These are scary times we live in. With the Coronavirus pandemic, many of us will at some point have to self quarantine. The good news is classic movies are always there for you. Here’s one movie to watch a day if you end up stuck at home for 14 days.
Day 1. The Wizard of Oz
It’s day one of being stuck at home. You want nothing more to escape. What better way to do that than go with Dorothy Gale as she wanders through the magical land of Oz? The Wizard of Oz is over 75 years old and hasn’t lost one bit of magic.
Day 2. His Girl Friday
On day two you’re starting to get stir crazy and just need a laugh. Few movies pack more laughs per minute than His Girl Friday. Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell shine on this quintessential screwball comedy as exes who are reunited when Russell’s character comes to the newspaper office to tell Grant she’s getting remarried. They end up working on a news story in the process and hilarity ensues.
Day 3. Lilo & Stitch
Disney movies are a great way to relive your childhood or just pleasantly escape for a few hours. One of the most underrated Disney movies of the last few decades is Lilo & Stitch. The animation is bright and colorful. The story is not a traditional Disney one by any means. Stitch is an alien who escapes intergalactic prison and crashes in Hawaii. Eventually he crosses paths with little Lilo. Lilo adopts him at the local animal shelter. Stitch eventually becomes a full member of the family. But there are bumps along the way. The relationship between Lilo and her sister, who’s trying to hold down a job and raise Lilo after they lose their parents, tugs at the heart strings she feels very relatable. This movie is heartfelt with great humor and a fun soundtrack.
Day 4. 28 Days Later
You’re likely thinking this is a typo. Why would anyone want to watch a zombie apocalypse movie during a pandemic? Hear me out. This movie is on the list because it could give you perspective. Sure I’m stuck at home. But it could be worse. I could be getting chased by zombies too. Either that or it could be educational if things worsen and you need survival tips.
Day 6. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
Want to help your time in self quarantine really fly by? Then put on The Lord of the Rings. Binge watch them all in a day. Bonus points if you watch the extended editions. The reason I included this on the list (besides it being my favorite book and movie trilogy ever) is that it teaches us to never lose hope.
Day 7. Casablanca
This is probably the least surprising choice on the list. Casablanca is not only a great movie (the greatest ever IMHO), it’s the comfort food of movies. From the great dialogue to the relatable characters, this is a cinematic experience never to be missed. And, for me, every time I watch it a bit of my faith in humanity is restored.
Day 8. Laura
Another good way to get through the pain of being isolated is to distract yourself with a good mystery. And Laura is one of the best. A completely involving thriller, it’s one of the best examples of film noir. Plus you get Dana Andrews, Gene Tierney and Vincent Price. You can’t beat that trio.
Day 9. Singin’ In The Rain
If you’re feeling gloomy, put on Singin’ In The Rain. I guarantee your mood will improve. The songs, the choreography, the script…everything about this movie is perfection. And it’s not just because of the title number with Gene Kelly dancing through the puddles and hanging from that lamppost. The joy on display is simply infectious. Lord knows the world needs more of that.
Day 10. The Shawshank Redemption
Here we go. Another movie about not giving up hope. But the reason I selected this one is that it’s not only a great movie. It shows people surviving over a period of time. It’s rare we get to see a story cover so much of people’s lives. In this case it’s the lives of two prisoners played by Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins. Watching their friendship grow and how they keep each other from giving up is a message that resonates over 25 years after the movie’s release.
Day 11. Raiders of the Lost Ark
This to me along with Star Wars are the two greatest examples of pure escapism in the history of movies. Raiders is one great action sequence after another. While most action movies lose steam halfway through, this one doesn’t. The energy never falls off. Steven Spielberg directs action like nobody’s business. Plus you get Harrison Ford in his prime. This movie is a complete win.
Day 12. The Cameraman
I have a confession to make. I’m a big fan of Buster Keaton. Plus, I had to include at least one silent movie on my list. It follows the misadventures of Buster Shannon (Keaton), a clumsy person who attempts to become a motion picture cameraman. Why? To get a girl of course. The girl is question works for MGM Newsreels. It’s one of my favorite meet cute movies.
Day 13. Young Frankenstein
There sure are a lot of comedies on my list. That’s likely because laughter has always gotten me through tough times. I’m a huge fan of the Universal monster movies. Young Frankenstein is a loving parody of them. While Gene Wilder gets most of the attention for his performance, and rightfully so, I want to give some love to the supporting cast. My two favorites are Madeline Kahn as Gene Wilder’s fiancée and Peter Boyle as the monster. Boyle’s performance often gets overlooked. But, like Karloff, the actor he was paying homage to, Boyle brings real humanity to the monster. And he does it all with few lines of dialogue.
Day 14. The Right Stuff
We’ve taken the space program for granted of late. And that’s a shame. To regain your appreciation for NASA, put on the film version of The Right Stuff. An absolutely absorbing telling of the stories of the Mercury astronauts and the early days oh the space program, it’s one of the most exhilarating movies ever made. It shows not only the heroism but the very human sides of the astronauts. And if the end of the movie doesn’t get you emotional in a good way, I don’t know what will.
Film Perspective 