 the Wild. A free-spirited young man heads off into the Alaska wilderness to try his hand at survival with devastating results.
- Alive. This movie tells the true story of a rugby team from Uruguay that must survive in the Andes mountains after a plane crash.
- Touching the Void. This true story follows two climbers as they scale Siula Grande in Peru, the disaster that occurs, and how the two survive.
- Swiss Family Robinson. Based on the novel by Johann David Wyss, this film tells of a Swiss family deserted on an island and their journey to learn to survive.
- Cast Away. A white-collar executive must learn to survive when he finds himself alone on a deserted island after a plane crash.
- The Blue Lagoon. Two children are shipwrecked on an island and grow up together. Be aware this film does contain nudity.
Health and Environment
Show your students these films to inspire them to learn about responsible care for their bodies and the environment.
- Super Size Me. See what happens when one man lives on only McDonald's food for 30 days. You may be shocked to learn what a fast food diet does to your body.
- Erin Brockovich. Based on a true story, this film is about an ordinary woman who takes up a cause when she learns about dangerous pollution in the water.
- WALL-E. This touching animated film envisions a future that could be where modern culture takes itself without restraint.
- Earth Days. This documentary takes a look at the modern environmental movement through nine individuals who helped bring the issue into the public eye starting as far back as the 1950s.
- Food, Inc. The corporate culture that has taken over the food industry has created something far from healthy. This documentary has gotten lots of press recently.
- The Future of Food. Take a look at what is really in the food found on grocery store shelves in this eye-opening film.
- Be the Change. This documentary looks at people who have made the choice to live a more sustainable lifestyle.
- Hoot. A young man starts a fight to protect the owls whose habitat is threatened in his newfound home in Florida.
- Shooting Vegetarians. A young vegetarian is forced to go into his father's business as a butcher and finds a strange way to exact his revenge for it in this quirky movie.
- Up. This animated film deals with issues of urban sprawl, ecology, and responsible stewardship in the midst of a touching story about unexpected friendships.
- The Cove. This documentary takes a look at both the massive slaughter of dolphins that occurs annually in a small Japanese fishing village and the dangerous health impact of mercury poisoning.
- Silkwood. Based on a true story, this movie recounts the story of Karen Silkwood, an employee at a nuclear processing plant who blew the whistle on worker safety issues going unchecked at the plant.
- Gorillas in the Mist. Another film based on a true story, this one focuses on the work of Dian Fossey as she lived with and studied the mountain gorillas in Rwanda. After fighting against the illegal poaching of the gorillas, she was mysteriously murdered.
Bringing literature to life through film is an excellent way to inspire students to appreciate what they are reading.
- Romeo + Juliet. This popular film retells the Shakespeare classic and is a great way to bring the drama to life.
- Master Harold and the Boys. This drama written by South African Athol Fugard tells a semi-autobiographical story of a teenage boy and his relationship with a black man in the era of apartheid. A new version of this movie is set to be released this year.
- Fahrenheit 451. A firefighter meant to burn all books begins reading a few of them and his eyes are opened to a new perspective.
- Wuthering Heights. Emily Bronte's novel comes to life in this film version.
- Macbeth. Like Romeo + Juliet, this film offers a modern version of the Shakespearean classic.
- A Streetcar Named Desire. This adaptation of Tennessee Williams' play is an excellent version to show your class.
- Monty Python and the Holy Grail. A popular choice in college-level English classes, this movie 