I am super excited to see what the votes are for the Applied Plant Ecology Film Festival this year at York. My final nomination was Denis Villeneuve’s Dune. However, a very close second to me was Dr. Seuss’ the Lorax. It would not be obscure to say that the Lorax carries a totally different ‘vibe’ than Dune, but the extremities of the two films are what makes them so noteworthy and memorable to me. They both highlight very prominent ecological issues. The Lorax is a worthy opponent to Dune as it entertains a whole other audience that Dune otherwise may not. Both adults AND children can certainly enjoy the Lorax. When I first watched this animated film, my heartstrings were surely pulled. The emotional chokehold this movie had on my peers and I really showed me how deep their message comes across. The Lorax highlights important ecological topics such as deforestation, pollution, and habitat loss. Interestingly enough for a kid’s movie, the political motives that led to some of these issues are also revealed. After watching, children will be more inclined to be more environmentally conscious. The hype that this movie had in 2012 was very memorable for me, especially being in elementary school. The Lorax was the talk of the entire school and looking back, I am so glad that it had such an impact. A movie like The Lorax has such an influence on children and gives me hope for future generations. I will definitely show this movie to my children one day! The use of animations made it eye-catching and enjoyable to watch but portrayed a much deeper meaning.
Applied Plant Ecology Winter 2020 