There’s something about a hot summer night that just screams for a certain type of movie. One that elicits the feeling of summer break from school. Getting together with friends and family. Sweat dripping down your face. Maybe a dip in the ocean if you live near a coast. There are hundreds of films to choose from that conjure up ideas of summer. I wanted to give you 10 summer movies from a variety of genres. No matter if you are in the mood to laugh, cry, or scream, there is something to watch.
Jaws
Of course, Jaws has to be on the list. How could it not? The film that created the summer blockbuster takes place during summer vacation and mostly on the beach or in the water. The cinematography adds to that feeling of being difficult to breathe because of the heat and humidity. If you are like me, this is probably one of the many reasons you aren’t a big fan of swimming in the water. Legitimately, I don’t know what’s down there, and the ocean is full of aliens!
Robert Shaw’s Quint gives an all-time great monologue, Murray Hamilton’s Mayor is slimy, and there’s something about the moment that the shark bends a little when he smashes onto the boat that makes me feel like I’m playing in the pool with a toy shark. It’s a bit campy, but still brings the fear out of me to this day. Sharks are scary. Jaws is scary.
The Sandlot
Baseball, swimming pools, carnivals, and the ghost of Babe Ruth. What else could be more summer than The Sandlot? It’s the type of movie that romanticizes childhood summer vacations. Nobody ever had this cool of a summer, but we all wish we did. The summers where everyday is a meetup at the park, or where you learn to grow up in the span of months. You get your first kiss, smoke cigars, and learn new four-letter words.
The Sandlot may have come out in the 1990s, but it feels like one of those timeless films that could have come out at any point. Of all of the “kids playing sports” movies the 1990s had to offer, this is the perfect one with some truly iconic scenes. Everyone throwing up on the carnival rides, the moment we get to meet James Earl Jones’s Mr. Mertle and he shows off his baseball, or when Squints fakes his own drowning just to get CPR from the lifeguard he has a crush on. What a summer movie to remember!
National Lampoon’s Vacation
Say what you want about Chevy Chase these days; the National Lampoon films about the Griswold family sit by themselves as a series of comedy gold. While I’m partial to Christmas Vacation myself, the original Vacation gets to the heart of the family road trip. There’s a joke practically every minute of it’s runtime. Almost every character is absolutely insane but also extremely relatable. We all know that grandma we kind of hate, the try-hard dad, the weird relatives, the apologetic mom. If you went on a family vacation as a kid, you understand this film, and because of that it makes it all the better.
Top it off with a tour around Wally World with John Candy. The “Chariots of Fire” plays in the background as the Griswold family runs through the empty parking lot. Chevy Chase punching the moose mascot out front. Holding a security guard hostage at gunpoint while riding on a roller coaster. While the front half of the film is relatable, the final act is so goofy and insane that you can’t forget it once you see it.
In The Heights
There is something special about New York during the summer. Sure, the streets smell like garbage, but somehow, New Yorkers will tell you that’s part of the city’s magic. Honestly, I can’t argue with that. In the Heights perfectly captures that New York summer with its Latin-inspired music, dancing, costumes, locations, and drama. Even more than Grease, I think it’s the musical that perfectly captures summer in the city.
Lin Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton is more well known these days, as well as l it should be, but In the Heights is something special. and we shouldn’t forget his prior work to Hamilton. The film version of it is a fantastic example of how to adapt the contemporary playwright and songwriter on screen. It feels fresh and new while still paying homage to the traditions of Broadway and musical movies like West Side Story.
Dirty Dancing
Nobody puts Baby in the corner and nobody should go without watching Dirty Dancing at least once in their life. The colors, the cinematography, and the choreography all add to the sweaty, humid, sexy feel of the film. I’d argue that it’s the best Patrick Swayze film and even I can’t help but fall in love with his performance. If you are already hot because of the weather, this film is guaranteed to keep you steaming. Make sure to turn on the air conditioning before pressing play.
The final dance to “Time of My Life” should bring a smile to your face. It’s such a classic ’80s feel good ending where love wins, old people look on in disgust, crowds are cheering, and Johnny lifts Baby over his head in a triumphant moment. It’s the climax to a solid movie all about dancing, love, and great ’80s music.
Luca
There are plenty of animated films that feel perfect for summer, but Pixar’s Luca has the perfect story of friendship blended with one of the best settings for any movie, animated or not. The small Italian Mediterranean town of Porto Rosso feels like a destination where you want to spend your summer eating gelato, sipping espresso, and riding bicycles. There are certainly some eccentric folks in town, but that only adds to the summer stories you could tell after vacation.
The color palette and story of mermaids only adds to that feeling of summer fun. While Luca never quite hits the emotional beats of recent Pixar films like Inside Out or Coco, it makes up for it with stunning images and a film that’s simply a light, fun watch from beginning to end. I couldn’t think of a more perfect film for one of those family movie nights at the park under the stars.
Call Me By Your Name
Maybe I have something for Italy, but the scenes of swimming in the river, dancing, playing volleyball, and constantly wearing shorts with opened button down shirts all feel like summer. Since it came out, Call Me By Your Name continues to become more of a classic. Armie Hammer has never been better and likely will never be, by the looks of things. This is also the film where many of us learned who Timothee Chalamay was. Maybe it’s not the best film for the whole family, but this gay drama and its beautiful color hold my attention every time I visit it.
The soundtrack for Call Me By Your Name is just as good. It’s got a great blend of Euro-pop, ’80s new wave, piano ballads, and soft indie sounds by Sufjan Stevens. Without the film it might seem like an odd mix, but once you see the movie, the soundtrack brings you right back to the summer bike rides and drinks on the patio in the film.
Adventureland
If you ever had a summer job you didn’t love, then Adventureland is the coming-of-age comedy for you. It’s a bit of a cult classic now with a ton of names you’d know. Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Ryan Reynolds, and Martin Starr all give wonderful performances as they work at a local amusement park. It’s the kind of park you visit when you don’t live near Disneyland but want to visit something like Disneyland. The one that is full of teen employees who don’t really care if you win the carnival games or buckle your seatbelt for the rollercoaster, but that’s also part of the charm of the park. Plus, who doesn’t love a summer fling with a coworker?
Top it off with Kristin Wiig and Bill Hader who run the park. The pair have gone on to do countless other projects together after leaving Saturday Night Live, but this one sticks out as a reason to watch the two improvise their way through some of the funniest lines in the movie.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Taratino’s penultimate film (hopefully), brings us to a 1970s Los Angeles summer. Brad Pitt’s yellow Hawaiian shirt is instantly iconic. Rick Dalton is one of Tarantino’s and Leonardo DiCaprio’s best characters. His estate and backyard pool are a place anyone would love to Air B&B. Just don’t bring your flamethrower to the pool party. The heat and lack of air conditioning adds to the uncomfortable setting of the Manson family ranch.
You could actually pick several Quentin Tarantino films to be on a summer movie list, but there is something about cruising with the windows rolled down as you pass iconic Hollywood locations that makes it all feel worthwhile. Not to mention the nights out on the town with Margot Robbie’s Sharon Tate that only add to the summer vibes.
I Know What You Did Last Summer
I mean…it’s in the name. There are horror slashers like A Nightmare on Elm Street, Sleepaway Camp, or Friday the 13th that all fit into the summer theme, but I Know What You Did Last Summer is filled with hot people sweating and running from a murderer and that’s enough for me to say it’s worthy of being on the list. Beyond Scream, I don’t think there is a better slasher film from the 1990s with a cast of the most memorable 90s actors. Sarah Michelle Gellar, Freddy Prince Jr., Ryan Philippe were all major names at that time, but Jennifer Love Hewitt channeled her inner final girl and nails her part as Julie James.
The 90s feel of it all adds something to this time capsule. The bonfire on the beach, spiked hair, tank tops and cargo pants. It just screams ’90s and while I love how timeless some of the movies listed are, sometimes you want to be reminded of a different era when they just wanted to make a movie that incorporated all of what was cool and trendy at the time. Maybe that’s the millennial side of me talking, but the ’90s were really cool and the fashion and style of the time really stand out as something unique.
I’d love to know your perfect summer films. Leave a comment or tag me on X or Instagram. For this year’s summer films, be sure to follow our movie news at That Hashtag Show.
