Movies that Make the Indoors Look Appealing!

We’ve all spent lots of time indoors over the last couple of years… It was unbelievably bizarre, in unprecedented ways! Blockbusters were depressingly pushed back, sport halted, and holidays outlawed. So, to make previous proceedings seem somewhat less desolate and disheartening, here are 8 movies which remind us that, mercifully, you can’t get ambushed by a bear, mangled into permanent disfigurement by a plummeting boulder or hunted by bloodthirsty wolves from the safety of your home! Maybe, we didn’t miss going anyway?

The Revenant:

Beware the wild! Based on true events, Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s harrowing tale of survival doubles down as a perilous reminder of the bleak, uncompromising terrors of the wilderness. Savaged by a bear, abandoned by his companions and driven by an intense desire for revenge, The Revenant draws upon Leonardo DiCaprio’s dedicated performance as legendary frontiersman Hugh Glass to produce an immersive cinematic experience. Even in the movie’s slower moments, the threat of the outdoors remains ever-present, as Glass must navigate an aggressive winter. The locations and cinematography are incredible; Iñárritu expertly uses periods of natural lights as well as outstanding camera tracking shots which add to the movies sense of realness. But don’t just take my word for it, The Revenant amassed 12 Oscar nominations including best picture, best actor in a leading role, best actor in a supporting role, cinematography, and directing.

127 Hours:

Set in more recent times but equally as desolate, this true story survival movie features James Franco disappearing between two slabs of rock, before unceremoniously being regurgitated again. The bulk of the movie details the encompassing five days, in which adrenaline seeking climber Aron Ralston is forced to drink his own urine, and perform a hideous, literal nerve-shredding self-amputation in order to extricate himself when a boulder crushes his arm and entangles him deep inside the intestines of an unforgiving canyon. With no shortage of excruciating physical pain and mental instability, 127 Hours is a testament to a human’s capacity for survival, not to mention what can be achieved with some desperation, a blunt knife and a high pain threshold! Director Danny Boyle injects some uniquely experimental filming techniques into the mix to maintain the intrigue, yet this wince worthy tale serves well as a poignant reminder that the outdoors possesses some remorselessly deadly environments!

Contagion:

Perhaps sitting through this beautifully crafted movie whilst an actual pandemic is rampaging isn’t the greatest idea, but at the very least it’s a relevant indication. Contagion is incomparable when it comes to making its audience writhe uncomfortably over every potentially contaminated surface. Even before the outbreak of coronavirus, viewing this movie resulted in side effects such as the tentative, no lip contact sipping of a beverage, the firm handshake was substituted with a flimsy, apprehensive rendition and crowded public transport was boarded fretfully. An impactful scene traces the disease through an American businesswoman (Patient Zero) who contracts the virus through attending a work party and simultaneously passes it on through conventional interactions, demonstrating the speed at which a deadly disease can penetrate. Contagion is tense and well written, featuring a stellar cast such as Matt Damon, Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow to name but a few. Whilst there is no vicious snowstorm to navigate or treacherous crevasse to climb out of in this one, it still offers a most haunting vision. Is staying indoors so bad after all?

The Grey:

The Grey reverts to snowier climates and features Liam Neeson whose character survives a plane crash, then finds himself embedded deep in wolf territory. Battling grave injuries and unyielding conditions, The Grey has a surprising amount of depth, in which Neeson’s character is complex yet damaged. Nor does the movie submit in its entirety to the saturated Man vs Nature sub-genre, instead transforming into something more insightful. It successfully merges conventional thriller with fascinating character study, while maintaining a brutal, gory streak. The Grey is an exhilarating masterpiece, with emotional leverage, thrilling suspense, and beautiful imagery. It is certainly one to watch.

Cast Away:

If you had to spend 4 years on a deserted island, what item could you not go without? Who answered volleyball? Well, in Cast Away, Tom Hanks’ character plummets down to earth in a catastrophic plane crash, acquaints himself with an uninhabited tropical island and befriends an inanimate volleyball named Wilson. Listed as a film for essential viewing, Cast Away does a fantastic job of effectively conveying realism, whilst illustrating traumatic events such as the aftermath of death, the exasperating feeling of isolation, physical pain and desperation. It is a movie which gained immense popularity for a multitude of reasons, not least for Tom Hanks’ Oscar-nominated transformation, or the characterization of a volleyball and its emotional departure. But, in a scene we can all relate too, the unpleasantness and utter frustration of toothache is laid bare. Hanks’ character Chuck plays amateur dentist and armed with an ice skate sets about eliminating the problem at its root. Sitting through this masterstroke, however, is definitely not like pulling teeth, as Cast Away remains one of the prevalent cinematic demonstrations of what it is to be stiflingly, maddeningly alone. Of course, staying inside would have saved Chuck immeasurable suffering, but then we wouldn’t have got this really outstanding movie!

I Am Legend:

They say dog is man’s best friend! Will Smith produces a mesmerizing performance alongside his four-legged companion as virologist Robert Neville in this post-apocalyptic thriller, as he struggles to fend off infected survivors of a devastating vampiric plague. Inexplicably, the brilliant scientist finds himself as the last man on earth due to immunity from the highly contagious disease. From the safety of natural light, he searches for survival supplies and by night runs test on his own blood in an attempt to find salvation. I Am Legend establishes an eerie tone from the outset – imagine New York City without the scampering crowds, constant noise and vociferously sardined subways, but it is an intense and suspenseful experience, concentrating on the classic themes of heroism, selfless sacrifice and redemption. Whilst the movie suffers from some questionable special effects and a divisive ending, it is without doubt a heart-breaking and sinister watch – you’ll be double checking you locked your door!

The Road:

The road to the coast is enduring and treacherous. That’s where The Man and The Boy hope to unearth pastures more pleasant. A laugh a minute The Road is not, but it is one of the most thought-provoking and brutally gratifying movies on this list, worth multiple viewings. The story is uncomplicated, America is devastated, habitations demolished, and vegetation ruined. Civilization has transformed into a bleak, uncompromising imitation of that what came before. The surviving population have been reduced to primitive survivalists, depriving the weak and perhaps even using them as sustenance. Viggo Mortensen stars as The Man, played with an unpolished, bruising tenacity, and alongside him, The Boy, played with sympathetic bewilderment by Kodi Smit-McPhee. The Road serves as an ominous analogy of the dark capabilities of humans if push came to shove, hinting particularly to a visually horrifying basement scene which will remain unspoiled! While this movie won’t have you reaching for the popcorn, it is powerful and does come highly recommended!

Deepwater Horizon:

On the evening of April 20th, 2010, something went decidedly amiss in the Gulf of Mexico. With a temperamental fusion of volatile gas and crude oil, one pressure leak leads to another until containment becomes impossible. What follows are blazing explosions, twisted metal and crumbling structures. Mark Wahlberg plays regulation worker Mike Williams, who risks life and limb clambering through his crippled rig in aid of survivors. Some scenes are reminiscent of a combat zone, there’s enflamed bodies, protruding bones and melting flesh. Deepwater Horizon offers a more technical and gruesome version of events than what was depicted on every news channel, with the movie concentrating less on the environmental and economic impacts. With a talented cast and outstanding visual effects, Deepwater Horizon turns the most catastrophic oil spill in American history into an accomplished and electrifying disaster movie.