Today is Meteor Day, which sounds ominous, but is really just a day for celebrating the majesty of the meteor by searching the heavens for glowing steaks of light fffrooOOOOM SPPAAAAAaaaaacccee.
In honor of this historically important (not really) holiday, I’ve got five movies for you to watch involving meteors and CERTAIN DOOM.
Now, you may be saying “But David, some of these are asteroids/comets, not meteors!” Well, that’s true, but if a giant asteroid and/or comet fell to Earth, the streak of light would still be called a meteor. So I will thank you to take your science elsewhere.
Meteor
In 1979, the United States and Russia must put aside their differences and join forces to prevent a meteor from obliterating the planet. This plot concept is largely lost on anyone who didn’t live through the Cold War. Sadly, many of those people are now legally able to drink, reminding me that I’m old.
But back to the movie. You’d think a flick with Sean Connery, Natalie Wood, Henry Fonda, and Martin Landau would be pretty excellent. In a tragic turn of events, Meteor was just average, at best. But still worth watching on this “holiday.”
Armageddon
I’m not saying it’s a filmmaking masterpiece, but you do get an all-star cast, direction by Captain Explodey McBoom himself, and John McClane defeating an asteroid. Plus, I DON’T WANNA CLOSE MY EYES, I DON’T WANNA FALL ASLEEP, CUZ I’D MISS YOU BABY, AND I DON’T WANNA MISS A THING!
Deep Impact
I feel I would thrive in our new, cave-based lifestyle. Pick me, Morgan Freeman!
The Meteor Man
Count it!
The Day of the Triffids
This is by far my favorite movie on the list. I love old school Earth invasion from the 50s and 60s. Although the fact that the meteor shower at the start of the movie blinded so many people and left them open to assault by carnivorous plants kind of makes you rethink the whole idea of Meteor Day.
