It seems we have holidays for everything these days, but there is some wonder and appreciation to be had on National Skyscraper Day, since just looking at the massive buildings that mankind has erected is kind of daunting. Who in the world would think that such things would ever be possible? The dizzying heights that can be experienced by going up more than five or six floors is insane but to some people it’s an almost euphoric experience. In movies however the experience is taken to another level entirely since the skyscrapers shown in films are simply immense on an average scale and go for story after story as they climb into the sky. Those of us that like to be closer to the ground might be a little daunted, but those that love the rush of being up high where he can almost see the heavens absolutely love it.
Here are just a few movies that show the craziness that can happen with skyscrapers when Hollywood gets a hold of them.
5. Furious 7
Just in case you get any ideas, do NOT try this one no matter what it looks like. The physics involved are simply cooked up in a writer’s idea of what would look cool and don’t really take into effect what would happen to the two guys in the car once they flew out of a window and then crashed into another one. It looks awesome, there’s no doubt, but the whole idea of using a car as a battering ram that can jump between buildings is just not feasible. The Fast & Furious franchise is known for making the impossible look like it could happen if the right person is behind the wheel, but in truth this would kill both guys in the car.
4. Die Hard
This is a classic simply because it was one of the best films of the decade when it came out. And to this day it’s still the best movie in the franchise since it started it all off and it kept it pretty simple compared to the rest of them. It’s about as believable as a three-dollar bill but the story is great enough that it more than makes up for it. A New York City cop that goes to California to visit his wife and try to patch things up at her office Christmas party is suddenly pitted against a hardened group of terrorists that are intent on blowing up the building shortly after robbing it of the precious stocks and bonds it has hidden in secure area within the building. Cut and dried, simple, awesome.
3. Skyscraper
A lot of people are saying that this is the new Die Hard since it takes so many elements from the movie, but it is different enough in that the building is on fire this time and the protagonist’s entire family is trapped in the building above the fire line. Plus, he manages to get out of the building but has to get back in, so there’s enough of a difference. Plus, the hero in Die Hard didn’t have prosthetic leg that could trip him up or give him a slight advantage, depending on the way you looked at it, and John McClane wasn’t a former soldier and had never worked with the FBI. So it’s different enough.
2. Ghostbusters
If you’re on top of a very large building and a supernatural entity asks if you’re a god it might seem like a trick question since saying no means she’s going to try to blast you into oblivion, while saying yes might make her do the same thing. It’s hard to know however since the showdown that was coming throughout the whole movie came down to the Ghostbusters fighting a giant marshmallow man instead of the red-eyed woman that had appeared. That might have been an interesting fight had the choreography and special effects been worked out, but then it was pretty fun the way it happened as well.
1. Man On a Ledge
How far are you willing to go to clear your name? One man is at least willing to climb out on a ledge overlooking the city to gain the attention of people below. Because quite honestly no matter what city you’re in if someone looks like they’re about to jump then there’s a good idea that someone is going to look up, scream, and then cause a ruckus that’s going to be covered all over the news a short while later. But at least in this movie that was the intention since this guy and his companions were doing their best to clear his name and make sure that the real criminal was outed so that justice could be done.
The wonder and marvel of a skyscraper is impressive to be honest, and the movies tend to make it even more so.
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