All work and no play makes Jack a cold boy.
Last month, Hell literally froze over. Hell, Michigan to be exact. Thanks to the Polar Vortex, much of the East Coast and Midwest was under heavy snow and ice. Perfect time to curl up next to the fireplace with a cup of hot chocolate and watch some snowy speculative movies. Here’s a convenient list for the next time you’re stuck in a Polar Vortex.
Very minor spoilers below.
The Shining (1980)
As you watch The Shining, you start to feel the isolation and paranoia of being stuck in an hotel for a long winter. In my opinion, the snowstorm that trapped the Torrance family was just as menacing a character as the haunted Overlook Hotel. You start to feel cabin fever, but also how bitter and miserable the cold is. When a homicidal Jack Torrance traps his wife and son in the hotel with him, they have no choice but to go out into the brutal cold to escape him. In the end, it’s Jack who succumbs to the freezing temperatures. Side note: One of my favorite things is when Danny uses his footprints in the snow to trick and confuse Jack in the maze.
30 Days of Night (2007)
Vampires in Alaska? Yes, please. Based on a comic book, 30 Days of Night takes viewers to a remote Alaskan town that falls into darkness for a month. It’s the perfect feeding ground for a group of thirsty vampires. Not only is the setting unique, but once again, the harsh weather plays a factor into how the townspeople survive (or not).
The Thing (1982)
Aliens in Antarctica? Yes, please. Once again, it’s the isolation of being stuck on a continent that’s basically a sheet of ice with an alien that can shapeshift into humans, meaning you can’t trust anyone. The harsh elements play into the fear and dread of being hunted down by the alien.
Misery (1990)
When author Paul Sheldon crashes his car during a blizzard, his number one fan Annie Wilkes is the one to rescue him and nurse him back to health. Too bad she’s also Nurse Death. Although the cold doesn’t play a big part, it does set the story into motion. If it hadn’t been for that bad weather, Paul never would have crashed his car and met Annie.
Snowpiercer (2013)
In this sci-fi movie, Earth is now under an Ice Age, basically destroying all life on the planet. The only human survivors live on a train called Snowpiercer that circles the globe. The occupants on the train are divided by class (the rich are in front and the poor are in the back), but when the tail section starts a revolution, it starts a deadly chain reaction that rivals the brutal weather outside.
Images from IMDB.com
I’ve seen and love all of these except Misery, which I simply haven’t seen yet. I keep trying, and I keep getting thwarted!