With the surplus of snow days and a current rise in cabin fever, most of us are busting at the seams, slowly crossing off items on our to do lists and running out of activities to pursue. It’s inevitable that at some point or another we’ve all wound up in front of our respective televisions, perusing our catalogue of DVDs, attempting to figure out what might numbly entertain us for the next twelve hours or so. Here are a few of our picks for the best movies to watch while snowed in.
“The Lord of the Rings” and/or “Harry Potter” Series Despite the fact that they are wildly entertaining, “The Lord of the Rings” and “Harry Potter” series are the ideal snow day picks because they are at least nine hours of entertainment. While the outside world looks like Narnia, it’s easy to get lost in the whimsical world of hobbits and wizards, pretending that the snow outside your dorm window is actually the beautiful winter scene from Hogwarts — minus the whole “Death eater” thing.
“Garden State” When locked inside for over four days, one starts to contemplate life and overanalyze even more than usual. “Garden State” is the ideal film to get lost in. This unique, though clichéd, coming-of-age “you can never go home again” tale is a perfect accompaniment to the most boring of days. At the very least, the Grammy-winning soundtrack is a classic musical companion for a day spent lying in bed putting off homework.
“Love Actually” Despite the fact that the best of the winter holidays are long past, there’s something about watching a Christmas-themed movie in the snow, even in February, that just feels calm and cozy. The interwoven stories of several different couples attempting to both get together and break apart during the holiday season is oddly realistic and always heartwarming. “Love Actually” is one of the few romantic comedies that everyone seems to like, and a perfect film to huddle around for a few hours of your long day.
“Fight Club” If chick flicks aren’t up your alley, “Fight Club” is the perfect action-filled (and long) movie for sticking in the DVD player. After a few too many hours eating up your almost-depleted grocery supply and exercising all the homework discipline you can muster, sometimes it’s best to watch those on screen act out the extravagant fantasies you yourself cannot attempt. Watching this film is also the safer way to spend your boredom, as watching others inadvertently go stir crazy may distract you from acting out on our own after a bit too much time in the same small room.
“The Hangover”/”Forgetting Sarah Marshall”/any Judd Apatow movie Sometimes being stuck with the same people for a few hours can drive you insane, so the best way to deter those feelings is to spend time with people who are funnier than you could ever be. Watching the nearly-slapstick films of the years past is an instant cheer-up if you’re feeling a tad gloomy from snow blindness.
Armageddon It’s only fitting that one should watch the film that inspired the apocalyptically named blizzard of 2010, “Snowmageddon.” Plus, who doesn’t like a movie about a meteor in which nearly all of your favorite film characters die but Ben Affleck is still in his “hot leading man” phase? So stay warm, plop down in front of your television and watch the movies that’ll make the long snow days go a little faster — after you’ve finished your homework, of course.
You can reach this staff writer at cmoore@theeagleonline.com.
