Chasing Summer Love
As June runs into warm July, I think of little else but you.
My First Summer (Australia, 2020)
Wendy Cope’s love confession poem, From June to December: Summer Villanelle, is catnip for the hopeless romantic. So is summer, with the longer days giving time to longer stories that meekly dive into warm gullible nights. What gives summer this sexy cherry-tinted romantic image is that anything could happen. From sun kisses amidst the sunflower fields to craving one’s warm touch when surrounded by the cold waves, summer romance brings the reminiscence of the biggest love stories one has lived, read, or watched. An incredible muse, a bittersweet aftertaste—the warm days of July and August are perfect for romantic escapism. And if you’re craving this taste, the magical absorption of the screen can remind you of these feelings waiting to be unlocked.
Y Tu Mamá También
A newbie in Mexican cinema? Start with Y Tu Mamá También, which came out in the early 2000s and changed everything. A road trip to Mexico, a road trip to self-discovery through the story of a love triangle untangling narratives of masculinity and the self. A coming-of-age reality, unromanticized and with the pink heart glasses far out of touch. Rowdy characters, uncensored experiences, and honest conversations shape the three protagonists at the same time as the environment in Mexico around them is changing.
My First Summer
What feels like a daydream of teenage girlhood shows the moving relationship between two girls built with care. A bedazzled portrayal of sensitivity and a fulfilling drama follows the story of an isolated girl who meets another teenager in her garden. The two bond, and the sugar rush is just what they both need. This queer saccharine teenage romance is quite dreamy yet a needed portrayal of the healing power of love.
Before Sunrise
While the Olympics in Paris are holding all eyeballs tightly towards them, this European euphoria has us in a chokehold with the idea of traveling a few miles and crossing many countries, walking cobblestone pavements of history from centuries ago, and ultimately finding love amidst the narrow streets. This is exactly what happened to Celine and Jesse in the trilogy series of one of the best summer movies and an indie classic—Before Sunrise. Through intimate witty conversations, the two characters explore the city together in this one-night movie. Filled with passion and the taste of a true connection, the all-time classic is an inspirational source for bold decisions.
10 Things I Hate About You
The coming-of-age 90s classic is one of the best female love confessions cinema has seen. The gutsy and unique characters intertwine only for one of them to find out later the truth about their connection. By the end of the movie, you will be laughing and crying along with the characters, reminiscing about young love and unhinged romantic gestures.
Lovers Rock
Another single-night movie, young lovers, and a house party in West London. Yet this time we are in the 80s and the scene depicts the reality of the Black British life in the previous century. If you are thirsty for intoxicating beats of reggae and sparks on the dance floor, Lovers Rock captures an authentic feel of joy within a community that is more used to being oppressed.
Call Me By Your Name
Summer colours, emotional rush, and rich shots cater to our European hunger. Experience the rise of first love feelings with a precocious teenager who falls for his father’s assistant. Sit through the romp and slide down the heartbreak. An award-winning chef’s kiss to experience the complexities of one’s sexual identity, leaving you sunburnt and hopeful.
Falcon Lake
An ode to childhood farewell. A melancholic dive into the romantic feelings between a French boy and the slightly older girl under the same roof at a haunted lake cabin in Quebec. Bonding over arising feelings and arising ghosts, the first attempts at romance are captured in vivid colours. If you are looking for scenes that won’t get out of your head, follow the horror of young love in Canada.
Anyone but You
In case you missed it while it was anchored over the cinemas for weeks and weeks, the sun-drenched rom-com between Beatrice and Ben is soaking in humor and miscommunication. The landscapes of Australia bring waggish adventures that ultimately portray the impossibility to hide one’s feelings.
