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8 movies on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and more that will take you to the world's best beaches
Landlocked and dreaming of digging your toes in the sand? These films will take you to some of the world's most idyllic shores
For a lot of us, staying at home while working full-time is not what summer plans were supposed to look like. We want to be able to sunbathe at a Hawaiian beach, sit by a cosy bonfire at midnight with friends, and experience the breeze of the ocean while sipping on a cocktail. But as delightful as it sounds, we're homebound; and will stay so for a while. Therefore, to make your life on the couch a bit more exciting, we compiled a list of movies that will give you the perfect beach escape in the middle of a pandemic. Get ready to bury your feet in some virtual sand.
The Beach (2000)
Filmed on Thailand's Phi Phi Leh Island, The Beach may not be a quintessential holiday movie, but features an extremely picturesque view of the coast. In the hooking thriller-drama, a traveler named Richard (Leonardo DiCaprio) arrives in Thailand and soon gets to know that there may be a hidden island paradise existing in the nearby gulf. A fellow tourist hands him a map to reach the place; and as he finally does, things don't seem to go as expected.
Available to buy on Amazon Prime Video
50 First Dates (2004)
Following a car crash, Lucy (Drew Barrymore) develops a short-term memory loss. She can't remember anything that happened after the day of the accident, and relives a single day over and again. Henry (Adam Sandler) lives on a houseboat in Hawaii, where Lucy is a local. His life takes a romantic turn as they meet. No matter what—even if it takes 50 first dates—he's determined to win her over. The romantic comedy will transport you to the Hawaiian island of Oahu.
Streaming on Amazon Prime Video
Blue Crush (2002)
If you're landlocked in summer, the romance-sport movie will help you channel your beach fanatic with some great water sport scenes, also shot in Hawaii, on the famous North Shore. The story revolves around a hotel maid who lives on a beach shack with her younger sister and two friends, and dreams of becoming a professional surfer. The plan is put on hold after she meets with an accident in the ocean. After her friends encourage her to try her hand at surfing again, she enrols in a big-time surfing competition and simultaneously starts falling for a football player.
Streaming on Netflix
Cast Away (2000)
Shot on Monuriki, an island in Fiji, Cast Away is about a man named Chuck (Tom Hanks) who is the only survivor in a plane crash that occurs during his work trip to Malaysia. As he finds that there's no help available there, he learns to spend his days in isolation on the beach before he's finally rescued.
Streaming on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video
Holiday in the Sun (2001)
15-year-old twins Madison and Alex (played by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen) are on a family vacation to The Bahamas. When they're not busy serving up fashion goals to the viewers, they're indulging in mild flirting with boys on the beach. Shortly after their arrival, they find themselves in the middle of a smuggling heist. The adventure drama features some postcard-perfect coastal scenes at the popular destination.
Available to buy on Amazon Prime Video
Blue Hawaii (1961)
Shot on the Wakiki Beach, the musical romantic comedy stars Elvis Presley and features his melodious music, of course. Chadwick (Presley) returns home to Hawaii after being discharged from the US Army. While he wants to simply have some fun after a military life, his family forces him to handle their old pineapple business. He soon lands the job of a tour guide, and does what he always longed for—hang loose and surf all day. The film not only takes you on a virtual beach vacation, but also to the raunchy 1960s.
Streaming on DIRECTV and available to buy on Amazon Prime Video
The Talented Mr Ripley (1999)
The gripping psychological thriller will whisk you off to the Italian town of Mongibello, on Bagno Antonio, an idyllic private beach. The film has been critically acclaimed, and received five Academy Awards nominations in the following year. It features Tom Ripley (Matt Damon) who wants to look and live just like Dickie (Jude Law) and will hit the extremes to make that possible. Without wasting any time, he befriends him and his girlfriend, Marge (Gwyneth Paltrow); and shortly after, devises a dangerous plan to make Dickie's lifestyle his own.
Streaming on DIRECTV and available to buy on Amazon Prime Video
Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011)
Any list of beach-set films is incomplete without a mention of this multi-starrer Bollywood hit. With a meaningful theme delivered through a light-hearted plot, Zoya Akhtar's Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara transports you to the panoramic shores of Costa Brava in Spain.
Streaming on Netflix
Also read:
7 movies on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and more that will whisk you off to London
Rajasthan, New York, Tokyo: 9 movies that will take you on a virtual vacation
