I’m developing this theory that apocalypses come in two flavours. Fun, and really fucking grim. The Stand is a fun apocalypse. And Steve Stirling’s Dies the Fire. And, I would hope, my own Zero Day Code.
Not so much fun? The Road. Snowpiercer the movie. (I haven’t seen the TV series). And, reaching back for a black and white classic, On the Beach.
The Undead can be great fun; ie. Zombieland or Shaun of the Dead. Or a terrible grimdark slog, like Black Summer.
I plated up Amazon’s big budget meteor of death flick Greenland while recovering from yesterday’s snip, hoping to divert myself with some extinction-level-shenanigans… But nope.
This was, I’m afraid to report, a very well observed, very realistic, very depressing couple of hours about just how badly homo sapiens wold handle the same fate as the dinosaurs.
Gerard Butler plays an estranged dad – aren’t they all in these films – and Morena Baccarin (Deadpool’s hot girlfriend) his disappointed wife. There’s a kid too. Because in Hollywood only families fight for survival as planet-killing comets race towards Earth.
The acting was fine. The special effects pleasingly destructive. But the humanity? Oh the humanity! We sucked. Now, humanity normally sucks at the end of the world, but there’s always a plucky little band of survivors to cheer for as well. And Butler’s family are plucky. And you want them to survive.
But jeez, does the struggle have to be so… strugglesome?
Get me Bruce Willis and a rock steady crew of hard drinking oil riggers and I’ll show you how to handle a planet-killing meteor of death.
Most up non-splosion end of the world has to be The Quiet Earth. Four actors wander around New Zealand and Bruno Lawrence gets naked. What's not to like? Especially their reason for being alive.
Thanks for the heads up Greenland was in my to-watch list. Oh my god Black Summer - no one who is kind or generous is positively rewarded. Mind you neither are arse hats. In the fun end of the world category where we once had Saun of the Dead I would like to add Anna and the apocalypse which I really enjoyed. A musical zom-com.
OMG I just watched the terrible Nicholas Cage stinker LEFT BEHIND and it was terrible and it stank. But i did enjoy the rapture bit.
Now try Nicholas Cages Jiu Jitsu
Snow Piercer the TV show was also quite grim, although I've not seen the movie version :)
You are right, On The Beach is an epic downer. Good book, tho.
Morena makes everything extra hot. Combine her with Laura Vandervoort in V, and it really gets steamy ;-) .
Okay so no world shattering, but the doctor ordered splosions and senseless violence? Try this: https://www.primevideo.com/detail/The-East/0OUPLE2B3ZTNAUDNFVGJ1RR20O
Most up non-splosion end of the world has to be The Quiet Earth. Four actors wander around New Zealand and Bruno Lawrence gets naked. What's not to like? Especially their reason for being alive.
Great flick. The final shot is spectacular.
Thanks for the heads up Greenland was in my to-watch list. Oh my god Black Summer - no one who is kind or generous is positively rewarded. Mind you neither are arse hats. In the fun end of the world category where we once had Saun of the Dead I would like to add Anna and the apocalypse which I really enjoyed. A musical zom-com.
homo sapiens "wold" handle (a piece of high, open, uncultivated land or moor?)