Spring break is finally here, a time for enjoyment and travel. Many students will be busy visiting family or trying to take advantage of cheap flights. But for those of us who only expected to relax this week taking it easy at home or maybe had travel plans that have wound up cancelled, well, we have lots of free time with the potential for much more in the coming weeks. Why not sit back and enjoy a few movies for escapism?  

“The Thing” (2011) is the prequel to a classic that I’ve found is far more deserving of the spot. Maybe it’s my love of Mary Elizabeth Winstead but there’s just something about an invisible threat that is spread via people you know and care about that really resonates with me of late, you know?  

“Carriers” (2009) is a dramatic movie about two brothers and their girlfriends trying to reach the beaches of their childhood. It was a fairly predictable movie and there were times some of the actors were a little overly-dramatic that I almost laughed but the characters were likable enough and it’s fun seeing Chris Pine a little bit before he really started to take off. 

One more movie is “Viral” (2016) which follows two sisters who are separated from their father after the town they live in is quarantined due to an odd sickness dubbed the worm flu. This one made me a little queasy upon watching but hey, at least we’re not dealing with parasitic worms, right? 

But maybe comedy movies are more your thing and if so, you’ll be pleased to know that there are options. Well, one particular option. 

“Zombieland” (2009) and “Zombieland: Double Tap” (2019): Who doesn’t love a wonderful found family trope amongst the threat of zombies? The first “Zombieland” was a classic on arrival, the humor hitting often enough that even with the cultural references that might seem a tad dated 10 years on, it’s still a very enjoyable movie. “Double Tap” couldn’t quite live up to the standards of the first one; however, that didn’t make it an unsatisfying sequel. For best results, memorize Columbus’ rules for surviving the zombie apocalypse so you can repeat them while washing your hands. No such thing as being too careful!  

For the fans of more realistic television, Netflix just released “Pandemic: How to Prevent an Outbreak,” a six-episode documentary series about the flu and the people who are working to make sure there isn’t a global pandemic. After all, I think we really can only afford to deal with one at a time.