1. The Towering Inferno
What better way to forget the arctic conditions outside than with this classic disaster movie? When a raging inferno engulfs a San Francisco sky scraper, only the super cool duo of Chief Mike O’Hallorhan (Steve McQueen) and Doug Roberts (Paul Newman) can fan the flames and save the day. Look out for a cameo from dancing aficionado, Fred Astaire.
2. Some Like it Hot
Musicians Joe (Tony Curtis) and Jerry (Jack Lemmon) experience some metaphorical heat as they run from the mob. In order to keep a low profile, the duo masquerade as women. This cross-dressing comedy classic, co-starring Marilyn Monroe as Sugar, is enough to get anyone hot under the collar.
3. Planes, Trains and Automobiles
When Neal Page’s (Steve Martin) flight home for Thanksgiving is cancelled due to a blizzard, his only option is to buddy up with incompetent, nice but dim Del Griffith (John Candy) to get to Chicago by any means possible. Unfortunately for them, everything that can go wrong does go wrong. Anyone who has had their plans thrown into turmoil by adverse weather can wholeheartedly sympathize with Martin’s plight.
4. The Shining
Is there anything worse than being snowed in, trapped with no way out? Troubled writer Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) clearly doesn’t think so as he experiences a particularly troubling bout of cabin fever while attempting to finish his novel over winter. Landmark horror by Stanley Kubrick, based on the Stephen King novel, “The Shining” is a master class in suspense and tension. Torrance’s descent into madness is guaranteed to send a shiver down your spine.
5. The Great Escape
There is no better film to settle down to watch during the long winter months than “The Great Escape.” Set in the middle of World War Two, the film follows a group of Allied prisoners as they attempt to escape their German captors. With an exceptional cast made up of screen icons like Richard Attenborough, Charles Bronson, Donald Pleasence and led by ‘King of Cool’ Steve McQueen you can’t really go wrong. It’s an absolute treat from start to finish.
