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17 Movies You Definitely Shouldn't Watch In The Midst Of The Coronavirus Pandemic

I Am Legend? Not right now.

Sam Cleal
by Sam Cleal

BuzzFeed Staff

So things are a little scary right now, no one can deny. While I hope we are all doing the best we can to stay safe, we must remind ourselves that this will get better. But I want to warn you against watching anything...end-of-days-y. It's just not good and it'll get in your head — trust me!

NBC

This includes but is not limited to these dystopian epics:

1. Definitely don't watch Birdbox.

Netflix

A woman desperately trying to keep herself and two children alive after an unexplained outbreak of mass hysteria? No thank you!

2. I'd give Train to Busan a miss, too.

Next Entertainment World

A tension-filled South Korean zombie movie in which a dwindling number of survivors attempt to flee a city via the very last train there is — I'll make a note of it for later.

3. Try something else before I am Legend.

Warner Bros. Pictures

One man alone in New York with only a dog, the vestiges of civilisation, and the haunting presence of a fleet of inhuman spectres. Better not.

4. The Happening is just a little too real right now.

20th Century Fox

Scores of people begin dying by suicide due to a suspected bio-terrorist attack, causing survivors to seek refuge wherever they can. I mean, how about an episode of Friends instead?

5. World War Z may just give you nightmares.

Paramount Pictures

A terrible zombifying virus breaks out and pushes humanity to the brink of collapse? Even the awesome twist isn't worth sitting through all the trauma!

6. It Comes At Night won't be on my TV, and it shouldn't be on yours!

A24

Trapped in a secluded house, two families must avoid contact with the outside world due to a menacing outbreak, whilst still keeping the peace between each other. I won't for now.

7. Honestly, just don't watch The Road.

Dimension Films

A father and son must keep trucking along in a nondescript dystopian wasteland where everybody seems to have disappeared. Too real, dude.

8. Even A Quiet Place just hits too close to home right now.

Paramount Pictures

A family must navigate the dangerous world that's been left behind after a terrifying supernatural force moves in and begins killing people. Nope. NOPE.

9. Avoid Contagion.

Warner Bros. Pictures

I mean, I don't think this one needs explanation.

10. I'd steer clear of Night Of The Living Dead.

Continental Distributing

A group of people board themselves up in an abandoned old house to avoid the hoards of zombies roaming around outside. This one's a classic, but not for right now.

11. There's no need to watch any of the Cloverfield films at this point.

Paramount Pictures

A strange supernatural being attacks NYC leaving buildings destroyed and citizens running for their lives. Maybe just read a book?

12. 28 Days Later? How about 28 days NEVER?

Fox Searchlight Pictures

A deadly virus accidentally cooked up in a lab breaks out and begins to turn anyone and everyone into flesh-eating, menacing zombies. Absolutely not.

13. It's not the time to start working through the Mad Max movies.

Roadshow Film Distributors

In a post-apocalyptic desert society, a man must battle rogue motorcycle gangs, opportunistic criminals, and megalomaniacal self-imposed turf rulers to survive. I think not.

14. I wouldn't watch REC on any given Sunday, let alone right now!

Magnet Releasing

A contagion is traced to a random apartment building, which is then tented leaving everybody inside stranded and vulnerable to attack by the infected lurking within. I just can't right now.

15. The Day After Tomorrow can wait until next month.

20th Century Fox

Several freak weather events begin to coincide and cause major climate meltdown across the globe, inducing widespread panic. Hard pass.

16. 12 Monkeys is the last thing you should be watching right now.

Universal Pictures

A prisoner must earn his freedom by going back in time and figuring out how a deadly virus broke out, devastated humanity, and forced all survivors to live underground. Sounds like a good film for another time!

17. And finally, maybe try another Tom Cruise flick before you put on War of The Worlds!

Paramount Pictures

A man goes on the run with his son and daughter after their home is attacked by unstoppable alien forces. Whether or not you believe in ET, I'd skip this one for now!