Summer movies mean road trips, summer jobs, summer love, and so much more. We’ve compiled the best summer movies, including comedies, romances, horror films, and musicals.
Jaws (1975): Best Mayoral Re-Election Campaign
When a great white shark starts attacking swimmers in a fictional New England town, the mayor’s top priority is tourism. He claims it’s perfectly safe to swim, even after multiple attacks. Despite this (spoiler alert), he’s still mayor in the sequel. Richard Dreyfuss plays a marine biologist who joins forces with the town’s sheriff and a local man to dispatch the shark.
IMDb rating: 8.0
Dirty Dancing (1987): Best Summer in the Catskills Love Story
A college-bound teen joins her family on vacation in the Catskills, where she pretty quickly falls for the dance instructor. The film has great dancing sequences and an excellent soundtrack. It even won an Oscar for the best original song: (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life.
IMDb rating: 7.0
Do The Right Thing (1989): Spike Lee’s Take on a Brooklyn Summer
This movie takes place in one day, but not one that repeats. Spike Lee plays Mookie, who delivers pizza in Bed-Stuy Brooklyn while dealing with workplace and romantic drama. Highlighting racial tensions on the hottest day of the year, Do The Right Thing is a portrait of a neighborhood where everyone knows everyone else’s business for better or worse.
Palm Springs (2020): A Charming Love Story That Repeats Over and Over
Imagine reliving the same day over and over, but instead of a Groundhog Day celebration, you’re at a wedding. And you fall for another wedding guest who is also reliving the day. Palm Springs is a fun take on the rom-com, featuring the relentlessly charming Andy Samberg as the protagonist.
IMDb rating: 7.4
Adventureland (2009): A Roller Coaster of a Summer Job
Taking place in 1987, Adventureland is the titular workplace of the main characters. Love and drama quickly ensue amid the rides and attractions. Jesse Eisenberg plays James Brennan, a college graduate who needs money and settles for a job in the park’s games section. (Running the rides requires seniority.) Ryan Reynolds is Mike Connell, a villain of sorts and a romantic rival to James.
IMDb rating: 6.8
Midsommar (2019): If You Like Unsettling Pagan Rituals
A trip to Sweden for a mid-summer festival is charming until people start disappearing and the main characters are forced into peculiar contests. Midsommar is shocking, entertaining, and disturbing, and you’ll continue thinking about it for weeks. Florence Pugh, who starred in Little Women the year before, gives an incredible performance.
IMDb rating: 7.1
Wet Hot American Summer (2001): Summer Camp From the Counselors’ POV
It’s the last day of summer camp in 1981, and the counselors have a lot to do. There is a lot to love about this movie, mostly the cast, which includes Paul Rudd, who has literally not aged. Christopher Meloni plays the foul-mouthed and wildly inappropriate camp chef. Janeane Garafalo and Amy Poehler play drama instructors trying to put on the best talent show in the camp’s history. The movie also stars David Hyde Pierce, Bradley Cooper, and Molly Shannon.
IMDb rating: 6.6
Dazed and Confused (1993): School’s Out For Summer
It’s 1976 and the last day of school for students from a Texas high school and middle school. It features many teenagers looking to party and avoid hazing, and Matthew McConaughey uttering his classic line “Alright, Alright, Alright.”
IMDb rating: 7.6
I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997): PSA For Not Committing a Hit and Run
This movie is about four teens who do something terrible, cover it up, and are pursued by a hook-wielding man intent on revenge. Featuring nineties stars Jennifer Love Hewitt and Sarah Michelle Gellar, the movie isn’t overly gory, but still terrifying. Maybe consider it a cautionary tale?
IMDb rating: 5.7
Grease (1978): Best Summer-Themed Musical
Though nearly all the action in this movie takes place during the school year, the plot is driven by a summer romance. Grease, which is based on a musical of the same name, is a lot of fun and it’s hard not to sing along. It was nominated for an Oscar for its original song Hopelessly Devoted to You. And in 2020, Grease was selected by the Library of Congress to be preserved in the National Film Registry.
IMDb rating: 7.2
Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day
