Moodiest Movies to Watch When It’s Raining
With the leaves turning and the temperature sinking into a ruthless chill, we’ve officially arrived at the season of torrential downpour. I’m not a big fan of cold weather, but I love staring out of a window and brooding at a misty landscape. So, it seems only natural that I give you my top five movie picks to enhance those moody weather moments.
Twilight (2008)
Twilight became a cultural phenomenon for its monotone dialogue, gray color palette, and obnoxious storyline, but Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen makes this movie an iconic stormy-weather watch. Pattinson knows how to brood, whether it’s his whispery professions of love or detailing the torments of vampire life. Set in the lush, overcast town of Forks, Washington, Twilight highlights both the trials and triumphs of forbidden romance. The film follows Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart), who is torn between normal life and her emotionally tortured vampire boyfriend. It’s a classic film that will probably leave your eyes tired from rolling, but I can guarantee that you’ll feel moodier by the end.
Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)
A fairytale set in the 1940s Spanish countryside is not in itself moody, but the haunting imagery, chilling score, and brilliant ending in this film make Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth an essential rainy day watch. The movie follows 10-year-old Ofelia on vacation with her mother and stepfather. One night, a fairy lures her into a mystical labyrinth, where she meets a faun who reveals she is the princess of the underworld. She is tasked with completing three quests to regain her crown. In the process, she meets many more fantastical creatures, witnesses the true character of her stepfather, and learns the meaning of sacrificial love. It’s a story that could leave your eyes just as misty as the weather outside.
Blade Runner (1982)
Blade Runner (The Final Cut) is an oldie compared to the rest of the picks on this list, but if you’re craving a dystopian sci-fi adventure on a rainy day, this is an ideal watch. Harrison Ford plays Rick Deckard, a special agent who is hired to kill a group of rogue androids. However, the deeper he digs into the world of androids, the more suspicious he becomes about his reality, including his own identity. Directed by Ridley Scott, the sci-fi icon himself, this movie will take you on an emotional rollercoaster and psychological trip, leaving you questioning the sentience of even your Keurig.
The Batman (2022)
Audiences were surprised when Robert Pattinson was cast as Batman, but his ability to capture pouty vampire-teen translated immaculately into the character of Bruce Wayne. The Batman is Matt Reeve’s 2022 installment of the popular DC franchise, and he depicts Batman as an edgy, caped detective instead of the flashy hero in tights we’ve grown to love. Throughout the film, Batman follows a string of murders committed by the Riddler, all while keeping up his public persona as sad-boy millionaire Bruce Wayne. Along the way, he teams up with Cat Woman and Detective Gordon and learns about the deep-seated corruption of Gotham City. Its stormy, grunge aesthetic makes it an ideal watch on those wet, eerie nights when Twilight just isn’t satisfying your angst-filled movie craving. Trust me, watching Batman brood over a rainy, neon-lit city will never get old.
Arrival (2016)
How would I describe Arrival in six words? Sad linguist vibes, but also aliens. When the day is dreary and you feel like contemplating time, motherhood, and extraterrestrial life, this is the movie for you. Denis Villeneuve’s Arrival perfectly combines melancholy and sci-fi with its desaturated visuals and whispery voice-overs. After alien ships land on earth around the globe, linguist Dr. Louise Banks (Amy Adams) is tasked by the United States military to translate the aliens’ language and determine their purpose for landing on earth. In doing so, she befriends physicist Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner) and makes a few shocking discoveries that rock her world and the world at large. An air of grief is cast over the entire film from its first sequence, yet Adams finds a way to make the slow, somber pace endearing and poignant. It has an ending that will leave you embracing the day’s gloom and will stick with you long after the skies clear.
I hope this list gives you a nudge in the right direction when the storm rolls in and you’re scrambling to find the perfect movie. I know how important it is to have the right film for the right occasion. So, let’s make the most of the cold weather and get to watching. Happy brooding!
If you have any go-to rainy-day movies that aren’t on this list, feel free to let me know.