It's official, summer is over.
That brief stint of golden autumnal warmth back in early September is now but a distant dream, with the nights drawing in and a chill in the air. But there are some plus sides to the colder weather, like cosy evenings spent in front of the fires, relaxing on the sofa with a feel-good or gripping classic film. A great classic film can transport you somewhere else entirely, providing a welcome dose of escapism, especially at the moment.
A good rainy day film should prompt the same cosiness as curling up with a warm drink, slipping on some wooly socks or tucking into your favourite comfort food. In fact, we recommend these as the perfect accompaniments to your evening on the sofa. But deciding exactly which classic film to go for can sometimes be a bit of a chore. So we've done the hard work for you and rounded up our favourite classic films to watch when the weather takes a turn for the worst.
From Thelma and Louise's doomed road trip across the USA, to Russell Crowe sampling wine in the French countryside in A Good Year, to the escapades of young journalist Andy on the New York Fashion scene in The Devil Wears Prada, there's something for every mood. From tear jerkers and emotional watches, to lighthearted and heartwarming comedies, to dramatic, action-packed epic classic films, there's plenty to choose from here. Happy watching!
Our favourite classic films for a rainy day
Lost in Translation
A movie star with a sense of emptiness, and a neglected newlywed meet up as strangers in Tokyo, Japan and form an unlikely bond. Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson light up the screen.
Calendar Girls
A Women's Institute chapter's fundraising effort for a local hospital by posing nude for a calendar becomes a media sensation. The thing about this movie is you can watch it time and time again and it still leaves you with a smile.
The Devil Wears Prada
Most of Meryl Streep's movies are fabulous fodder for a rainy day but we reckon this is one of the best. A naive young woman comes to New York and scores a job as the assistant to one of the city's biggest magazine editors, the ruthless and cynical Miranda Priestly, played by Meryl who is delicious in the role!
A Good Year
This is director Ridley Scott at his most gentle and romantic and, boy, does it work, especially with the acting talents of Russell Crowe and Marion Cotillard. A British investment broker inherits his uncle's chateau and vineyard in Provence and, as he tries to renovate it to be sold, he discovers that not all the good things in life are driven by profit.
Thelma and Louise
The best of all girlie movies for sure with Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis star as an Arkansas waitress and housewife who go on a road trip, inadvertently committing murder on the way and having to go on the run from the police.
Cast Away
Tom Hanks plays a FedEx executive who washes up on a deserted island after a plane crash and has to overcome huge mental and physical challenges to survive. We reckon this is his best performance ever and it really pulls at the heart strings - especially when he finally arrives back in civilisation only to find his fiancé's life has moved on during his absence.
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Maggie Smith, Celia Imrie, Judi Dench and Penelope Wilton wave the flag for British actresses in this hilarious and moving feel-good film about British retirees who travel to India to what they believe is a newly restored hotel. It's a joy to watch this stellar cast finding their lives intermingling in a ramshackle but charming hotel run by Sonny (played by the gorgeous Dev Patel) who is dominated by his formidable mother. One to lift the spirits.
Six Days Seven Nights
A New York magazine editor and gruff pilot crash land on a desert island during a storm and have to overcome their mutual loathing in order to survive. Only a week later the characters, played by Harrison Ford and Anne Heche, feel rather differently about each other. You may know where it's going from the start but no matter - it's very watchable!
French Kiss
The most charming movie of the 90s starring Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline. A woman flies to France to confront her straying fiancé, but gets into trouble when the charming crook seated next to her uses her for smuggling. Everything happens just as you want it to!
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