Mercury in the microwave

Heat wave? Wave back. On screen, summer looks gorgeous. These 10 films showcase the bright side of the season

- Christalle Fernandes

1 Someone Great (2019).

Music journalist Jenny gets dumped by her boyfriend of nine years, just as she's landed her dream job at Rolling Stone. Her best friends, Erin and Blair, convince her to shake off her blues and go on a last romp through New York before she leaves for her job in San Francisco. Along the way, she finds out that maybe, the break-up was for the best.

2 Along for the Ride (2022).

In the sleepy seaside town of Colby, high-school graduate Auden meets the mysterious Eli, who's as much an insomniac as she is. The two spend the summer engaged in nighttime adventures, in brightly lit shacks, laundromats, and Instaperfect cafes. Auden has never felt so carefree. All the while, though, she's preparing for the inevitable reality: To leave Colby-and Elibehind, and head to college.

3 The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants (2005). 

Four best friends mail one pair of jeans to each other through the summer they're apart. The jeans mysteriously fit all of them and causes each young girl to experience a series of inexplicable, serendipitous events. Summer seems safe, wholesome and, without cell phones and trolls, builds up a fantasy friendship in itself.

4 Before Sunrise (1995).