2012 – Dir Roland Emmerich, starring John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Thandie Newton

You know the story; we’re all going about our daily business, when a meteorite shower hits and suddenly it looks like the world’s going to end. Yes, Roland Emmerich (who directed Independence Day and The Day After Tomorrow) is back with another apocalyptic tale – and it’s looking like another winner.

Adding spectacular hype to the non-scientific theory that the world will end on 21st December 2012 (based on the Mayan Long Count calendar, but you probably guessed that), this OTT action drama will have you on the edge of your seat with its amazing visuals – evidence of the whopping $260 million budget.

A star-studded cast got some of the money, too. They act out a mission for survival as they battle against earth-shattering natural disasters in a bid to make it through the end of one of earth’s supposed destructive cycles and to survive into a whole new era.

Though probably not intentionally humorous, you can’t help but smile at the outrageously creative scenes that Emmerich has dreamt up; we especially liked the giraffes being airlifted to safety. This modern Noah’s Ark story is an amusingly thoughtful and brilliantly visual take on what would happen if the world really did end – and how far humans are willing to go in a fight to survive.