Top Disaster Movies

From John Carpenter, starring Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley, Keith David, Richard Masur
Rated R

The Thing is a 1982 science-fiction horror film directed by John Carpenter and written by Bill Lancaster. The film follows a group of American researchers in Antarctica who encounter a parasitic extraterrestrial life-form that assimilates other organisms and in turn imitates them. After a dog from a nearby Norwegian research station infiltrates the American base, the creature assimilates the dog and then begins to imitate it, leading the Americans to suspect that other members of the group have also been assimilated. Fearing the creature will assimilate the entire world, the researchers work together to stop it. The film stars Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley, and Keith David, and features a score composed by Ennio Morricone.

From Franklin J. Schaffner, starring Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Maurice Evans
Rated G

Planet of the Apes is a classic science fiction film directed by Franklin J. Schaffner and released in 1968. The story follows an astronaut crew as they crash-land on a strange planet ruled by intelligent apes. The astronauts must find a way to survive in this alien world where they are treated as inferior and escape back to Earth before they are caught by the ape authorities. Along the way, they discover a shocking truth about the planet and their own future. The film stars Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, and Maurice Evans and features groundbreaking special effects that revolutionized the sci-fi genre. The film was met with critical and commercial success, spawning a franchise of sequels, a remake, and a prequel.

From James Cameron, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane, Kathy Bates
Rated PG-13

Titanic is a 1997 American epic romantic disaster film directed, written, co-produced, and co-edited by James Cameron. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet as Jack and Rose, two members of different social classes who fall in love aboard the ill-fated luxury passenger liner RMS Titanic during its maiden voyage in 1912. The story follows the ship's passengers and crew during its ill-fated maiden voyage, as they attempt to survive when it tragically hits an iceberg and begins to sink. With time running out, Jack and Rose struggle to stay alive as the ship sinks further into the freezing depths of the North Atlantic. The film also features a star-studded cast with supporting roles from Billy Zane, Kathy Bates, Gloria Stuart and Bill Paxton. Titanic was the highest grossing film of all time until Avatar (2009), also directed by Cameron, surpassed it in 2010. It won an unprecedented eleven Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director. It remains one of the most beloved films of all time, and its iconic theme song, “My Heart Will Go On”, is still widely known.

From Edgar Wright, starring Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Kate Ashfield, Lucy Davis
Rated R

Shaun of the Dead is a 2004 British horror-comedy film directed by Edgar Wright. Starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, the film follows Shaun, a directionless, thirty-something year old in London who is caught in the middle of a zombie apocalypse. With the help of his best friend and flatmate, Ed, Shaun must fight his way through hordes of zombies and rescue his family, while still attempting to maintain some semblance of his normal life. Along the way, Shaun learns to take control of his own life and rise to the challenge of survival.

From Directors: Merian C. Cooper, Ernest B. Schoedsack, starring Fay Wray, Robert Armstrong, Bruce Cabot, Frank Reicher
Rated Passed

King Kong is a 1933 classic American monster adventure film directed by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack. The story follows a team of adventurers as they travel to a remote island off the coast of Sumatra in the South Pacific, where they find the mysterious Skull Island. On the island, they discover a giant ape called Kong, who is worshipped by the native people. The adventurers capture Kong and take him to New York, where he escapes and goes on a rampage through the city. The film is a cautionary warning about the dangers of exploiting nature, as Kong ultimately meets a tragic end.

From Alfonso Cuarón, starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Caine
Rated R

Children of Men is a 2006 dystopian science fiction film directed by Alfonso Cuarón, starring Clive Owen and Julianne Moore. Set in the year 2027, it follows Theo Faron (Owen), a former activist who must help protect a miraculously pregnant woman from a chaotic world on the brink of collapse. In a world in which humanity has been rendered infertile, the woman's miraculous pregnancy has given hope for the future and has made her the target of a powerful, oppressive regime. With the help of his ex-wife, Julian (Moore), and a refugee named Kee (Clare-Hope Ashitey), Theo must help protect and deliver the woman to a mysterious group of revolutionaries who are determined to save mankind from extinction.

From George A. Romero, starring Duane Jones, Judith O'Dea, Karl Hardman, Marilyn Eastman
Rated Not Rated

Night of the Living Dead is a classic zombie horror film directed by George A. Romero and released in 1968. The film follows seven people as they barricade themselves inside a Pennsylvania farmhouse in order to survive the onslaught of flesh-eating zombies that have risen from the dead. The group soon realize that the zombies are only the beginning of their problems and must work together to survive the night, or risk becoming one of the undead. With its intense horror sequences, social commentary, and iconic imagery, Night of the Living Dead quickly became a cult classic and one of the most influential horror films of all time.

From Don Siegel, starring Kevin McCarthy, Dana Wynter, Larry Gates, King Donovan
Rated Approved

Invasion of the Body Snatchers is a 1956 science fiction horror film directed by Don Siegel. The film follows doctor Miles Bennell, who discovers that alien spores have fallen to Earth and are transforming the inhabitants of his small California town into emotionless duplicates of the originals. As he races against time to save his friends, Miles must also figure out how to prevent the aliens from completely taking over the town. With its suspenseful story and eerie atmosphere, Invasion of the Body Snatchers remains a classic of the genre.

From Ron Howard, starring Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon, Gary Sinise
Rated PG

Apollo 13 is a 1995 American space docudrama film directed by Ron Howard and starring Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton, Gary Sinise, and Ed Harris. The film follows the ill-fated 1970 Apollo 13 lunar mission and is based on the book Lost Moon: The Perilous Voyage of Apollo 13 by astronaut Jim Lovell and Jeffrey Kluger. The story begins as the three astronauts, Jim Lovell (Tom Hanks), Fred Haise (Bill Paxton), and Jack Swigert (Kevin Bacon) are preparing to leave for the Apollo 13 mission. With only days before their launch, the crew members must prepare for the hazardous journey that lies ahead. However, soon after launch, an explosion occurs on the spacecraft which cripples it, leaving the astronauts in a race against time to get back to Earth. Ground control and the astronauts must work together to overcome the odds and devise a way to bring the astronauts home safely. In the end, the crew manages to survive the ordeal and return to Earth, becoming heroes in the process. Apollo 13 highlights the courage, strength, and tenacity of the Apollo 13 crew and serves as a reminder that even the greatest of challenges can be overcome

From Alfred Hitchcock, starring Rod Taylor, Tippi Hedren, Jessica Tandy, Suzanne Pleshette
Rated PG-13

The Birds is a horror film directed by Alfred Hitchcock and released in 1963. The film follows the story of a wealthy socialite, Melanie Daniels, who travels to the small coastal town of Bodega Bay, California, to meet the family of her love interest, Mitch Brenner. Upon arriving in the town, strange and violent bird attacks plague the area, leading to the townspeople being terrorized. As the bird attacks become more frequent and violent, Melanie, Mitch, and the townspeople must battle for their survival against the relentless avian onslaught. As the film progresses, Melanie and Mitch discover that the attacks are a result of a strange and unknown force controlling the birds.

From Paul Greengrass, starring David Alan Basche, Olivia Thirlby, Liza Colón-Zayas, J.J. Johnson
Rated R

United 93 is a 2006 thriller film based on the events of September 11, 2001. Directed by Paul Greengrass, the film follows the doomed flight of United Airlines Flight 93 from Newark, New Jersey to San Francisco, California. The film focuses on the passengers and crew aboard the flight as they learn about the terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington D.C. and ultimately decide to fight back against their hijackers. The film follows their heroic struggle and eventual crash in an open field in Pennsylvania. The film’s cast includes J.J. Johnson, David Alan Basche, William Blanchett, Trish Gates, and many other real-life passengers and crew members from the flight. United 93 is a powerful and haunting look at the heroism of the passengers and crew on United 93, and their actions that day that changed the course of history.

From Ruben Fleischer, starring Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Woody Harrelson, Abigail Breslin
Rated R

Zombieland is a 2009 American zombie comedy directed by Ruben Fleischer and written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. The film follows four survivors of a zombie apocalypse, Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), Wichita (Emma Stone), and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin), as they travel across the United States in search of a safe haven. Along the way, they must deal with the undead, along with the difficulties of working together in order to survive. The film is filled with action, comedy, and scary moments, and is an all-around enjoyable experience.

From Rupert Wyatt, starring James Franco, Andy Serkis, Freida Pinto, Karin Konoval
Rated PG-13

Rise of the Planet of the Apes is a science fiction film directed by Rupert Wyatt and released in 2011. It is a reboot of the Planet of the Apes franchise and the first installment in the prequel trilogy. The film stars Andy Serkis as Caesar, a chimpanzee who acquires human-level intelligence and emotions through a gene-altering drug. Caesar ultimately leads an uprising of intelligent apes against the humans who imprisoned and oppressed them. After battling through several obstacles, the apes eventually succeed in their quest for freedom and take over the planet.

From George Miller, starring Mel Gibson, Bruce Spence, Michael Preston, Max Phipps
Rated R

The Road Warrior is a 1981 Australian post-apocalyptic action film directed by George Miller. Set in a future Australian wasteland, the film follows a lone drifter, referred to as "The Road Warrior" (Mel Gibson) as he attempts to transport a precious cargo of fuel across a desert in exchange for a safe haven. Along the way, he is pursued by a gang led by the ruthless Lord Humungus (Kjell Nilsson). With the help of the Gyro Captain (Bruce Spence), a group of survivors, and a dog, The Road Warrior must fight off both Humungus' gang and a rival gang in order to protect the fuel and ensure his own survival.

From Danny Boyle, starring Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, Christopher Eccleston, Alex Palmer
Rated R

"28 Days Later..." is a post-apocalyptic horror film directed by Danny Boyle and released in 2002. Set in a near-future England, the film follows Jim, a bicycle courier who wakes up from a coma in a deserted hospital 28 days after an animal-borne virus known as "Rage" has spread across the country. Jim soon discovers the virus has annihilated much of the population and transformed them into homicidal, zombie-like creatures known as "Infected". To survive, he joins forces with a small group of survivors who are struggling to reach London, where they believe they will be safe. Along the way, they encounter not only the Infected, but also a group of dangerous military personnel who are trying to take control of the situation. Through their journey, the survivors must face the difficult choices necessary to survive in a world which has become hostile to human life.

From Zack Snyder, starring Sarah Polley, Ving Rhames, Mekhi Phifer, Jake Weber
Rated R

From John Hillcoat, starring Viggo Mortensen, Charlize Theron, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Robert Duvall
Rated R

From Francis Lawrence, starring Will Smith, Alice Braga, Charlie Tahan, Salli Richardson-Whitfield
Rated PG-13

From Ronald Neame, starring Gene Hackman, Ernest Borgnine, Shelley Winters, Red Buttons
Rated PG

From Stanley Kramer, starring Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner, Fred Astaire, Anthony Perkins
Rated Approved

From Frank Marshall, starring Ethan Hawke, Vincent Spano, Josh Hamilton, Bruce Ramsay
Rated R

From Don McKellar, starring Don McKellar, Sandra Oh, Roberta Maxwell, Robin Gammell
Rated R

From Frank Darabont, starring Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden, Laurie Holden, Andre Braugher
Rated R

From John Guillermin, starring Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, William Holden, Faye Dunaway
Rated PG

From Roland Emmerich, starring Will Smith, Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, Mary McDonnell
Rated PG-13