20 Movies That You Should Only Watch During Quarantine

Here is a list of motivating, fun, and engaging movies to watch while bored in the house during quarantine. This compiled list of a variety of genres is sure to keep you entertained for the days ahead.

1. October Sky

October Sky is a film set in West Virginia that tells the story of a young man in high school who becomes increasingly interested in rocket science after witnessing Sputnik 1 flying across the sky. This film takes you on a journey through the life of a son of a West Virginian coal miner who only wants the best for his son that wants to pursue a life studying science and rocketry.

2. 10 Things I Hate About You

10 Things I Hate About You is a film about a young girl, Kat, who is set up by her younger sister, Bianca, to date a boy named Patrick. The rules set by their parents state that the younger sister is not allowed to do anything until Kat does it first. So, Bianca tries to find a way to make it happen faster.

3. Black Panther

In Black Panther, you follow the protagonist T’Challa as he fights his challenging opponents for the title of king and Black Panther. Heir to the throne, T’Challa rallies his allies against his enemies to save Wakanda from the evil usurpers.

4. Seven

Seven is the perfect quarantine film that stars famous actors Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt as detectives who are selected to work a case on a serial killer targeting people for representing the seven deadly. Detective Somerset planned to retire after this one last case but instead, he was pinned to work with freshly transferred Detective Mills, who has never worked crimes in the city before. This movie takes you on a wild ride through the lives of the detectives and the tortured lives of the victims up until they finally meet the killer himself.

5. The Killing of a Sacred Deer

The Killing of a Sacred Deer is a suspenseful film about a cardiovascular surgeon who is given the decision of his life. After he performed surgery on a young boy’s father who got into an accident and failed to save his life, he tried to help the boy, Martin, with his grief. However, Martin infiltrated the surgeon’s household and threatened him and his family with their lives in order to bring balance.

6. The Hunt

In The Hunt, the characters wake up in the woods with no idea how they got there. They soon find out that they are placed there as prey to be hunted like wild animals by other humans. The main character Crystal, however, comes up with a plan to save them all from this experiment.

7. Shutter Island

Shutter Island tells the story of a detective who is sent to investigate the disappearance of a woman in an insane asylum. The evidence in the hospital suggests foul play, however, they do not understand how she could have escaped a locked room. While searching for clues on this insane island, the detective is confronted with more than just the case at hand.

8. Fried Green Tomatoes

Fried Green Tomatoes is a movie about a housewife who feels trapped in her life and situations. She meets an old woman during her weekly visits to the nursing home who tells her stories of her wild sister-in-law. These stories not only inspired the main character, Evelyn Couch but also encouraged her to change her life in order to be happy with herself and her own life.

9. The Shining

The Shining is a classic film perfect for watching while in quarantine and stuck with all of your family or housemates. It tells a story of a family who is paid to watch over a haunted hotel over the winter so that the main character and father, Jack, can finally overcome his writer’s block. While Jack gradually loses his mind over his lack of production, his son Danny sees terrifying visions of the hotel. Eventually, the writer becomes stir crazy and aims to scare his family beyond belief.

10. Steel Magnolias

Steel Magnolias is a comedic drama that introduces us to the life of a small-town southern group of women who are coping with the loss of their friend. A young woman with type 1 diabetes is recommended to not have children due to medical complications but has one anyway. The story is based on the writer, Robert Harling’s, real-life experience of his sister’s death.

11. The Astronaut’s Wife

The Astronaut’s Wife is a film starring Johnny Depp as Spencer, an astronaut who had just returned from a life-threatening mission to come home and take a desk job in order to see his wife more. She becomes suspicious of his new behavior and does not seem to recognize him. The suspicions continue to grow after she finds out about her pregnancy.

12. The Help

The Help is a film about a young girl dreaming of becoming a writer so she interviews black caretakers on their responsibilities and living conditions. At first, only one woman would speak to her but as their friendship grew, more women stepped up to speak their piece.

13. Parasite

Parasite is an award-winning Korean film that depicts a story of a working-class family who elaborately plans to infiltrate a rich family’s household. They work together to seem qualified to work for the family and even skillfully push out the already employed workers of the house in order to make the money they need to survive.

14. Joker

Joker tells the story of a failed comedian who cannot find where he fits into society. He is slowly bullied into insanity and is pushed to the edge when he finally loses it. This film has some unsettling scenes in it, however, it won the Golden Globes award this year. So, if you have not seen it already, this is a must-watch for your quarantine entertainment.

15. Guardians of the Galaxy

Guardians of the Galaxy is about an adventurer who stole the from the wrong guy, Ronan, an evil villain. Peter Quill, the main character is forced to ally with a bunch of misfits who must work together to not only stay alive but keep the powerful orb from Ronan and save the universe.

16. Forrest Gump

Forrest Gump stars a mentally disabled character who leads an unrestricted life. When Forrest puts his mind to something he ends up being really good at it and inspires people along the way with his child-like innocence. However, the one thing he struggles with is being with his childhood lover, Jenny. If you haven’t gotten around to watching this classic, quarantine is the perfect time to sit down and give it a try.

17. The Croods

The Croods is the perfect family-friendly quarantine film about a prehistoric family who live their lives trapped and hungry in a cave in order to stay alive. The young daughter, Eep, becomes increasingly curious in the life outside of the cave and the valley that they live in as she grows older. However, her nervous father, only trying to keep his family lineage going, tries to restrict her from acting on any curious urges.

18. Get Out

After Chris and his girlfriend meet each other’s parents in the film Get Out, he is invited on a weekend getaway to get to know the family better. At first, they are overly welcoming and he believes this is compensation for their discomfort of their daughter’s interracial marriage. However, he soon finds out that it was something else he could have never imagined.

19. Scott Pilgrim VS The World

In this graphic-novel-turned-film, Scott Pilgrim is surprised to find that the girl he wants to be with has an army of evil ex-boyfriends he must fight in order to be with her. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is a comedic film featuring a battle of the band’s narrative alongside the video game-like battles with the exes.

20. The Breakfast Club

During a Saturday stuck in detention, five very different high school students are trapped in a room together where they get to know each other’s stories a little more. At the end of the day, they see each other very differently than how they initially judged each other based on their stereotypical attitudes. Whether you are stuck in detention or quarantine, The Breakfast Club is a must-see movie classic.