Movies like The Year Earth Changed (2021)
The best movies like The Year Earth Changed (2021) are Pandas (2018), Inside the Mind of a Dog (2024) and Koyaanisqatsi (1983). If The Year Earth Changed hooked you with its documentary, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedKoyaanisqatsi (1983)7.9/10 from 813 votes
- NewestA Gorilla Story: Told by David Attenborough (2026)Released 2026
Pandas (2018)
In the mountains of Sichuan, China, a researcher forms a bond with Qian Qian, a panda who is about to experience nature for the first time.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisInside the Mind of a Dog (2024)
Embark on a delightful journey into the world of dogs in this documentary that reveals scientific and emotional insights about our lovable BFFs.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisKoyaanisqatsi (1983)
Takes us to locations all around the US and shows us the heavy toll that modern technology is having on humans and the earth. The visual tone poem contains neither dialogue nor a vocalized narration: its tone is set by the juxtaposition of images and the exceptional music by Philip Glass.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisNaqoyqatsi (2002)
A visual montage portrait of our contemporary world dominated by globalized technology and violence.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisPowaqqatsi (1988)
An exploration of technologically developing nations and the effect the transition to Western-style modernization has had on them.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisBorn to Be Wild (2011)
Born to Be Wild observes various orphaned jungle animals and their day-to-day behavioural interactions with the individuals who rescue them and raise them to adulthood. The film unfurls in two separate geographic spheres. Half of it takes place in the rain forests of Borneo, where celebrated primatologist Dr. Birute Galdikas assists baby orangutans; the other half takes place on the arid savannahs of Kenya, where zoologist Dame Daphne Sheldrick works with baby elephant calves.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisBreaking Boundaries: The Science of Our Planet (2021)
David Attenborough and scientist Johan Rockström examine Earth's biodiversity collapse and how this crisis can still be averted.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisEarth: One Amazing Day (2017)
An astonishing journey revealing the awesome power of the natural world. Over the course of one single day, we track the sun from the highest mountains to the remotest islands to exotic jungles.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisLiving with Leopards (2024)
A film crew follows two leopard cubs as they make the fascinating journey from infancy into adulthood in this up-close-and-personal nature documentary.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisAn Inconvenient Truth (2006)
A documentary on Al Gore's campaign to make the issue of global warming a recognized problem worldwide.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisOcean with David Attenborough (2025)
David Attenborough takes viewers on a breathtaking journey showing there is nowhere more vital for our survival, more full of life, wonder, or surprise, than the ocean. Through spectacular sequences featuring coral reefs, kelp forests and the open ocean, Attenborough shares why a healthy ocean keeps the entire planet stable and flourishing.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisA Gorilla Story: Told by David Attenborough (2026)
Veteran naturalist Sir David Attenborough tells the story of a remarkable group of gorillas, from his first encounter in the '70s to the present day.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisGhost Elephants (2026)
In Angola's mist-shrouded highlands, three KhoiSan master trackers embark on a spiritual quest to rediscover the legendary "ghost elephants" of Lisima, creatures presumed lost but remembered in ancestral trance, ritual, and memory.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisOne Life (2011)
One Life captures unprecedented and beautiful sequences of animal behaviour guaranteed to bring you closer to nature than ever before, as well as a second disc packed full of never before seen extras including an exclusive making of featurette narrated by Daniel Craig.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisKiss the Ground (2020)
Sheds light on an alternative approach to farming called “regenerative agriculture” that could balance our climate, replenish our vast water supplies, and feed the world.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisEarth (2007)
An epic story of adventure, starring some of the most magnificent and courageous creatures alive, awaits you in EARTH. Disneynature brings you a remarkable story of three animal families on a journey across our planet – polar bears, elephants and humpback whales.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisMonkey Kingdom (2015)
A newborn monkey and its mother struggle to survive within the competitive social hierarchy of the Temple Troop, a dynamic group of monkeys who live in ancient ruins found deep in the storied jungles of South Asia.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisDancing with the Birds (2019)
Some of the world's most majestic birds display delightfully captivating mating rituals, from flashy dancing to flaunting their colorful feathers.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisBefore the Flood (2016)
A look at how climate change affects our environment and what society can do to prevent the demise of endangered species, ecosystems, and native communities across the planet.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisAfrican Cats (2011)
African Cats captures the real-life love, humor and determination of the majestic kings of the savanna. The story features Mara, an endearing lion cub who strives to grow up with her mother’s strength, spirit and wisdom; Sita, a fearless cheetah and single mother of five mischievous newborns; and Fang, a proud leader of the pride who must defend his family from a once banished lion.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Life of a Greater Horseshoe Bat (2014)
There is a fabulous colony of Greater Horseshoe Bats in the heart of the Camargue. This species of bat is one of the most amazing. A true little clown equipped with the very latest biological technologies, the Greater Horseshoe Bat is as rare as it is mysterious. "The life of a Greater Horseshoe Bat" invites you to share the life of a young female and her mother, for better or for worse...
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
BE WILD - NORMALITY IS RADICAL (2019)
A young film crew searches for ways out of the climate crisis. In different cities they meet people who commit their lives to preserving our environment in different ways. In inspiring conversations they talk about their thoughts, motivation and hope and why we have to break out of our comfort zone. 8 protagonists try to reach out for solutions for climate justice in our future and open up perspectives of hope.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Three Cheers for the Whale (1972)
Co-directed by Chris Marker and Mario Ruspoli, Three Cheers for the Whale traces humanity’s complex relationship with whales—from reverence to exploitation—culminating in a stark depiction of industrial whaling. Combining archival imagery, commentary, and documentary footage, the film offers both a historical reflection and a call for ecological awareness.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Metamorphosis 2024 (2024)
METAMORPHOSIS brought to you by Tanuj Samaddar FRSA in collaboration with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Art of Health Zim and Ardent Creative addressing issues on mental health faced by the youths today. The video series is a series focusing on mental health issues faced by the youths in general. The series will include individual episodes on a separate subtopic on mental health issue released on a monthly basis. The production has been done in collaboration with the Art of Health Zimbabwe by Tanuj Samaddar FRSA.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
When the Bands Stopped Playing (TBA)
Follow the journey of a time capsule of the live music industry shut down overnight by the Covid-19 pandemic, as seen through the eyes of artists, venue owners, promoters, road crews, and more.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Lost Flowers (2021)
March 2020. Fabrizio, a photographer and filmmaker who lives in Luxembourg, returns to his family in central Italy after his father has suffered a heart attack. It’s the beginning of the pandemic, the country is in lockdown. An intimate diary and an ode to filial love in the face of the most trying circumstances a son can face. A tale of the soul and personal hardship in the context of a broader collective tragedy.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Antarctica, in the footsteps of the Emperor (2016)
Gombessa Expedition 3 Protected by an international treaty Antarctica has been spared the effects of hunting and fishing. But signs in ice’s cyclical patterns and its biodiversity have become worrying. Connected to the planet’s global ecosystem via atmospheric circulation and ocean currents, this white haven is suffering the effects of human activities. To document and explain what is unfolding in Antarctica, photographer, diver, and marine biologist Laurent Ballesta and photographer of extreme environments Vincent Munier will be blending their artistic perspectives of a rapidly changing continent. Laurent will tackle technical and human prowess below the ice to bear witness to its remarkable underwater life. His photographs will advance knowledge on Antarctica’s unique and little-known biodiversity. On land, his eye riveted to the lens of his camera, Vincent captures snapshots of life in an Emperor Penguin colony.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Running With The Beest (2022)
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Conservation and Recovery of the Scarlet Macaw in Mexico (2025)
The Scarlet Macaw, a vibrant symbol of the Mexican rainforest, is disappearing from the ecosystem. Conservation and Recovery of the Scarlet Macaw in Mexico explores the tireless efforts of Natura y Ecosistemas Mexicanos (NEM) to save the last remaining viable population of these iconic birds. Facing the constant threat of poaching, NEM works diligently to rescue hatchlings from vulnerable nests before they are looted. By forging partnerships with local communities, they have developed a network of dedicated individuals to locate and protect macaw nests. This compelling film showcases the resilience of both people and wildlife in a united fight to preserve a species that has long symbolized the beauty and diversity of the region's natural heritage.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like The Year Earth Changed?
The closest matches to The Year Earth Changed are Pandas (2018), Inside the Mind of a Dog (2024) and Koyaanisqatsi (1983). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after The Year Earth Changed?
Start with Pandas (2018), the closest match to The Year Earth Changed.
What is the highest-rated movie like The Year Earth Changed?
Koyaanisqatsi (1983), rated 7.9/10 by 813 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like The Year Earth Changed?
A Gorilla Story: Told by David Attenborough (2026) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there English movies like The Year Earth Changed?
Yes: Pandas (2018), Inside the Mind of a Dog (2024) and Koyaanisqatsi (1983).
How are movies similar to The Year Earth Changed chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside The Year Earth Changed, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.