top ten: winter warmers

Ah, July: smack bang in the middle of winter, it offers little in the way of hope for the impending glory of springtime; it’s upsettingly devoid of any public holidays and my weekly trip to the produce section of the Queen Victoria Markets is becoming depressingly bland. However, such short days and long, chilly nights are perfect for doing what I do best: vegetating ( much like the countless sweet potatoes I am forced to purchase in lieu of more interesting market veggies) on the couch, sipping red wine and traveling to warmer climates—if only through the magic of film. Feast your eyes on this Top Ten: the ultimate list of summer-set Directors Suite films sure to warm you up this winter.

10. GERRY

In Gus Van Sant’s GERRY, the two titular characters (played by Matt Damon and Casey Affleck) pull off the highway so to walk through the pristine wilderness where, under the clear blue sky and searing hot desert sun, their friendship is put to the ultimate test. Thanks to Van Sant’s realistic directorial style, the burning temperatures experienced by the two Gerrys almost filters through the television screen—GERRY will definitely warm you up.

9. MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION

Set in summertime California, MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION stars Rock Hudson as Bob Merrick, a thrill-seeking playboy who is injured in a reckless speedboat accident on a picturesque Californian lake. But when this irresponsible act inadvertently causes the death of the local doctor, the waves are also felt by the doctor’s widow, to whom Rob feels an unprecedented attraction…Hot stars, hot passion, hot Californian setting: the perfect winter warmer.

8. FUNNY GAMES

When a beautiful couple and their equally adorable son arrive at their lakeside summer rental, the picturesque surrounds and perfect weather mean they think of nothing but relaxing and enjoying their summer holiday. That is, until Peter and Paul (two impeccably-dressed, eerily polite young men) turn up on their doorstep, requesting to borrow some eggs…Juxtaposing the sunny location with a chillingly sinister narrative, FUNNY GAMES will leave your heart pounding.

7. SWEETIE

The searing heat of summer in the Australian suburbs is perfectly captured onscreen in Jane Campion’s feature-film debut, SWEETIE, which examines the dysfunctional relationship between two sisters, Kay and Sweetie. Spending much of the film sweaty and under-dressed, the slovenly Sweetie is sure to leave your blood boiling.

6. PARIS, TEXAS

As Travis, our stony-faced hero, trudges silently through the desert in the southern United States, the heat shimmers across the landscape. The opening scene of PARIS, TEXAS is like the blazing blast of a pre-heated oven, hitting you smack bang in the face.

5. LORD OF THE FLIES

Spending the majority of the film disrobed on a pristine tropical island, the kids from LORD OF THE FLIES don’t realise how good they’ve got it! Except for the way in which the breakdown of their civility leads to them off-ing each other. That’s kind of a bummer.

4. THE BIG BLUE

Having spent much of his early life sunning himself with his scuba-instructor parents, Luc Besson knew his way around a good ocean scene. THE BIG BLUE is testament to Besson’s love of the ocean…and my love of Jean-Marc Barr in bathers.

3. MR HULOT’S HOLIDAY

Jacques Tati’s accident-prone protagonist, Monsieur Hulot, takes a trip to the seaside in this family-friendly adventure. While luxuriating at the idyllic resort, M. Hulot manages to turn a sleepy seaside town upside-down; catastrophe follows catastrophe as he stumbles down a gentle path of chaos. Silly and sweet, MR. HULOT’S HOLIDAY will warm your heart.

2. FLOATING WEEDS

During a particularly sticky summer, a troupe of itinerant actors arrive in a sleepy seaside village. The opening scene—of a languid boat gently chopping its way through the crystal-clear blue waters of Japan while, onboard, the heat-sedated actors lazily fan themselves—is seared into my winter-chilled brain.

1. SUMMERTIME

Katharine Hepburn brings touching pathos to the role of Jane Hudson in David Lean’s under-seen SUMMERTIME. The arresting beauty of summertime Venice comes alive in striking Technicolor, and the romantic storyline is sure to warm even the hardest of hearts.