The anticipated release of Jordan Peele's Nope had both horror and science fiction fans on the edge of their seats. The trailer exploded onto viewers' screens and saw the two siblings battling against an unknown entity patiently haunting them from above, the film's first look played into that well-loved apocalyptic theme commonly used within science fiction flicks that toy with horror.
While fans await its appearance on the silver screen, science fiction buffs have been reminiscing on older end-of-the-world flicks that strayed away from trying to save the world from its impending doom. From final blowout parties to an overwhelming fear of death, these ten movies accept their Doomsday-themed fate.
This Is The End (2013)
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This Is The End places a hilarious but warped view on the end of the world as six friends attend a party, which is interrupted by what looks like the end. The movie employs a star-studded cast and comedy to highlight mass hysteria when the gang becomes trapped within the party house, attempting to find ways to survive.
While the movie's plot revolves around the main character's desires to stay alive, it doesn't show them attempting to save the world crashing down around them. This Is The End instead throws viewers into sheer chaos alongside its characters and creates some seriously funny scenes that make the most of its iconic cast by even poking fun at their celebrity status, with SeekersWorkAccount labeling it as "super hilarious".
It's A Disaster (2014)
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It's A Disaster is one of Julia Stiles's best movies, despite being criminally underrated and somewhat unnoticed by many fans. The movie follows Tracy and Glenn as they go to another couple's house for brunch, but neither couple seem particularly honest with one another until they realize that the world outside is coming to an end, making them reveal their tense truths.
The movie sees each character go through an array of different emotions as they come to terms with their inevitable fate. It's A Disaster utilizes black comedy to highlight how some try to bargain with death while others learn to accept it through copious amounts of alcohol, resulting in many fans, including concerningfinding listing it as a "top-shelf apocalypse movie".
These Final Hours (2013)
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These Final Hours is an apocalyptical thriller that stayed true to its name as it follows James through his final hours on earth where his plans to attend a party go south when he meets Rose and helps her to reunite with her dad before their time is cut short.
The movie adopts a more serious tone without playing into the commonly used trope of saving the world before it plunges into armageddon. Instead, These Final Hours explores selfishness in the wake of disaster and offers viewers a potential insight into the lack of empathy people may have towards others when faced with death, ultimately delivering a vital message that JAlfredJR states is "f***** amazing".
She Dies Tomorrow (2020)
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She Dies Tomorrow is a thriller about a group of people who have the same overwhelming feeling they are going to die tomorrow, while the movie doesn't explicitly say its plot is about the end of the world, the inevitable death of each character certainly plays into that narrative.
Redditor satyrpuppy explains how the movie is "about a bunch of people coming to terms with the end" and through its use of black comedy, softens the blow while also encapsulating the fear many people have of death. She Dies Tomorrow cleverly employs an artistic visual style that mimics the character's loss of normalcy, encouraging viewers to feel the very same fear haunting the film's protagonists.
The Cabin In The Woods (2011)
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The Cabin In The Woods is the best horror movie of the 2010s and throws viewers into a false sense of security, with [deleted], highlighting that viewers "don't even know the world is doomed until the final act". The flick combines comedy and horror as it follows five friends whose stay at a remote cabin turns into something much more horrifying than just a hangover.
The Cabin In The Woods is action-packed from beginning to end, encouraging fans to look for clues alongside the characters as they attempt to save themselves from death and not total world annihilation, until the end when their actions are responsible for ending the world.
Silent Night (2021)
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Silent Night puts a festive twist on armageddon as Nell and Simon invite their closest family and friends to their at-home Christmas dinner, but the fun night they had planned is soon marred when the group learns this will be their final Christmas as the world faces destruction.
The movie doesn't just prove itself as an unconventional flick about armageddon but also as a Christmas movie, with Arliss_Loveless labeling it as "an apocalypse Christmas movie!". Silent Night is littered with dark humor that pokes fun at their impending doom while also capturing the group's hidden fear about what is about to happen, making it a distinctive yet funny apocalyptic flick.
Last Night (1998)
Last Night is one of the best apocalyptic movies of the 1990s and stars fan-favorite Sandra Oh as the wife of a wealthy businessman who seeks to take her own life after hearing about the fate of the earth while Patrick and Craig also seek different ways to offset their potential doom as the trio's final moments intertwine.
Last Night never lets the audience know why the earth is ending but opens with the knowledge that the characters on screen have limited time left. Instead of saving it, the movie focuses on the three characters' lives through cleverly written dialogue that showcases how they deal with it. Last Night made for an interesting conversationalist flick that prompted the viewer to think about how they would react, resulting in one Redditor labeling it as their "[number] 1 in this category".
How It Ends (2021)
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How It Ends combines drama with comedy to replace the typical tragic tone that dominates end-of-the-world movies with an upbeat flick that offers fans a laugh, regardless of its apocalyptic plot.
The movie employs an unconventional narrative that sees older Liza in the presence of her younger self, as she decides how to spend her final day. How It Ends creates a series of eccentric characters that make viewers laugh while also applying satire to cleverly comment on the pandemic, which the movie used to its advantage. CeleritasBob pointed out how the film "used an empty LA during COVID as a backdrop" to represent the very end of human existence.
Melancholia (2011)
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Melancholia is Lars Von Trier's best horror movie despite being listed as a science fiction drama due to its dark nature and terrifying plot. The movie stars Kirsten Dunst and Charlotte Gainsbourg as sisters whose lives become even more complex when they learn about the planet Melancholia, which is heading their way, essentially wiping out the world.
The movie showcases the difficult emotions one can face when learning to accept their fate, with the movie being known as an allegory for depression through Justine's character, which made for an "incredibly bleak" viewing experience as suggested by megmarie22502, encapsulating its doomsday theme.
Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World (2012)
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Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World abandons the usual dower tone of 'end of the world' movies and instead takes a more positive approach. The film opens with a radio broadcast stating that the end of the world is coming and follows next-door neighbors Penny and Dodge as they both help each other get the closure they need before their time on earth is up.
The pair showcase their awareness surrounding their lack of time but fill it with a series of incredible adventures that see them enter into sheer chaos as well as a growing friendship that deserved much more time than it got. This unconventional flick is the ultimate end-of-the-world movie that broke fans' hearts, even though many, including meep_42, "loved it"!