Hurricane Sandy: 10 Movies You Might Want to Avoid During “Frankenstorm”
Hurricane Sandy (aka “Frankenstorm”) has thrown East Coasters into a bit of a frenzy stocking up on the basics and barricading their homes against the harsh conditions. Not only that, but movie theaters and Broadway shows are closing down their premieres as a precaution. So, how are people supposed to entertain themselves? The answer seems to be hunkering down with a stack of movies.
Though many are probably expecting to lose power at some point over the next couple days, that hasn’t stopped the lines from forming behind various Red Box locations (we know, we were in them). But what are the best movies to watch during a hurricane? Well, at least we can tell you what movies to avoid as they may induce pre-traumatic stress and massive bouts of paranoia.
- 1
'The Wizard of Oz'
This is a great movie to watch before a hurricane hits, but definitely not while it’s hitting. Dorothy clearly isn’t the person to model your self after in terms of proper emergency procedures. First off, when a tornado is on its way, you don’t wander off to have chats with random fortunetellers moments before the storm is supposed to hit. Second of all, when it does come, you should probably stay away from non-enforced windows, as they may fly off its hinges and hit you so hard you have hallucinatory dreams. Pay attention, kids, ‘cause this is everything you should not do during Hurricane Sandy.
- 2
'The Day After Tomorrow'
If storms freak you out, then you’ve probably already imagined the worst for the day after the storm hits – humanity in general has been eradicated, only a few random chunks of people are left alive scattered around the continent, and the world as we know it has turned into an ice age. This may be the premise of ‘The Day After Tomorrow,’ but Hurricane Sandy is just a hurricane. So if you’ve already had your first panic attack while waiting for the sub-zero temperatures to hit, we’re gonna stop you right there.
- 3
'Treme'
This list is primarily for the movie watchers of the world, but if you decide to change it up and pick up a few seasons of a TV show you haven’t watched yet, do NOT watch ‘Treme’ … at least not while Hurricane Sandy is pushing through. The HBO original series follows a New Orleans community in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina as they attempt to rebuild the city and their lives. Let’s save this one for after the world goes to hell, shall we?
- 4
'Twister'
This one seems like a no brainer, right? ‘Twister,’ starring Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton, features a team of storm chasers who – and here’s the part you should pay attention to – chase after and document raging tornadoes. Not the best movie to watch while Frankenstorm is shuffling past your window.
- 5
‘Burning Bright’
Hurricane Sandy got its nickname “Frankenstorm” due to its close-to-Halloween arrival. So with that in mind, here’s a flick that’s one-part horror movie and one-part disaster movie to avoid. ‘Burning Bright’ combines the anxiety that comes with being confined to your house during a hurricane and the horror of finding that a ravenous tiger is also in there with you. How did the tiger get in the house to begin with? Well, basically, a woman’s stepfather used the money meant to send her autistic brother to college was used to purchase a tiger, which was placed in their boarded-up, hurricane-proof house. Obviously.
- 6
'Disaster Movie'
What do you get when you combine every devastating natural disaster and combine them all into a single film… and then make fun of them? ‘Disaster Movie’ is a disaster in more ways than one. Aside from the fact it’ll give you stress in the wake of the ever approaching Hurricane Sandy, it also spotlights the devastating effects of Carmen Electra, Matt Lanter, Vanessa Minnillo and Nicole Parker’s poor acting have on the unaware audience. You might never recover from this one.
- 7
'2012'
“An epic adventure about a global cataclysm that brings an end to the world and tells of the heroic struggle of the survivors.” This is the official synopsis of the disaster-type movie ‘2012.’ You tell us if it’s a good idea to watch this during Hurricane Sandy?
- 8
'Hurricane Party'
‘Hurricane Party’ is probably the true embodiment of Hurricane “Frankenstorm” Sandy, but that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to watch during this time. We know that you and your buddies want nothing more than to head on over to a seemingly abandoned house and party during a hurricane, but there might just be a killer lurking in the shadows. That’s the main lesson of the short film ‘Hurricane Party,’ which follows a group of 20-somethings who do just that and soon get killed off one by one as a psychopath is camped out on the upper level.
- 9
‘NYC: Tornado Terror’
Hurricane Sandy is particularly scary for New Yorkers considering the storm is hitting so close to home. Plus, all those ‘Cloverfield,’ ‘Day After Tomorrow,’ ‘Godzilla’ and the other destruction-of-Manhattan-type movies have been weighing on their minds. In that case, one completely random and presumably awful movie should be avoided at all costs: ‘NYC: Tornado Terror.’ In light of that tornado that hit Brooklyn a while back and the upcoming Frankestorm, this made-for-TV movie from Canada that showcases electrical tornadoes ripping through the Big Apple.
- 10
Any Horror Movie Ever...
... But Definitely Not Movies Like 'The Shining.'There's nothing more scary than being trapped in your own house with a murderer and no way of leaving... oh, and all this happening a few days before Halloween. So, since you probably shouldn't leave your homes during Hurricane Sandy, all horror movies should be avoided -- unless you like the anxiety that comes with thinking there's something lurking in the shadows of your living room while a storm rages on outside. More particularly, 'The Shining,' though it's not a hurricane/tornado-focused movie, will bring all these fears to life. The classic movie adapted from the Stephen King novel of the same name follows a mother and her child trapped in an enormous hotel with their just-turned-murderer husband/father while a blizzard makes it next-to-impossible to leave. See the connection?