This theme seemed so difficult for me in the beginning because I was so stuck with the idea of rescuing a person, or a group of people. Then I thought, saving the world is also a rescue mission – duh! So after that obvious realisation, I was noting down so many movies and before I knew it I had my list. All three movies have something to do with the world sort of ending, two of them made me cry and one is simply a blast from the past when it comes to disaster movies.
1. INDEPENDANCE DAY (1996)
Let’s ignore the fact that this movie ever got a sequel (and the third one is on its way) because without it, it’s a pretty perfect alien movie! It has emotion, it has thrill, it has humour (I will never forget that scene in the dessert where Will Smith smacks that alien), and most importantly, it has heart. And it’s all about people coming together to save the world, which somehow felt so empowering back in the 90’s before saving the world became the plot in every superhero movie ever. So I wanted to pick this one for this week because of nostalgia and the tears I cried while I watched the final battle unfold because no rescue is without its sacrifice.
2. ARMAGEDDON (1998)
Another saving the world situation but this time, instead of aliens, Armageddon explores the danger of Earth being hit by an asteroid. So they send in deep core drillers (still an interesting and questionable choice in terms of plot but I’m not going to discuss that), which results in every day men going into space and trying to save the entire world. There are again tears because well, the world is in danger and there’s family drama and well, you just got to see it for yourself. And let me just say, the 90’s did disaster movies so good! They may seem cheesy but man, compared to the stuff we get now, 90’s was the bomb dot com!
3. THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW (2004)
Now, this is another one of those picks that is a bit out there but I had fun with this one! Plus, it has baby Jake Gyllenhaal in it, so for any of his fans, this is a must! And, this is written and directed by the same guy who did Independence Day (also its sequel but that doesn’t exist), which just goes to show that this Emmerich guy knows (or knew) how to rescue people. The Day After Tomorrow might not have the same kind of emotional impact and the nostalgia factor as Independence Day and Armageddon, but it’s still fun and doesn’t fall into the deep end with clichés (that much).
THIS SERIES IS CREATED BY WANDERING THROUGH THE SHELVES
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There’s going to be a third Independence Day movie?? I really enjoyed the first one, and didn’t bother with the sequel. I liked The Day After Tomorrow; I always find myself watching it when I use to see it on TV.
These are great popcorn movies. I remember being so distracted in Day After Tomorrow with Jake Gyllenhaal playing a teen because I felt like I had seen Donnie Darko ages before.
He is so fresh it is weird! But I still think he looks good. 😅
Honestly, I’d rather be destroyed by an asteroid than see a frame of Armageddon and everything else Michael Bay has done since.
Oh I think Bay has done a few okay ones, I like The Island as well. 😬
Didn’t like that one either. It’s really a rip-off of Logan’s Run but w/o car chases and clones.
Sorry, but this batch of movies doesn’t do it for me. I loved ID4 when I saw it in theaters, not so much on subsequent viewings. Can’t believe there is going to be a 3rd one. I hated your other 2 picks the first time I saw them.
Well, to pick three movies you dislike, feels like a different kind of victory. 😀