10 Movie Recommendations For When The World is Crumbling

The pandemic left most of us with a pretty wide range of emotions. Fear, boredom, mourning, depression, joy, and anxiety are a few that come to mind. Those of us that were left jobless, working from home, or sick were left standing with a bunch of time slipping through our fingers. The pandemic has been a time we won’t get back and an excess of time many of us have never been granted before. Most of us live pretty hectic lives. Kids, jobs, marriages, social lives, just a handful of the many facets of our lives that keep our feet moving and our hands busy. I want to recognize that not all of us were left with ample amounts of time to kill in this pandemic. The essential workers that made the world go round continued to have their time and hearts full. This piece goes out to them, whatever small token it may be.

My husband and I worked through much of the pandemic, but when both of us became infected with covid, we were left with a lot of time on our hands. Neither of us felt particularly good, but we also weren’t en route to the hospital. With all of this freedom we had constricted in our four walls called home and very little energy, we felt there was only one viable option to fill our newly inherited time; movies, lots, and lots of movies. I add that there is nothing warmer or more comforting when the world is crumbling, and you don’t know what the future holds than a film and some overly salted snack foods.

Once we had a clear path forged for how we would spend our two weeks of nesting, we quickly realized we needed some form of structure. We came up with a system that, to date and for the rest of our lives, will be called covid rules. The rules are simple. My husband picks a flick, followed by me, followed by him, and so on. The other person cannot complain and is obligated to watch the entire movie respectfully. Our straightforward system has opened us to new watches, old classics, and little bits of each other. I am writing (in no particular order) a list for you of ten of my tops flicks we watched. I do this in hopes it will bring you a little calm and joy in your life. Scan the list, pick one that suits you, pop some popcorn, open something cold and fizzy, press play and for about 90 minutes, forget all your troubles.

1. If you liked Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008), you will love The Unicorn (2018). Grab a diaper because this raunchy romantic comedy will make you pee your pants, literally. This movie was truly one of the funnier comedies I have seen this year. This flick, featuring Lauren Lapkus and Nicholas Rutherford had the structure of an 80’s adventure picture and the pace of a modern-day comedy. The Unicorn, in its simplest form, is about finding a unicorn, but the more important message is more about finding the rhythm within a long-term relationship. I want to point out that when I say unicorn, I do not mean the sentient being. That said, this movie probably wouldn’t be the best for the kiddos, so get a babysitter if you’re going to watch this one. You can catch this number on Hulu, you won’t regret it.

2. If you liked Zombieland (2009), you would absolutely fall in love with Little Monsters (2019). First and foremost, make sure you look up the correct version of Little Monsters. There is a version from 1989 with Fred Savage, which although is probably one of my all-time favorite movies, isn’t what we are talking about here. What we are talking about is a preschool teacher played by Lupita Nyong’o saving her kids on a class field trip to the petting zoo from a bunch of blood-thirsty zombies. If you recognize the aforementioned actress’s name, it is probably because she played one of the leading women in Black Panther. This movie had it all; over the top carnage, kid zombies and heroes, strong women, and most importantly, laughs, lots and lots of laughs. You should be able to stream this on Hulu. Saddle up, your in for a hilarious and bloody ride.

3. If you like Finding Nemo (2003), you’ll like Sonic the Hedgehog (2020). Ok, so stay with me here. I know that Finding Nemo is Pixar and Sonic is live-action, but both of them are not only good for the whole family, but both have this idea of finding family in surprising places that, well, is just darn heartwarming. To say that I was surprised by how much I liked, no loved, this movie would be an understatement. I grew up playing Sonic on my brother’s Sega Genesis, so I went in with mostly low expectations. I mean, what can compare to the OG video game? And ok, maybe it wasn’t total video game standards, but this movie was really up there for me. I laughed a lot. I cried. I was on the edge of my seat. I don’t want to overhype. Maybe I was in a mood, but if you haven’t checked it out, please do. If for nothing else, check it out for Jim Carrey’s amazing Dr. Robotnik. Sonic is currently streaming on Hulu.

4. If you like Misery (1990), you’ll get down with Ma (2019). Ma is a psychological thriller based around a rat-pack group of high schoolers and a stranger who swoops in as a pseudo “mother figure.” Much like Misery, sometimes the sweet old lady ain’t so sweet. The movie is full of twists and turns and moments where you want to just yell at the screen. Ma is a must-see for thriller junkies. Ma is streaming on HBO Max and Hulu. Get down with your thriller self.

5. If you liked Attack The Block (2011), then you will fall in love with Vampires vs. The Bronx (2020). I don’t want to say these movies are almost the same because that wouldn’t give the writers of each flick justice, but the similarities are uncanny. My husband watched Vampires vs. The Bronx and pretty quickly made me watch Attack the Block. They both have underlying kid adventure stories that are always a fun watch. In addition to the fun of it, Vampires vs. the Bronx has a clear underline social agenda that I can jive with. I leave it to you, the viewer, to watch and make your own connections. Vampires v. Bronx has a few jump scares, but this one is genuinely meant to be more adventure-comedy, so no need to watch this one in the daylight. Check it out now on Netflix.

6. If you liked Groundhog Day (1993), you’d dig Palm Springs (2020). I kind of see Palm Springs as a modern Groundhog Day. I chose Palm Springs simply because I didn’t have the energy to scroll, so I said, “what the heck!” Boy, was I pleasantly surprised. I pretty much always like Andy Samberg, but his performance with co-star Christin Miloti was brilliant. This movie had depth, comedic relief, and sincerity. It is probably not a movie to watch with the little ones, but carve out a date night and get at it. You can catch this Golden Globe nominee on Hulu.

7. If you liked The Kings of Summer (2013), you’d enjoy the King of Staten Island. Both focus on the coming of age of men. The King of Staten Island is a partial autobiographical comedy-drama starring SNL’s own Pete Davidson. You will laugh, cry, and just about everything in between. The story allows you to watch a boy become a man and the journey it takes to get there. The King of Staten Island is a great watch, and I highly recommend it. You can check out Pete Davidson’s all-star performance on HBO Max.

8. If you like Wayne’s World, you’ll like Bill and Ted Face the Music. There is something that hits the funny bone in just the right spot watching two guys, who otherwise would be considered idiots, end up being so successful. Hey, if you’ve seen the original Bill and Ted’s(Excellent Adventures and Bogus Journey), you’ll know what you are getting yourself into with this one. The new Bill and Ted co-starring the infamous duo’s daughters is a little more, dare I say, family-friendly. For those of you who like your humor a little more on the raunchy side, don’t let this deter you. The flick stays true to a lot of their “bogus” comedy, with the bonus of some pulling of heartstrings. Oh, and don’t worry, we will be meeting our old friend Death again. You may be able to catch this one on Hulu, but chances are good it’s still behind a paywall. I promise you, though, it’s worth the money.

9. If you liked Spiderman: Homecoming (2017) with Tom Holland, you’d jive on Shazam (2019). Both feature boys coming of age and learning the responsibility that comes with being a superhero. Zachary Levi, who you may better know from the action series Chuck delivers an excellent performance. This movie is full of action, comedy, and an overall theme of creating a family in extraordinary circumstances. With performances from actors like Meagan Good, Mark Strong, and Adam Brody, this is just a fun watch. Check it out on HBO Max.

10. Last but not least, if you liked Marshall (2017), you’d like Blackkklansman (2018). Both movies, based on true stories, highlight historical racial disparities in America. Where Marshall tells the story of lawyer Thurgood Marshall, Blackkklansman is based on the legendary Ron Stallworth, a black police officer who made the bold choice to infiltrate no other than the Klu Klux Klan. Directed by Spike Lee, this heavy movie is lightened by dark comedic relief. With knockout performances by Alec Baldwin, John David Washington, Isaiah Whitlock Jr., and Adam Driver, if you haven’t caught this film yet, you absolutely must. Oh, did I mention it won the academy award for Best Adapted Screenplay? Check this winner out on Hulu.

Well, there you have it, folks. These were some of my favorite picks of quarantine. To the first responders, grocers, mail people, sanitation workers, and all the other folks that made the world go round during the last year, I hope we are turning a corner, and you all can get some well-deserved rest soon. I hope whoever gets hold of this list finds at least one movie that will be a new favorite. I wish these choices will bring tears, laughter, joy, inspiration, and hope to your future movie nights.

Cheers and happy watching