We’re all stuck inside, and our usual two and a half hours of scrolling through Netflix trying to find something to watch before giving up and going to bed just won’t cut it anymore.
Instead– here are 20 amazing, make-you-forget-you’re-stuck-inside movies. No garbage. No mediocrity. No fluff. They’re all fantastic.
Movies to Make You Laugh
We could all probably use a little laughter right now (and not the crazy kind you find yourself making when you accidentally stumble downstairs to your makeshift office desk on Saturday morning to start working because every day is exactly the same now). Here are 5 comedies to get us started:
1. The Dead Don’t Die, 2019. Feeling a bit gloomy? Does something lighthearted and optimistic sound worse than another 3 months stuck inside with your kids? Still want to laugh your head off? Here’s your movie. The Dead Don’t Die stars Bill Murray and Adam Driver in an utterly hilarious, deadpan, dark comedy that you probably haven’t seen. Not your typical zombie flick, or even your typical movie, it’s dead-on perfect for a belly laugh when you feel like everything is doomed.
2. Galaxy Quest, 1999. Need something a bit more lighthearted? Galaxy Quest is peak Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, and Alan Rickman, and has more ways to get you laughing than a comedy club (you know, back when they were open). It’s fun, it has a good story, it doesn’t take itself too seriously, and you can watch it in front of the kids. It might be your last hope.
3. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, 1986. The ultimate coming-of-age comedy, it’s Matthew Broderick at his absolute finest. Chances are you’ve seen it before, but probably not in a while, and even if it was yesterday this movie shines through multiple re-watches. It’s day-off taking, 4th-wall breaking, life escaping, comedic perfection. You’re still here?
4. WALL-E, 2008. One for the kids that you’ll enjoy too– even though you’ve already seen it. The galaxy’s happiest little robot hasn’t lost a step in the 12 years since it came out, and if it’s been a while or the kids haven’t seen it yet, it’s one you can watch together and forget that you’re both sick of each other for a couple hours.
5. The Sting, 1973. They don’t make ’em like this anymore. The Sting is a classic heist comedy that secured SEVEN Academy Awards (including best picture). If you haven’t seen this one before, you need to. The story is brilliant, the acting is flawless, everything about it is just sheer classic cinema perfection.
Movies with Incredible Stories
See also: they’re so good you’ll forget you’re stuck at home.
6. North by Northwest, 1959. One of Alfred Hitchcock’s greatest achievements– suspense, action, a desperate love story, spying, mystery, and Mount Rushmore. This classic stands up to the test of time, and I dare you not to enjoy it. Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, and James Mason are all at their very best.
7. The Shawshank Redemption, 1994. It’s IMDB’s #1 movie. Stephen King’s prison-break epic has one of the best stories ever written, and a cast of all-time greats. I have nothing negative to say about this movie. If you want to escape for 2 hours and 22 minutes, there’s hardly a better way.
8. The Prestige, 2006. Was this really 14 years ago? Sheesh. A movie that will keep you guessing right up to the end, at which point you’ll want to watch it again almost immediately. Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, and Scarlett Johansson give some heroic performances, and it’ll suck you in even if you’ve seen it before.
9. Rocky, 1976. Yes, I know you’ve seen it, but I bet you’ve forgotten just how fantastic the story of the original Rocky is. It will draw you in, keep you interested, and the payoff in the first one is bigger and better than any of the sequels. After all, it beat Taxi Driver and All the President’s Men for Best Picture in 1976. It’s Sylvester Stallone before he was just another pumped-up action hero, and he’s really at his overall best.
10. Forrest Gump 1994. Whatever you’re in the mood for, Forrest Gump is probably the best version of the movie that has it. Do you want action? You got it. Want to feel inspired? Yep. Want a gritty, emotional war movie? Here ya go. In the mood for a buddy comedy? Absolutely. Love story? One of the best. Sports movie? You can have 3. Historical drama? Uh-huh. Do you want all of that to mean something to you at the end? Yes. Yes you do. By the end you’ll feel light as a feather.
Movies to Make it Worse
Maybe you’ve lost it a bit. Maybe you’re a glutton for stress and worry and desire to be further punished. Maybe you’re losing faith in humanity, and you want to skip to the end and embrace your inner hermit. Whatever the reason, here are some films to make everything going on inside your head right now much, much worse.
11. Contagion, 2011. Yep. It’s a movie about a mutation of a flu virus from wet markets in China that gets passed to humans and becomes an international killing machine. You get to watch the disinformation spread faster than the disease, see the fear and panic increase as society slowly breaks down, and even witness those who deliberately take advantage of their positions of power and/or others for personal gain. It’s prime self-punishment at a time like this. Good luck watching this and sleeping again.
12. 127 Hours, 2010. Are you feeling stuck? Quarantine got you feeling trapped? Is the stress and worry hitting you like a boulder? Here’s an easy way to feel 1000% worse– watch the true story of a man as he slowly comes to the decision to cut his own arm off to escape. HURT ME PLENTY, PLEASE.
13. Shindler’s List, 1993. Are you one of those people who says things like, “Cheer up, it could be worse!”? If so, here’s a movie that shows exactly how much worse it can be. One of the most visceral, heart-wrenching, soul crushing movies ever made– and probably one we should all see at least once.
14. Dr. Strangelove, 1964. The darkest of the dark political comedies. Prepare to start drafting conspiracy theories after this classic Kubrick. If you’re already on your way to losing faith in the leadership of this country, this movie will remind you of how little faith you should have had at the beginning. It’s trippy, it’s terrifying, it’s Dr. Strangelove.
15. The Road, 2009. In a completely different take– this movie looks at the world after everything gets ruined to see how much WORSE things can get. You asked to be punished, and this film really takes care of that for you.
Movies to Make it Better
What does it say about me that I put this after the ones to make it worse? I’m not gonna think too much about that. Anyway– these next films will remind you of happier days and leave you feeling good (and they’re just fantastic). There’s probably some you’ve seen, but all of them stand up well to a rewatch or 3.
16. Stardust, 2007. A largely forgotten feel-good take on a fairy tale that deserves better. It’s a genuinely great and highly original story, executed extremely well by a bunch of very talented people. You can’t feel upset watching it. You just can’t.
17. The Princess Bride, 1987. Another timeless, original fairy tale– and another movie that is completely impossible to be unhappy watching. It really needs no introduction, it’s just pure joy.
18. The Emperor’s New Groove, 2000. BOOM BABY! Another one you can watch a million times over with kids and never get sick of. Funny, sweet, irreverent, and a good message. It’s good for a few laughs no matter what age you find yourself in, and is entertaining enough to not make you lose your mind when your kids inevitably watch it over and over and over and over.
19. Big, 1988. It’s everything you want in a feel-good movie. Tom Hanks, a lighthearted love story, Tom Hanks, friendship, Tom Hanks, a collection of genuinely funny hi-jinks, Tom Hanks, childlike innocence, and …. Tom Hanks. What else do you want?
20. Matilda, 1996. A classic, family friendly film full of genuine laughs and joy. Plus a little magic. And the scene with the chocolate cake. And righteous childlike justice. And Danny DeVito (acting AND directing!). There’s a lot to love here and it’s one you probably haven’t seen in a while.
Need more? Here, take these– they’re all completely fantastic for their own reasons:
- Cool Hand Luke
- The Godfather
- Ghostbusters
- Goodfellas
- All the President’s Men
- Ford vs. Ferrari
- Breakfast at Tiffany’s
- Outbreak
- Shaun of the Dead
- The Sound of Music
- Citizen Kane
- Psycho
- The Shining
- Jaws
- Lawrence of Arabia
- Pulp Fiction
Christian McCall 