No air. No escape. No time.

Director: Rob Cohen, rated PG-13

Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Amy Brenneman, Viggo Mortensen, Dan Hedaya, Jay O. Sanders, Karen Young, Claire Bloom, Renoly Santiago

DML Rating: ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆ - above average

"You know what, I don't know anything. But, we're not going to make it another hour unless I shut this thing down." – Kit Latura

Why watch this? This mini-disaster film is large on action as the noble Stallone works to save people trapped in a flooded tunnel under the Hudson.

Plot Summary: An explosion collapses both ends of an underwater vehicular tunnel, trapping a diverse group of survivors inside. A disgraced former rescue chief, Kit Latura, is the best option to find a way to navigate the treacherous, damaged tunnel to lead the survivors to safety. They must face rising water, collapsing structures, and a dwindling air supply, all while attempting to find a way out.

Davis Entertainment; Universal Pictures
 

Genres: Action-Disaster, Action-Thriller, Adv-Outdoor-Survival

"Something hit us... The crew is dead... Help us, please, please help us!"

Director: Jack Smight, rated PG for scary scenes

Starring: Charlton Heston, Karen Black, George Kennedy, Gloria Swanson, Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Sid Caesar, Linda Blair, Dana Andrews, Myrna Loy

DML Rating: ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆ - above average

"No, not much...there's just a hole where the pilots usually sit." - Joe Patroni, when asked to visually assess the airplane's damage

Why watch this? Chuck Heston simply adds legitimacy that makes these disaster movies believable.

Plot Summary: A Boeing 747 suffers a mid-air collision, incapacitating the cockpit crew. A flight attendant must take control of the aircraft, guided by a pilot on the ground. There, however, is no way to land the plane, unless they can somehow get a pilot through the cockpit's gaping hole.

William Frye; Universal Pictures
 

Genres: Action-Disaster, Drama-Melodrama, Drama-Survival

Some miracles are not what they seem.

Director: Robert Zemeckis, Rated R for drug use, language, intense action

Starring: Denzel Washington, Nadine Velazquez, Don Cheadle, John Goodman, Carter Cabassa, Adam C. Edwards, Tamara Tunie, Kelly Reilly

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ - good

"Hey, don't tell me how to lie about my drinking, okay? I know how to lie about my drinking. I've been lying about my drinking my whole life." - Whip Whitaker

Why watch this? Captain Whitaker is a complex man, with both demons and heroics within him.

Plot Summary: An airline pilot miraculously crash-lands a malfunctioning plane, saving most of the passengers onboard. He's hailed a hero, but an investigation into the incident reveals troubling information about his conduct during the flight. This leads to a personal battle with addiction and the potential repercussions of his actions that could cost him everything.

Parkes+, MacDonald Image Nation,
ImageMovers; Paramount Pictures
 

Genres: Action-Disaster, Crime-Courtroom, Drama-Legal, Drama-Psychological

The end of the world is just the beginning.

Director: Mick Garris, Not rated (Dad's guess PG-13)

Starring: Gary Sinise, Molly Ringwald, Jamey Sheridan, Laura San Giacomo, Ruby Dee, Ossie Davis, Miguel Ferrer, Adam Storke, Ray Walston, Rob Lowe, Bill Fagerbakke, Matt Frewer, Corin Nemec, Ed Harris

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ - good

"The man in the desert is Flagg, and I think he's crucifying anyone who gets in his way." – Sue Redman

Why watch this? ... it's a very interesting, and scary, post-apocalyptic epic.

Plot Summary: Following a devastating global plague that wipes out most of humanity, the remaining survivors begin experiencing psychic visions. These dreams guide them to one of two opposing figures: the benevolent Mother Abagail or the malevolent Randall Flagg. As these two factions gather in their respective locations, an inevitable confrontation looms, forcing a final showdown between good and evil for the future of the human race.
 

Dad's Preview: Adapting Stephen King's beloved novel was no small task. This limited-series (as opposed to the more recent 2022 effort) succeeds on many levels, though it's not perfect. A government-created super-flu escapes containment and wipes out humanity. Those immune are left to survive in a decaying landscape of the dead. Half are drawn to an old, black lady singing hymns. The rest to the dark man (King's personification of evil is often "the walking dude") in Vegas. Early on, we are illuminated to the fact that is the battle of good vs. evil, and we wonder, "Can common folks ever overcome a supernatural foe? The actors are superb (namely Rob Lowe and Gary Sinise), as is its bluesy soundtrack. The vibe is creepy, but there are tender moments, too. It's worth your time despite and somewhat hokey ending (It would have greatly benefited from modern CGI special effects).

Laurel Ent., DawnField Ent., Greengrass
Productions; ABC
 

Genres: Action-Disaster, Fantasy-Dark, Fantasy-Drama, Horror-Supernatural, Horror-Survival, Sci-fi-Apocalyptic, Thriller-Supernatural

Don't breathe. Don't Look Back. The Dark Side of Nature.

Director: Jan de Bont, Rated PG-13

Starring: Helen Hunt, Bill Paxton, Cary Elwes, Jami Gertz, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Lois Smith, Alan Ruck, Sean Whalen, Scott Thomson, Todd Field

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ - good

"I gotta go Julia, we got cows." – Melissa

Why watch this? Tornados. This film gives quite an education on nature's most unpredictable phenomenon.

Plot Summary: Dr. Jo Harding, haunted by a childhood tragedy involving a tornado, leads a team of storm chasers hoping to deploy a revolutionary sensor array called "Dorothy" into the heart of a powerful twister. Her estranged husband, Bill, a former storm chaser himself, reluctantly joins the team to ensure Dorothy's successful deployment, as a record-breaking storm system sweeps across Texas and Oklahoma.

Universal Pictures, Amblin Ent.;
Warner Bros.
 

Genres: Action-Adv, Action-Disaster, Action-Thriller, Animation-CGI, Romance-Thriller

One Tiny Spark Becomes a Night of Blazing Suspense

Director: John Guillermin, rated PG

Starring: Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, William Holden, Faye Dunaway, Fred Astaire, Susan Blakely, Richard Chamberlain, Jennifer Jones, O. J. Simpson, Robert Vaughn, Robert Wagner

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ - good

"Now you know there's no sure way for us to fight a fire in anything over the 7th floor. But you guys just keep building them as high as you can." - Chief O'Hallorhan

Why watch this? This is a harrowing flick, chock full of both terrible and heroic moments.

Plot Summary: Set in San Francisco, the film depicts a catastrophic fire erupting in the world's tallest skyscraper during its grand opening celebration. The architect and a fire chief lead efforts to rescue the trapped partygoers, facing immense challenges as the blaze intensifies. The disaster is ultimately attributed to cost-cutting measures by the building's contractor, highlighting themes of corporate greed and heroism in the face of peril.

Warner Bros., Irwin Allen Productions;
20th Century Fox
 

Genres: Action-Disaster, Action-Thriller, Drama-Melodrama

The untold story behind the miracle on the Hudson

Director: Clint Eastwood, rated PG-13

Starring: Tom Hanks, Aaron Eckhart, Laura Linney, Valerie Mahaffey, Delphi Harrington, Mike O'Malley, Jamey Sheridan, Anna Gunn

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ - good

"This was dual engine loss at 2800 feet followed by immediate water landing with 155 souls on board. No one has ever trained for an incident like that. No one." - Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger

Why watch this? Often heroism goes unnoticed when it's ordinary people doing their jobs.

Plot Summary: After birds destroy his plane's engines shortly after takeoff, pilot Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger makes a difficult decision to perform an emergency water landing on the Hudson River. The successful maneuver saves all 155 passengers and crew, making Sully a hero in the public's eyes. However, an investigation follows, scrutinizing his actions and potentially jeopardizing his career and reputation.

Village Roadshow Pictures, Ratpac-Dune Ent.,
Flashlight Films, The Kennedy/Marshall Co.,
Malpaso Prod., Orange Corp; Warner Bros.
 

Genres: Action-Disaster, Crime-Courtroom, Drama-Legal, Historical Biopic, Historical Drama, Dad's Genres: Old-Farts

A place on earth more awesome than anywhere in space.

Director: James Cameron, rated PG-13 for violence, language

Starring: Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Michael Biehn, Leo Burmester, Todd Graff, Kimberly Scott, Chris Elliott

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"We all see what we want to see. Coffey looks and he sees Russians. He sees hate and fear. You have to look with better eyes than that." - Lindsey Brigman

Why watch this? The scene where Lindsey drowns is UNFORGETTABLE!

Plot Summary: A civilian ocean drilling team is enlisted to search for a lost nuclear submarine in the deep sea, encountering dangerous situations along the way. As they investigate, they discover the potential for something unexpected and possibly non-terrestrial life. The team must confront a group of gung-ho Navy Seals, while discovering more about the mysterious presence.

Gale Anne Hurd; 20th Century Fox
 

Genres: Action-Disaster, Action-Sci-fi, Animation-CGI, Romance-Sci-fi, Sci-fi-Adv, Sci-fi-Hard, Thriller-Mystery Dad's Genres: Slime-Time,

What's slower than a speeding bullet, and able to hit tall buildings at a single bound?

Directors: Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker, rated PG for  language, suggestive humor

Starring: Robert Hayes, Julie Hagerty, Leslie Nielsen, Peter Graves, Lloyd Bridges, Robert Stack, Stephen Stucker, Barbara Billingsley

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"There's no reason to become alarmed, and we hope you'll enjoy the rest of your flight. By the way, is there anyone on board who knows how to fly a plane?" - cabin announcement by Head Flight Attendant Elaine Dickinson

Why watch this? A superb comedy if you just want to laugh and not have to think.

Plot Summary: (as if the plot matters...) When the crew and passengers of a commercial flight fall victim to severe food poisoning, a former fighter pilot, who is afraid of flying, must step up to the challenge. With the help of a gruff air-traffic controller and his old commander, he faces his fears and attempts to land the plane safely. He navigates difficult weather and personal trauma to ensure the lives of everyone on board.

Howard W. Koch Productions;
Paramount Pictures
 

Genres: Action-Disaster, Comedy-Parody, Comedy-Physical, Comedy-Satire, Comedy-Screwball

Oceans rise. Cities fall. Hope survives.

Director: Mimi Leder, rated PG-13 for disaster elements

Starring: Robert Duvall, Téa Leoni, Elijah Wood, Robert Duvall, Venessa Redgrave, Morgan Freeman, Maximillian Schell, Rya Kihlstedt, James Cromwell, Jon Favreau

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"Well, look on the bright side. We'll all have high schools named after us." - Astronaut Andrea Baker

Why watch this? This rich film has heart, even in the midst of an epic disaster.

Plot Summary: This science fiction disaster film centers on humanity's response to the discovery of a massive comet on a collision course with Earth. A team of astronauts embarks on a desperate mission to attempt to destroy the comet, while on Earth, individuals and governments grapple with the implications of a potential extinction-level event.

DreamWorks Pict, Amblin Ent., The Manhattan
Project, Zanuck/Brown Prod.; Paramount Pics

When the big one finally hits L.A.

Director: Mark Robson, rated PG

Starring: Charlton Heston, George Kennedy, Ava Gardner, Lorne Greene, Geneviève Bujold, Richard Roundtree, Marjoe Gortner, Victoria Principal

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"I think there are still people alive down there and I want to get them out!" - Stewart Graff

Why watch this? Heston in the middle of a huge disaster... He's the perfect man-of-action I want in charge.

Plot Summary: The people of Los Angeles find their lives disrupted and thrown into chaos by a catastrophic earthquake. Among them are an architect dealing with marital problems and a new romance, a suspended police officer, and a seismologist predicting further disasters. The film follows their struggles for survival amidst the destruction and their interwoven stories as they attempt to cope with the aftermath of the quake.

The Filmmakers Group; Universal Pictures
 

Genres: Action-Disaster, Action-Thriller, Drama-Melodrama, Drama-Survival

Postwar Japan. From zero to minus.

Director: Takashi Yamazaki, rated PG-13

Starring: Ryunosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe, Yuki Yamada, Munetaka Aoki, Hidetake Yoshioka, Sakura Ando, Kuranosuke Sasaki, Sae Nagatani, Miou Tanaka, Kisuke Iida

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"That's why this time I'd take pride in a citizen led effort that sacrifices no lives at all! This next battle is not one waged to the death, but a battle to live for the future." - Kenji Noda

Why watch this? On Godzilla's 70th anniversary, he won an Oscar for Best Visual Effects. Way to go, Big G!

Plot Summary: In 1945, kamikaze pilot Shikishima watches as his entire garrison is wiped out by a monster of incredible size. This leaves him with survivor's guilt and PTSD. When he returns home, he learns his parents were killed in the bombing of Tokyo. While mourning, he takes in a woman and orphan child. To get by, he also signs on as a minesweeper. The monster, now known as Godzilla, has mutated (thanks to US nuclear tests) to be much larger. The Japanese Navy deploys Shikashima's boat to lay mines and hopefully deter the beast's onslaught of mainland Japan.

Robot Communications; Toho Co. Ltd.
 

Genres: Action-Disaster, Action-Horror, Animation-CGI, Drama-Horror, Horror-Giant-Monster, Horror-Sci-fi

28 Days Later (2002)

His fear began when he woke up alone. His terror began when he realised he wasn't.

Director: Danny Boyle, rated R for language, nudity, strong violence

Starring: Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, Brendan Gleeson, Megan Burns, Christopher Eccleston, Noah Huntley, Stuart McQuarrie, Ricci Harnett, Leo Bill, Luke Mably, Junior Laniyan, Ray Panthaki

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"Right from the beginning you knew this was different, because it was happening in small villages, market towns, and then, it wasn't on the TV any more. It was in the street outside. It was coming through your windows. It was a virus, an infection. You didn't need a doctor to tell you that. It was the blood. There was something in the blood." – Selena

Why watch this? It starts out pretty bleak, yet tensely builds to a great ending.

Plot Summary: An bicycle courier awakens from a coma to discover a deserted, post-apocalyptic London, its population decimated by a contagious "Rage" virus. He soon finds a small group of survivors, but their desperate journey for sanctuary reveals that the true horror may come from the surviving humans luring them into their military compound.

DNA Films, Film Council; Fox Searchlight Pics
 

Genres: Action-Disaster, Action-Horror, Horror-Mad-Science, Horror-Sci-fi, Horror-Survival, Horror-Zombie, Sci-fi-Apocalyptic, Sci-fi-Dystopian Dad's Genres: Slime-Time

The question of whether or not we are alone in the universe has been answered.

Director: Roland Emmerich, rated PG-13 for sci-fi violence

Starring: Will Smith, Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, Mary McDonnell, Randy Quaid, Robert Loggia, Margaret Colin, James Rebhorn, Harvey Fierstein

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"Perhaps it's fate that today is the Fourth of July, and you will once again be fighting for our freedom. Not from tyranny, oppression, or persecution, but from annihilation." - President Whitmore

Why watch this? The best alien invasion/action thriller ever!

Plot Summary: Large, mysterious alien spacecraft arrive on Earth and position themselves over major cities, initially causing wonder which swiftly turns to terror as they unleash destructive attacks. Humanity's attempts to counter the invaders' superior technology initially fail, forcing a desperate fight for survival and unity among a diverse group of individuals, including the President, a scientist, and a fighter pilot. This unlikely group must devise a plan to overcome the seemingly unstoppable alien threat.
 

Dad's Preview: All reservations I had about Will Smith quickly evaporated watching this exciting action flick. He's the perfect fighter pilot with lots of sass and determination. One by one we are introduced to the characters as the invasion's tension ramps up. When it finally occurs, it's a cinema spectacle right up there with War of the Worlds (1953). Earth's governments and armed forces scramble together, searching for a plan to find a way to defeat the alien attacking force. Can they find a way to stop ships and weapons that out-match humanities best?

Centropolis Ent.; 20th Century Fox
 

Genres: Action-Disaster, Action-Sci-fi, Animation-CGI, Sci-fi-Adv, Sci-fi-Extraterrestrial, War-Sci-fi

Godzilla, a weapon of science, a great battle of wonder and terror!

Director: Ishirō Honda, Not Rated (Dad's guess: PG)

Starring: Akira Takarada, Momoko Kōchi, Akihiko Hirata, Takashi Shimura, Fuyuki Marakami, Sachio Sakai, Toranosuke Ogawa

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"It's impossible! Godzilla absorbed massive amounts of atomic radiation and yet it still survived! What do you think could kill it?" – Dr. Kyohei Yamane, Raymond Burr (American version)

Why watch this? ... this is the OG Godzilla - a superb and symbolic film about the cost of destructive science.  

Plot Summary: An investigation into a series of mysterious ship disappearances leads to the discovery of a giant, irradiated monster named Godzilla, awakened by atomic bomb testing. This monstrous creature emerges from the sea, causing widespread devastation and panic as it lays waste to Japan. Faced with an unstoppable force, a scientist wrestles with the moral dilemma of deploying a potentially even more dangerous weapon to stop Godzilla's reign of terror.

Tomoyuki Tanaka; Toho Co. Ltd.
 

Genres: Action-Disaster, Drama-Horror, Horror-Giant-Monster, Horror-Sci-fi Dad's Genres: Disturbia

Houston, we have a problem.

Director: Ron Howard, rated PG

Starring: Tom Hanks, Ed Harris, Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon, Gary Sinise, Kathleen Quinlan, Chris Ellis, Joe Spano, Marc McClure, Xander Berkeley

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"We've never lost an American in space, we're sure as hell not gonna lose one on my watch! Failure is not an option." - Gene Kranz

Why watch this? It's important history, and so well done. I love that combo.

Plot Summary: Astronauts Jim Lovell, Fred Haise, and Jack Swigert facing a severe crisis when their spacecraft is crippled by an explosion en route to the moon. This incident forces NASA's mission control to abort the scheduled moon landing and work tirelessly to bring the crew back home. Faced with dwindling resources and technical challenges, the astronauts and the ground crew must rely on their ingenuity and teamwork to overcome the perilous situation and ensure their survival.

Imagine Entertainment; Universal Pictures
 

Genres: Action-Disaster, Drama-Docudrama, Drama-Survival, Historical-Adv, Historical Biopic, Historical Drama, Historical-Mystery-Thriller, Historical-Realist

In 2004, a devastating tsunami hit southeast Asia. This is one family's true story of survival.

Director: J. A. Bayona, rated R language, intense disaster footage

Starring: Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor, Tom Holland, Oaklee Pendergast, Samuel Joslin, Marta Etura, Sönke Möhring

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"Lucas, look at this place. They're so busy in here. You get to go and do something. Go help people. You're good at it." - Maria Bennett, to her son Lucas after they reach the hospital

Why watch this? ... the tsunami, as it smashes into the resort, is harrowing footage.

Plot Summary: Maria, Henry, and their three sons take a Christmas vacation to Thailand. Unfortunately, that is interrupted by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. The family is separated in the chaos and devastation, forcing them to fight for survival and desperately search for each other amidst the aftermath.

Apaches Ent., Telecinco Cinema;
Warner Bros.
 

Genres: Action-Disaster, Drama-Family, Drama-Survival, Historical Biopic, Historical-Realist

What is the cost of lies?

Director: Johan Renck, Rated TV-MA

Starring: Jared Harris, Stellan Skarsgård, Adam Nagaitis, Emily Watson, Paul Ritter, Robert Emms, Sam Troughton, Karl Davies, Michael Socha

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"The truth doesn't care about our needs or wants, it doesn't care about our governments, our ideologies, our religions. It will lie in wait for all time. And this, at last, is the gift of Chernobyl. Where I once would fear the cost of truth, now I only ask: What is the cost of lies?" - Valery Legasov

Why watch this? This incredible mini-series realistically explores one of the world's most terrifying disasters.

Plot Summary: Initially, the story details the event itself, and the aftermath, as clean-up crews quickly descend upon the smoldering reactor. Workers and civilians are immediately exposed to lethal doses of radiation. It's gut-wrenching. The Soviet government sends in renown chemist, Valery Legasov, and deputy chairman, Boris Shcherbina, to assess (and deal with) the situation. This historically-accurate accounting leads to the final episode that explains exactly what caused the explosion and immediate meltdown.

Sky UK, Sister Pictures, The Mighty
Mint, Word Games; HBO
 

Genres: Action-Disaster, Animation-CGI, Drama-Docudrama, Drama-Political, Drama-Tragic, Historical Drama, Historical-Mystery-Thriller, Horror-Body, Thriller-Conspiracy

She was heralded as unsinkable...

Director: James Cameron, rated PG-13 for intense situations/deaths

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane, Kathy Bates, Frances Fisher, David Warner

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"The press knows the size of Titanic, now I want them to marvel at her speed, too. We must give them something new to print. And the maiden voyage of Titanic must make headlines!" – I. Bruce Ismay

Why watch this? A truly epic telling of the greatest maritime disaster.

Plot Summary: A young, upper-class lady, Rose DeWitt Bukater, feels trapped by her engagement to a wealthy but controlling man, Cal. Aboard the luxurious RMS Titanic, she meets Jack Dawson, a free-spirited artist traveling in third class. Despite their stark class differences and Rose's engagement, they fall deeply in love. However, their romance unfolds against the backdrop of the ship's fateful maiden voyage and the impending disaster that will forever change their lives.

20th Century Fox, Lightstorm Ent.;
Paramount Pictures
 

Genres: Action-Disaster, Adv-Outdoor-Survival, Animation-CGI, Drama-Melodrama, Drama-Tragic, Historical Drama, Historical Epic, Historical-Romance, Romance-Chick-Flick, Romance-Drama, Romance-Tragic

Who will survive - in one of the greatest escape adventures ever!

Director: Ronald Neame, rated PG

Starring: Gene Hackman, Ernest Borgnine, Red Buttons, Carol Lynley, Shelley Winters, Roddy McDowall, Stella Stevens, Jack Albertson, Pamela Sue Martin, Arthur O'Connell, Eric Shea, Leslie Nielsen, Fred Sadoff

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

DML Top 100 #97 - Dad's Full (Spoiler) Review and Deep Dive of The Poseidon Adventure

"We're cut off from the rest of the world. They can't get to us. Maybe we can get to them. You've said enough, now get out of the way." -  Rev. Frank Scott

Why watch this? This is the great disaster film by which all others should be compared.

Plot Summary: A cruise ship is hit by a huge rogue wave and capsizes, still afloat, yet upside down. A small group of cruise passengers, led by a determined, plain-spoken preacher, work their way through the badly damaged ship, en route to the inverted hull, where (thanks to a very informed ten-year-old boy) the hull is only one inch thick. The dead and burnt litter their path, and we sense that not everyone will survive their perilous journey.

Irwin Allen, Kent Productions, Ltd.;
20th Century Fox
 

Genres: Action-Disaster, Adv-Outdoor-Survival, Drama-Melodrama, Drama-Survival