We don’t know about y’all, but pretty much the only thing we wanna do right now is burrow into the couch and spend some quality time with a movie—or ten.
In the annals of climate flicks, a handful of titles tend to dominate the conversation. Snowpiercer, WALL-E, Mad Max, Moana. Some of those classics can inspire a little hope, but others can leave us huddled under our warmest, heaviest blankets contemplating doom. That’s…not exactly vibe anyone’s after in the lost week between now and New Year’s.
So, we decided to curate a mini climate and sustainability movie and TV marathon worthy of the cozy season. It includes a couple of our favorites along with titles that are on repeat for some of one5c’s besties.
Avatar: The Last Airbender (where to watch)
“Even though it’s an animated show targeted at kids, Avatar is truly for all ages. It centers characters from native Alaskan and Southeast Asian cultures who harness their ancestral knowledge to wield the power of earth, air, water, and fire. Will the Fire Nation—representing capitalism and colonialism—destroy the beauty and diversity of life on Earth? You gotta watch to find out.” —Sanchali Pal, Founder & CEO, Commons
Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (where to watch)
“This campy noir comedy is on annual rotation in our house. The titular character, a cartoon rabbit living in the real world, is framed for murder, but, deep down, the central conflict is about our dependence on cars. It centers on an increasingly car-centered society pushing public transit out of L.A. in favor of freeways. The plot’s historical grounding is the subject of much debate, but, as a devout transit rider, it still hits every time for me.” —Corinne Iozzio, Editor-in-chief, one5c
Don’t Look Up (where to watch)
“I like Don’t Look Up, especially the next-to-last closing scene when Leonardo DiCaprio says ‘we didn’t know how good we had it.’ I do sometimes feel like one of the astronomers on the mainstream talk show.” —Judith Enck, President, Beyond Plastics
A Merry Little Ex-Mas (where to watch)
“For everyone who lives for Hallmark-style holiday movies this time of year, this has a surprising twist: The mother (the iconic Alicia Silverstone) is a sustainability and climate change advocate whose household decisions drove her children and husband nuts. As the parents head toward finalizing a divorce, they all realize just how magical, and important, her values are. I won’t spoil the ending, but the movie is a great watch when you’re craving a holiday rom-com, just with an environmental undertone.” —Katherine Bagley, Editor-in-chief, Grist
E-Life (where to watch)
“Where do our electronics go when we’re done with them? This film travels the world, following our stuff to its unnatural end. Unlike many doom-and-gloom environmental tales, the filmmakers find people around the world working to solve the e-waste problem. This film is well-balanced and expertly researched. If you watch one e-waste documentary, make it this one!” —Kyle Wiens, CEO, iFixit
Erin Brokovich (where to watch)
“It shows that you don’t need a science degree or a perfect resume to make real environmental change—you just need persistence and purpose. It’s a story about environmental justice, corporate accountability, and the power of one person refusing to back down. At its core, it’s what sustainability is really about for me: protecting the things that inhabit the planet, including its people.” —Lizzie Horvitz, Founder, Finch
The Day After Tomorrow (where to watch)
“I won’t disagree with the late and rarely-wrong Roger Ebert in his assessment of The Day After Tomorrow. ‘The movie is profoundly silly,’ Ebert wrote in 2004. He’s right! If you tuck into this film, you’ll need to bolster your suspension of disbelief with a mental jetpack. But I will also ride for TDAT as a great Climate Film, because it was the first pop-cultural expression of something that climate scientists are still trying to communicate effectively: that the impacts of global warming will be much more complex than just everything getting hotter. Also, the special effects are awesome. Ebert pointed that out, too, and, once again, he was right.” —Joe Brown, Editor-at-large, one5c
Black Panther (where to watch)
“What kind of world would you get if advanced technology and planetary stewardship didn’t feel mutually exclusive? You’d get Wakanda. Built on a solarpunk vision, this slice of the superhero universe is a lesson in resource conservation, clean energy, and environmental justice. In my book, Black Panther is tied with Ragnarok for the best installment in the Marvel catalog.” —CI