Sometimes we just need to have a mental holiday on top of our physical one, and what better way to bring our fantasies to life than through the magic of cinema. For those who aren't travelling interstate or orchestrating plans to sit beach-side, virtual escapism is on the minds, and these are the films we will be watching to satisfy the craving.
1. Before Sunrise (1995)
Stream in Australia via: Stan, Binge, Netflix, Paramount+ and Foxtel.
We love a train romance story! 90's movie magic was created in this film, there is no denying it. Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy frolicking around Vienna while they fall in love is escapism at its finest.
2. The Beach (2000)
Stream in Australia via: Disney+.
Young Leo on a beach! Need we say more? The plot that continues to thicken in this film is enough to keep your brain distracted from reality for a good few hours.
3. Mamma Mia! (2008)
Stream in Australia via: 7Plus and Binge.
Don’t say you didn’t love it. The most feel-good and ridiculous of them all. Meryl Streep in overalls being the highlight. What’s not to love about two hours of endless ABBA, Colin Firth, and a remote island on the Greek Coast? Once this is over, we’re off to find an abandoned island farmhouse.
4. Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)
Stream in Australia via: Amazon Prime.
Penelope Cruz and Scarlett Johansson making out is surely a convincing enough argument to warrant a watch. If more is needed, perhaps the Spanish setting, the sepia-toned visuals and the entire drama of it all is.
5. Stealing Beauty (1996)
Stream in Australia via: Apple TV+.
The summer we all thought we’d once have. Baby Liv Tyler summers in Tuscany with multiple love interests as she navigates her feelings. Simply a visual pleasure.
6. Lost in Translation (2003)
Stream in Australia via: Binge.
Looking further afield, Sofia Coppola's iconic film is a beautiful homage to the bright lights and city nights of Tokyo. Karaoke sessions, whisky on the rocks, neon-lit crowds, Bill Murray – what more could you want?
7. A Bigger Splash (2015)
Stream in Australia via: SBS On Demand.
Luca Guadagnino is pretty much the king of lusty European films that make you simply want to buy a one-way ticket to the South of France. This film has all the things you're searching for: Italian villas, picturesque swimming pools, Dakota Johnson and Tilda Swinton.
8. Darjeeling Limited (2007)
Stream in Australia via: Disney+.
Wes Anderson's tale of three brothers trekking it by train through the Indian landscape is equal parts heart-wrenching and breath-taking. You'll be lost in the scenery as much as the story here.
