Movies about the great outdoors for when you don’t want to go outside

Sometimes you want all the fun of experiencing Mother Nature without any of the hassle. After all, going outside can be a bit of a chore. Who wants to spend precious time applying sunscreen or bundling up in a scarf and parka when you could just as easily watch a movie about the Peruvian jungle or Mount Everest from the comfort of your bed? It's all the beauty of the real world, shrunk down for your popcorn-munching, domestic enjoyment! That's why we've compiled the best outdoors-y movies around — for when you're feeling adventurous in spirit but not in reality. Heck, maybe a few of these flicks will even convince you to step outside! And if not, at least you still got to experience some great movies.

For those who want the richest version of the vicarious outdoor experience, "Ex Machina" provides unparalleled enjoyment of Mother Nature's purest side. Thanks to some absolutely stunning footage of one of the cleanest, lushest forest biomes on the planet (rural Norway), the film's wilderness segments are a sight to behold. Though the movie is primarily about an ultra-fancy tech compound nestled away within said woods, its occasional outdoor detours are always breath of fresh air.

Based on the real-life 1996 Mount Everest disaster and real-life survivor Beck Weathers' nonfiction memoir of the event, "Everest" is a movie that's bound to shake you. At the same time, the film does a great job making you respect the cruelty of Everest while also making you feel a sense of pride in those who manage to conquer it via nothing more than their own determination. If you've ever wanted a motivational flick to kick-start your burgeoning mountain climbing career, this movie just might do the trick.

"Life of Pi" is far more than a movie about a boy and a tiger trapped together on a boat for a few months. It's a movie about survival, belief and a whole bunch of other great themes, all of which are delivered with the help of some of the most arresting oceanic imagery in the cinematic medium. The film's gorgeous, never-ending buffet of vibrant colors and mind-bending water imagery (think if Doctor Strange got trapped in an aquarium) provide all the highlights of the world's finest boating experiences, without any of the work or cost.

Davis Guggenheim and Al Gore team up for a documentary that, while a little overly sentimental and dramatic, still delivers plenty of gut-punches by reminding us that we're killing the beautiful earth we live on. Watch it if you want to get shook; the documentary is a great motivator for getting off the couch and going for a walk in a local park just 'cause. After all, if "An Inconvenient Truth" is on the money regarding its fears, that park won't be there for much longer. Sniff the flowers; admire the trees — just get out there and love Mother Nature while you still can.

Ever wanted to see a good movie with neat snowmobile sequences? "Wind River" has you covered. Featuring some jaw-dropping wintertime cinematography that reinvents the way movies display Wyoming's tundra, "Wind River" makes the region's seasonal makeup feel every bit as beautiful and threatening as it truly is.

"Return of the Jedi" reminds us of all the fun indigenous wildlife can bring to an environment. The ewoks are a fuzzy, friendly breath of fresh air, and their assault on the Empire serves as a great reminder for why we should treat wildlife with respect (because otherwise it'll throw rocks at our armor plates!). And beyond that, the film's speeder bike chases are a blast (shot among the giant redwoods of California) to the point where they might just make you want to race a friend around the block on your two-wheeler.

Though many of us will likely never get a chance to go there ourselves, Disney's 2016 live-action adaptation of "The Jungle Book" makes for a fun and visually arresting exploration of the jungles of Madhya Pradesh, India. Featuring a ton of exotic wildlife and some gorgeous environmental set pieces, the movie provides all the fun of the jungle without any of the dangers.

"The Road" is the harrowing story about a father and son traversing through a post-apocalyptic landscape, armed with nothing but each other and a backpack's worth of supplies. It's a sad, haunting movie that's almost entirely devoid of color or joy, and in that sense, encourages you to remember to go outside while it's still green and full of friendly, nice things.

For those who like trekking through the wilderness solo, "The Revenant" provides most of the experience's mental and spiritual cleanse while sparing you the activity's drawbacks, such as needing to eat raw bison liver and stave off frostbite. Plus, the film provides the added benefit of letting you watch Leonardo DiCaprio suffer through all that stuff in your place!

The original 1991 "Point Break" has all the essential ingredients for a perfectly cheesy, instant-cult-classic movie: masked bank robbers, surfing and Keanu Reeves, all woven together in a story that's unbelievable to watch and twice as hard to summarize. Go see it if you want to hang ten and catch some gnarly waves with everyone's favorite chosen one.

While the original "Point Break" has a lot of personality to back up its extreme sports antics, the 2015 remake trades in substance for style and focuses on exploring the coolest ways to enjoy Mother Nature. This includes squirrel suit gliding, which, as you can tell by the screenshot from the film, looks really freakin' cool. The movie does a great job emphasizing just how intense these sports are through a mixture of expert editing, cinematography and directing, all of which combine to provide one of the most fun extreme sports movies ever released.

For those in want of a fun trek through the backwoods of Kauai (a Hawaiian island), "Tropic Thunder" is the movie to see. It stars Ben Stiller, Jack Black and Robert Downey Jr., an all-star cast that makes this romp through the tropical jungle a humorous delight. Aside from all its killer, super-quotable jokes, the movie is also a great primer for anyone saving up for their grand Hawaiian getaway (or as a great motivator to start saving up in case you haven't already).  

The hills are alive with the beauty of Austria's gorgeous countryside in 1965's classic film "The Sound of Music." While the movie itself is a heart-wrenching, beautifully composed musical drama that remains a great watch to this day, its standout feature has to be its emphasis on the natural magic of Austria, a place adorned by mountains and green hills as far as the eye can see.

The second Hobbit movie once again reminds moviegoers that Middle-earth isn't fictional; it's simply located somewhere in New Zealand's countryside. Aside from the movie's gorgeous landscape shots, "The Desolation of Smaug" does a great job of making group hiking look fun, what with Bilbo, Gandalf and all the little dwarves scuttling about and enjoying each other's company over miles and miles of endless green grass. The One Ring doesn't have anything on the combined powers of socialization and nature.

Though "The Green Inferno" shines an unflattering light on Peru's indigenous population by depicting it as made up of spooky cannibals, we can't pretend the movie itself isn't a great showcase of Peru's natural beauty. Though flicks like "Paddington" also explore Peru, this one really goes all out over the course of two hours, displaying the region's waterfalls and jungles in all of their untamed glory. Check it out if you want a shallow, goofy (and kind of funny) horror film that doubles as a fantastic nature vlog.

If you want to experience all the trials, tribulations and fun moments of camping with friends, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1" is the movie for you. Featuring three magic teenagers all riled up in a tent with each other for extended periods of time, this film lets you feel its protagonists' tensions, confusions and joys as they learn about each other and the strength of their bonds within the confines of a small enclosure (which just so happens to be house-sized on the inside, because magic). Spare yourself the sweaty, bug-filled campgrounds of real life, and just watch Harry, Ron and Hermione instead.

If you like your surfing flicks filled to the gills with attractive guys and gals, steamy romance (well, not that steamy) and an emphasis on actual surfing, "Blue Crush" is the anti-"Point Break" movie for you. It's a lighthearted romantic sports drama that features plenty of good, wholesome surfing fun, the likes of which is captured via some truly exhilarating cinematography.

Whether you're in it for the breathtaking beauty of rural Montana or the acting chops of everyone's favorite movie star, Brad Pitt, "A River Runs Through It" has something for everyone. Plus, it's one of the better outings of Robert Redford's directorial career, so those pining for an underrepresented cinematic classic that doubles as a gorgeous nature showcase are in for a treat.

This movie is not an outdoorsy flick in any sense of the term. Rather, "10 Cloverfield Lane" is a claustrophobic bomb shelter thriller that focuses on two people trying to escape from John Goodman's captivity, meaning 99 percent of the movie takes place underground. This film made it onto the list because after watching it, you're definitely going to want to take a walk outside, if for no other reason than to remember that you can.

No one can make survival look as cool as Liam Neeson, honorary gruff guy of the century and hero of the wilderness. "The Grey" does a great job making you feel the struggles of wintertime survival while also illustrating the timeless beauty of a traditional man vs. nature narrative.

Though there's nothing enjoyable about the part where James Franco (portraying real-life cool guy/climber Aron Ralston) has to cut his own arm off because of Blue John Canyon's dangerous assortment of poorly placed rocks, the bits before that do a great job showing off Utah's more adventurous side. For those who want to give rock climbing or canyon biking a try, this movie's a great, scenic primer on what to expect (in the event that things go horribly wrong).