Armageddon (1998)

Rating: PG

Summary

As a giant asteroid hurtles toward Earth, NASA boss Dan Truman (Billy Bob Thornton) hatches a plan to split the deadly rock in two before it annihilates the entire planet, calling on Harry Stamper (Bruce Willis) -- the world's finest oil driller -- to head up the mission. With time rapidly running out, Stamper assembles a crack team and blasts off into space to attempt the treacherous task. Ben Affleck and Liv Tyler co-star.

Bob's Review

This is one of my all time favorite movies.  It was made pre 9/11 and the opening sequence is still chilling in the prescient scenes of New York under attack.  This is an excellent example of how the combinations of strong distinct characters and the subtleties in their relationships can thoroughly engage you even in a film that hurtles along at the pace of a music video.  Although they turn to their advances in technology to help them in their global destruction dilemma, it is their humanity that truly saves the day.  Thankfully there's no preachy aliens (The remake of the Day The Earth Stood Still). or environmentalist angst.