Ah, summer. The bright sun, crowded places, and humidity are simply the perfect excuse to shut yourself inside and watch some films while trying not to melt. Think Midsommar, Booksmart, or Dazed and Confused, for example.
See, why should you have to experience summer when you could live vicariously through films? It’s really a foolproof plan if you ask me, and I think we’d all be a bit less sunburned (albeit a little more vitamin D deficient) if we all checked out some movies this upcoming season. There’s plenty to go around!
Jokes aside, summer is a season for rest, relaxation, and, most importantly, summer is the season of fun movies. Whether it’s basking in nostalgic memories of summer vacations, lounging by the pool, or having a fun fling, it seems like the season is full of possibilities. So, just to get the summer lovers – heck, even the summer haters – ready for a time of peace on earth and goodwill toward men, we’ve compiled a list of films that’ll get you in the mood for the season.
Booksmart (2019)
Booksmart is a delight to watch from beginning to end. The film centers around Amy (Kaitlyn Dever) and Molly (Beanie Feldstein), two seniors who realize, on the eve of their graduation, that they’ve lost out on the high school experience. Seeking to recoup some of that lost youthfulness, the two embark on a night to remember – if they can make it to the right grad party.
The film really captures that time in your life, right after high school, when you aren’t entirely sure what direction your life will take. Amy and Molly’s worries that they’ve lost some vital years they’ll never get back should resonate with many people. After the COVID pandemic, we could all use a little reminder that summer’s on the way and there’s always time to start having fun. Plus, the film features some heavy Superbad vibes, and Feldstein is even Jonah Hill’s real-life sister.
The film also has a rocking supporting cast, including a charming performance by Skyler Gisondo, a scene-stealing performance by Billie Lourd, and many, many more.
IT: Chapter One (2017)
It: Chapter One might seem like an odd choice for a summer flick, but it’s really not – summer is a huge motif in the film, which captures a bygone era in which kids were let loose without supervision. The Loser’s Club might be facing off against a demonic clown, but there are also plenty of scenes of the kids bonding through summer activities; swimming at the watering hole, exploring abandoned areas, getting vengeance on Bill Skarsgård in an abandoned house, you know, the usual.
IT: Chapter One is a glimpse into adolescent summers spent with friends – it’s set during a time in your life when you’re growing awkwardly and feeling a real sense of fear and confusion about your place in the world. The movie’s a pure coming-of-age summer adventure film, and my opinion won’t be swayed otherwise.
E.T. (1987)
Yes, I know this is set during the Halloween season, but you go ahead and watch E.T. and tell me it does not exude summer energy. Friends hanging out, riding bikes together, their parents unconcerned about a literal alien living in their children’s bedroom. Spielberg crafted a world in which children were at the helm, ready to take on a world full of adventure.
If that’s not what the quintessential pop ‘80s summer is all about, I don’t know what is. Just make sure not to confuse this one with the last one on the list, especially if you’re watching as a family.
Jaws (1975)
Jaws was the original summer blockbuster. That’s almost enough said, but it would be wrong not to mention its sense of tension and its use of daytime and summer despite being a horror movie – there’s a reason Jaws is considered a masterpiece. Set in the New England town of Amity Island, a popular beach destination for the summer quickly becomes a place of horror when a great white shark sets up home just offshore.
Go ahead and watch. It’ll save you a trip to the beach – though you may not like finding out why when you watch the film. Maybe a bigger boat will help assuage your fears?
Independence Day (1996)
I think we can all agree that summer is the season for the big, dumb action flick. We can also agree that Roland Emmerich is one of the maestros of the disaster film genre. Will Smith stars in one of his most charismatic roles, Jeff Goldblum smolders as usual, and Bill Pullman portrays a kick-ass President. What’s not to love?
There’s so much wanton carnage and destruction in this film that it’s best just to let your brain take a break and enjoy the show. Take a rest; it’s summer! It’s the perfect viewing for the Fourth of July – just look at the title! You might want to avoid the 2016 sequel, though.
The Goonies (1985)
Forty years later, and Goonies still never say die! This is a quintessential summer adventure flick. Sure, the story’s set in rainy, cloudy Oregon, and I don’t believe a date is ever explicitly stated, but these kids are running wild, uncovering skeletons of One-Eyed Willies, fighting criminal masterminds, and even fighting a giant octopus in one deleted scene.
The Goonies are characters you just can’t imagine in school. They’re perennially on summer vacation, getting up to all sorts of hijinks. The movie’s a light summer breeze.
Don’t Tell Mom The Babysitter’s Dead (1991)
Before Christina Applegate was on Dead to Me, she shone as Sue Ellen, a recent high school graduate, in this dark comedy. When Sue Ellen can’t make it to Europe for the summer, she’s forced to stay home with her four siblings and their (intended to be) long-term babysitter. Well, you know the title – babysitter dies, Sue Ellen has to step up to the plate while her mother is away, or else mom will come back, and then the party’s over.
It’s a coming-of-age tale about the summer after high school. Sue Ellen’s so charmingly cunning, and Applegate gives her a vulnerability that makes her a unique character. Yeah, it’s an over-the-top comedy, but it has a surprisingly poignant message about personal growth and coming into your own. The summer after high school doesn’t have to be perfect – it’s messy, and you might find that life will always have unique challenges. No one knows what’s happening, and everyone’s making it up as they go along!
Transformers (2007)
If Independence Day is a big, dumb action flick, that goes double for Transformers. And that’s what there is to love about it: it’s a summer blockbuster through and through. The Transformers themselves were brought to life like never before, and even 16 years later, the effects hold up. The action is frenetic and kinetic, Michael Bay’s at the wheel, and he’s not stopping this vehicle for any reason. The film is equivalent to playing with your brand-new action figures.
The film also has a subtle feeling of heat – the warm, saturated colors radiate summer vibes. And, in true Bay fashion, the characters are always drenched in sweat from being near explosions – it’s just like the authentic summer experience. Just take a moment to watch and let the dulcet tones of Linkin Park serenade you.
Midsommar (2019)
Again, just because it’s a horror movie doesn’t mean it’s not a summer movie, too! It’s literally in the title – and boy, does it feel like summer. Ari Aster uses the perpetual Northern daytime to significant effect, bringing the horror into the light and crafting a wholly unique horror experience.
Midsommar is sure to get your pulse pounding and your heart racing. Where most movies embrace the beauty of nature, Midsommar has a fierce threat lurking underneath its blooming wildflowers. Florence Pugh delivers one of her best performances as Dani, and she highlights the ease with which an average person can become comfortable with true horror.
Dazed and Confused (1993)
Dazed and Confused is fun to watch on multiple levels. Director Richard Linklater crafts a coming-of-age anthology with a stacked cast – most of whom weren’t well-known then. It helped launch the careers of names such as Matthew McConaughey, Ben Affleck, Parker Posey, and more. The film, set in 1976 on the last day of high school, follows several soon-to-be graduates as they prepare for their final steps into adulthood.
The film, surprisingly for its legacy, didn’t do too well at the box office, but later viewers found it to be a cult classic. In fact, Linklater later called his film Everybody Wants Some!!! A spiritual sequel to the film, showing it hasn’t been forgotten. Dazed and Confused is one of those films that was underappreciated when it was first released – it was simply ahead of its time.