The Philippine Online Chronicles

Mark the day on your calendar: December 20, 2012. What will you be doing? You’re going to have an end-of-the-world movie marathon. What’s so special about the 20^th? Well, it will be the last night before the world . That is if you believe in the Mayans. The Mayans prophesied that the end of the world would come on December 21, 2012. Why that exact date? They described the earth’s cycle to have started in 3113 B.C. and to end on December 21, 2012. It is up to you whether you believe it or not, but you can’t deny an end-of-the-world themed movie marathon sounds intriguing. All you need is loads of popcorn, a lot of free time and a healthy dose of fear.

When the zombies take over

What if the world were to be plagued by a virus -- one that slowly transforms a human into catatonic hunting machine? Cracked.com’s “5 Scientific Reasons a Zombie Apocalypse Could Actually Happen” shares how existing parasites and viruses such as toxoplasmosa and various neurotoxins can possibly take over the human brain and reprogram it to go into zombie mode.

In the 2002 film “28 Days Later”, laboratory chimpanzees infected with the Rage virus are mistakenly released by overeager activists.  It takes only twenty seconds for the poison to infect the bitten, and within minutes the whole laboratory is filled with Rage-infected zombies. Twenty-eight days later, protagonist Jim (Cillian Murphy) wakes up from a coma caused by a biking accident which happened shortly before the outbreak. He wanders about a deserted London, only to be chased later on by zombies. He is rescued by survivors Selena and Mark, who fill him in on the carnage that has taken over London. The film follows their struggle to survive the savage circumstances.

In post-apocalyptic New York, “I Am Legend”(2007)  is the tale of sole survivor military doctor Robert Neville (Will Smith) and how he struggles to find a cure for the infected. The movie begins with the discovery of a cure for cancer, with scientist Dr. Krippen (Emma Thompson) sharing how the measles virus can be altered such that it attacks cancerous cells. Three years later, New York is stripped of life save for Neville, his dog and a couple of wild stray animals. There are also the infected, lurking in the shadows, waiting to prey on Neville. The doctor strives for his own survival, reaches out to humans who may possibly be in hiding, and carries on with his search for a cure.

How would you survive a zombie apocalypse?

Of shooting stars and asteroids

What do you do when a humongous rock is heading toward Earth? You attempt to blow it up.  Note the emphasis on attempt.

In “Deep Impact” (1998), a comet is discovered to be headed for collision with the planet. The comet is almost as large as Manhattan, large enough to be a danger to the entire planet. When the plan to blow the comet to smithereens doesn’t go as planned, the government announces that they will randomly select eight hundred thousand people to be part of a shelter ala Noah’s Ark that they had long been preparing.  Month by month, the comet draws nearer. The coming end-of-the-world causes some relationships to be mended, some relationships to be strained. The stress of the pending collision drives some of the characters to think about dying in peace before the comet hits. Those who weren’t picked for the lottery begin wondering how they would spend their last moments on earth.   Some prepare for survival, others prepare for their death.  While it is a story of trying to live knowing that death is nearing, it is ultimately a story of sacrifice.

Not into comets? How about asteroids? “Armageddon” (1998) follows mostly the same plot. An asteroid the size of Texas is spotted to be on a collision course with the Earth. The countdown: 18 days. The only solution is for a nuclear warhead to be drilled into the asteroid so it can be blown into pieces. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) recruits oil driller Harry Stamper (Bruce Willis) and his team of drillers and geologists. Part of Stamper’s team is his daughter’s fiancé (Ben Affleck). It is a story of love, and also, a story of sacrifice.

What would you do if you knew a comet was about to hit Earth?

Mad machine mania

Humans invented robots and programmed them to be slaves. Whether it’s factory work or computer processing, robots were designed to make human life easier. But what happens when robots get tired of slaving around for humans? What happens when artificial intelligence becomes a tad too independent? They turn against humans and try to annihilate the human race.

Think machine network goes gaga and you’ve got the Terminator series (“The Terminator”, “Terminator 2: Judgment Day”, “Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines” and “Terminator Salvation”). The series of films tells of the battles between the human race and the self-aware artificially intelligent network Skynet.  In the beginning of the series, Skynet is part of the United States’ defense computer system. After it becomes self-aware, it considers the humans a threat and decides to annihilate the human race. A nuclear holocaust is initiated against Russia. Skynet later builds its own machine military, including the Terminators which targets humans. The Resistance, led by John Connor, leads the battle to defeat the machines and save humanity.

Do machines control what we think? In “The Matrix” series (“The Matrix”, “The Matrix Reloaded” and “The Matrix Revolutions”), humans are unaware that they are slaves to machines. How so? Machines control the minds of humans via growing humans in pods linked by cybernetic implants to an artificial reality called the Matrix. Conflicts between machines and humans arise when a computer hacker (Keanu Reeves) learns about the truth behind what he has come to know as his existence, as well as his role in rising against the manipulating machines.

How would you react if you found out your brain was being controlled by the very computer you’re looking at right now?

Frightening natural disasters

When Mother Nature gets mad, she goes all out mad. The frightening thing about natural disasters is that we’ve seen this happen, if not firsthand then from real-life stories from around the world. Natural disasters have been on the rise in the past decade, according to the Center for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED).  If you want to up the scare quotient during your end-of-the-world movie marathon, then maybe the bulk of your watch list should be nature-related. If they haven’t occurred yet, they can occur soon!

Scared of tornadoes? Go watch “Twister” (1996), a film about a researcher couple who chases tornadoes. These aren’t your regular dusty whirlwinds. These are killer, violet tornadoes they run after and try to measure.

Scared of climate change? Maybe the thought of a nearing ice age will keep your knees shaking. “The Day After Tomorrow” (2004) tackles events that can happen after a huge sheet of ice is sheared off in Antarctica. This one act of nature triggered non-stop raining in various parts of the world, as well as other weather-related disasters. A massive, killer wave is one effect, such that it can wash away New York City. Other than that, freezing cold temperatures would settle, posing a threat to all of humanity.

Then of course there’s “2012” (2009). The core of the earth is heating up intensely due to solar radiation. With the earth’s crust becoming unstable, volcanic eruptions and numerous earthquakes begin setting the tone for a cataclysm. While the government and the affluent begin building arks to escape the earth’s doom, writer Jackson Curtis (John Cusack) tries to find a way to save his family.

Save the date: December 20, 2012, the day before the world is said to end. Stay up all night and scare yourself with these cataclysmic movies. While they may scare the living daylights out of you, don’t forget that nobody really knows when the end of the world will be. It is up to you whether you believe the Mayans or not, whether you believe your mind is being controlled by artificial intelligence or a growing virus. The great thing about these end-of-the-world movies is that they not only serve to amuse and entertain, they could also make you think twice about how you’re living your life today.  That is if you’re not too busy hiding under the covers, trembling in fear.

Image source: Planetoid crashing into primordial earth c/o Wikimedia commons.

For a feel-good almost-end-of-the-world movie, Toni Tiu recommends “Wall-E.” Toni Tiu writes about her favourite books, movies and motherhood moments at Wifely Steps.