Movie and book recommendations for hours of at-home entertainment.
by Joshua Nawoichik
We find ourselves with many options to keep ourselves entertained during the Coronavirus pandemic. Many of us delegate that task to our television or a puzzle. Maybe it’s time to pull out an old book that was stored in some forgotten corner of the house. If you are creative enough, there’s a variety of things to keep you busy during these quarantine times.
There is nothing like a good movie and a bowl of popcorn to help us detach from reality and forget about what is happening. A couple of other college students have helped put together some movies that helped them to pass the time. On Netflix, a movie about a pandemic has become quite popular, ironically enough. It’s called Outbreak, a 1995 film starring Dustin Hoffman, Rene Russo and Cuba Gooding Jr.
“How much more relatable could a movie be to this situation?” said Cape Cod Community College (4Cs) student Gordon Gerstner. “Except in this they solve it within two hours. Wish that was the case right now.”
Another movie that might bring up your spirits and get a laugh out of you at the same time is one of Will Ferrell’s best comedies, 2008’s Step Brothers. It is one of my personal favorite movies and it could quite possibly be yours too.
This last series of movies is sure to be an all-time favorite to pass time over a few days. The Star Wars movies can cover almost 24 hours if you watch all of them.
Image courtesy of veiwerscommentary.com
“I have watched every [Star Wars] movie probably 10 times now, and every time each lightsaber battle gives me goosebumps,” said fellow 4Cs student Matthew Tracy. “Great way to pass time.”
If you aren’t a fan of sitting down and watching a movie or a television show, maybe a good book will better keep you occupied. There are millions upon millions of books out there which you are capable of attaining and reading. Public libraries may not be open but you can find suggestions easily enough online. Quarantine is the best time to begin a mystery series to help take your mind off what is happening in the world. Still Life by Louise Penny is one of 15 mystery novels surrounding the life of Chief Inspector Armand Gamache.
“I am halfway through the series and it gets harder for me to put down the book after turning each page,” said 4Cs student Paula Schaff.
For someone who prefers to read a more heartwarming story, try A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson. This novel is an inspirational true story about Bryson’s misadventures while hiking the Appalachian Trail. It has a tone of comedy that keeps you entertained throughout the book.
A final book I will recommend is more geared towards the suckers for science-fiction novels. For some, they may sound like a waste of time, but when the books go back and forth over the line of possible reality and fiction it makes for an interesting read. The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi questions the dwindling resources of the world and how much we influence the environment in an exaggerated fashion.
“I am someone who generally cares about the environment,” said Schaff. “This book makes us question the reality of the impact that we have on the world around us.”
People have more time on their hands than ever before, so if you find yourself with nothing to do, maybe pickup one of these books or throw on a movie with your family. We are all in this together, so let’s try and make the best of it.
Categories: Arts & Entertainment, Editorials