Our Earth is burning. Our Earth is melting. Our Earth is screaming at us for help. One way to understand and process the world, for me, is through film. Therefore, in the spirit of education and action, I hope you join us at Earth Reel Resilience, a Climate Change Film Series this fall. We will screen and discuss four films over four weeks, each chosen for its specific area of climate change focus and the many issues therein. I host the series/discuss the films, and I will be joined by a series of experts to talk about the science in the films. Finally, we will have volunteers from the MSU Denver Film Club there to collect food for Rowdy’s Corner, our university food pantry. Approximately 60 percent of our students suffer from some degree of food insecurity, and we aim to help them. I include summaries of the climate films here, along with one other, powerful gem from Ireland that I highly recommend. We round out the column with a fascinating historical nonfiction book from venerable author Erik Larson.

All films in the series are free and will begin at 6pm at The Cube, 8371 Northfield Blvd. Admission is free. Summaries here are co-written by Lawrence Uhling, Manager of The Cube.

Chasing Ice (PG-13)—Sept. 22, 2023

Environmental photographer James Balog, founder and director of Earth Vision Institute in Boulder, embarked on a multi-year expedition to capture the alarming reality of disappearing glaciers on our planet. Through breathtaking visuals and compelling storytelling, the film showcases the profound impact of climate change on our planet’s icy landscapes, awakening a sense of urgency for climate action. These images, now burned into our collective psyche, were both a revelation and a dire warning upon the film’s release. Suitable for all ages.

Wall-E (G)—Sept. 29, 2023

Transport yourself to a future where Earth has become an abandoned wasteland, consumed by pollution and excess. Follow the endearing and resilient robot, Wall-E, as he embarks on a remarkable adventure to restore hope and revive the planet’s once-thriving ecosystems. This wonderful Pixar movie delivers a poignant message about the importance of environmental stewardship and the consequences of unchecked human behavior. Suitable for all ages.

Nuoc 2030 (NR)—Oct. 6, 2023

I found this exceptional film at a festival over ten years ago and was dazzled by its vision and atmosphere. Director Minh Nguyen-Vo immerses us in an aesthetically stunning and evocative world where rising sea levels have reshaped the Vietnamese coast. This near-sci-fi dystopic vision explores the human struggle for survival amidst the encroaching waters and examines the socio-economic and political impacts of climate change. Through a captivating blend of drama and environmental commentary, the film raises questions about the price we pay for our actions and the potential we have for redemption. It is a future, unfortunately, that is rapidly nearing. Suitable for 16+.

Don’t Look Up (R)—Oct. 13, 2023

This brutally honest film from director Adam McKay is a darkly comedic and satirical take on humanity’s response to an impending global catastrophe. Don’t Look Up follows two scientists as they desperately try to warn the world about an approaching comet that threatens to annihilate Earth. This star-studded film combines humor, social commentary, and a scathing critique of society’s apathy towards scientific evidence, highlighting the absurdity of our collective inaction in the face of impending disaster. Suitable for 16+.

Additional Film and Book Review

The Quiet Girl (Ireland—2022)

This is a beautiful, heart-warming, and melancholy film that will leave you feeling. A lot. What those feelings will be depends on many things, but I can tell you this: keep the tissues handy. The Academy Award entry from Ireland for Best International Feature this past year, it is perhaps the exact antithesis of the magnificent, sprawling, loud, action-packed, dense, and devastating winner of the category, All Quiet on the Western Front. The Quiet Girl devastates just as severely.

The film is based on the short story “Foster” by Claire Keegan. Set in 1981 Ireland, a young girl, Cáit (played by luminous newcomer Catherine Clinch)—from a large, growing, impoverished, and neglectful family—is sent for a summer to live on a farm with relatives Eibhlín (a sharp Carrie Crowley) and Seán (in a delightfully understated performance by Andrew Bennett). The older couple have their own (unspoken) grief, and the three soon develop a close and loving bond. At summer’s end, Cáit returns to her family. Cue the tissues.

Director Colm Bairéad fashions a contemplative and lush aesthetic that allows the cast to thrive in simple yet expressive surroundings. The cinematography, editing, and sound hit all the right complementary roles to finish off this captivating work of art. The stars here are the actors, the settings, and the melancholy mood suffused with just enough hope for better.

Streaming on all the usual suspects as well as Hulu.

The Splendid and The Vile by Erik Larson

The outstanding Erik Larson is the author of such brilliant works as Devil in the White City (a must read!), Dead Wake, and Isaac’s Storm, among others. He is one of my favorite authors, and along with Simon Winchester, Larson is a giant in the field of narrative nonfiction. The story here follows Winston Churchill and his inner circle from the time Churchill took office in May 1940 through May 1941. We get a minute-by-minute, blow-by-blow account of the historic time period through the eyes, ears, and pens of the very participants: diaries, notes, letters, correspondence of all sorts, and press accounts that paint a picture of the events of this traumatic period. We even get a glimpse of the Germans. The important piece to remember here is that this is nonfiction—all of this is true. All of this is accurate. All of this happened. Larson’s journalistic attention to detail shines through, but this is not a news article nor an academic paper; it is a gripping, tense, and tightly structured story. Even though we all know the outcome, I was still reading on the edge of my seat. It is quite the experience.

Vincent Piturro, PhD, is a Professor of Film and Media Studies at MSU Denver. Contact him directly at vpiturro@msudenver.com or follow him on Twitter. For more reviews, search The Indie Prof at FrontPorchNE.com.