10 Greatest Apocalypse Movies Of All Time

Low budget disaster movies don't usually inspire a great deal of long-term admiration, but The Day the Earth Caught Fire is that rarest of bargain bin gems. It's clever without being a distraction, concise without appearing rushed, and perhaps most importantly, it's genuinely insightful disaster film.

Working in elements of real world politics is incredibly effective, and ratchets up the suspense in a big way. The Soviet Union and United States simultaneously test nuclear bombs, which throws the world off its axis and sends it careening toward the sun. It's basically the worst possible outcome of the Cold War.

The film isn't as nihilistic as that description makes it sound, though. In fact, the apocalypse is really just a backdrop for self-realization in our main protagonist. His story is told in an optimist, downright touching light.

Hanging its hat entirely on the tense and contentious conversations between its main characters, this vastly underrated sci-fi flick may bore moviegoers who crave big action scenes and special effects extravaganzas. But anyone with an interest in character development and creepy, atmospheric suspense won't be disappointed.