By Janna Wolf
#stayathome means numerous movie evenings for couples, friends and family. If you don’t know what movies to watch, here is some inspiration: Movies that cheer you up, make you think positively or just entertain you for one evening.
“Frozen 2” – Disney+
Who hasn’t danced through the apartment, while singing “Let It Go” from Disney’s “Frozen” aloud? If you have, get ready for an encore and if you haven’t, maybe it is time to start. You are in quarantine and there is nothing to do anyway. “Into the Unknown” – Elsa’s new ballad from the second “Frozen” movie — is as sing-song and danceable as “Let It Go.” Besides, dancing and singing always makes one feel better (even though this may not be true for your roommates). We have to thank Disney for deciding to release “Frozen 2” earlier than planned on its streaming platform. Like the first movie, there is some action, some humor, a lot of singing and, of course, a happy ending.
“Outbreak” – Netflix
The movie “Outbreak” is not what one would call cheerful — it’s more like the opposite. It shows the story of an outbreak of a virus called motaba. This virus has a 100% mortality rate and kills within three days, in a very painful way. A team of doctors are trying to find the original host, a monkey, to develop an antidote. Soon they find out that everything goes back to a conspiracy within the White House. “Outbreak” has great actors and a thrilling plot. After 128 minutes, you are actually relieved that humankind is currently only dealing with the coronavirus, with a mortality rate 2%, more or less. That is why it might actually cheer you up, in a strange reverse psychology sort of way.
“To All the Boys I Loved Before” – Netflix
Listen, this movie won’t change your life. It doesn’t show women fighting for justice or against a deadly virus, but a teenage girl dealing with her first experiences with love. This wonderful superficiality is exactly what makes this movie so enjoyable. Lara Jean Song Covey used to write a letter to every boy she had a crush on and, of course, never intended for the boys to read them. But her little sister sends them out anyway and that is where the story starts. It includes everything that a teenage romance movie needs: A fake boyfriend, a real boyfriend, a tragic breakup, a tearful reconciliation, a mean girl in high school and a gay best friend. There’s even a sequel, which means you get three hours and 20 minutes full of light-hearted distraction.
“Walk. Ride. Rodeo.” – Netflix
“Walk. Ride. Rodeo.” is one of those movies that makes you feel better and puts a smile on your face, which gets even wider the moment you realize that everything actually happened. Amberley Snyder is an 18-year-old rodeo rider on her way to The American – the biggest rodeo competition in the U.S. But a severe car accident leaves her legs paralyzed. It is inspiring how Amberley fights for her passion for rodeo riding and to find a place in a world. This movie is not only about reaching your dreams, but about staying positive: “When I wake up in the morning, I get to decide my attitude. And if that’s the only decision I get to make that day, I better make it a good one,” Amberley says. Maybe that’s a piece of advice we can all use during quarantine.
