Armageddon (1998) – The Most Chaotic Disaster Movie Ever Made?

Signup for our newsletter: https://reelchums.com/newsletter

This week on Reel Chums, we are looking at the explosive world of Armageddon (1998)—Michael Bay’s loud, over-the-top, and oddly emotional asteroid movie starring Bruce Willis, Ben Affleck, Liv Tyler, and Billy Bob Thornton.

Marcel and Danny ask: Is this Bay’s best film? Why does it make us teary-eyed AND want to scream? We explore its chaotic production, infamous plot holes, and why it still found a way into the Criterion Collection.

We also debate Michael Bay’s visual style (is every shot moving?!), the surprisingly committed performances, and how this movie screams ‘Americana’ more than any other.

💥 Spoiler: We both fell asleep during the second act… but somehow still cried at the ending.

If you’ve ever asked yourself, “Why train drillers to be astronauts instead of the other way around?”—this one’s for you.

#moviepodcast #armageddon #michaelbay #benaffleck #brucewillis #livtyler #moviereview #disastermovies

⸻

⏱️ Chapter Markers (Suggested):

0:00 – Intro & This Month’s Theme: Disaster Movies
2:00 – Is Armageddon Michael Bay’s Peak?
5:30 – Favorite End-of-the-World Movies
10:50 – ’90s Disaster Film Resurgence
15:20 – Why Was This Movie a Hit?
19:45 – Michael Bay’s Vision of “Americana”
26:10 – Did This Movie Make Us Cry?
32:00 – The Cast Goes All-In
39:45 – Bruce Willis as the Stoic Hero
46:00 – Why the Romance Doesn’t Work
51:20 – Ben Affleck’s Commentary is Legendary
56:10 – The Plot Holes are WILD
1:02:00 – The “Bayhem” of Cinematography
1:08:00 – The Netflix Theory: Michael Bay in 2025
1:12:30 – Our Favorite Ridiculous Moments
1:15:00 – Does the Movie Still Resonate Today?
1:18:00 – Final Thoughts + What’s Next on Reel Chums

📹 Follow us on socials for updates and more:
Reel Chums Instagram:   / reelchums  
Rubio's Twitter: ⁠  / rubio_tv⁠  
Marcel's Twitter: ⁠  / marztrosity⁠  
Reel Chums Twitter: ⁠  / reelchums⁠  

Do you have something to say, a burning question about this, or any other episodes? Reach out to us at [email protected].
We'd love to hear from you!