These are strange times

I keep going back and forth between being thrilled that things are cancelled so I can settle in and get a movie in and being sick of my couch.  In many ways the shelter in place orders are a cinephile’s best friend and I have certainly made the most of it which got me thinking about how movies can get us through rough times.  Movies can show us a way to understand a problem or try out solutions to see how they fit.  In a time when TV and distractions are a bigger part of our daily life, what we choose to watch can make a difference in our mood and outlook. 

Movies and TV shows provide a suspension of reality that we all could use about now.  They can also give our brains a break from thinking about the hard questions life is asking of us by giving us examples of how others have worked through them.  They provide a break from kids, or work, or family.  They offer an excuse for a snuggle or laugh with people we can still have direct contact with and let us celebrate surviving another day.  They can provide stories of overcoming adversity, bravery, fear, and joy which we all could use right about now.

In the 1930’s, as part of the “New Deal” of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, part of the revival of the nation was to include art and artists in the recovery programs.  He recognized that people need to see beauty and magic to recover their spirit as well as their bank account.  During any time of crisis, it is often the artists, whose skill we may not always appreciate, that we turn to for comfort.  The stories they tell are helping me make my way through this weird and unsettling time.

 What are you watching?

 List of movies to watch during Covid
https://www.nytimes.com/article/coronavirus-quarantine-what-to-watch.html

List of movies to watch during protests
https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2547580/great-movies-that-explore-race-and-social-justice