April showers bring May flowers. Not always the case for this Canadian chick. Bored and tired of the bad weather, she fell back into watching some of her old favourite snow/rainy day movies. Regardless if you’re in cold Canada or hot California, this list has a little something for every climate and hemisphere.

 

1. The Thing (1982)

There is nothing in this world that can cheer you up, in a terrifying way, than a John Carpenter film. And this film added in something a little extra: a shape shifting, body-snatching alien. The weather is frightful but hey, if you’re going to be snowed in, might as well be with your buddies at an Antarctic outpost, right? So, so wrong. This is evolution at its best. Wherever this slithery little guy comes from, he’s got it figured all out. Us noobs here on earth all want to be taller, stronger, faster. But our 100,000-year-old buddy from Planet Fuck-You knows how to survive: play it quiet, don’t draw attention, conform, blend in, strike when on fire. This film stars our old buddy Kurt “Jack Burton” Russell as MacReady, a helicopter pilot in a snow sombrero. And he’s kicking ass and chopping limbs. Welcome to the South Pole.

2. Aliens (1986)

Better than the first, with an epically creative name. It’s James Cameron, people. He’s the greatest pioneer. Aliens gives us everything we need in a sci-fi film and, including the baddest woman in space, Ripley. It’s been 57 years since the first Alien, and Ripley is back and ready to get some sweet, sweet revenge. And she is only too lucky to be rescued by her good old pals, Weyland-Yutani. In order to avoid becoming the shortest movie ever, obviously her colleagues at the company don’t listen to Ripley’s stories of how her crew died or of the monster that hunted them down. No, of course not; she’s obviously just crazy! Second best option, return to the same alien infested planet, currently surrounded by a giant storm, take a squad of Colonial Space Marines, and I’m sure you can figure the rest out. Like I said, epic.

3. Identity (2003)

What’s scarier than being stranded in a thunderstorm in the middle of nowhere? Maybe rooming with a mysterious killer, murdering one person after another in dark desert highway motel. Maybe it’s the man standing next to you, or the angry woman standing next to him. Who knows? But we know one thing for sure, there is no escape, at least not until the storm passes. This is Clue but with a dark, wet, and sinister twist. With the hope of escape gone, there are only two options; fight for survival or die, but who do you trust?

4. The Shining (1980)

“Here’s Johnny!” Remote hotel, in the dead of winter, with nothing to do. All work and no play makes anyone a dull boy. How can Stephen King come up with such a simple yet terrifying plot? Clearly those days of great cinematic storytelling are gone. No more tension or suspense. Enter jump scare, jump scare, and oh another jump scare!

25 miles from the closest town, this young family is set to live in this lavish hotel, built on a Native American burial ground of course, and care for it during the winter. Jack, hoping to achieve literary success during the isolation, figures it’s a great time to bring the family along. What’s the worst that could happen. Cabin fever ring a bell? We all know how solitude is good for the soul, and of course your sanity. Who hasn’t written a love note to your spouse on the bathroom mirror? “REDRUM” is such a beautiful phrase.

5. The Perfect Storm (2000)

Are you scared of the high seas? If not, maybe you should be. We follow Captain Billy in this book adaptation, as he and his ragtag crew attempt to catch some good old tuna. The catch? There’s a tropical storm brewing and they are about to get caught up in Mother Nature’s net of cold and aggressive anger. Even though Captain Billy and his crew know the storm is coming, they decide to venture into it anyways. Hey, someone’s gotta pay the bills. Nothing’s ever gone wrong when you’re deep in the ocean fighting 100-foot waves on an itty-bitty fishing dingy, right? Grab the tissues because this is not your happy ending love story. Maybe next time, check the weather channel before venturing out into the deep, dark, and very angry ocean.

6. 30 Days of Night  (2007)

“That cold ain’t the weather. That’s death approaching.” It’s coming, and the people of Alaska are prepared for anything the polar night brings. Well, at least anything they knew existed. As the month-long darkness descends upon Barrow, the few remaining citizens get their affairs in order, before hunkering down. Unaware that they are no longer at the top of the food chain. 30 Days of pure darkness, wild storms, and cold winter nights bring in more than just the odd lost puppy. A lovely tribe of vampires come to feast, and they don’t mind making a mess of it. It’s an all-you-can-eat buffet in quiet Barrow. Stranded and alone, the town must try to survive the never-ending night.

7. Dead Snow (2009)

It seems you just can’t keep a good Nazi down. At the height of their power, these nasty fellows terrorized the small town in Norway, until those Nords said “fuck this,” and forced them into the mountains, presumed to have died. Fast forward to a more civilized time and the Nazis are back, and they are pissed. Dead Snow brings everything you can hope for in a blood spattered Nazi zombie flick, including actual screen guts splatter! Seven college students on Easter break think they’re heading off to a fun filled vacay in the mountains.  Maybe they didn’t expect to be fighting to the death to defeat the undead Nazis. But hey, it’s Easter; it’s the time of resurrection!

8. The Mist (2007)

We all expect thunderstorms. Some even enjoy them, but in this Stephan King story, why wouldn’t we expect monsters to follow? Well, this poor town didn’t know what they were in for. Stranded and isolated following a massive storm, the small town of Bridgton Maine prepares for a week without power. David leaves his wife behind and drives to the local grocery store for supplies. Unbeknownst to them this won’t be a quick trip. It’s a week long battle for supremacy against inter-dimensional carnivores in the ice cream aisle. But of course, you put enough scared people in a room together, and you’ll find more dangerous threats from within. . .