Every week at SiftPop.com, we challenge our writers to choose what they think is the best movie under a certain topic related to a recent release. So this week, with the release of Moonfall, we’re counting down our favorite disaster movies! Let us know @SiftPop what your ranking is!
As someone from Chicago, Backdraft holds a special place in my heart. I watched itwith my dad at a super young age (probably wasn’t the best decision), and I instantly loved it. It’s the reason why I wanted to be a firefighter for the longest time, before I figured out I didn’t have the physical strength to be one. Backdraft begins and ends with the effects of the fires. There are several scenes of fire, capped off by the last fire at the chemical plant. Kurt Russell stands head and shoulders above everyone as Captain Stephen McCaffrey, a hot-headed firefighter who is helping with the investigation of a series of fires and whether or not they’re an accident. Robert DeNiro plays Donald Rimgale, who’s investigating the fire with William Baldwin’s washed out firefighter Brian McCaffrey. Donald Sutherland plays Ronald Bartel, our Hannibal Lecter-style guide to the world of arson that assists in the investigation. Backdraft has more heart than it should for an action drama. Between brotherly dynamics with the McCaffreys, Stephen’s family issues with his wife and son, and the tension that arises from the firefighting team with the increase of incidents, there’s a lot to parse through. All of this is capped off with one of my favorite phrases from all of movies — “You go, we go,” the mantra of the firefighting team. (Mike Hilty)
I’m not sure what to think of the the idea that there are enough disaster movies for them to have their own genre. We humans seem to have some sick obsession with watching our own demise in the most fanciful ways. 2020’s Greenland stars Gerard Butler and Morena Baccarin as a family trying to survive an extinction-level event caused by fragments of a larger comet passing by the planet. John Garrity (Butler) is an engineer and one of the chosen few selected to make their way to a bunker in Greenlandto help rebuild the works once the danger is over. What ensues is a frenetic race across the southern states to find transport to the bunker. Despite the standard fare of skullduggery, action, and explosions, what makes Greenland much better than you expect it to be is it’s commitment to the characters on screen. I really had a great time watching this, and I’m sure lovers of the genre would too. (Adam Ritchie)
I remember my first time seeing this film. I just never thought I would see a film that’s repeating itself in real life. Contagion is a film about the spreading of a virus, the researchers and health officials trying to identify and contain the virus, and the collapse of social order. This movie shows how the world would react during a global pandemic. Even after 10 years, Steven Soderbergh probably didn’t have a clue this would actually be our reality. This feature is a good one thanks to the realistic plot that is similar to the last two years. The ensemble cast is stellar, especially Matt Damon, a man desperate to find out what happened to wife and trying to take care of himself and his teenage child. Contagion isn’t a feel-good film, but an entertaining and informative one. Everyone should experience the movie at least once. (Chantal Ashford)
Who misses the days when disaster movies were so great and well-respected that they got nominated for Best Picture? You might be wondering, “when the heck was that?” Look no further than 1974’s The Towering Inferno. This film was not only Best Picture nomination worthy, but it also was nominated for eight Oscars in total. But that is not it’s only big accolade the film earned that year. This disaster flick about a state-of-the-art building catching on fire also lit up the box office by becoming the box office king of the year. With the insane ensemble cast the film boasts, it would be almost impossible to ignore its quality. Leading actors like Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, and William Holden deliver performances that anchor this larger-than-life thrill ride. Throw in state-of-the-art equipment, talented filmmaking, and this wonderful screenplay help deliver one of the most memorable blockbusters of the 1970s. (Shane Conto)
Deepwater Horizon is a rarity amongst its genre. It somehow manages to be a thrilling disaster movie, full of all the adrenaline-pumping mishaps and action you could hope for, but also with the prestige and quality that comes with any great movie. Following Mark Wahlberg’s Mike Williams, the filmsees the workers of an oil rig scramble to survive the disastrous situation after a massive explosion. This movie is both quiet and loud, minimal, and overbearing, as you’re taken from small moments that allow for character building to death-defying events that have you clutching whatever is near you with more force than you thought possible. It’s worth repeating that while this is a very exciting film with plenty of disaster, it’s also just a fantastic movie overall. There was care in its creation, and you can clearly witness this work through Peter Berg’s expert direction and the fantastic performances delivered by its powerful cast. Ironically, one of Wahlberg’s more subdued roles, this is a movie that focuses on the tragic, and very real, event at its center, foregoing all other nonsense — because the truth was terrifying enough, it didn’t need anything more. (Alice-Ginevra Micheli)
Oftentimes, when I’m presented with a movie based on a real event, there are a few ways my expectations can go. Either I’m going to get an overly saccharine portrayal of the people involved, or the event is going to be milked for every single drop of drama there is to be gotten. Only the Brave really doesn’t do either of those things. The movie revolves around the Granite Mountain Hotshots, a crew of firefighters that contain wildfires in Arizona, and features a strong ensemble performance with Josh Brolin at its head. The story of this brotherhood of firefighters and the connections between their families serves first and foremost to portray the kind of dangers these people will willingly face in order to protect people’s lives and homes, but also to show the bond that can grow between people who face those adversities together. As the Hotshots are greeted by new recruit Miles Teller, their initial distrust of his troubled character slowly turns to something remarkably pure as a testament to the power of trust and shared responsibility. Only the Brave might not be the movie to watch for the spectacle of nature’s power, but it certainly is the one to see for the courage and selflessness of those that stand against it by choice. (Chris Bakker)
I decided to watch The Impossible during the day this past Tuesday. I cried during it more than I’m proud of, but for a disaster movie, it had everything. The scene with the tsunami was truly terrifying, enough for me to rethink living on an island in the future. The effects and the sheer scope of the devastation was daunting, and it made me super uncomfortable with how bad the devastation was. Some of the underwater scenes made me feel like I couldn’t breathe, particularly when people get hit by debris or sustain injuries. The performances were outstanding, especially from baby Tom Holland as eldest brother, Lucas. Holland balances being a bratty kid with growing up before our eyes in order to think beyond himself and help others in need. Naomi Watts gives an amazing performance as Maria, the family matriarch who gets swept away by the tsunami with Holland. The cinematography is stellar, with wide shots of the physical and natural devastation that the wave causes, but also showing the medical toll in a hospital overrun with patients. You are genuinely rooting for this family to find one another, and I cried very hard when Lucas is reunited with his brothers and Maria finally sees her family again. The Impossible is claustrophobic and grand at the same time, while also being a moving film about defying the odds in the most dire of circumstances. (Mike Hilty)
Stop the search! No need to look any further! Independence Day is the greatest disaster movie ever made. Over 25 years since its release, people still talk about this as one of the greatest blockbusters ever. Heck, even its Super Bowl trailer floored audiences, let alone the movie itself. With a massive alien invasion depicted by showing many cities getting absolutely annihilated and wiped off the board, this movie had it all — the destruction of iconic landmarks such as the White House and the Empire State Building, great actions to pieces like a dogfight through a canyon, a lot of great humor, charismatic performances from the likes of Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum, and one of the greatest movie speeches ever by Bill Pullman. This is the king of kings, a disaster on a global scale that required the force of all mankind to overcome its detrimental effect. For me, this is an annual watch. I love this movie, and highly recommend it to everyone. (Heath Lynch)
I’m stepping outside of my comfort zone this week and taking on a movie from my list of shame rather than one familiar to me. The Poseidon Adventure is a classic disaster movie from the ‘70s, before Hollywood relied on CGI and digital effects to thrill an audience. This movie, I imagine, set many of the standards we’ve come to expect in modern day disaster films. A group of strangers brought together with differing life experience and skills who must work together to survive. On this note, The Poseidon Adventure delivers a decent movie for the time, and is elevated by the performance of Gene Hackman’s Reverend Scott, a religious man who has fallen out of favor with the church and is on his way to be a missionary. Hackman takes up the mantle of leader to a group of survivors when their ship capsizes and is met with obstacles throughout. It’s in this aspect that the movie gets a little heavy-handed with it’s message, as only a select few follow the man of God up the ship to possible rescue, while the men of science on board are leading their own groups to eventual damnation. This movie has a clear goal, and it does a good job executing it. I am glad I was finally able to see it and would recommend it to anyone who likes a good disaster flick with something to say! (Nick Ferro)
It’s been 84 years, and I can still say the lines before all the characters. I am of course talking about one of my favorite movies, Titanic. The movie tells the story of Jack (Leonardo DiCapro) and Rose (Kate Winslet), who meet and fall in love on the ill-fated maiden voyage of the RMS Titanic. Even though this love story is a creation of James Cameron, unlike other disaster movies, this one’s based on a real life event that claimed over 1,500 lives. Cameron artistically recreates magnificent set pieces for the movie and captures the look to make you feel like you are truly on the grandest ship in the world. When we finally get to the fateful night of the sinking, it feels raw, emotional, and damaging because of Cameron’s use of practical set pieces. Now I have seen this film a lot, probably more than I should’ve, but it deserves all of its praise and glory. It is a master class in storytelling and inspired me to learn more about the actual sinking and that fateful night. Besides learning about the history, we all need to remember the film’s life lesson and make each day count. (Austen Terry)
Twister
Twister is hands down the best ever disaster movie. It practically paved the way for disaster movies for years to come. It’s the movie that every following disaster movie was then compared to. The story is simple and concise. It does not involve a world ending event or government conspiracy; it is simply about a team of storm chasers trying to learn more about tornadoes. Sure, there is some human drama thrown in, but it’s so compelling because Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt have great chemistry. The supporting cast is just as brilliant where it feels like everyone really got along. I mean, who didn’t want Philip Seymour Hoffman in everything? There is also Cary Elwes playing a rival storm chaser, but rather than focusing on tornadoes, he is more so chasing clout. Elwes’ turn as Jonas is a great villain role that is not over the top or unforgivable, so when his death comes late in the movie, you still feel the loss of life. But what really makes Twister stand out is the disaster aspect. Every time our heroes face a tornado, the destruction is memorable and scary. Trucks falling from the sky, cows and more cows, and having to drive head on into a house just rolling across the street. The scene at the drive-in theater is practically out of a horror movie. Twister is the best disaster movie; it makes every other disaster movie blow. (Scott Batchelor)
The Perfect Storm
Disaster films aren’t generally my thing, a determination I made after realizing I haven’t seen the vast majority of this week’s entries. To come up with one, I scrolled all the way to the bottom of my Vudu library to the movies they give you to choose from when you’re starting your library (which I started seven years ago). There’s actually more than one film that fits this category, but I’m going with The Perfect Storm. The story follows a group of desperate fishermen that need one more big score and get caught in a massive storm. The cast was one of the big reasons I was attracted to this film, with the crew consisting of the likes of George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, John C. Reilly, and William Fichtner. The entire film is leading to the climax of our titular “perfect storm,” based off real events in 1991. For a more than 20-year-old film, the visual effects capture the storm impressively and make for an emotionally charged finale. (Jake Bourgeois)
Armageddon
Armageddon is THE disaster movie of all disaster movies — can we all just agree to that right now? Yes, I know it’s a Michael Bay film, yes, I know it’s a ‘90s movie, and YES, I know there’s the whole IRL dad singing a song to an actress that’s his IRL daughter, but come on, “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing” slaps, and you know it! Whenever it plays on the radio, you are legally obligated to play it at top volume and belt out your own rendition. Sorry, I don’t make the laws. I just follow them. A team of ragtag oil drillers are trained to destroy an asteroid destined to wipe out all of humanity on Earth because that’s the easy option apparently. This film gives us the truly great first look at “Bayhem” style filmmaking. Bay, using his stylized filming techniques he developed making commercials and applied it to film, is actually a great step forward in filmmaking. Seriously, you have NO idea what technology gets developed just for commercial shoots. Bay just brought the two together. Even Criterion agrees that this film deserves praise and gave it their own release (which they really need to remaster in 4K, or the very least Blu-ray/Digital for me, PLEEEEEASE). (Frank Kemp)
Snakes on a Plane
Everyone knows the famous Samuel L. Jackson line, and it may be light in the story department, but there’s so much more to it than that! Snakes on a Plane doesn’t really need a plot beyond its incredibly basic premise, which promises B-movie shenanigans to the extreme. If you haven’t seen it, everything you’ve heard about it is probably true; when it comes to disaster films, it may not be a traditional end-of-the-world scenario, but I think it’ll do you one better. Snakes on a Plane is delightfully unique and genuinely hilarious in ways you might never expect, and certainly stands out from the rest – especially from its terrible parody/rip-off, Snakes on a Train, which, unlike Plane, is not recommended viewing. (Rowan Wood)
The Day After Tomorrow
The Day After Tomorrow is directed and co-written by the king of disaster films, Roland Emmerich. Most well-known for Independence Day, The Day After Tomorrow follows very similar narrative beats. This film follows several characters during a monumental international storm that has plunged the world into a new ice age. The two most noteworthy characters are Jack Hall (Dennis Quaid), a paleoclimatologist and his son, Sam Hall (Jake Gyllenhaal), with Jack in Washington D.C. and Sam in New York during this disastrous event. The true entertainment is found with the set pieces filled with natural disasters of all types, whether they be floods, whirlwinds, or colossal hail storms, just to name a few. For being made in the early 2000s, the visual effects hold up well, and there is a lot to enjoy for fans of this sub-genre. They are very effective and have tremendous impact, especially when slews of people are being caught in these catastrophes. If you’re a fan of disaster films and of Roland Emmerich, this is a film that will peak your interest. (Joe Vargas)
The Hindenburg
I’ve talked about my affinity for history before, and this definitely extends to some of history’s most famous disasters. One that has always fascinated me is that of the zeppelin Hindenburg, one of the largest objects to fly, and which is the subject of the 1975 movie The Hindenburg. It stars George C. Scott as Colonel Fraz Ritter, sent to foil a plot to destroy the famous airship. While I won’t judge too harshly on historical accuracy (I know way too much on this ship, like the Titanic), I will say that this movie is visually stunning in a lot of ways, capturing life aboard the LZ129 quite well as the characters go about the ship, be it to repair or destroy it. I mean, how cool is it to see how they managed to get a smoking room on a hydrogen-filled airship? It’s sad in a way that we don’t have more movies on this disaster like we do with the Titanic, or maybe even other airship disasters like the R101, but I love movies that show how the ships of a bygone era look on a visual standpoint. (Joseph Davis)
San Andreas
With a list about best disaster movies, I had to at least talk about one of the craziest in recent years: San Andreas. The movie basically tells the story of what could happen when The Big One hits the San Andreas Faultline, and I am not just talking about The Rock. We are talking about earthquakes, and like with most disaster movies you have seen, it’s all about the destruction. San Andreas delivers by destroying most of the California coast. There truly are some great special affects in this film and with over 1,000 credited special/visual effects artists, and you can see why. Ray Gaines’ (Dwayne Johnson) goal is to defy his job as LAFD Air Rescue to steal anything he can to save estranged wife Emma Gaines (Carla Gugino) in L.A. and make it to San Francisco to save his daughter Blake (Alexandra Daddario). The movie is absolutely ridiculous, but it is an absolute thrill ride from start to finish. Science was absolutely ignored when making this movie, but that’s where the fun in disaster movies comes from. So if you haven’t seen it, check it out. (Austen Terry)
Volcano
The year is 1997. Tell me Tommy Lee Jones, Anne Heche, and the larger-than-life Keith David are going to be in a film together. Then give me a poster with the tagline of “IT’S HOTTER THAN HELL.” Congratulations, you have just shown me the cast and tagline of one of the first, and subsequently most rewatched, disaster films of my life: Volcano! Way before anybody else was wrecking L.A., there was lava. But there to fight back via bus, subway, highway divider barricades and gumption were Heche, Jones, and his guy in the chair, none other than Don Cheadle. If you get nothing else out of this film, it’s to know the importance of footwear that can melt in lava, but still keep you running after! (Matt Lawson)
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