Comingsoon.net can’t stand the heat, so we’re headed inside to watch some movies. Check out our picks for the best summer movies in the gallery below!
A great summer movie exists to emulate all the very best parts of the season. We’re not talking about blockbusters—although a blockbuster could qualify as a summer movie if it takes place in June, July, or August, of course. We’re talking about movies that feature plenty of heat, plenty of summer looks, and plenty of summer activities. Whether it be a movie about summer camp, a movie about summer heat, or a movie about summer activities, these summer films are practically essential viewing right now.
Like we said, you’re going to see some crossover here: there are some blockbusters—big-budget studio features released to great box office numbers, typically featuring plenty of action and intrigue—that set themselves during the summer months, so there’s a bit of crossover here. Most of these films are pretty grounded, though. Just turn one of these films on if you’re looking to extend summer break just a little bit longer.
summer movies
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American Graffiti (1973)
Before George Lucas was changing film history with Star Wars, he was quietly changing the genre with American Graffiti. Set in the early 60s on the last day of summer and following multiple overlapping storylines, the film is nostalgic and breezy at once.
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Dazed and Confused (1993)
Sort of a spiritual cousin to American Graffiti, Dazed and Confused follows a group of high schoolers on the last day of school in rural Texas during the 1970s. 20 years later, it’s clear the impact early Lucas had on filmmakers like Richard Linklater.
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Dirty Dancing (1987)
Another summer vacation film, Dirty Dancing explores the phenomenon of summer flings. Tracking the budding romance of a young woman and a vacation resort’s dance instructor in 1963. For some reason, the combination of nostalgia and summer seems to be an incredibly effective tactic.
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Do the Right Thing (1989)
Probably Spike Lee’s most well-known (and highly-praised) feature, Do the Right Thing takes place in Brooklyn on the hottest day of the year. The heat leads to already tense scenarios escalating exponentially, resulting in a genuinely fiery climax.
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Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
Based on the riveting true story, Dog Day Afternoon stars Al Pacino as a bank robber who strikes in late August in hopes of scoring enough money to help pay for his wife’s operation. There’s something about hot New York days that bring out the most extreme scenarios, it seems.
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Friday the 13th (1980)
A summer camp movie of a different breed, Friday the 13th follows a group of campers trying to evade the murderous slasher Jason Vorhees. The summer season really knows how to amplify crazy behavior, it seems.
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Jaws (1975)
The first blockbuster ever, Steven Spielberg’s Jaws sees a vacation town prepping for the summer season while trying to gloss over the continuous shark attacks happening at its beaches. Not only is this the best shark movie, it’s also one of the very best summer movies to date.
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Mamma Mia! (2008)
Based on the hit Broadway musical of the same name and drawing inspiration from the discography of ABBA, Mamma Mia! sets itself in the gorgeous Greek summer as a young woman prepares for her wedding. Full of all kinds of blues and yellows, Mamma Mia! is so bright and airy it’s likely to warm up even the coldest hearts.
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National Lampoon's Vacation (1983)
National Lampoon’s Vacation does for summer what National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation does for winter. Making light of all the best and worst parts of a family road trip, this Chevy Chase vehicle (no pun intended) is worth it for anyone who’s gone through a similar experience growing up or while raising children of their own.
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Wet Hot American Summer (2001)
A satire of an era and a spoof of a classic summer activity, David Wain’s Wet Hot American Summer features some of today’s most notable comedians in some of their earliest roles: camp counselors at a stereotypical summer camp in 1981. Netflix has carried on the legacy of the film by making a prequel and a sequel series, but there’s no beating the original’s genius.
