Whether they ’re satiric , romantic , or grimly release , these apocalyptic movies do n’t deplume any punches when it descend to the end of the cosmos . The post - apocalyptic genre has been gain popularity in both film and television system in late twelvemonth , but thebest movies about the end of the worldare from all eras of movie theatre . Many tale refer upon the search for solutions to the coming catastrophesand the lookup for new worlds . While it ’s skillful to observe a picture about the oddment of the world that end on an uplifting note , some flick opt for a melancholy tone .

There are plenty offun post - revelatory sci - fi movies , but just as many stories grapple with the lede - up to the terminal days , finding some way of avert the Book of Revelation . However , there ’s something satisfying about a motion picture that pushes its characters and the audience to face the realness that everything must eventually come to an last . Often , these narration take their acute subject issue and apply it as a comment on contemporary issuesthat humanity is front , whether that be the threat of atomic warfare or the climate crisis . However , there are also small human report about the quieter moment of heartache .

10Don’t Look Up (2021)

Directed by Adam McKay

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Do n’t depend Up follows two astronomers ( Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence ) desperately trying to warn humanity about an approaching comet that they believe could pass over out all lifetime on Earth . When the President ( Meryl Streep ) and her son ( Jonah Hill ) discount their warnings , they embark on a medium tour to enlighten the world , earning the ire of the global public who refuse to think in the risk . Meanwhile , an eccentric billionaire ( Mark Rylance ) begins to fund an emergency colonization commission to take humanity out among the principal .

The star - studdedDon’t count Upis a comedy on paper , but that does n’t mean the story does n’t have something cryptical to say . WhileDon’t see Upis about the inevitable coming of a comet that will destruct Earth , it ’s really discussing how brawny people and organizations , like governments and medium pudding stone , will gyrate the trueness and take advantage of tragedy for the sake of making a net . Don’t await Updoesn’t see the movie ’s heroes win and live jubilantly ever after , but it does see them proven right .

In direct conversation with the climate crisis and the reactionist 24 - time of day intelligence cycle , Don’t Look Upis a inviolable blending of societal commentary that ’s unbiassed enough to appeal to a wide-cut raiment of audiences .

Imagery-from-2001-A-Space-Odyssey-and-The-Shining

In lineal conversation with the clime crisis and the reactionist 24 - hour news cycle per second , Don’t reckon Upis a solid blend of social commentary that ’s indifferent enough to appeal to a wide array of audiences . It ’s one ofJennifer Lawrence ’s best comedy pic rolessince it make her character , Kate , search cockeyed while also letting her flex her dramatic muscularity . The central cast ’s chemical science and commitment to their over - the - top characters make it easy to root for and despise the opposing sidesof the conflict .

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Rotten Tomatoes Critic grade

Custom collage of Leonardo DiCaprio as Dr. Randall Mindy in Don’t Look Up and Chiwetel Ejiofor as geologist Adrian Helmsley in 2012.

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score

Do n’t Look Up ( 2021 )

56 %

Collage of Willow and Clash of the Titans

78 %

9Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World (2012)

Directed by Lorene Scafaria

assay a Friend for the End of the World follows two alien , toy by Steve Carell and Keira Knightley , who set out on a route trip to find a high schooling truelove before an oncoming asteroid institute forward the end of the world .

Keira Knightley and Steve Carell make an unexpected but sweet pair inSeeking a Friend for the remainder of the World , a movie about two people looking for a literal connection before all living ends . Their type , Dodge and Penny , never know each other well before the apocalypse became impendent , but they team up up to come up their lost loved one before the asteroid hits amid a macrocosm fade out into topsy-turvyness . Though the central character do n’t take in much of the debauchery themselves , they find their own way of coping with the nihilistic delusion of knowing there ’s no avoiding the last .

While the film received mixed reviews from critics and audiences , there ’s no question that this unostentatious drama easily brings a split to the centre . Seeing the relationship between Dodge and Penny get built up over time , only to be cut shortsighted by the Revelation of Saint John the Divine , is heartbreaking . try a Friend for the End of the Worldis deeply implicated with timingand overleap chances when it come in to relationships . In the end , the movie decide that fortune has a plan for the masses who come and go in our lives , and everything is intend to unfold as it does .

Don’t-Look-Up,-Seeing-a-Friend-for-the-End-of-the-World,-and-Dr.-Strangelove

Image by Yeider Chacon

Seeking a Friend for the close of the World ( 2012 )

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Don’t Look Up follows two astronomers (Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence) desperately trying to warn humanity about an approaching comet that they believe could wipe out all life on Earth. When the President (Meryl Streep) and her son (Jonah Hill) ignore their warnings, they embark on a media tour to enlighten the public, earning the ire of the global populace who refuse to believe in the danger. Meanwhile, an eccentric billionaire (Mark Rylance) begins to fund an emergency colonization mission to take humanity out among the stars.

8Melancholia (2011)

Directed by Lars von Trier

Kirsten Dunst is at her good inMelancholia , the film by Lars von Trierthat uses the apocalypse as a metaphor for its part ’s struggles with depression and feel of spiritlessness . Dunst portrays Justine paired Charlotte Gainsbourg , run Justine ’s baby Claire . The character have oppose views on the come end of the humans , as Justine ’s impression take in her tacitly accept of the Revelation , while Claire ’s desire to avoid her destiny only make her final days fill with terror .

As Justine ’s worked up reality is of a sudden toy out before her as a reality of the last of the world , it ’s interesting to watch her fall to understand her own interior self well .

Von Trier uses surrealist visuals , cinematography , and aestheticsto pass the celluloid ’s doom and despair . Though it ’s not at all an easy movie to watch , Melancholiatoes the job of glamorize depression at times . However , it attain a nuanced comment on these complex emotions alternatively . As Justine ’s emotional reality is short played out before her as a realness of the remainder of the humanity , it ’s interesting to take in her come to understand her own internal self better .

77th Cannes Film Festival - Opening Ceremony Official Gala DinnerHeadshot Of Meryl Streep In The

Melancholia ( 2011 )

80 %

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Headshot Of Tyler Perry

7Dr. Strangelove (1964)

Directed by Stanley Kubrick

Stanley Kubrick ’s 1964 black - and - white satire Dr. Strangelove or : How I Learned to blockade Worrying and Love the Bomb spoof the develop tenseness between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War . Starring Peter Sellers , the plot of ground revolves around a US Air Force superior general who regularize a nuclear fire on the Soviet Union against the wishes of the government .

It ’s hard to believe thatDr . Strangelovecame out in 1964 , as the film is so relevant and hold up brightly today . However , simultaneously , it ’s enormously rooted in its own time and the context of the growing paranoia of the Cold War . Widely regarded as thebest movie about the Cold War , Dr. Strangeloveis as morose as it is screaming , establish how ridiculous it is that the lives of billions of people and the luck of the universe rests in the hands of a small-scale group of largely clumsy someone .

Stanley Kubrick was one of the most innovative and imaginative conductor of all time , with almost every entry making undulation in cinematic account .

seeking a friend for the end of the world poster

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World follows two strangers, played by Steve Carell and Keira Knightley, who set out on a road trip to find a high school sweetheart before an oncoming asteroid brings forth the end of the world.

Peter Sellers embody the timbre ofDr . Strangelovein his three theatrical role as the Group Captain , the President of the United States , and the titular Dr. Strangelove . The moving picture certify what makes Stanley Kubrick such an enduring and beloved author - theater director , as he balances cutting political satire with genuine entertainment throughout the movie ’s runtime . As the motion-picture show hurtles towards its conclusion with the speed of the nuclear load on which the story revolves , the hearing will express joy as much as they cringe , thinking about how little has interchange since 1964 .

Dr. Strangelove ( 1964 )

98 %

Headshot Of Steve Carell In The premiere of Illumination’s ‘Despicable Me 4’

94 %

6This Is The End (2013)

Directed by Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg

In This Is the ending , a group of renown playact overstated versions of themselves during the last of the world . Seth Rogen , James Franco , Jay Baruchel , Jonah Hill , Craig Robinson , and Danny McBride adept in the 2013 Book of Revelation comedy , with appearances by Emma Watson , Rihanna , Kevin Hart , Paul Rudd , Mindy Kaling , Channing Tatum , the Backstreet Boys , and various other Hollywood celebs .

This outlandish comedic film about the end of the worldly concern grapples with friendship , religion , and renown as the apocalypse hit Los Angeles and a radical of selfish motion-picture show stars . Featuring a stacked mold of comedic and dramatic player playing heightened fictionalise versions of themselves , This Is the Endprimarily focus on the friendship between Seth Rogen and Jay Baruchel . As they ’re trapped with James Franco and a large stamp of recognizable actors , each of them agnise that the exaltation has come .

While there ’s no avoiding the end of the populace inThis Is the End , it still render a happier and more digestible conclusion than other films of the genre .

Headshot Of Keira Knightley

Arguably the least nuanced or interrogatory story about the apocalypse , This Is the Endisn’t trying to make any point much large than the grandness of being kind and true to friends . In many ways , this is a refreshing take on the literary genre , and also the clowning veteran to have fun with each other on tv camera and take reward of their heavy chemistry . While there ’s no head off the remainder of the world inThis Is the End , it still provides a well-chosen and more digestible conclusion than other film of the genre .

This Is the conclusion ( 2013 )

82 %

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71 %

5Threads (1984)

Directed by Mick Jackson

ribbon is a British TV film directed by Mick Jackson , depict the shock of a nuclear war on the city of Sheffield and its occupant . Released in 1984 , the moving-picture show conform to the lives of two families as they grapple with the immediate and long - term core of the ruinous upshot . The narrative offers a bleak and naturalistic portrayal of the societal breakdown and human suffering cause by atomic conflict .

The critically hail nuclear - warfare movieThreadswas a revolutionary step forward in cinema , directly address the aftermath of a nuclear apocalypse . apportion with the latter half of the Cold War and the tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union , Threadstakes its expansive subject thing and zooms in on a lowly town in Englandand how the residents there judge to hold up . Threadsslowly and distressingly draw a vividly imagined series of result that could easy spread as society is eradicate and then attempts to rebuild .

ThoughThreadsisn’t as wide talked about as some of the best revelatory narratives , it ’s advance grip in the years since its release . This is for the most part thanks to its unflinching realism . Life marches on inThreads , even as life are destroyed , and the creation is essentially plunged back into the Middle Ages . It ’s a difficult and benighted portraiture of the cycle of life and is a clear word of advice to its witness about what look man if they continue down a way of war and obliteration .

Headshot Of Charlotte Gainsbourg

thread ( 1984 )

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42012 (2009)

Directed by Roland Emmerich

Roland Emmerich ’s 2012 is a disaster movie inspire by the idea that the end of the Mayan calendar forebode the end of the world . Starring John Cusack , Chiwetel Ejiofor , Amanda Peet , and Woody Harrelson , the 2009 movie plays up the possible effects of natural disasters such as earthquakes , tsunamis , and opposite shifting .

Similarly to the fears surrounding Y2 K and the end of the world at the turn of events of the century , there were foretelling and anxiety about 2012.The 2009 movie2012imagines a version of reality where the earth ends in 2012 thanks to a series of geological disasters that are brought to biography excitingly onscreen . Overall,2012was universally praise for its ocular burden and how it create cataclysm while fall a bit flat in terms of its emotional charm . However,2012was always entail to be a heightened action - calamity movie , not a contemplative take on the terminal of the worldly concern .

2012is a outstanding cataclysm movie for the spectacle and the far - reaching story it presents .

Headshot Of Alexander Skarsgard

feature a large ensemble cast with iconic actors like John Cusack , Chiwetel Ejiofor , and Danny Glover,2012examines what the end of days would appear like for a variety of hoi polloi of unlike social family and standings . From the President of the United States to everyday citizens who are left without tickets to the life - lay aside arcs the rich and powerful are building,2012attempts to make some class commentary about the end of the earth . Ultimately,2012is a great disaster movie for the spectacle and the far - reaching narrative it presents .

2012 ( 2009 )

40 %

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Stanley Kubrick’s 1964 black-and-white satire Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb parodies the growing tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Starring Peter Sellers, the plot revolves around a US Air Force general who orders a nuclear attack on the Soviet Union against the wishes of the government.

47 %

Whether based on real events or not , these movies canvas both human perseverance and the fragility of civilisation in the face of nature ’s bare-ass power .

3These Final Hours (2013)

Directed by Zak Hilditch

These last Hours is an Australian apocalyptic drama directed by Zak Hilditch . star Nathan Phillips and Angourie Rice , the film chronicles the last hour of Earth as a cataclysmic case approaches . The story keep up a ego - destructive man who find purpose after rescuing a young fille searching for her father . The film depict their journeying through the pandemonium and their attempts to find redemption before the world stop .

Audiences might recognise Angourie Rice as Rose from her recent role in the 2024Mean Girlsmovie or her turn inNice Guysin 2016 . However , a few year before these projects , she yield an emotionally gripping performance opposite Phillips inThese Final Hours , with Sarah Snook also making an coming into court in the project . Subtly balancing action and violence with cranky worked up moment , These Final Hourstakes the audience on an acute but purgative journeying .

These Final Hours ( 2013 )

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2The Cabin In The Woods (2011)

Directed by Drew Goddard

The Cabin in the Woods rigorously follows the traditional slasher motion-picture show dynamic : a group of teens channelize to a distant locating for the weekend only to witness themselves beset by teras . However , what they do n’t fuck is that the inevitable horrors they will face have all been arranged by a cryptic team watching from a facility deeply underground .

In a delightful intermixture of genres , The Cabin in the Woodsblends element of horror , thriller , comedy , and the Revelation of Saint John the Divine into its pissed runtime , never dragging or knock off a moment of screentime . It utilizes the classic tropes of scary movies and incorporate them through meta - textual commentaryon both filmmakers and audiences who engage in these iconic but formulaic stories . The narrative change state inThe Cabin in the Woodsmakes comedic commentary about the nihilism of the end of the world .

Like other gain to the genre , The Cabin in the Woodsuses its narrative to enquire if humanity is worthy of averting the apocalypse because of the terrible way people handle each other .

This is the End Movie Poster

In This Is the End, a group of celebrities play exaggerated versions of themselves during the end of the world. Seth Rogen, James Franco, Jay Baruchel, Jonah Hill, Craig Robinson, and Danny McBride star in the 2013 apocalypse comedy, with appearances by Emma Watson, Rihanna, Kevin Hart, Paul Rudd, Mindy Kaling, Channing Tatum, the Backstreet Boys, and various other Hollywood celebs.

Easily one of thebest thriller picture of the 2010s , The Cabin in the Woodslets the audience in on the game of the fib quickly , but that does n’t make it any less compelling . Like other summation to the musical style , The Cabin in the Woodsuses its story to enquire if humanness is desirable of averting the Revelation of Saint John the Divine because of the horrific way of life people treat each other . Though the film is a treat for film fans with an pursuit in cinematic structure , it appeal to all viewers thanks to its high entertainment economic value .

The Cabin in the Woods ( 2011 )

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Headshot Of Seth Rogen

74 %

1Miracle Mile (1988)

Directed by Steve De Jarnatt

Miracle Mile , directed by Steve De Jarnatt , centers on Harry , who , after run into the girl of his dreams , receives alarming news of an impending nuclear strike on Los Angeles . The film unfolds over the course of action of a tense hour as panic ensues and Harry wash against time .

The fast pace ofMiracle Milekeeps the story locomote forward at a propulsive pep pill , never allowing the viewer to enamor their hint . As much about the futile yet beautiful uncovering of love life as it is about the end of the creation , Miracle Milefollows Harry ( Antony Edwards ) and Julie ( Mare Winningham ) as they embark on a whirlwind romance just as nuclear armageddon hits . Primarily focusing on Harry as his accidental discovery of the news show , Miracle Milesees many different people come to terms with their fates .

Set in the Miracle Mile neighborhood of Los Angeles , Miracle Mileuses the La Brea mariner pits as a recurring location throughout the write up , creating a parallel of latitude between the long - utter fossil that man find in the pits and the inevitability of humans ’s own quenching . It ’s unmanageable not to sense actual fear throughoutMiracle Mile , asthe motion-picture show does n’t pull away from the mass hysteria and unavoidable anxiousness that accompanies the certain end of the human beings .

hEADSHOT oF James Franco

Miracle Mile ( 1988 )

73 %

Threads (1984) - Poster

Threads is a British television film directed by Mick Jackson, depicting the impact of a nuclear war on the city of Sheffield and its residents. Released in 1984, the film follows the lives of two families as they grapple with the immediate and long-term effects of the catastrophic event. The narrative offers a stark and realistic portrayal of the societal breakdown and human suffering caused by nuclear conflict.

Article image

Roland Emmerich’s 2012 is a disaster movie inspired by the idea that the end of the Mayan calendar predicted the end of the world. Starring John Cusack, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Amanda Peet, and Woody Harrelson, the 2009 movie plays up the possible effects of natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, and polar shifts.

Headshot Of Danny Glover

These Final Hours (2014) - Poster

These Final Hours is an Australian apocalyptic drama directed by Zak Hilditch. Starring Nathan Phillips and Angourie Rice, the film chronicles the last hours of Earth as a cataclysmic event approaches. The story follows a self-destructive man who finds purpose after rescuing a young girl searching for her father. The film depicts their journey through the chaos and their attempts to find redemption before the world ends.

Headshot Of Nathan Phillips

Headshot Of Angourie Rice

Headshot Of Jessica De Gouw

Article image

The Cabin in the Woods strictly follows the traditional slasher movie dynamic: a group of teens heads to a remote location for the weekend only to find themselves beset by monsters. However, what they don’t know is that the inevitable horrors they will face have all been arranged by a mysterious team watching from a facility deep underground.

Headshot oF Richard Jenkins

Miracle Mile (1988) - Poster

Miracle Mile, directed by Steve De Jarnatt, centers on Harry, who, after meeting the girl of his dreams, receives alarming news of an impending nuclear strike on Los Angeles. The film unfolds over the course of a tense hour as panic ensues and Harry races against time.

Headshot Of Anthony Edwards

Headshot Of Mare Winningham In The 75th Annual Tony Awards Meet The Nominees Press Event

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