Holiday is coming up and the suitcase still has to be packed? Don't worry, these films not only provide the best entertainment and create anticipation for light and warmth, but also offer styling inspiration
ONE FOR 4
Yes, this is a flawless teenage comedy. But this one, in which four 16-year-old girlfriends are spending the summer separately for the first time, is worth it for three reasons. First, before Blake Lively became Gossip Girl, America Ferrera became Ugly Betty, Amber Tamblyn wowed us with her empowering Insta-Feed, and Alex Bledel disturbed us on The Handmaid's Tale, the quartet witnessed its breakthrough this strip. Secondly, because there is hardly a summer film that better summarizes the fashion trends of the 2000s: low-rise jeans, beige capris and pink cropped T-shirts. Those were the days. And last but not least, because the real star is a pair of jeans that magically fits all four girls and changes their lives forever. The film is the perfect reminder to slip into your favorite pair of jeans and call your best friend, knowing that this combo is everything that makes summer legendary.
THE DARNED 7TH YEAR
Anyone who thinks of the ideal summer thinks of shimmering heat over fields, of the sea surface glittering like diamonds and of a glass of wine, while the evening air is filled with the scent of flowers. We tend to think less of stuffy offices and melting asphalt. In other words, summer doesn't sound quite as sexy in the city. Richard Sherman (Tom Ewell), who has to stay behind in New York while his wife and child go to sea, thinks so too. His mood improves when that girl moves into the apartment above Richard and his family. Because that girl is none other than Marilyn Monroe, who also shows how a seductive, feminine summer wardrobe works: pencil dresses with spaghetti straps, high heeled sandals, knotted tops and pleated dresses that sometimes take on a life of their own over an air duct. Who said again that the city is not particularly attractive in summer?!
THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY
Rich, carefree Americans in Italy in the 1950s. People listen to jazz, drink and enjoy the dolce farniente while citrus fruits ripen in the background. In other words: It could really be la bella vita – if one or two murders didn't intervene. The 1999 film, based on the book by Patricia Highsmith, is worth watching not only for the precise build-up of suspense, but also because of the young Jude Laws, who makes the nightclubs unsafe in white linen suits and unbuttoned shirts, and because of a young Matt Damon with a handsome beach body. The former is deeply in love with Marge (Gwyneth Paltrow), who also channels our look for the upcoming vacation in Italy: calf-length A-line skirts with brightly colored patterns, knotted blouses, puffed sleeves, colorful scarves in her hair, wedges. The film also offers inspiration for a visit to La Scala in Milan - either in reserved black with red lips (Gwynth Paltrow) or, for the really big entrance, golden sequins everywhere, as worn by Cate Blanchett, who here embodies the prototype of a rich heiress .
MOM MIA 2
Here we go again: After the first mega hit with Meryl Streep ten years ago, the Abba musical will be continued in 2018. The setting is still the small Greek island with the bright white houses and the dull green olive trees that seem to have been bleached by the sun. At the same time, the story of Sophie (Amanda Seyfried), who has now taken over the hotel and is expecting her first child, is continued, as well as the history of young Donna (Meryl Streep) in the 70s, before she became a mother. Gyros, uzo and hippie chic are among the basic ingredients, alongside the immortal music of the Swedes. And the style: dungarees, high-waist shorts, a 70s pattern mix and slouch hats exude casual elegance, along with beach waves styled by the sun and sea. A must for all "Dancing Queens" and "Chiquititas"!
A GOOD YEAR
The story is quickly told: a stressed-out London banker (Russell Crowe) inherits his great-uncle's winery in Provence. Once there, he finds everything pretty horrible and boring, but that changes rapidly as soon as he meets the restaurant owner Fanny (Marion Cotillard). This film has everything a perfect summer film needs: stunning scenery (Provence), beautiful houses (Winery), pretty people (Crowe and Cotillard) and delicious food to boot (France, naturellement). The fact is, however, that the film's wardrobe does not convey the grandeur of "The Talented Mr. Ripley" nor the sophisticated hippie chic of "Mamma Mia". Why is the film still on this list? Well, if the French have mastered one thing, it's the effortless je ne sais quoi of fashion. And nobody embodies that better than Marion Cotillard in this film: messy bun (back in vogue thanks to the new Dutchess of Sussex), plunging tops, swinging skirts and not forgetting a raffia bag. And did we mention that the film has really good looking people, elegant houses and beautiful landscapes?
ADVENTURE IN RIO
Tintin, Jack London, Jules Verne: All the adventures of his childhood heroes inspired the French director Philippe de Broca to create "Adventures in Rio" in 1964, which really contains all the classic elements of the action film. A kidnapped girlfriend, wild car chases, a missing treasure and a strange professor. The film is supported by three stars, above all by the young Françoise Dorléac, Catherine Deneuve's older sister. In sheath dresses made of linen, colorful straw hats, thick blonde bangs and ice-blue eyeshadows, she easily withstands the heat of Brazil - and the heat of one or the other battle. Her partner is Jean-Paul Belmondo – and well, Jean-Paul Belmondo at thirty and at the peak of his career is the definition of a star. The film is also worth seeing because of its fascinating locations. Not only Rio with the Copacabana and the Brazilian jungle appear, the film also takes place in the capital Brasilia. What is a thriving city today was still a major construction site back then, which gives the scenes filmed there an industrial charm. Even if the film has been somewhat forgotten, it was a great success back then. Bobby Kennedy watched it several times - and Steven Spielberg used it as a template for one of the biggest blockbusters in cinema history, "Indiana Jones".