Looking to kick your summer off with a movie? This list will recommend our 5 favourites to get you ready for the sunny season.
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Summer is finally here, and what better way to enjoy the warmer months than by sitting inside in the dark. This list will run through 5 of our picks of the best movies to watch as summer is setting in.
1. Stand By Me (1986)
Rob Reiner’s masterful adaptation of Stephen King’s 1982 novel ‘The Body’, follows a group of friends during a fateful summer adventure. After hearing rumours of a dead body in the woods, the boys set off in search of it. Along the way the group, (played by fantastic child actors Will Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, and Jerry O’Connell) uncover more than just a body, having to confront the realities of their own mortality and relationships with each other. An absolute classic, and the perfect movie to kick off your summer.
2. Dazed and Confused (1993)
Dazed and Confused is Richard Linklater’s coming-of-age masterpiece, featuring one of the greatest movie soundtracks and some of the most iconic lines of all time. The film follows a group of teenagers as they navigate their last day of school in 1976. it is not confined to a single character or plot thread, which benefits the movie’s tone greatly, as it has a very uniquely relaxed feel which not many others have achieved before or since. If you want a chilled-out nostalgia trip, this is the ideal option.
3. Do the Right Thing (1989)
Possibly the best depiction of a summer’s day that is just too hot, Spike Lee’s seminal Do the Right Thing also happens to be one of the greatest films ever made. A scathing look at the state of American race relations, the movie manages to feel just as fresh as it did in 1989. Bursting with bright colours and exciting cinematography, Do the Right Thing should be enjoyed with a pizza on a scorching hot day in order for one to truly feel immersed in its atmosphere.
4. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019)
The most recent entry on our list, Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is essentially a summer hangout movie, putting you in the passenger seat of struggling actor Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio), his stuntman and de-facto driver Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) and star actress Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie). Set in 1969 Hollywood, the film is rich with incredible sets, music and an underrated meandering plot, which results in one of the best, most exhilarating movie endings of the 21st century. Put this one on a lazy Sunday afternoon and get lost in the immerse of the intricately constructed world of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
5. The Endless Summer (1966)
The Endless Summer is a surf documentary film released in 1966. Bruce Brown directs, produces, edits, narrates and features in this semi-autobiographical look at the surfing trip of a lifetime. The film looks fantastic, featuring some unbelievable shots of vintage surf, taken from a diverse range of locations from New Zealand to Ghana. Scored by lesser-known surf-rock band The Sandals, The Endless Summer is the perfect summer movie, and deserves a larger reputation than the one it currently holds.
That was 5 of the best summer movies, perfect for the beginning of the season. Check back next week for posts like this one.
Last modified: May 17, 2024
