Teacher’s Choice: IMAX Documentaries

A BEAUTIFUL PLANET

Run Time: 45 minutes

Release Year: 2016

Synopsis: A Beautiful Planet is a breathtaking portrait of Earth from space, providing a unique perspective and increased understanding of our planet and galaxy as never seen before.

Made in cooperation with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the film features stunning footage of our magnificent blue planet—and the effects humanity has had on it over time—captured by the astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS). From space, Earth blazes at night with the electric intensity of human expansion—a direct visualization of our changing world. But it is within our power to protect the planet. As we continue to explore and gain knowledge of our galaxy, we also develop a deeper connection to the place we all call home.

From IMAX Entertainment and Toni Myers—the acclaimed filmmaker behind celebrated IMAX® documentaries Blue Planet, Hubble, and Space Station —A Beautiful Planet presents an awe-inspiring glimpse of Earth and a hopeful look into the future of humanity.

THE ARCTIC: OUR LAST GREAT WILDERNESS

Run Time: 45 minutes

Release Year: 2021

Synopsis: Imagine a place in the far north of Alaska that is vast, wild, and magical–where one of Earth’s greatest natural spectacles unfolds. Princess Daazhraii Johnson of the Gwich’in tribe reveals the land that has sustained her people for untold generations. Experience a world that has evolved intact and untamed since the beginning of time.

Journey with National Geographic photographer Florian Schulz on his five-year quest to film the elusive 200,000 strong Porcupine Caribou herd as it migrates to the Arctic Coastal Plain, one of the longest animal migrations on earth.

Filled with intimate moments featuring polar bears and musk oxen, wolves, grizzlies, golden eagles and more, The Arctic: Our Last Great Wilderness is the first cinematic exploration of a world few have truly seen until now. Experience this special place worth protecting.

BACK FROM THE BRINK

Run Time: 40 minutes

Release Year: 2019

Synopsis: Experience on the giant screen the remarkable true story of three animal species rescued from brink of extinction. Meet the scientists, park rangers, and students working to save endangered animals around the world. Discover how California’s enchanting Channel Island Fox is rescued from an invasion of Golden Eagles, the fastest recovery of a species in the history of animal conservation.

Join the former hunters of one of the world’s most endangered primates, the Golden Monkey, who now protect them in the fabled mountains of China’s Yunnan Province. Witness the wondrous migration of the Christmas Island Red Crab, and marvel at their recovery from a Crazy Yellow Ant infestation in one of the most successful bio-control experiments ever undertaken. Join this remarkable and heartfelt adventure to save endangered species around the world.

DINOSAURS OF ANTARCTICA

Run Time: 45 minutes

Release Year: 2020

Synopsis: From the Permian through the Jurassic, journey to the south polar landscapes of Antarctica hundreds of millions of years ago. Roam the primitive forest and thick swamps with bizarre dinosaurs and colossal amphibians. Enter a surreal world of bug-eyed giants and egg-laying mammal –where survival means enduring the sunless, six-month polar winter surrounded by meat-eaters with night vision.

Join intrepid Antarctic scientists on a quest to understand the ice continent’s profound transformation over deep time–investigating the parallels and differences between prehistoric climate events and human-triggered warming today. Welcome to the lost prehistoric world of Gondwana…welcome to Antarctica.

EVEREST

Run Time: 45 minutes

Release Year: 1998, 16K digital release 2021

Synopsis: The top of Mt. Everest calls only to the most daring and determined of individuals who are convinced that dreams can be realized through incredible effort and risk. Everest features the first giant screen images ever brought back from Mt. Everest. It also tells the dramatic true story of the Everest Expedition’s journey to the summit, just days after the infamous 1996 tragedy in which eight climbers lost their lives in a deadly storm.

Everest is filled with fascinating information about how this mountain was formed and continues to evolve, how high altitude challenges a climber’s physical and mental capabilities, and how Sherpa culture and tradition permeates the Mt. Everest experience. But Everest is also a rich, dramatic story about the relationship between a group of daring human beings and the mountain they love, respect, and sometimes fear.

HUBBLE

Run Time: 45 minutes

Release Year: 2010

Synopsis: Experience never-before-seen flights through the farthest reaches of the universe, and accompany spacewalking astronauts on some of the most difficult and important endeavors in NASA’s history. In May 2009, the crew of the Space Shuttle Atlantis launched a mission to make vital repairs and upgrades to the Hubble Space Telescope, the world’s first space-based observatory, 350 miles above the Earth. On board was an IMAX camera, operated by the shuttle astronauts. It captured stunning sequences of the five intricate spacewalks required to make those repairs.

Hubble combines this breathtaking IMAX footage with images taken by the telescope during the nearly 20 years it has been our window into space. Through advanced computer visualization, Hubble’s detailed data becomes a series of scientifically realistic flights that unfold on screen like a guided tour of the universe, through time and space.

INTO AMERICA’S WILD

Run Time: 40 minutes

Release Year: 2020

Synopsis: Into America’s Wild is a non-stop ride via kayak, bike, train, hot air balloon, zipline, and more into some of the most beautiful but little-known landscapes of North America. From the wilds of Alaska and the lush coastline of Oregon to the ancient canyons of the Southwest and the rolling hills of the Appalachian Trail, Into America’s Wild is wall-to-wall with natural treasures and the joy that comes from spending time in nature.

Setting out on this journey are three trailblazers—Native American astronaut John Herrington, Alaskan bush pilot and youth advocate Ariel Tweto, and record-breaking long-distance hiker Jennifer Pharr Davis—who share a passion for connecting people to experiences in the wild. As they wind their way through the scenic byways, ancient homelands, secret gems, and hidden trails of America, viewers will discover the special human connection we all share with the natural world.

MOUNTAIN ADVENTURE: OUT OF BOUNDS

Run Time: 45 minutes

Release Year: 2019

Synopsis: Follow Australian Olympic gold medalist Torah Bright as she journeys along the great American Cordillera, the world’s longest chain of mountain ranges extending from Antarctica all the way to Alaska. On the journey, Torah will encounter world-class snow athletes, scientists, and environmentalists. Discover the crucial role mountains play in our ecosystem and everyday life while witnessing the most spectacular snowboard and ski action ever brought to the giant screen!

WINGS OVER WATER – ONLY IN BOEING

Run Time: 45 minutes

Release Year: 2022

Synopsis: As the glaciers retreated at the end of the last ice age, they left an astounding gift of connected rivers, lakes and wetlands across the heartland of North America. Today, these largely unknown water highways remain an oasis for sustaining wildlife. From the herds of bison that still roam the Great Plains to the vital honeybees that pollinate our crops and especially for the millions of magnificent birds that migrate along these “flyways.”

Wings Over Water tells the story of the epic journeys of three amazing bird families – the Sandhill Crane, the Yellow Warbler and the Mallard Duck – with extraordinary footage of their fascinating behaviors.

Audiences will be captivated by the triumphs and challenges of these remarkable creatures that defy all odds and soar across mountains, deserts, cities and forests as they head home to raise their young.