30 of the Best Summer Movies of All Time
30 of the Best Summer Movies of All Time
Surf, sunshine and countless backyard barbecues all symbolize summer. But nothing conjures up warm weather feelings like a movie set during the hottest months of the year. Whether it’s a steamy romance or a gut-busting comedy, summer is often the perfect backdrop and setting for some of the most memorable and entertaining movies, no matter the genre.
Due to its carefree vibe, summer typically exemplifies a sense of freedom and growth, making it a joy to watch stories unfold in this season. Plus, the typically picturesque scenery has us longing for a much-needed vacation.
Can’t get away just yet? Don’t worry; escape with one of these best summer movies without leaving your couch. From nostalgic tales of friendships to beachy thrillers, we’ve rounded up some of the best across streaming platforms. So, sit back, relax and enjoy. Just be sure to swap out a soda for a tasty pi?a colada to go with your popcorn.
1) My Girl
amazon.com
When a precocious tomboy and her gentle best friend spend the summer together in their small town, a tender coming-of-age tale unfolds. Anna Chlumsky and Macaulay Culkin star in this cult ‘90s classic that beautifully captures life’s innocence and unpredictability.
2) The Inkwell
amazon.com
Set on Martha’s Vineyard during the bicentennial, this feel-good movie explores the journey of an awkward teen coming into his own. Starring Larenz Tate and Jada Pinkett, fireworks aren’t the only thing that lights up this film. The on-screen chemistry between the two actors is electric.
3) Grease
amazon.com
Summer lovin’ never looked so good. Set in the 1950s, John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John star in this timeless musical that follows a greaser and demure exchange student as their summer romance blooms. However, when the teenagers return to their high school, their cliques test their love.
4) The Great Outdoors
amazon.com
Dan Aykroyd and John Candy star in this comedy about a man whose polar opposite brother-in-law crashes his family’s laid-back lakeside cabin excursion. It's a quintessential tale of family conflict set in the woods of Wisconsin.
5) The Sandlot
Disney
disneyplus.com
Nothing says summer like America’s favorite pastime. Set in 1962, this sports comedy centers around a group of young baseball players who take a new kid in the neighborhood under their wing and strike up a homerun friendship all while trying to retrieve a baseball signed by a beloved sports legend.
6) Stand By Me
amazon.com
Four friends on the brink of adolescence set out to find a dead body in this Rob Reiner production. What they discover during their adventure is far more profound. A young Jerry O’Connell, Corey Feldman, Kiefer Sutherland and the late River Phoenix star in this classic coming-of-age drama.
7) Crooklyn
amazon.com
Spike Lee tells the story of Troy Carmichael, a young girl growing up in 1970s Brooklyn in this semi-autobiographical film. As the only girl in her immediate family, the charismatic and spunky 9-year-old goes down south to stay with relatives for a summer. When she returns home to her vibrant New York City neighborhood, she is met with unsettling news.
8) Dirty Dancing
amazon.com
“Nobody puts Baby in the corner!” This classic line comes from a young woman, Frances “Baby” Houseman, played by Jennifer Gray, who falls in love with a sexy dance instructor (Patrick Swayze) while on holiday at a resort. The pair heat up the dance floor and big screen in this steamy dance romance.
9) The Way, Way Back
amazon.com
Awkward and shy, a teenage boy is forced to join his mom and her abusive boyfriend at a summer beach house in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. While there, he lands a job at a waterpark where he finds solace and a father figure in his fun-loving, witty manager.
10) The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
amazon.com
Based on the 2001 novel of the same name, this comedy-drama centers around a group of high school friends who share the same pair of jeans as they spend their first summer apart.
11) Do the Right Thing
amazon.com
Prescient and poignant, this Spike Lee joint takes place on the hottest day of the summer in 1980s Brooklyn. As the temperature rises in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood, so do racial tensions in this critically acclaimed drama.
12) National Lampoon's Vacation
amazon.com
Hijinks ensue as Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) takes his family on a road trip from the Midwest to a popular California amusement park in this wacky, slapstick adventure.
13) I Know What You Did Last Summer
amazon.com
When four friends make a pact to stay mum about a shocking incident, they realize their secret from last summer wasn’t as airtight as they thought. Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. star in this late ‘90s horror flick.
14) How Stella Got Her Groove Back
amazon.com
When divorcee Stella Payne, played by Angela Bassett, takes a trip to Jamaica for a much-needed escape, she gets more than a nice getaway. She meets a handsome young suitor (Taye Diggs) who propositions her with the idea of a May-December romance.
15) The Last Summer
e net
netflix.com
High school graduates in Chicago grapple with the challenges of love, friendship and navigating the next phase of their lives before leaving for college in this modern coming-of-age story.
16) The Photograph
amazon.com
Two stories in one, this intertwining tale tells the story of an art curator (Issa Rae) who finds herself connecting the dots on her late mother’s love life that coincidentally takes her on a surprising journey that leads to her own romance with a rising journalist (LaKeith Stanfield).
17) Dazed and Confused
amazon.com
Celebrating the last day of school in 1976, a group of unruly teenagers finds themselves literally dazed and confused as they try to figure out what they want to do with the rest of their lives. Matthew McConaughey and Ben Affleck co-star in this early ‘90s classic.
18) Jaws
amazon.com
Innocent summer dips will never be the same. Unsuspecting beachgoers are terrorized as a killer shark takes a bite out of their fun sand and surf plans in this groundbreaking thriller.
19) Girls Trip
amazon.com
When four friends plan a vacation to a popular music festival in New Orleans, they get more than they bargained for once they arrive in the Big Easy. Starring Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Regina King and breakout star Tiffany Haddish, the adventure is full of hilarious antics and sprinkled with tender moments.
20) Honey, I Shrunk The Kids
amazon.com
When inventor Wayne Szalinski makes a major mistake with his latest contraption, it inadvertently zaps his kids to pint-size. The family’s once innocuous backyard becomes a menacing deathtrap for the miniature minors in this Disney production.
21) Adventureland
amazon.com
When a recent college grad’s (Jesse Eisenberg) summer plans for a lavish European vacation are derailed by his parents’ lack of financial support, he’s forced to get a job at a local amusement park — not exactly his idea of summer fun. However, things start to look up when he meets an attractive fellow employee (Kristen Stewart) in this comedy, which also stars Ryan Reynolds, Kristen Wiig, and Bill Hader.
22) Now and Then
amazon.com
Three lifelong childhood friends reunite and reminisce about one unforgettable summer when they were kids in 1970. Rosie O’Donnell, Demi Moore, and Melanie Griffith star in this mid-’90s comedy-drama.
23) Johnson Family Vacation
amazon.com
Cedric the Entertainer and Vanessa Williams co-star in this high-energy 2004 comedy. With their marriage on the rocks, Nate Johnson takes his wife and kids on a mishap-laden, cross-country road trip in hopes of winning over his wife and making his family whole again.
24) Palm Springs
lu
hulu.com
Groundhog Day with a twist. This sci-fi romantic comedy tells the story of two wedding guests who get stuck in a time warp that has them repeating the same day over and over again in a sweltering California desert.
25) Blue Crush
lu
hulu.com
Determined to snag first prize in a major surfing competition, die-hard surfer Anne Marie loses focus when she falls for a football player. Kate Bosworth stars in this exhilarating story of friendship, love and perseverance.
26) Mamma Mia! The Movie
amazon.com
Bride-to-be Sophie, played by Amanda Seyfried, has a few tricks up her sleeve when she invites three of her mother’s (Meryl Streep) former flames to her wedding in the gorgeous Greek islands. She orchestrates this hairy setup in hopes of finding her real father to walk her down the aisle in this 2008 romantic comedy.
27) Wet Hot American Summer
amazon.com
Teen summer camp movies are as American as apple pie. This satirical comedy puts all the predictable cliches of summer camp and teen romance into one hilarious cult classic, starring an ensemble cast including Janeane Garofalo, Paul Rudd, Molly Shannen, and Elizabeth Banks.
28) The Bridges of Madison County
amazon.com
When an unfulfilled housewife (Meryl Streep) randomly meets an intriguing nature photographer (Clint Eastwood), a love affair ensues in this story of unrequited love. Set in the Midwest during the thick of summer, the pair’s steamy affair gets hot and heavy but is forced to turn cold.
29) Real Women Have Curves
amazon.com
America Ferrera stars in this coming-of-age film based on the famous stage play of the same name. At a crossroads, Ana spends the summer deciding whether to pursue higher education or work for her family’s textiles business in East Los Angeles.
30) Wine Country
e net
netflix.com
Directed by Amy Poehler, this 2019 release centers around a group of friends who take a Napa Valley trip to celebrate one of the friend’s 50th birthdays. While in wine country for the weekend, all kinds of mayhem unfold in this comedy starring Poehler, Rachel Dratch, Maya Rudolph, and Tina Fey.
Celebrate the balmy season with one of these unforgettable summertime favorites streaming now.
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