Quarantine Dreamin’: Some Movies that Won’t Make You Miserable
While you’re social distancing and trying to have some fun without going anywhere, here are a five movies (along with a few more recommendations) that you’ll have fun with while the world is combating a viral pandemic.
The world is a difficult place right now. While most of us would run to spend time with one another and enjoy aspects of life, we aren’t afforded the luxury to gather together at bars, churches, friends’ homes, or movie theaters. What many of us are afforded though, is the ability to rapidly stream movies into our own homes, and if there’s anything that can help us to feel a little less dour, it’s movies. My friend Stephanie requested this, and I think it’s a great idea, because it gives us all the chance to enjoy some things together. I’ve put together a list of five favorites that are streaming currently that we can all enjoy easily stream or rent for cheap, that will give us the chance to pass the time together, or should I say apart? If you’re trying to enjoy these movies with your friends, Netflix Party, Metastream, and Discord’s Go Live function are all easy ways to enjoy content while connecting with your buds. Let’s get on with the list shall we? Here’s my list in no particular order:
5. Little Women (2019)
Listen, Little Women isn’t exactly a buddy comedy or a Disney animated movie, and it isn’t available to rent until April 9th via iTunes, but man does this movie bring me joy. Sure, there’s death in the family, heartbreak, and it takes place during the American Civil War, but that’s not what the movie is about. It’s about four sisters and the love they have for one another, their struggles amongst one another, and the joy of being together. I already wrote a review where I went through all the things I love about Little Women, but I feel like now is the time for all of us to enjoy a kinetic, sweet, and beautiful family drama that left me crying multiple times in the theater. Whereas a movie like Marriage Story, for instance, left me feeling torn up after finishing it, though there were scenes where I was laughing and having a grand ole time, Little Women is a film that brings me such joy and excitement, even if there are some moments where I feel absolutely gutted. I’m in love with this movie and I’m definitely going to rewatch it multiple times while social distancing. I would also be remiss to not mention that Little Women features Florence Pugh, who I love,
Available on: You can currently buy Little Women on iTunes and Amazon Prime, but it won’t be available to rent until April 9th.
4. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
I feel like everyone I know has now seen Spider-Verse now that it has landed on Netflix, but let this be an excuse for you to watch it again. This film checks all of the boxes for guarantee good time: all-star cast, inventive and beautiful animated art style, John Mulaney playing a pig. There are movies where you never want to leave the theater because you just want to keep spending time in that world, and Spider-Verse is exactly that for me. The meticulous animation, the incredible soundtrack, and Miller and Lord’s producing and writing help make Spider-Verse more than some gimmicky animated movie. It transcends the direct-to-DVD animated comic book movies that DC and other’s pump out every year. Capturing all of my favorite parts of comic books, Spider-Verse manages to display a wonderful art style, a full rogues gallery with characters most people don’t know and new takes on characters we’ve seen before, and a team of heroes representing so many different experiences letting us all be Spider-Man, though probably not us specifically, I think it’s a metaphor.
Available on: Netflix.
3. Dazed and Confused
Is there a better movie to watch when you just want to laugh and transport yourself to a different place? Dazed isn’t really about anything, the central conflict of the movie is whether a star quarterback will give up smoking weed to play ball, the soundtrack is basically all of the coolest songs of the early 70s, and Matthew McConaughey is rocking a mustache and wearing a tee shirt with Ted Nugent on the front. Leave it on, watch it fifteen times, focus in on a different character every time and continue to laugh over and over. I saw Dazed for the first time in the winter of 2019 and fell in love after the first viewing because it is the perfect high school comedy. If I can be frank for a moment, for most people, high school is not 13 Reasons Why or Project X, for most people it is similar to Dazed and Confused. You may not get along with football players, but you somehow end up at the same function as them, even if you’re depressed, you’re spending the evening looking to get a few beers and kiss someone, and of course you care about college, but that can wait because you’re trying to get Aerosmith tickets to go hang out with your buddies. I dealt with mental health issues all of high school, but that doesn’t mean I wasn’t also spending most of my weekends driving around in cars, listening to my favorite songs, and listening to my dumbest friends give a dissertation on Martha Washington, who was a hip hip lady, man, and I didn’t do any drugs in high school, I think that’s just how most of us experienced it. Dazed rules and will forever be timeless, though McConaughey’s character hasn’t aged well.
Available on: Starz, or to rent on iTunes or Amazon.
2. Tombstone
Sometimes, lots of shootin’ and smokin’ and drinkin’ in a movie brightens my day. Tombstone always brightens my day. It’s a movie about the wild west where the good guy wins and winds up with the woman of his dreams, and despite a LOT of people dying, there’s really only one death in the movie that anyone ever cares about. The whole way through you’re just living it up with Wyatt, Virgil, Morgan, and Doc as they move into an Arizona town and set up shop. This is the perfect action movie to get cozy and sit with for a few hours and dream about all the men in your life having great mustaches. I don’t know what to say about Tombstone that hasn’t been said before, but it’s one of the coolest movies ever made, it’s so much fun to watch, and I’m obsessed with Val Kilmer as Doc Holiday in this movie. Also, if you’re thinking about not social distancing, just look at Dana Wheeler-Nicholson’s character in this movie and view her as a warning sign, if you’re not cautious, you and others could end up like her.
Available on: You can rent Tombstone on Amazon Prime or iTunes.
1. Ocean’s Eleven (2001)
When I told you that Tombstone was one of the coolest movies ever made, I was intentional in saying that, because Ocean’s Eleven is the coolest movie ever made. I have seen Ocean’s Eleven more times than any other movie in my life, I’ve probably seen it close to one hundred times at this point. I don’t remember the first time I saw it, but once it came out on DVD, I watched it to the point of no return; so much so that when I was home this past Christmas and wanted to watch it again, the DVD was too scratched and worn out to play any longer. What more could you want in a movie? Filmed on location in beautiful homes and casions, it’s fast and slick, full of brilliant lines and laugh out loud moments, and the two most handsome men in the world are the stars of the film. It is truly the most fun you can have in under two hours, or four hours, or sixteen hours, I don’t care, watch the movie eight times in a row, it’ll still be incredible. I adore this movie, it is distilled joy in the form of cinema and I’ve never shown it to someone who didn’t have a great time watching it. If anyone wants to send me a care package while quarantining, just send me the Ocean’s Trilogy Blu-Ray and some Kit-Kats.
Available on: You can rent it on Amazon or iTunes, but just buy it, you can get it for under ten dollars and you’ll want to watch it over and over.
TV. Scrubs
The way that some people have watched The Office is how I’ve watched Scrubs. I’m currently on my fourth viewing of the entire series, I’m still laughing at all the jokes, I’m still crying when you’re supposed to cry, and I’ve purchased Shea Serrano’s essay series on the show. Scrubs is important to me, I remember the first time seeing it and knowing that the way it approached relationships, parenthood, race, and ones inner monologue were different than anything else on television. It’s the perfect show to watch during your time of social distancing because there are eight seasons of beautiful medical comedy that you can easily binge in 22 minutes chunks every episode (they returned with a ninth season later that is absolute trash and I don’t ever want to think about again, but it is my duty as a fan of Scrubs to warn you).
Available on: Hulu
I’m certainly going to be watching all of these films and this show while maintaining social distancing, but if you decide you need a few more enjoyable pieces of entertainment while you’re stuck at home, here’s a short list:
Booksmart
Knives Out
John Wick (Frickin’ all of them)
Long Shot
Rounders
Spirited Away
Salt Fat Acid Heat
Chef’s Table (My personal favorites are the Sean Brock and Ivan Orkin episodes)
Jeopardy
Kill Bill
FLCL
Seinfeld
Letterkenny
Creed
Fast Five or really any of the Fast Franchise
Rango and then go read my review!