If the weather outside is frightful, here's what to watch to warm yourself up

Perhaps you have a holiday weekend this weekend, and perhaps you don’t. But either way, you may be facing at least one or two days of pretty cold weather. (Where I am, it’s likely to be around freezing when I wake up Saturday morning.) I greatly prefer cold weather to hot weather, as it’s easier to put on a big thick robe and make my dog lie on my feet than it is to sprawl sweatily upon my floor and hope for relief.

If you do hunker down, particularly with family around, it’s good to have something warming to watch. Sure, you could lean into it and watch something icy, like George Clooney’s The Midnight Sky. I, on the other hand, like to watch something that reminds me that the sun will come out — maybe not tomorrow, but eventually.

Palm Springs

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This nifty romcom takes place at a resort hotel in (obviously) Palm Springs. You get desert, you get a pool, you get bright sunlight, and you get a charming time-loop story of two people who really, really want to get to the next day already.

Breaking Bad

Maybe you know all about this wonderful show; maybe it will be a rewatch. But think about it: the show takes place in Albuquerque! Multiple bloody showdowns happen in the desert. People trek for hours just to commit all of their various crimes! You’ll verily feel the sweat on your brow.

A Time to Kill

I can’t defend every element of this 1996 courtroom drama based on John Grisham’s book. Parts of it are, most definitely, a bit cringe-inducing, although parts are also very good. Either way, it does take place in Mississippi, and it is the sweatiest movie I have ever seen. Ashley Judd, in particular, playing the wife of Matthew McConaughey’s cocky defense lawyer, glistens wetly like a just-painted nail.

Do the Right Thing

A heavy movie, yes. But a truly great one. And one that uses the heat of a summer day to increase the ominous building of pressure that will lead to tragedy. It’s probably one of the most plot-critical uses of extreme heat you’ll see on screen.

(Honorable mention: Heat.)

This piece also appeared in NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour newsletter. Sign up for the newsletter so you don’t miss the next one, plus get weekly recommendations about what’s making us happy.

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