On July 2, a hurricane warning was issued for 200 miles of North Carolina coast as Tropical Storm Arthur, the first named storm of the season, threatens to rear its head during July 4 weekend.
According to forecasts, Arthur will be very close to the Outer Banks on July 4, as reported by the Associated Press. While Tropical Storm Arthur has not yet reached hurricane status, it will possibly have winds strong enough to be considered a Category 1 Hurricane by July 4, potentially destroying people’s holiday and vacation plans with heavy rains and wind.
While Tropical Storm Arthur seems relatively unthreatening compared to past natural disasters, one cannot help but be reminded of bigger storms that have been seen in the past, both in real life and in the movies. This Top 10 list focuses on the latter type of disasters, storms and other circumstances that have been created with CGI or animation but are none the less terrifying for it. Disaster movies draw the audience in, because no matter how scientifically inaccurate or implausible a zombie apocalypse or international super storm seems, there is always that faint fear that someday you will be caught in the crosshairs.
Thus begins the list of the Top 10 Disaster Movies in honor of Tropical Storm Arthur. Keep reading but be careful: there are storms and zombies ahead. Also, spoilers.
[new page= 10. Zombieland]
10.Zombieland (2009)
IMBd: 7.8
Now some people may not consider Zombieland a proper disaster movie since it is a comedy, but this story of a ragtag team that unite and cross the zombified United States together has plenty of heart. Along with being hilarious, there are numerous moments when the isolation and horror of surviving in a world while your loved ones are gone shine through, leaving a movie that can be both funny and profound. Plus, a cast featuring Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Woody Harrelson and Abigail Breslin is sure to be worth your time.
[new page= 9. I Am Legend]
9. I Am Legend (2007)
IMDb:7.2
I Am Legend is the story of a scientist, played by Will Smith, who has survived an man-made infection that has wiped out the world’s population and turned many people into seemingly unfeeling monsters. Based on the novel with the same name by Richard Matheson, the film definitely veers into the horror genre, with monsters that jump out and the dreary atmosphere expected from this sort of thriller movie. The film, like many others on the list, plays on the fear that while some disasters are natural, others are completely man-made.
I Am Legend Trailer by WarnerBrosOnline on YouTube
[new page=8. Armageddon]
8.Armageddon(1998)
IMDb: 6.6
If there is such a thing as a feel-good disaster movie, Armageddon is it. After hearing that an asteroid large enough to wipe out the entire world’s population is heading towards Earth, a deep core driller played by a coarse Bruce Willis and his crew are recruited to go up in space and save mankind. This movie has everything you can ask for from a movie: family, friends, love and a young Ben Affleck. There are definitely some sad moments, but Armageddon wouldn’t be a disaster movie without them.
Here’s the trailer on You Tube:
[new page=7. War of the Worlds]
7. War of the Worlds (2005)
IMDb: 6.5
Loosely based on a novel with the name by H.G. Wells, War of the Worlds tackles the disaster movie genre of alien invasion. Much like Armageddon, the threat to humankind in this case comes from outer space, although in this film adaptation the threat is extraterrestrial life. This movie documents one family’s struggle for survival while aliens invade Earth, the threat that Earth never saw coming.
War of the Worlds (2005) – Trailer by Paramount Movies on YouTube.
[new page=6. Contagion]
6.Contagion(2011)
IMDb=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1598778/?ref_=nv_sr_1>IMDb: 6.7
While the film Contagion can be dry at points, it provides a look at how an epidemic begins and somewhat realistically, how the world would respond to it. The film focuses on society’s struggle to deal with a new strain of a deadly disease, highlighting the chaos and the social unrest that can be caused by a population that is unsure it will survive. This movie belongs on the list of Top 10 disaster movies because it shows how easily disease can be spread through a group of people, and how easily our health as a species can be compromised.
[new page=5. Twister]
5. Twister (1996)
IMBd:6.2
The film Twister tells the story of Bill and Jo Harding, an estranged married couple who unexpectedly work together to successfully release a device they developed in order to better understand tornadoes. While attempting this, the couple also deals with their relationship baggage and the struggle to survive encounters with the tornadoes. One of the qualities that places Twister so high on the Top 10 list is the ability of the movie to change tone. Throughout much of the first part of the movie, the tornado chasing of Jo is portrayed simply as an adrenaline pumping source of fun. However, as the movie goes on, the audience becomes more aware of the power and danger of tornadoes and the threat to those caught in the crossfire.
Check out this trailer from YouTube:
[new page=4.The Impossible]
4. The Impossible (2012)
IMDb: 7.6
Based on the real natural disaster of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami The Impossible, originally known as Lo Imposible, tells the story of a family that gets caught in the tsunami when visiting Thailand. While some criticized the film for focusing on a tourist couple instead of natives of Thailand, the film does an excellent job of showing a family attempting to deal with the completely unexpected devastation of a natural disaster. This film packs even more of an emotional punch because while watching the audience is aware that this crisis was a real event that affected people’s lives.
The Impossible -- Official Trailer 2012 -- Regal Movies [HD] by Regal Cinemas on YouTube
[new page=3. Children of Men]
3. Children of Men(2006)
IMDb: 7.9
Directed by Alfonso Cuarón, who later directed the 2013 film Gravity, Children of Men tells the story of a society in which women are unable to conceive children. After one woman miraculously becomes pregnant, a government agent who used to be an activist struggles to bring her to safety. Children of Men does a beautiful job creating the subtle details of a world in which people are unable to reproduce, and the effects it has on society. While this film display a physically devastated world, Cuarón manages to show the effects psychologically, making Children of Men an important film for this list.
The Children of Men trailer on YouTube:
[new page=2. Titanic]
2. Titanic(1997)
IMDb: 7.7
A classic for romantics and disaster movie lovers alike Titanic tells the story of how a upper-class girl named Rose and a lower-class boy named Jack who fall in love on the ill-fated ship destined to sink after a collision with a iceberg. Often with disaster movies it is easy to remove yourself from tragedy of the event. However, through the characters of Rose and Jack the audience becomes involved in the drama, struggling with the horror of a ship full of people that cannot all be rescued and the class struggles that take place as everyone struggles to survive. Along with being a great disaster movie, the film features famous lines and fans can witness the start of the friendship between Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet.
Titanic - Official Trailer [1997] by Movies History on YouTube
[new page=1. The Day After Tomorrow]
1. The Day After Tomorrow(2004)
IMDb:6.4
Some might believe that The Day After Tomorrow deserves a place farther down on the Top 10 list due to its scientific inaccuracies as reported by USA Today. However, this film has numerous characteristics that deem it worthy of its position at the top of the Top 10 disaster movie list. The basic premise of the movie is that global warming and climate change have finally taken their toll on the world, causing a rapid transition into another ice age. Struggling through the dramatic climate change a scientist struggles to find his son, played by a Jake Gyllenhaal. While the science might not be correct, The Day After Tomorrow does a good job of showing the rapid and possibly permanent effects of a disaster, and the way that it can change lives forever.
Check out the The Day After Tomorrow-Official Trailer on YouTube: