They often say that Hollywood has no original ideas. Some years prove that ethos more thoroughly than others. In 1998, audiences were treated to no fewer than two big-budget blockbusters centered on the impending extinction of mankind via an asteroid collision with Earth. Mimi Leder broke new ground as a rare female filmmaker to direct one of the highest-grossing films of the year, with Deep Impact. In the other corner was Michael Bay, the full-throttle heir to the blockbuster throne, with Armageddon. By the end of the year, one film would be a critics’ favorite while the other would smash box office records and pave the way for a new era of Hollywood.
