Roy Wood Jr Reviews Pandemic Movies During ‘The Daily Show’ Coronavirus Hiatus (Video)
This is actually helpful!
Ross A. Lincoln | March 19, 2020 @ 9:39 PM
Last Updated: March 20, 2020 @ 8:40 AM
Now that everyone is spending a LOT more time at home than normal, we’re looking for something to watch, especially something related to this whole coronavirus thing.
Luckily, even though “The Daily Show,” like every other late-night show, is on a pandemic-mandated hiatus, the show’s staff members are still putting out content, including Roy Wood Jr., who on Thursday posted reviews of three classic plague movies, including what to expect in terms of bleakness.
First, he looked at Steven Soderbergh’s 2011 thriller “Contagion,” about which Wood said: “Now, if you’re looking for hope in the midst of all of this COVID-19 nonsense, do not watch this movie.”
Wood did like the “stacked” cast, which he said includes: “Gwyneth” (Paltrow); “the white girl from ‘Titanic’ that let Leo DiCaprio die” (Kate Winslet); “Walter White” (Brian Cranston); and “Matt Damon, but I’m not sure if he was talking in a Boston accent in that movie.”
Wood’s verdict: “Overall, if you’re worried about catching that ‘rona, watch another movie. It is too close to home.”
Next, the 1995 movie “Outbreak,” which he found notable because “the President in this movie has a big idea – he’s gonna stop the virus by bombing the city that it’s in.”
“Please don’t show this movie to Trump,” Wood joked.
The final movie Wood reviewed was Danny Boyle’s 2002 movie “28 Days Later.” “It’s a bunch of zombies running around England, and they eating everybody’s brains,” Wood said. “Which I completely understand if you’ve ever had British food. They eat beans with their toast.”
20 Movies With Extremely Happy Endings to Make You Forget All About the Pandemic (Photos)
Hey, uh, are you all OK? Because we know it's not a relaxing time, what with the ever-worsening coronavirus pandemic and everything being locked down. But if we're gonna make it through... however long of isolating at home with our sanity intact, we need to stay positive. And we have just the thing for that! Just watch one of these movies with extremely happy endings, every single one guaranteed to leave you feeling so upbeat and genuinely awesome that you'll forget all about covid-19. Coronavirus, schmoronavirus, we say!
"Back to the Future" (1985): Marty fixes his life and his parents' lives with time travel. Then we get a SUPER DOPE sequel hook. And then comes Huey Lewis and the News at their artistic and commercial peak to make you feel so good you won't care about a statewide lockdown.
"Chef" (2014): This is a great movie if you want to remember the Before Times, when we could still leave our houses and eat street food. You also get a dance party in the closing credits. Take that, end times anxiety.
"Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" (2009): Tim FINALLY shows real affection for his son and then Flint and Sam kiss. No, I'm not coughing I'm crying.
"Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey" (1993): Wait, the two dogs and their kitty friend make it home alive and Chance learns to love his family? Shut up! I'm not crying; you're crying. I SAID SHUT UP! I AM NOT CRYING!
"Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again!" (2018): It's already one of the greatest movie musicals of all time before the ending turns into a totally insane sing along to Abba's "Super Trouper" featuring the older characters dancing with their younger selves, the ghost of Meryl Streep, and CHER!!!!
"Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping" (2016): The criminally underappreciated masterpiece from The Lonely Island is nonstop hilarious, and then Michael Bolton shows up at the end to sing "Incredible Thoughts." Also, the picture here is the world's cutest kitten just hugging a dog, which you'd know if your brain was a genius.
"Shazam!" (2019): By far the best movie not called "Superman: The Movie" to be based on a DC Comic. If you didn't yell "Hell Yes" and embarrass yourself in the theater when the thing depicted in the image above happened, you need a hug.
"Sing Street" (2016): Awesome songs, a great coming-of-age story, then we end with a truly cathartic bittersweet moment of hope for the future and the successful pursuit of one's dreams. For instance, I dream of being able to leave the house again.
"To All the Boys I've Loved Before" (2018): This is a pretty good kiss, too.
"Trolls" (2016): When Justin Timberlake and Anna Kendrick sing "Can't Stop the Feeling" to turn the Bergens into happy dancing party people your mood will be dramatically improved, and I know because in November 2016 I saw this three times in the theater because, for some reason, I needed cheering up.
"Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" (1971): "Don't forget what happened to the man who suddenly got everything he wanted." "What's that?" "He lived happily ever after." Just like we will once this whole thing is over.
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Self-quarantine more like self-quarantastic
Hey, uh, are you all OK? Because we know it's not a relaxing time, what with the ever-worsening coronavirus pandemic and everything being locked down. But if we're gonna make it through... however long of isolating at home with our sanity intact, we need to stay positive. And we have just the thing for that! Just watch one of these movies with extremely happy endings, every single one guaranteed to leave you feeling so upbeat and genuinely awesome that you'll forget all about covid-19. Coronavirus, schmoronavirus, we say!
