The End is Near… Let’s Watch a Movie!
All this North Korea news has us feeling particularly apocalyptic lately, so we decided what better way to cope than to make a list of our favorite movies about the end of the world?
Here are our top picks, in no particular order.
Shaun of the Dead
The undead are definitely a possibly of nuclear war, so we just picked the best one of the lot. Shaun of the Dead takes all the elements of zombie films and throws them together in an amazing send up, complete with characters you care about and a unique style of comedy that works in tandem with the film’s editing.
Mad Max: Fury Road
Even if you’ve never seen a prior Mad Max film, and even if you don’t think you’ll care about this one, see it anyway. Seriously, it’s a fun action flick, and incredibly, the use of CGI is minimal! For a movie with this level of intensely epic car chase scenes, practical effects make it look amazing. Do you see that still in the image above? Fucking beautiful.
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
Complete with an unhinged nationalist, the threat of nuclear war, and a Nazi, Dr. Strangelove could not be more timely. Peter Sellers commands the screen in three separate roles and there’s a perfect amount of comedy peppered throughout to make it the perfect addition to this list.
The Book of Eli
Denzel Washington and Gary Oldman pretty much prop this one up, but boy is it a joyful and uneven ride. Full of inventive ideas, well choreographed fight scenes, and other-worldly elements, The Book of Eli is a good time in a post apocalyptic world. Except for Mila Kunis. She’s also there and it’s not great.
The Road
Grab a box of tissues for this one, because shit just got heavy. The Road follows the journey of a father trying to keep his son safe after nuclear war ravages the US. The movie offers a gritty, plausible glimpse into how bleak times would be, and what lengths people would go to in order to protect themselves and stay alive. It’s sad, tense, exciting, and heart wrenching at times, with beautiful cinematography to match.
Leave a comment and let us know what your favorite movies are about the end of the world!