3 best 'cabin fever' movies to watch when you're snowed in

The Shining, Misery, and The Hateful Eight — (Image credit: Medusa/Castle Rock/The Weinstein Company/Alamy/BFA/Warner Bros)

If you're one of the millions of residents who live in the northeast U.S., chances are you're snowed in by the February blizzard, which has brought more than two feet of snow to many parts of the region. If you're not stocked up on groceries, milk and toilet paper, then you might be out of luck for the next day or so.

But things could be worse! The idea of people getting stuck inside during a storm has spawned some pretty great, if horrific, scenarios for movies over the years. Here are three movies about some cases of extreme cabin fever to remind you that things aren't as bad as they seem.

'The Shining'

The Shining - Official Trailer [1980] HD - YouTube

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Nothing like a little peace and quiet to work on your next novel — or so you think. This classic Stanley Kubrick movie (based on a Stephen King novel) sees Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) take his wife and son to look after the Overlook Hotel for the winter. But, this being a King novel, things are not quite what they seem, and Jack slowly goes crazy. Something about all work and no play.

While King himself wasn't a fan of the film, it's still a gripping thriller filled with the paranormal, and Nicholson's performance — though over the top at times — is one for the ages.

Stream "The Shining" on Prime Video now

'The Hateful Eight'

The Hateful Eight Official Trailer #1 (2015) - Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell Movie HD - YouTube

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Quentin Tarantino's movie borrows from some of the best Westerns, like "Stagecoach," and packs a bunch of miscreants into a small cabin in the middle of a raging snowstorm. A bounty hunter (Kurt Russell) finds himself holed up with his bounty (Jennifer Jason Leigh), along with a who's who of other Tarantino films: Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Madsen, Bruce Dern, Walton Goggins and Tim Roth.

Not everyone in the cabin is there to merely wait out the storm, though, and in true fashion, it devolves into a "Reservoir Dogs"-style situation where no one trusts anyone else. Get ready for a lot of gunplay. While not one of Tarantino's best films, it is a diverting way to spend about three hours of your time. Where else are you going?

Stream "The Hateful Eight" on Paramount+ now

'Misery'

Misery (1990) - Official Trailer - YouTube

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The second film on our list based on a Stephen King novel — he's got a thing for writers trapped in the woods — features James Caan as Paul Sheldon, a world-famous novelist who drives off a snowy road shortly after finishing his latest work. He's rescued by Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates), his "number-one fan," who nurses him back to health.

Wilkes, though, is a bit of a "cuckoo bird" who goes unhinged after finding out that he's killed off her favorite character, and forces the bed-bound Sheldon to write a new novel. Bates won an Oscar for her role, a truly masterful performance. At the very least, it made me remember to save at least two copies of my work.

Stream "Misery" on Fubo now

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Michael A. Prospero is the U.S. Editor-in-Chief for Tom’s Guide. He oversees all evergreen content and oversees the Homes, Smart Home, and Fitness/Wearables categories for the site. In his spare time, he also tests out the latest drones, electric scooters, and smart home gadgets, such as video doorbells. Before his tenure at Tom's Guide, he was the Reviews Editor for Laptop Magazine, a reporter at Fast Company, the Times of Trenton, and, many eons back, an intern at George magazine. He received his undergraduate degree from Boston College, where he worked on the campus newspaper The Heights, and then attended the Columbia University school of Journalism. When he’s not testing out the latest running watch, electric scooter, or skiing or training for a marathon, he’s probably using the latest sous vide machine, smoker, or pizza oven, to the delight — or chagrin — of his family.

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