I’m a big fan of the Sci-Fi genre and all the subgenres that come with it. There are quite a few to dig into, and what I throw on depends greatly on my mood. Over the years, I’ve become a bigger fan of the disaster genre, and that’s something that I find looks great in 4K. There’s something about seeing the spectacle unfold at the highest resolution available.

The 4K format is still in its relative infancy, but there are many choices available in 4K, and there are plenty of DVDs you should upgrade to 4K to get the best experience. I’m not suggesting you rush out and do that all at once, but you can do it little by little. I find that’s the best way to do it because you can still enjoy Blu-ray and DVDs, even if they’re not in the highest quality. I only upgrade my favorites to 4K, and it’s really only if I find them at the right price. With all that said, here’s a look at four disaster movies that shine in 4K.

Twister and Twisters both fit the bill

It doesn’t suck

I’m fond of both Twister movies, and the 4K of the original fixed the sky when the tornado appears. The 4K was overseen by director Jan de Bont, and he made sure the sky was green in the home release this time around. Aside from that, the movie has never looked or sounded better. The same goes for its legacy sequel.

It might sound blasphemous, but I might like Twisters more than the original, but I’m a fan of both. What I like the most about them are their Atmos soundtracks, as disaster movies like this really shine with a good soundtrack. Neither of them disappoint, and you’ll find that the soundtrack enhances the already good-looking set of films.

Can’t go wrong with any of the Godzilla movies

Always a good time

While not every Godzilla movie is a disaster movie, a lot of them fit the bill. The 1954 original, the 1998 Matthew Broderick one, and the 2014 start of the MonsterVerse all feel like they can fall into this category, and there are countless others you can include. All three of those that I listed have 4K versions, and all of them look excellent. I’m a big fan of Godzilla, so I even have a soft spot for the 1998 version even if I recognize its clear weaknesses.

The Godzilla franchise is known for its great effects, and that’s only improved as time has gone on. Godzilla Minus One looks great if you access to that 4K, so there’s really no going wrong here. These movies usually come with a good soundtrack too. I mean, who doesn’t love to hear that iconic Godzilla roar? It’s even better in Dolby Atmos, something the newest movies have.

War of the Worlds is a fun one

It looks and sounds excellent

While I’m sure both versions of War of the Worlds in 4K fit this bill, I’m only familiar with the 2005 version of the movie. This is a movie I keep coming back to as a big Sci-Fi fan, but it’s also one of the best disaster films in my collection. I guess it can fall inside quite a few genres, because I consider it to be one of the best post-apocalyptic movies on 4K as well. Nevertheless, this feels like an underrated film in Steven Spielberg’s catalog.

It’s easy to get into, breezes along quickly, and it has a great Dolby Vision scan along with a Dolby Atmos soundtrack. I don’t have much wrong to say about this 4K version, and if you’re a fan of the movie itself, I don’t see why you’d be upset with this upgrade. Even though it’s more than 20 years old at this point, it still feels fresh, and I always love watching a Spielberg alien movie.

Titanic is a great genre-bender

Still hooks me in every time

James Cameron 4K releases have a lot of controversy surrounding them regarding his use of digital noise reduction (DNR) to scrub out the film grain. I think Titanic is his best 4K release when it comes to that, and it’s also one of my favorite movies of all time. I have it across VHS, DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K Blu-ray, and I’ve watched it more times than I count. What makes it so good is that it starts off as a romance film before flipping a switch and becoming a disaster movie.

As soon as the ship hits the iceberg, it just transforms into a different genre and sinks its hooks into you. On top of that, there’s a great Dolby Atmos soundtrack throughout the film, making the 4K version the best looking and sounding it’s ever been, at least in my opinion. This one’s worth picking up in 4K if you haven’t already. It’s the only movie I’ve bought numerous times across the formats.