'The Wild Robot,' 'Ticket to Paradise,' more sunny movies for snow-day streaming

So you say you’re snowed in, with 600 cable channels and 40 streaming platforms and nothing to watch? Newsday has you covered. Here are four movies – no, not the usual classics – that just happen to be set in sunny climes. Think of them as the cinematic equivalent of a puffy jacket: lightweight and warm. 

THE WILD ROBOT

A helpful robot (Lupita Nyong’o) crash-lands on a tropical island populated only by animals in this animated hit from Universal. Based on Peter Brown’s book, it’s a genuine heart-warmer (our heroine raises an orphaned goose as her own) and features an unusual oil-paint aesthetic that perfectly suits the material. The star-studded voice cast includes Mark Hamill, Pedro Pascal and Catherine O’Hara. (On demand and streaming on Peacock)

ISHTAR

Ever seen it? Elaine May’s notorious flop from 1987 has actually aged pretty well. The premise: Dustin Hoffman and Warren Beatty are budding songwriters — terrible ones — who get a gig in Morocco but wind up embroiled in an international crisis. It’s uneven, yes, but frequently hilarious, thanks in no small part to low-key scene-stealer Charles Grodin (as a weaselly CIA agent) and the intentionally incompetent songs co-written by May and Paul Williams. Take a gamble, you’ll be glad you did. (On demand)

MIKE AND DAVE NEED WEDDING DATES

Invited to a wedding in Hawaii, two party-hearty brothers (Zac Efron and Adam DeVine) turn to Craigslist for dates and wind up with a pair of even wilder women (Anna Kendrick and Aubrey Plaza). This high concept, lowbrow comedy from 2016 is better than it has a right to be, thanks to a cracking-good Plaza, a great support cast (Kumail Nanjiani, Alice Wetterlund, Jake Johnson) and lots of over-the-top humor. Fun fact: It’s based on a true story. (On demand and streaming on Max and Hulu)

TICKET TO PARADISE

In 2022, this romcom starring A-listers George Clooney and Julia Roberts aimed to rejuvenate a pandemic-weakened Hollywood. It didn’t, but if you manage your expectations the movie works as pleasant escapism. Our leads play a divorced couple who team up to convince their daughter (Kaitlyn Dever) not to marry a guy she met in Bali. You can guess the rest, but the lush scenery and the stars’ megawatt charm will hold your attention. Ol Parker, of “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again,” directs. (On demand and streaming on Hulu and Roku channel)

By Rafer Guzmán

rafer.guzman@newsday.com