Disaster Porn movies are my favorite genre of film. From localized geo disasters, to earth-wide weather disasters, to human extinction alien invasions. Destroy me daddy. Be a climate change allegory.
I’ve kept this list to movies where life on earth starts as relatively normal and then descends into disaster.
Any of these movie make you lose Hope?
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How to watch section is based on September 2021 and may not be 100% accurate.
Twister (1996)
About: It’s amazing the sense of dread that can be filled in a localized Tornado movie. No earth ending tornado. No sharks included. Just your standard F3-F5s. Just revenge (or near) on one unlucky woman. A great cast and surprisingly great special effects. (Hello cow.) A must watch every spring.
How to watch: Currently on HBO Max.
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The Day After Tomorrow (2004)
About: The butt of many jokes (and possibly deservedly so), it still is a great, on-the-nose, climate change allegory. Has it helped effect any change? No. But maybe We Should Have Listened. And we still love Jakey G.
How to watch: Currently watch on HBO Max and Hulu.
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2012 (2009)
About: It’s not good, but it’s not bad either? Turns out the Mayans (or anyone else, including these movie makers) weren’t right. But it sure is a fun, and dumb, time being wrong.
How to watch: Currently watch on Netflix and Hulu.
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Dante’s Peak (1997)
About: Pierce. I really don’t have to say anything else, but I will say this is once again a great local geo disaster, with replayability. Makes me think twice about moving near Mount St. Helens. Pierce.
How to watch: Currently watch on HBO Max and Hulu.
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Deep Impact (1998)
About: It’s better than Armageddon but maybe just slightly less fun. Hollywood was really on one in 1998.
How to watch: Currently watch on AMC+.
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Independence Day (1996)
About: One of the best. If not The.
How to watch: Currently on Hulu, Amazon Prime, and HBO Max.
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The Core (2003)
About: I mean…it’s hard to sell this one but how about this: Stanley Tucci.
How to watch: Currently on Amazon Prime and Paramount+.
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Armageddon (1998)
About: A great cast. It’s fun. Order some pizza. Make some popcorn. Invite the kid’s friends over. Ruin the kid’s expectations of relative safety here on earth.
How to watch: Currently on Amazon Prime.
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Arrival (2016)
About: Ö Õ Ô Ó Ò
How to watch: Currently on Amazon Prime and Paramount+.
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Annihilation (2018)
About: I forget. It’s sad though. And weird. And good. And Natalie Portman. And Oscar Isaac.
How to watch: Currently on Paramount+.
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Jurassic Park (1993)
About: Ya better hold on to your butts for this one!!
How to watch: Currently on Hulu, Amazon Prime, and HBO Max.
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Updated April 2023.
