You’ve probably noticed it’s pretty hot out. Historically hot, actually. By the end of the week, the UK might see its warmest June day since records began. The Met Office has issued a red warning, advising people to stay out of the sun entirely. That sounds a lot like code for “stay inside and watch movies.”
But which movies? It feels right to watch something that matches this apocalyptic weather. Here are some suggestions:
For those who can’t escape the heat
Do the Right Thing
Spike Lee’s third film uses a Brooklyn heatwave as a pressure cooker, slowly building tension for the residents of Bedford-Stuyvesant. At first, characters use the weather to sit on stoops, spray each other with hoses, and flirt. But as the heat becomes more oppressive, tempers fray and everyone starts acting on their worst impulses. This week in a nutshell.
Body Heat
If you want pure, uncomfortable stickiness, go with Body Heat. Lawrence Kasdan’s erotic noir is set during a Florida heatwave so swampy it could peel wallpaper from a hundred feet away. The weather gets inside William Hurt’s mind, causing a feverish delirium that makes him fall for Kathleen Turner’s calculated seduction. It’s a near-perfect movie, until you think about how clammy everyone’s genitals must be.
Ice Cold in Alex
This might be my favorite heatwave movie. John Mills leads his WWII field ambulance unit across the North African desert, unable to escape the brutal heat. Along the way, everything falls apart—exposed to relentless dust, sweat, and glare, people get hurt and vehicles break down. It all seems hopeless, until Mills reaches a pub at the end of the line and orders the most refreshing beer in cinema history.
For those who don’t want to think about the heat
Fargo
Admittedly, Fargo is about an unspeakable act of violence that reveals a peaceful town’s horrifying underbelly. But remember, it all happens in the snow. Remember snow? Remember needing to wear a jumper? Remember when you didn’t have to freeze a water bottle and shove it between your legs just to feel human? No, me neither.
The Thing
The Thing is a terrifying movie that uses its Antarctic setting to heighten the fear and paranoia of being stalked and killed by an unknowable creature in a frozen wilderness. But again, who wouldn’t want a frozen wilderness this week? Remember breathing without feeling like your lungs had stuck together like an old pair of pants? Surely we’d all take certain death at the hands of a literal monster over this week’s weather, if it meant being cold again.
The Holdovers
Actually, we need to be careful here. Alexander Payne’s Christmas film is beautiful. In the cold New England winter, with snow being shoveled and breath visible in the air, two socially awkward outsiders slowly learn to bond against all odds. It’s an intensely heartwarming movie. But the last thing anyone needs right now is more warmth. There’s a red alert, for crying out loud.
For those who want to see this through to its logical conclusion
InterstellarFullscreen
Heat death … Interstellar, 2014. Photograph: Legendary Pictures/Sportsphoto/Allstar
Or maybe you’re the type who wants movies to offer a learning moment. If so, Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar – where the world is wrecked by such severe climate breakdown that all crops fail and humanity is nearly extinct – should do the trick.
Hell
Survival story … trailer for Hell, 2011. While Nolan used the climate crisis to tell a story about love’s redemptive power, the 2011 German film Hell takes a much darker view. Here, crops have failed and the atmosphere is destroyed, but instead of traveling through space to find hope, the survivors just drive around in a beat-up Volvo, fighting other scavengers for water and turning to cannibalism to stay alive. Basically, what the UK will look like if it doesn’t cool down next week.
The Day the Earth Caught Fire
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‘A front seat to the most jolting events of tomorrow!’ … a poster for The Day the Earth Caught Fire, 1961. Photograph: SNAP/Rex Features
To be honest, this 1961 British disaster film isn’t really about the climate crisis as we know it. Instead, it’s about nuclear proliferation going so wrong that the planet breaks free from its orbit and spirals toward the sun. Still, it’s very good, and you’ll look impressively relevant telling your sweaty coworkers you’re heading home to watch a movie called The Day the Earth Caught Fire.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is an FAQ based on the topic Nine films to watch during a heatwave
FAQs Movies for a Heatwave
Q Why would I watch specific movies during a heatwave
A Certain films have a cool icy or airconditioned vibe that can make you feel cooler even if just mentally Its a fun way to beat the heat
Q What kind of movies are usually recommended for a heatwave
A They often fall into a few categories snowywinter epics ocean or waterthemed adventures or movies set in cold dark places
Q Im new to this idea Whats a simple mustwatch film to start with
A Try Frozen Its fun for all ages full of ice and snow and has a great soundtrack Its an easy way to get the cool feeling
Q Are there any horror movies that work for a heatwave
A Yes The Thing is a classic Its set in a frozen Antarctic research station and the constant snow and isolation make it perfect for a hot day Just dont expect a happy ending
Q I want something more advanced or artistic Any suggestions
A Check out The Revenant Its a brutal beautiful survival story set in a frozen wilderness The scenes of icecold rivers and snowstorms are incredibly immersive and will make you shiver
Q What if I want a movie thats actually about water or the ocean
A Jaws is the ultimate choice Its set on a hot sunny beach but the deep dark ocean and the sense of danger can feel refreshingly cool Also The Abyss is great for underwater tension
Q Are there any comedies that fit the theme
A Absolutely The Grand Budapest Hotel is set in a snowy alpine resort The bright crisp winter visuals and fastpaced story are a great escape from the heat
