Movie Recommendations For Quarantine Viewing From Protomartyr's Joe Casey

Who: Joe Casey of Protomartyr

Where: Detroit, Mich.

Recommendation: Movies

Here's my advice for you: Go Easy On Yourself. Being unproductive and lazy might seem bad to some, but right now we're all fighting a feeling of terrible powerlessness. The last thing you want to do is beat yourself up because you didn't make a photogenic meal, read the complicated novel you've been putting off, learn what crunches are and then do them daily, or record some amazing album that perfectly captures how powerless we all feel. I've been doing nothing but eating meat out of a can and sleeping odd hours but I make sure to remind myself that was a pretty full day even for old pre-quarantine Joe.

If there's one thing old pre-quarantine Joe and I have in common is a love for movies. I've found myself drawn to more comedic or calming things than before this mess, which seems perfectly natural. If you are blessed with an internet hook-up and some of those streaming sites I suggest the 2012 movie Don't Let The Riverbeast Get You! The exclamation point in the title will hopefully imply the joys that await you upon viewing. Elem Klimov directed one of the most profound movies of all time, 1985's Come and See. I wouldn't suggest watching something that gut-wrenching this week, so how about his two lighthearted movies, Welcome, Or No Trespassing and Adventures of a Dentist? They both really fun and might be the perfect balm for fans of Wes Anderson films. I don't have internet at home myself, so I'm forever grateful for my regular old TV. And all the different channels the free digital antenna has on offer. Say em' with me: Decades! Movies! Comet! Heroes & Villains! Bounce! The list goes on and on. Nothing says, "hunker down and wait it out" more than a pleasant marathon of Star Trek or The Match Game 74 on terrestrial television, canned meat in hand.

I hope these meager suggestions are of some help. It's important to find some form of peace in even the calmest of days. My smarter brother Jim likes YouTube videos about farm animal grazing techniques by a fellow named Greg Judy. It is my sincere hope that you, too, can find your farm animal grazing techniques video, whatever it may be.

Joe Casey is the lead singer of Protomartyr. The band's new album, Ultimate Success Today, is out July 17. Watch the video for the band's new single, "Processed By The Boys," below.

• Read more from the Our Daily Breather series.

Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.