Social distancing is making people across the world go stir crazy (including me). On the bright side, there's an entire subgenre of horror film that deals with contagious illness and disease. Pandemic horrors have always been the most terrifying for me because they can go deep into the real, human side of horror while overplaying the fun of science fiction. It's the perfect atmosphere to spend the day in watching these terrifying films, because right now they hit a little bit too close to home.
It Comes At Night (2017)
Director Trey Edward Shults showcases his mastery of suspense and anxiety in this stomach-dropping post-apocalypse film. It Comes At Night is a slow build that peaks in a raging climax, but the horror is felt throughout its entire runtime. We don't see the 'monster' or know what the 'infection' specifically is, but the unknown is a terrifying thing to contemplate. Watch this if you want a film that will really make you think about the ethics of a potential apocalypse.
28 Days Later (2002)
28 Days Later is notorious for its fresh take on the zombie genre; these zombies can run at a full sprint rather than stumble and drag their way to their next meal. It's also known for its role in the "waking-up-in-a-hospital-after-the-apocalypse" trend. There's also a healthy dose of romance, untrustworthy government officials, and glorious zombie gore. You may want to spend some of your extra time doing cardio after watching this.
Cabin Fever (2002)
Eli Roth is one of the most famous directors in the horror genre, and arguably one of the best. This cheesy-but-great film follows a group of college kids who find themselves in a bad situation when they kill a diseased man and then find out he was contagious. Flesh-eating diseases are not ones we often think about when hearing the word "contagious", but these unlucky kids have to bite the bullet and try to survive the rampant infection. Cabin Fever spawned a franchise with two sequels and a 2016 remake, each of varying quality. See for yourself, but remember: don't drink the lake water.
REC (2007)
REC is a found-footage horror film from Spain that has earned itself a high ranking on most horror fanatics' lists. A cameraman and a news reporter become trapped in a quarantined building with first responders when a sick woman bites one of them. The victims of this infection become violent, bloodthirsty killing machines, leaving the innocent essential workers (hehe) with no way out. An American remake was released in 2008, appropriately titled 'Quarantine'. Hazmat suits seem appropriate after watching this.
Resident Evil (The Whole Dang Franchise)
Horror movies in times of panic are fun and all, but everyone needs a break from the too-real medical scenarios at some point. Here I present my remedy to your crippling anxiety: the Resident Evil franchise. It's based off of a video game of the same name and follows a woman named Alice, who has superhuman powers and uses them to fight the zombies and their creators, the evil Umbrella Corporation. The zombified creatures and fight scenes are so overdramatic that they become comedic-- but in an awesome way. Also, the films seem to have a recurring fascination with badass female characters, which is always a plus in my book.
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