Buzz
Records are meant to be shattered, and unsurprisingly, the summer of 2023 marked the hottest global temperatures in at least two millennia. With 2024 on track to surpass even more milestones, this alarming trend continues, often overlooked amidst our constant distractions.
With that in mind, why not escape the sweltering heat for a few hours (if you’re lucky enough to have reliable air conditioning) and dive into a movie or two? Just as hot drinks can oddly cool you down on a scorching day, a steamy film set in a tropical locale might offer unexpected relief. If not, save this list for winter—these movies could warm you up just as effectively as they cool you down now.
Do the Right Thing (1989)
The setting: Brooklyn, NY
In Spike Lee's iconic film Do the Right Thing, the scorching heat isn’t just background—it’s the catalyst for conflict. On a sweltering summer day, racial tensions in a Brooklyn neighborhood, particularly between Black residents and Italian-American pizzeria owners, reach a boiling point. Cinematographer Ernest Dickerson uses a palette of reds and oranges to amplify the intensity, while unforgettable scenes like a fire hydrant spray and Mookie (Spike Lee) and Tina (Rosie Perez) sharing a moment with melting ice cubes leave a lasting impression.
Where to stream: Digital rental
Cool Hand Luke (1967)
The setting: North central Florida
Inspired by the true story of former convict Donn Pearce, Cool Hand Luke follows the titular Luke, a World War II veteran sentenced to two years in a prison camp chain gang for minor drunken misconduct. Under the oppressive rule of the camp's harsh overseers, led by George Kennedy's Dragline Slidell, the film immerses viewers in the grueling reality of labor under the relentless Florida sun. One of the most iconic scenes involves Luke betting he can consume 50 hard-boiled eggs in an hour—a moment that leaves you more concerned about food poisoning than the heat itself.
Where to stream: Digital rental
Predator (1987)
The setting: An unnamed South American rainforest
Primarily shot in Mexico, Predator features a team of muscular action heroes (Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Bill Duke, Jesse Ventura, and more) battling an unseen foe in the depths of a rainforest. The heat is palpable through their glistening muscles, and as the film progresses, Arnold's wardrobe diminishes until he’s left covered only in mud, signaling the escalating intensity of both the action and the sweltering environment.
Where to stream: Hulu, AMC+, Digital rental
Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)
The setting: The Sierra Madre Occidental mountain range in northwest Mexico
In John Huston's classic, the sweat, grime, and dirt aren’t just atmospheric—they reflect the inner turmoil of Fred C. Dobbs (Humphrey Bogart), one of cinema’s most compelling portrayals of greed. Dobbs and his companions venture into the mountains seeking fortune, only to descend into mistrust and betrayal, consumed by their own avarice. At least the oppressive heat is dry.
Where to stream: Digital rental
In the Heights (2021)
The setting: Washington Heights, NYC
This extraordinary, often overlooked musical captures the lives of a predominantly Dominican-American community in Washington Heights during the peak of summer. The film’s standout sequence, "Carnaval del Barrio," unites the characters as Daniela (Daphne Rubin-Vega) inspires her neighbors to embrace joy over despair, proudly declaring, "Since when are Latin people scared of heat?"
Where to stream: Max, Digital rental
Beau Travail (1999)
The setting: Republic of Djibouti
Claire Denis' mesmerizing and visually stunning film follows French Foreign Legion soldiers in Djibouti, where a complex web of obsession and rivalry unfolds between Adjudant-Chef Galoup (Denis Lavant), newcomer Giles Sentain (Grégoire Colin), and their commanding officer. The scorching heat of the Horn of Africa mirrors the intensity of their emotions.
Where to stream: Max, The Criterion Channel, Digital rental
Body Heat (1981)
The setting: South Florida
A defining work of the erotic thriller genre, Lawrence Kasdan's aptly named Body Heat catapulted Kathleen Turner to stardom as Matty Walker, a modern femme fatale. She ensnares the hapless lawyer Ned Racine (William Hurt) in a scheme to kill her wealthy husband, cleverly making him believe it was his own plan. The sultry Florida backdrop and the characters' constant physical entanglements ensure that sweat drips from every scene.
Where to stream: Digital rental
To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
The setting: Maycomb, Alabama
The fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama, inspired by Harper Lee's hometown of Monroeville, endures summer temperatures soaring to around 90 degrees (pre-climate change—today, Monroeville often hits nearly 100). In this era, respectable white men like Atticus Finch (Gregory Peck) wore three-piece suits regardless of the heat. While the film doesn’t fully depict the oppressive warmth, the stifling atmosphere of a town grappling with racial tension makes the courtroom scenes feel unbearably hot, as if everyone might sweat through their clothes.
Where to stream: Tubi, Digital rental
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
The setting: The fictional town of Newt, Muerto County, Texas
Horror often thrives in heat, as seen in Tobe Hooper's accidental franchise starter. When five young travelers run out of gas in the worst possible place, they stumble upon Leatherface's domain. The oppressive Texas summer heat amplifies the grime and decay of a bug-infested house filled with rotting flesh. While less explicit than later slashers, the sweltering setting also justifies the minimal clothing worn by the protagonists, particularly the women, as they attempt to escape.
Where to stream: Peacock, Tubi, Digital rental
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958)
The setting: The Mississippi Delta
Tennessee Williams' works, including this adaptation, evoke a longing for refreshing mint juleps or sweet iced tea. The iconic poster features Elizabeth Taylor as Maggie Pollitt, reclining on a bed with flames rising around her—a symbolic touch. The film explores the turbulent marriage between Maggie and Paul Newman's Brick, with the sweltering summer heat and a crumbling plantation house adding to the tension. The cast often appears drenched in sweat, emphasizing the oppressive atmosphere.
Where to stream: Digital rental
A Time to Kill (1996)
The setting: Canton, Mississippi
While earlier courtroom dramas like To Kill a Mockingbird hinted at the heat, this adaptation of John Grisham's work takes it further. The story follows the trial of a Black father (Samuel L. Jackson) who kills the white men who assaulted his daughter. The film’s characters are perpetually drenched in sweat, a result of both the scorching temperatures and the intense emotional stakes.
Where to stream: Digital rental
Sorcerer (1977)
The setting: The fictional village Porvenir, somewhere in South America
This underappreciated William Friedkin film features Roy Scheider as one of four men from diverse backgrounds (he’s the American) who find themselves in Porvenir, a remote fictional village in South America. Tasked with transporting unstable, poorly stored dynamite over 218 miles in decrepit trucks, they soon discover that nitroglycerin literally sweats—a perilous fact they must confront. Henri-Georges Clouzot's 1953 The Wages of Fear explores a similarly tense premise.
Where to stream: Digital rental
Y tu mamá también (2001)
The setting: A road trip across southern Mexico to Chiapas
Alfonso Cuarón's iconic coming-of-age film follows two teenagers (Diego Luna and Gael García Bernal) on a road trip with an older woman (Maribel Verdú) navigating her own life crisis. As they journey to a secluded, idyllic beach, jealousy, desire, and unspoken tensions threaten to unravel their bond. What begins as a simple beach trip evolves into a profound and transformative experience.
Where to stream: IFC Unlimited
Call Me By Your Name (2017)
The setting: Northern Italy
During the summer of 1983 in northern Italy, Elio Perlman's (Timothée Chalamet) father, an archaeologist, hosts grad student Oliver (Armie Hammer) at their family home. While the initial atmosphere is idyllic, the heat soon becomes palpable, mirroring the rising tension and emotions between the characters.
Where to stream: Netflix, Digital rental
Dune (2021)
The setting: The desert planet Arrakis
Denis Villeneuve's adaptation of Frank Herbert's novel features Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides, the heir to the dukedom of Arrakis, a desert planet abundant in spice but severely lacking in water. Amidst rival factions and the indigenous Fremen, water is too precious to waste, leaving little room for sweat.
Where to stream: Max, Digital rental
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011)
The setting: Jaipur, India
This film boasts an exceptional ensemble cast (Judi Dench, Celia Imrie, Bill Nighy, Ronald Pickup, Maggie Smith, Tom Wilkinson, and Penelope Wilton) who relocate to the titular hotel in sunny Jaipur, India. Despite its faded glory, the hotel’s manager (Dev Patel) is determined to create a welcoming home for these British retirees, all facing financial struggles. Over time, they realize Jaipur and their new community offer far more than the desperate retirement solution they initially perceived.
Where to stream: Digital rental
12 Angry Men (1957)
The setting: A jury room in New York City
Over the course of about 90 minutes, 12 jurors debate the fate of a teenager accused of murder. The sweltering heat of the cramped jury room on an intensely hot summer day heightens the tension, transforming the space into a pressure cooker where emotions and tempers flare.
Where to stream: Tubi, MGM+, Digital rental
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
The setting: A water- and petrol-starved near future
While any Mad Max film set in a barren, post-apocalyptic desert would fit, this 2015 installment, featuring Charlize Theron as Furiosa, stands out as the best. The relentless desert action pits heroes against villains in a battle for scarce resources, with Furiosa’s personal journey adding depth to the chaos.
Where to stream: Max, Digital rental
In the Heat of the Night (1967)
The setting: Sparta, Mississippi
Philadelphia detective Virgil Tibbs (Sidney Poitier) finds himself stranded in Sparta, Mississippi after dark, where his safety is at risk—until the local sheriff (Rod Steiger) recognizes his value in solving a murder case. The oppressive southern heat mirrors the simmering racial tensions and prejudice that permeate the story.
Where to stream: Tubi, Digital rental
Eve's Bayou (1997)
The setting: Somewhere in the Louisiana Bayou
Kasi Lemmons' directorial debut, Eve’s Bayou, weaves a tale of Southern Gothic intrigue and enchantment, grounded in the emotional truths of its characters. Jurnee Smollett stars as Eve, who recounts the story of how she, at age 10, caused her father’s death. The film delves into her memories with a Rashômon-like exploration of how recollections can shift and change.
Where to stream: Digital rental
