Many of you may be taking advantage of the time at home during the quarantine to catch up on your favorite movies or shows. Media service providers have altered their program models to take into account American viewers’ self-quarantining and social distancing at home in their fight against COVID-19.
This could be the perfect time for you to do some binge-watching, and pandemic movies should be included on your must-watch list. Watching movies with such themes is a healthy and safe way to explore current issues in the world. It can provide you with an outlet for your anger and anxiety while producing a level of courage that may be more difficult to muster when you are not on the couch!
Contagion
This 2011 thriller needs to be on your binge list, especially if you have not seen it before. One thing that stands out from the start is the all-star cast that includes Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet, and Jennifer Ehle to name just a few.
Audiences have been revisiting this film in recent weeks, partially due to the realistic nature of its content. Scientists noted the accuracy of the ups and downs of research and the use of tracking data to help determine the spread and lethality of a virus.
Viewers will either love or hate the hyperlink-style of filming. This technique takes viewers back-and-forth between characters, sometimes half of a world away. There is still enough time devoted to the characters so you feel invested in their struggles throughout the movie, however.
Look for this one almost anywhere, including rentals from iTunes and YouTube.
Outbreak
A medical disaster film released in 1995, Outbreak is based on 1994s The Hot Zone by Richard Preston. It highlights a virus outbreak that resembles ebola, first in Zaire and then in a fictional California town. The cast contained many of the top actors at the time, including Morgan Freeman, Cuba Gooding Jr, Dustin Hoffman, and Rene Russo.
This film makes use of a fictional Motaba virus that mutates into an airborne contagion that threatens to become a pandemic if not put into check. A major theme that is explored in this movie is how far should civilian and government agencies go in battling a health crisis. This, of course, is something that many people are discussing with current events unfolding across the globe.
Various locations in California, Hawaii, and Utah were used to subtlely create a scale for the potential pandemic the characters are trying to prevent. You can find this one on Amazon video and Redbox on Demand.
Cargo
Switching gears to a post-apocalyptic horror movie, 2017s Cargo gives viewers a chance to see life after a major pandemic. Unlike the previous two entries, this movie also showcases a fan-favorite monster; zombies. This Australian film showcases talent such as Martin Freeman, Susie Porter, Simone Landers, and Anthony Hayes.
The world is overrun by a virus that turns people into zombies within 48-hours of being infected. Life for the Rose family has consisted of living on a houseboat. Things take a turn for the worse as a family member is attacked and infected.
An interesting twist comes to viewers in the form of Australia’s aboriginal culture. While members of the Rose family struggle with the infection, others that they encounter share a similar fate.
The film is based on the 2013 short film Cargo by both directors. More than one viewer has stated that it pays homage to the 2009 film The Road. You can view this one on Netflix.
I Am Legend
This is another post-apocalyptic thriller that was released in 2007. The movie is based on the 1954 novel I Am Legend that was written by Richard Matheson. Potential lead actors through the years of script production included Tom Cruise, Michael Douglas, Mel Gibson, and Arnold Schwartzenegger. It wasn’t until 2006 that Warner Bros. finally settled on actor Will Smith to play Dr. Robert Neville.
In this film, a man-made measles virus intended as a cure for cancer mutates, killing 90-percent of humanity. The majority of those left behind turn into a vampiric-type cannibal referred to as Darkseekers. Only 0.02-percent of mankind is immune, and they are now prey for the Darkseekers.
Isolated in Manhatten, Dr. Neville works on a cure while surviving day-to-day. Fair warning, there won’t be a Disney+ ending to this one. You can find I Am Legend on a variety of movie sites, including Amazon video.
Resident Evil (Film Series)
Nothing goes better with binge-watching than a movie series. This series consists of Resident Evil (2002), Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004), Resident Evil: Extinction (2007), Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010), Resident Evil: Retribution (2012), and Resident Evil: Final Chapter (2016). These films have roots in the Resident Evil video game series by Capcom.
In these movies, the Umbrella Corporation has created biological weapons that have caused a zombie apocalypse. The main character, Alice, battles the Umbrella Corporation in an attempt to end its nefarious ways. Many characters from the video game series make appearances in these movies, and it is worth noting that the franchise represents the most successful movie series based on a video game.
Special effects and over-the-top action will provide you with an entertaining pandemic outlet. They can be rented from outlets like Netflix.
