to fly over the Guyanan rainforest.

Directed By: Werner Herzog

Critics Consensus: Rooted in the trials of a fast-moving reality, If a Tree Falls:A Story of the Earth Liberation Front deftly connects to a larger system with care and attention.

Synopsis: Documentarian Marshall Curry investigates the darker side of the fight for our environment in this documentary about the Earth Liberation Front (ELF), a radical group... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tim Lewis, Leslie James Pickering, Jake Ferguson, Lauren Regan

Directed By: Marshall Curry

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Activists, scientists, farmers and politicians turn to regenerative agriculture to save the planet's topsoil.

Starring: Woody Harrelson, David Arquette, Patricia Arquette, Gisele Bündchen

Directed By: Joshua Tickell, Rebecca Harrell Tickell

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: When a rival pride attacks and kills her mate, lioness Ma di Tau faces an arduous battle to preserve the lives of herself and her... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jeremy Irons

Directed By: Dereck Joubert

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Volunteer activists led by Greenpeace's Paul Watson set sail for the south Antarctic Ocean to protect whales from Japanese hunters.

Directed By: Dan Stone, Patrick Gambuti Jr.

Critics Consensus: More than just a must-watch for pooch people, The Dog Doc offers a thought-provoking look at alternatives for the healthcare industry's approach to medicine.

Synopsis: A veterinarian holistically treats animals after other vets have given up on them.

Directed By: Cindy Meehl

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Man has found a new best friend: Tora, Pickles, Lucky, Zulu, Toodles, Flame and GoalKitty. These are just some of the lovable feline stars of... View Full Synopsis

Starring: David Giovanni, Nathan Kehn, Jeff Judkins, Jordan Lide

Directed By: Mye Hoang

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Taking more than six years to film, this documentary written and directed by Claude Nuridsany and Marie Pérennou tells the tale of planet Earth's creation... View Full Synopsis

Directed By: Claude Nuridsany, Marie Pérennou

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: From frigid mountains to the heart of the bamboo forest, filmmaker Lu Chuan follows the adventures of three animal families in China: the majestic panda,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: John Krasinski, Xun Zhou, Claire Keim

Directed By: Chuan Lu

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: After becoming separated from his pod, a young orca adopts residents of Vancouver Island's Nootka Sound as his surrogate family.

Starring: Ryan Reynolds

Directed By: Suzanne Chisholm, Michael Parfit

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Starring: Cher

Directed By: Jonathan Finnigan

Critics Consensus: This engaging and well-organized eco-doc maps the successes and failures of the American environmental movement, thanks to sharp interviews and remarkable archive footage.

Synopsis: On the one hand, there are the environmentalists and the ecologically minded bills signed into law by several presidents. On the other, there's automobile pollution,... View Full Synopsis

Directed By: Robert Stone

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Filmmaker Louie Psihoyos, along with activists, scientists and others, draws attention to mankind's role in a potential loss of at least half of the world's... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Louie Psihoyos, Heather Dawn Rally, Charles Hambleton, Elizabeth Kolbert

Directed By: Louie Psihoyos

Critics Consensus: Disneynature: Elephant adds to the studio's tradition of kid-focused, beautifully photographed nature documentaries that are just engaging enough for parents.

Starring: Meghan Markle

Directed By: Mark Linfield

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Featuring no conventional narrative, this film presents footage of people, places and things from around the world. From chaotic cities to barren wilderness, the movie... View Full Synopsis

Directed By: Ron Fricke

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Landscape designer Piet Oudolf describes his creative process, from his abstract sketches to his theories on beauty.

Starring: Piet Oudolf

Directed By: Thomas Piper

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: From Fiji to the Bahamas, Jean-Michel Cousteau and his children explore the ocean to learn about the threats it faces.

Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jean-Michel Cousteau, Céline Cousteau, Fabien Cousteau

Directed By: Jean-Michel Cousteau, Jean-Jacques Mantello

Critics Consensus: Hard-hitting and ambitious to a fault, The Ivory Game serves as a fittingly urgent call to action against a looming threat against vulnerable wildlife and a fragile ecosystem.

Synopsis: Ivory is a prized status symbol for middle-class Chinese, and poachers in pursuit of white gold are slaughtering African elephants in record numbers. Filmmakers went... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Prince William

Directed By: Kief Davidson, Richard Ladkani