Hello, I hope if you are reading this post that you and your loved ones are in safe and good condition. It has been a very strange week for those of us experiencing a big chunk of society pressing the pause button on itself for the first time. As new phrases such as “social distancing” become household names, there has been a steady supply of movie lists and recommendations floating around the internet. I have thus been inspired to do my part by making a movie blog (in addition staying away from large groups and maintaining good hygiene).
While many of us may opt into effective strategy of watching comedies and light films to ease the stress of the unknown, this is not really that kind of list (although I may write up one of those soon). COVID19 will not be end of humanity, but it can bring about apocalyptic thoughts and for some, an inkling to watch movies dealing with the Armageddon. No, you won’t find Michael Bay’s patriotic oil-drilling squad on here, but you will see ten of the films that popped into my head when thinking of themes such as quarantining, infection, looming danger and paranoia all while providing their necessary dose of escapism. They are in no particular order.
I hope this list provides you with a new viewing experience and that you and your loved ones are in good health. Hopefully this all subsides soon.
P.S. While there are some horror picks on here you won’t see any true zombie movies on this list. One would think it would be a logical genre to present here, but ever since I was traumatized by The Descent, I Am Legend and 28 Weeks Later as a 13-year-old, I have avoided these kinds of films. But hey, maybe I am due for a change soon.
P.P.S. All of these films (except one) are available to rent online through YouTube and/or Amazon Prime, yet I will notate which ones can be seen on certain streaming platforms.
Melancholia (2011) –Melancholia presents the story of two sisters who deal with impending disaster in different ways. In fact, it was the film that inspired this list. Justine, played by Kirsten Dunst, cannot handle the prospect of marriage and commitment. The first half of the film follows her unraveling on her own wedding night due to the pressures presented to her in her familial, professional and personal life. The second half revolves around the mental breakdown her sister Claire undergoes in anticipation of the potential apocalypse that is looming. In the film, it is speculated that a rogue planet named Melancholia may be careening towards Earth due to its gravitational pull. Claire, played by Charlotte Gainsbourg, believes the rumors, and her anxiety overwhelms her. What is most significant here is not the what but the how; each sister shows strength or even calmness in the face of the other’s trauma, and the way their relationship is manifested on screen is worth the viewing. Thinking back on this film in a time like this makes me think of the varying responses people have towards their largest fears or threats, and that internal fears differ from person to person. With a great international cast and poignant, controlled direction by Lars Von Trier, Melancholia provides a very personal and innovative look at the end of all things.
Available on Vudu (with ads) or Tubi (no ads, but not a secure website)
Wonder Boys (2000) – I put Wonder Boys on this list because I recently watched this film after having finished the excellent book by Michael Chabon in February. Great performances by many of the actors, particularly Michael Douglas, help make the movie what it is. Douglas plays Professor Grady Tripp, whose life is slowly unraveling. His wife has left him, and he is suffering an odd case of writer’s block where he cannot stop adding endings to his 2,600-page novel. On top of that, he is having an affair with his chancellor’s wife and he has taken personal responsibility over a seemingly suicidal student of his named James Leer (who is played very well by Tobey Maguire). Having read the book, I was a little bummed by some of the necessary changes, but the film, and especially Douglas and Maguire, do capture a lot of the blank-faced solitude brought out by Chabon’s writing. The story also has a road trip aspect to it as well, providing some of the much-needed escapism when you’re watching a movie all cooped up. With appearances from Robert Downey Jr., Frances McDormand and Rip Torn, Wonder Boys is just as much about moving past depression and mental quarantine as it is about the relationship between a washed-out teacher and a young troubled writer.
Available on Crackle (with ads)
Memories of Murder (2003) – Legendary director Bong Joon-Ho made waves to start this new decade by winning the Best Picture Oscar for Parasite. Memories of Murder, his 2003 masterpiece, is my favorite of his films. In 1986, South Korea had its first officially recorded case of a serial killer. Memories of Murder is Joon-Ho’s fictional recounting of that event through the eyes of three detectives. The dedicated investigators are often overwhelmed by the scope and details of the investigation, as the lack of precedence means there is no legitimate system put in place to catch a such a predator. This instantly recalls how many researchers and governments feel with the spread of COVID19. For many of us it may seem like the danger is one step ahead, and that is certainly the case in the film, as the story plays out like a long, methodical chase scene. Yet this is more than just a cat and mouse movie, as it comments on law enforcement, failure and hysteria all while existing as a piece of exemplary film-making.
Available on iTunes for rental only (It doesn’t appear as though any other platforms other than iTunes offer it at all, which is a shame, but this movie is too good not to have on this list. Keep it on your radar for when it becomes more widely available.)
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) – I have no hard feelings towards the classic Invasion of the Body Snatchers from 1956, but the 1978 version was the one that made me realize that the 70s was truly a great era for cinema (save its oftentimes less than progressive treatment of race and gender issues). Even though it is over 40 years old, Body Snatchers’ San Francisco setting helps make it feel modern even today. Timely themes in the film include infection, paranoia, mass hysteria and the NBA. As you may know, the second the NBA suspended its season was the moment people in the U.S. knew things were getting serious. One of the characters in the film is a big Warriors fan and is often distracted by games, drawing an odd parallel to how we have recently been shown how volatile cherished things like the Association are if the health of the nation is at stake. With Donald Sutherland starring, and other big names like Brooke Adams, Jeff Goldblum and Leonard Nimoy, Invasion of the Body Snatchers is one of those underrated gems that will make your hairs stand on end.
Available on Amazon Prime
Children of Men (2006) – Alfonso Cuarón established himself as a force in cinema with his sixth feature Children of Men, a film filled with biblical allegories and allusions to the lives of refugees struggling in the world today. From the first scene the audience is thrown into a world that has been in crisis for eighteen years. Governments have collapsed and riots take place in the street as a result of the unexpected sterilization of humanity. But once it is revealed to us that a young woman named Kee is pregnant, the film’s protagonist Theo must take extraordinary measures to secretly lead her to safety and potentially preserve the human race. This film portrays an extreme situation, but is very effective in giving a gritty, real feel to what it would feel like to be living on the edge of catastrophe, especially when hope fleetingly presents itself. And hope is exactly what keeps the kinetic film moving; long continuous tracking shots help enhance the drama as Theo puts himself through war zones and dangerous paths just to get Kee and her child to safety. Now, we are nowhere near that point with the current pandemic, nor should we be, but if you are moved by allegorical film-making and want to be impressed by next-level cinematography, Children of Men will certainly deliver.
Available on Hulu
The Shining (1980) – I’ll be perfectly honest, I did not originally include this film in my list, but once it resurfaced in my head in the middle of the writing process, I realized that there is no better film that encapsulates the ideas quarantine, the gradual buildups of danger and insanity than The Shining. The internet has referenced this film more than most others when talking about the prospect of staying at home for weeks. Jack Torrance, played brilliantly by Jack Nicholson, is a writer who is hired as the caretaker of Colorado’s Overlook Hotel during their closed winter season. He brings his wife Wendy, his son Danny and his typewriter. Unfortunately for the Torrances, the hotel is haunted, and Jack ends up with cinema’s most famous case of cabin fever. Stanley Kubrick once again proves why he is one of the best directors ever, creating a horror classic using disorienting layouts, eerie music and a command of cinematic pacing. We slowly descend with Jack into his madness, yet we are also right alongside Danny and Wendy as they sprint for their lives.
Available on Philo (I do not know much about Philo, but you can also rent this film on YouTube or Amazon Prime)
The Birds (1963) – One of Alfred Hitchcock’s most famous movies, the slow build-up leading to utter catastrophe is not just a theme that mirrors some of today’s fears, but a common theme in many of the films I have listed here. While not my favorite Hitchcock flick, it is the definitive one to watch if you are looking for an epidemic movie from one of the horror genre’s most influential innovators. Tippi Hedren stars as Melanie Daniels, a woman whose life is turned upside down as all the birds in town slowly go mad attacking civilians. A premise dealing with flesh-hungry birds may seem ridiculous, but the idea of nature causing havoc out of our control for no apparent reason echoes what many feel the world is dealing with right now. The relevant theme of sequestration is also present, as characters often find safety inside closed doors whether it be houses, restaurants or even phone booths. The 1963 date means that the effects are not up to par with today’s productions, but there is no denying that Hitchcock knows how create tension effectively, even when his special effects involve hundreds of stuffed crows. A good introduction to his filmography, The Birds contains several of Hitchcock’s iconic shots that helped establish him as the master of suspense.
Available on Hulu
The Witch (2015) – I’ll continue my trend of ominous films with a doozy from the growing wave of modern horror classics. Also written as The VVitch, this Robert Eggers film follows a puritan family in the 17th century and their banishment from their town due to ideological differences in religious beliefs. Imposed isolation seems to be a clear theme in Eggers’ films, as his 2019 drama The Lighthouse deals with the lives of two men stuck together maintaining a New England lighthouse. The Witch, however, is the less disorienting of the two and is my preferred film. The puritan family finds themselves settling on the edge of the woods, where they need most everyone, from the parents to the oldest children, to tend to their duties to survive. But danger lurks in the forest in the form of a mysterious witch who, through thievery and seduction, manages to help disintegrate the trust within the family as their foundations crumble. It is important to note that the language in The Witch can be a challenge to follow at times due to its setting, but in a way, it adds more to its tragic Shakespearean element. Anya-Taylor Joy is amazing as the eldest daughter Thomasin, and Ralph Ineson and Kate Dickie are chilling in their portrayals as the parents who slowly lose faith in everything. Expertly directed and avoiding many re-used horror tropes, The Witch is a movie that will shiver your spine, even when you are simply thinking about what you saw, or didn’t see, on the screen.
Available on Netflix
The Dark Knight (2008) – My apologies, but I just had to include the biggest film of my generation. I haven’t been keeping exact track, but I have probably watched The Dark Knight well over twenty times, and each time I feel like I pick up something new from it. But what makes it timely? TDK considers mob mentality and mass reactions to unforeseen dangers. The Joker serves as a more jarring version of a widespread disease in the form of terrorism, literally threatening to blow up a hospital and forcing the health industry and government to adjust in real time. Sound kinda familiar? In providing this challenge, the film inherently poses the question of how the public will respond to such a threat. And while the movie may not present a true argument, as it shows multiple sides of a society in crisis mode, it does provide a key moment of perceived optimism in mankind which may come across as a sort of comfort in these unprecedented times. It also shows us that Jim Gordon, not necessarily Batman, is the leader we all wish we had in moments like these, even despite his failures. Most importantly, TDK poses certain philosophical questions while at the same time being damn entertaining as it mixes intense action, legendary acting and an unforgettable script. And it’s a comic book movie! Because of these attributes, there is nothing wrong with throwing TDK back on if you have already seen it. It truly is one of the most re-watchable films of the 21st century.
Available on Netflix
Death Proof (2007) – In light of the fact that this post's name is a Quentin Tarantino pun, I might as well include one of his films as tribute. Death Proof is easily one of Tarantino’s more sensational movies and has a sense of real danger throughout. It starts in Austin, Texas as we see Kurt Russell play Stuntman Mike, a sadistic driver who fetishizes over brutally killing women in his “death proof” car by trapping them in the passenger seat and then taking off on a bumpy ride. Tarantino shows off his knack for dialogue in the opening bar scene, as the impending threat of Russell’s character inches closer and closer towards his female targets simply through the conversation he has with them. The second half of the film turns into a joy ride chase scene with literal twists and turns complete with Tarantino’s signature violence. And while a big star like Russell headlines, actresses Rosario Dawson, Zoe Bell, Vanessa Ferlito and Tracie Thomas steal the screen. Whether you watch for the witty writing, the gratuitous gore, the vibrant acting or the impressive stunts, make sure to stick around for the ending that brings its own dose of much needed catharsis.
Available on Amazon Prime for rental
I hope at least one of these films resonates with you! I will be sure to post more lists as the days go by. Please stay safe, healthy and entertained!
- Ish
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