You know it’s a bad heat wave when the weather forecast stories are using the word “intolerable” to describe the humidity. This week, as temperatures soar in the Boston area and you’re trapped in the room with a window unit air conditioner, we’re offering you a list of movies set in some of the coldest places imaginable. They’ll either help cool you down … or help you remember that as hot as it is, at least it’s not winter.
THE CUTTING EDGE It’s possible this movie’s enduring appeal owes something to its relentless re-airing on various cable channels throughout the ’90s, but the romance of Doug Dorsey (D.B. Sweeney), a hockey star forced into retirement, and Kate Moseley (Moira Kelly), a spoiled figure skater, has had real staying power. Relive the magic of Kelly tormenting Sweeney’s Doug with the phrase “toe pick.” Available on Prime Video — Lisa Weidenfeld
THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK It doesn’t get much colder than the ice planet of Hoth. Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) fights off the yeti-like wampa and tries not to die of hypothermia while Han Solo (Harrison Ford) gets frozen into a carbonite popsicle in this chilly (and arguably best) entry in the main “Star Wars” film series. Available on Disney+. — Matt Juul
ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND Few movies manage to depict such misery (the cold weather, the breakup) and such whimsy and romance in one package as “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.” The film stars Kate Winslet and Jim Carrey, both phenomenal, as a broken up couple who choose to have their memories of each other erased. Only, as Carrey’s Joel discovers midway through the process, there’s a lot he loved about Winslet’s Clementine, too. Available on YouTube — LW
FARGO The Coen brothers’ “Fargo” made a star of Frances McDormand, who won an Oscar for her work as the heavily pregnant and utterly fearless police chief Marge Gunderson. Marge is investigating a kidnapping, and the film is a feast of snow and northern accents. McDormand costarred with a dynamite cast including William H. Macy, Steve Buscemi, and Peter Stormare, but her no-nonsense delivery of lines like “I guess that was your accomplice in the wood chipper” is what makes this one a classic. Available on Hulu — LW
THE GREY Think surviving the heat is tough? Try fighting off a pack of wolves in cold and snowy Alaska. In “The Grey,” Liam Neeson stars as an oil rig worker who survives a plane crash with some of his fellow crew members, who are forced to take on the hungry predators stalking them. Available on Netflix. — MJ
GROUNDHOG DAY A few consecutive days of scorching temperatures in Boston will have folks feeling like they’re in a scene from “Groundhog Day,” so why not chill out indoors with director Harold Ramis’s classic comedy instead? Set during the February holiday, the film depicts Bill Murray’s Phil Connors stuck living the same day over and over again in snowy Punxsutawney. That is, until the cranky weatherman learns how to better connect with his co-workers and community. Available on Philo. — MJ
GRUMPY OLD MEN A cold weather setting can offer bleakness and humor, but the codger classic “Grumpy Old Men” truly embraces its frigid setting. Newton native Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau star as a pair of foes in the movie that taught us all to appreciate the finer points of ice fishing. Ann-Margret costars as the woman they feud over, but the two frequent costars tormenting each other at the center makes it sing. Available to rent or purchase on VOD platforms. — LW
THE HOLDOVERS The holiday season is still several months away, but there’s no reason why you can’t cozy up with “The Holdovers.” Filmed in the Boston area, the acclaimed comedy stars Paul Giamatti as a curmudgeonly teacher enlisted to watch over some misfit students staying at a boarding school over the winter break. Available on Peacock. — MJ
MARCH OF THE PENGUINS Every now and then, a somewhat surprising movie simply becomes a phenomenon, and in 2005, that movie was the emperor penguin documentary, “March of the Penguins.” Was it the incredible footage captured of the mating and parenting habits of the penguins battling the cold of Antarctica? The solemn yet deeply emotive narration from Morgan Freeman, who has one of film’s great voices? Or was it simply all the adorable penguin chicks? You decide. Available to rent or purchase on VOD platforms. — LW
MISERY For the horror fans out there, director Rob Reiner’s 1990 adaptation of Stephen King’s “Misery” should send a chill down your spine. The classic thriller stars James Caan as an author who crashes his car during a snowstorm and becomes the injured hostage of obsessed fan Annie Wilkes, a role that won Kathy Bates the Oscar for best actress. Available to rent or purchase on VOD platforms. — MJ
Matt Juul can be reached at matthew.juul@globe.com. Lisa Weidenfeld can be reached at lisa.weidenfeld@globe.com. Follow her on X @LisaWeidenfeld and Instagram @lisaweidenfeld.