In conclusion to my series on best seasonal films, is those to watch during the summer time. Granted this is a time of the year that is best spent outside; swimming, camping, bbq, baseball games, etc, but as with every season comes it's down time. And just as there are movies that should best be enjoyed during winter time there are also movies that are best enjoyed during summer time.
For me summer is not quite the dream season it use to be when we were children. Back then it represented a time of freedom, free from school, baseball season, and so much free time to do whatever we wanted. As an adult it's business as usual only hotter temperatures, higher AC bills, rise in dehydration, and more bugs to deal with. On the flip side however it's swimming season, camping seasons, and gardening season all hobbies that I enjoy. The 4th of July holiday is the pinnacle of the summer break that brings friends and families together to celebrate our American patriotism.
Therefore the movies included on this list all incorporate themes of summer; heat, camping, the outdoors, music, freedom, patriotism, romance, and so forth. Whether child or adult summer is ultimately a season of happiness, adventure, and relaxation. I believe these specific movies are best enjoyed during the summer season.
Honorable Mention
10. Independence Day: Just as the title suggests this action movie is a classic summer blockbuster. It takes place all over the world as humanity does battle with invading aliens. However the settings that best resonate in my memory are that of Los Angeles, New York, and the desert all during the hot summer days. To add to the summer theme, the final battle sequence takes place on the 4th of July in which the American president gives an inspiring speech that this day is no longer an independence day for Americans, yet an independence day for all humanity.
9. Judd Apatow Comedies: During my college years it was the frat pack comedy team of Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Will Ferrell, and Vince Vaughn that dominated movie comedies. However towards the end of my college time, this group was eventually replaced by the Judd Apatow team of Seth Rogen, James Franco, and Jonah Hill. Most of Judd Apatow's comedy films take place in Los Angeles and usually deal with pot-smoking or chasing girls. They're perfect movies to enjoy during the summer time.
8. Superhero Films: There is nothing that screams summer blockbuster quite like a Marvel or DC comics superhero film. Dating back to the release of Spiderman in 2002, it seems that every summer there is at least a couple superhero films that are released during the summer. These movies incorporate themes of comedy, romance, and intense action with expensive special effects. The plot is usually a simple one, the super hero must defeat the super villain to save the world and win the girl.
7. Pulp Fiction: This film could also fall into the LA Neo-noir category or the drug category however it's such a great film that it needs to stand on it's own merit. It's an ideal summer film because it takes place in the hot setting of Los Angeles and deals with drugs and crime. Its the ultimate cool Hollywood film, with a great rock and roll soundtrack, iconic performances by Samuel Jackson and John Travolta, and so many classic quotes.
6. Counterculture Movies: When I think of hippies and the 1960s era, I often associate that time with the "Summer of Love". It was a free-loving time, where women wore flowers in their hair and everybody got high. The counterculture era was influenced by marijuana, the Vietnam War, yet also classic rock music. I'll never forget my first summer out of college in 2007 where I went thru my ultimate classic rock appreciation phase. I came to appreciate the history of this counterculture thru music yet also many iconic movies about the era.
5. American Revolution Movies: Just as WWII movies are best appreciated around the cold winter time, and Civil war movies around fall time, movies about our independence and the American Revolution are best enjoyed around the 4th of July and the summer season. One could make the case that the 4th of July holiday is the pinnacle of the summer season and the ultimate season to celebrate American culture (fireworks, hot-dogs, baseball, concerts, etc). Memorial weekend is also a significant holiday weekend marking the end of summer and similar to the 4th of July it is a holiday that is celebrating our patriotism. Here are my favorite films regarding the historical topic of the American Revolution.
4. Grease: This is a classic summer movie, just as the famous song suggests "Summer Loving". Its a romantic musical comedy starring the smooth dancing John Travolta and the famous singer Olivia Newton John. The story revolves around two love-birds and their senior classmates as they go thru their senior year in high school. They go thru ups and downs together yet always in musical harmony. The movie begins with the warm sensation of summer and comes full circle at the end where the students graduate and celebrate the start of another summer. For me this movie always reminds me of summer times at St. Johns New Haven and our classmate Mike Snyder who would sing all the songs.
3. Vietnam War Movies: This category could be tied in with the counter-culture category but unlike the love represented by hippies this category is pure war and violence. The Vietnam War was the longest war in American history and perhaps one of the most infamous and unsuccessful of our history. For me this category is best enjoyed during the summer time because it is a setting that takes place deep in a hot, humid, rainy, bug-infested jungle. Just last summer I felt like I was going thru Vietnam as I endured a summer of flea-infestation, sickness, stress, and no air-conditioner. Things are much better this summer.
2. Latin American Culture: For myself being part Latin this is no doubt a bit biased having this category so high on the summer list, yet also within reason. Latin culture is best associated with warmer tropical climates. The movies on this list deal with themes of love, war, adventure, politics, and revolution. I relate to many of these politically driven Latin movies during the summer time perhaps the same reason as with Neo-Noir films, Drug Movies, Vietnam, and the Counterculture categories. It is a theme of free-thinking adventurism, whether a war or a road trip, the setting is engulfed by hot summer temperatures on a beach or deep in the jungle.
1. Forrest Gump: This movie masterpiece is the total fusion of American culture with summer culture. The small-town southern character of Forrest Gump goes thru a roller coaster of American historical experiences. Beginning with his childhood encounter with Elvis Presley, his college football career at Alabama, his service at the Vietnam War, his involvement with the counterculture movement, his hippy girlfriend Jenny, his shrimping career on the open bayou, and his long distance running across the country.
All settings that take place in a warm or hot tropical environment. The only part of this film that seems out of place to me is the New Years celebration in New York City with Lt. Dan that takes place during the winter time. Every other scene in this film seems to take place during summer. Add to this some great filming and an iconic American classic rock soundtrack and it has all the ingredients of a summer movie. The film has a historical, heroic, and happy quality to it that makes it my favorite film to watch during the summer time.
Therefore the movies included on this list all incorporate themes of summer; heat, camping, the outdoors, music, freedom, patriotism, romance, and so forth. Whether child or adult summer is ultimately a season of happiness, adventure, and relaxation. I believe these specific movies are best enjoyed during the summer season.
Honorable Mention
- Training Day: For me most movies that take place in Los Angeles have all the recipes of a summer movie. This is a prime example of a crime film set during a blister summer day in Los Angeles
- There Will be Blood: It was in summertime when I first saw this masterpiece that takes place in the hot American West
- LA Neo-Noir Films: Once again these movies set in Los Angeles are the ideal films to watch during summertime. The LA Noir genre incorporates images of the well dressed suave Hollywood lead smoking cigarettes, chasing beautiful blonde women, and fighting gangster criminals
- Chinatown (1974)
- The Usual Suspects (1995)
- LA Confidential (1997)
- Mulholland Drive (2001)
- Sin City (2005)
- Drive (2011)
- Drug Movies: These movies about cocaine and drug lords, usually have ties to Latin America or Vietnam making for a good summer setting
- The French Connection (1971)
- Scarface (1980)
- Blow (2001)
- American Gangster (2007)
- Jurassic Park Movies: These dinosaur thrillers normally take place on a remote tropical island deep in a jungle, an ideal summer setting. They've also always been released during the summer blockbuster season
- Jurassic Park (1993)
- The Lost World (1997)
- Jurassic Park III (2001)
- Jurassic World (2015)
- Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)
- Shawshank Redemption: This film can be enjoyed about any season, however there are certain summer elements that always stick out to me, especially when the inmates are working on the roof on a hot summer day drinking some suds
10. Independence Day: Just as the title suggests this action movie is a classic summer blockbuster. It takes place all over the world as humanity does battle with invading aliens. However the settings that best resonate in my memory are that of Los Angeles, New York, and the desert all during the hot summer days. To add to the summer theme, the final battle sequence takes place on the 4th of July in which the American president gives an inspiring speech that this day is no longer an independence day for Americans, yet an independence day for all humanity.
- Anchorman (2004)
- 40 Year Old Virgin (2005)
- Knocked Up (2007)
- Superbad (2007)
- Pineapple Express (2008)
- Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2009)
8. Superhero Films: There is nothing that screams summer blockbuster quite like a Marvel or DC comics superhero film. Dating back to the release of Spiderman in 2002, it seems that every summer there is at least a couple superhero films that are released during the summer. These movies incorporate themes of comedy, romance, and intense action with expensive special effects. The plot is usually a simple one, the super hero must defeat the super villain to save the world and win the girl.
- X-Men (2000) X2 (2003) X-Men the Last Stand (2006)
- Spiderman (2002), Spiderman 2(2004) Spiderman 3 (2007)
- Batman Begins (2005) The Dark Knight (2008) The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
- Iron Man (2008) Iron Man 2 (2010) Iron Man 3 (2013)
- Thor (2011) Thor: The Dark World (2013) Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
- Captain America (2011) Captain America: Winter Soldier (2013) Captain America: Civil War (2016)
- X-men First Class (2011) X-men Days of Future Past (2014) X-men Apocalypse (2016)
- Avengers (2012) Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
- Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) Guardians of the Galaxy (2017)
- Man of Steel (2013) Batman vs Superman (2016)
- Ant Man (2015) Ant Man and the Wasp (2018)
- Wonder Woman (2017) Justice League (2017)
- Black Panther (2018)
7. Pulp Fiction: This film could also fall into the LA Neo-noir category or the drug category however it's such a great film that it needs to stand on it's own merit. It's an ideal summer film because it takes place in the hot setting of Los Angeles and deals with drugs and crime. Its the ultimate cool Hollywood film, with a great rock and roll soundtrack, iconic performances by Samuel Jackson and John Travolta, and so many classic quotes.6. Counterculture Movies: When I think of hippies and the 1960s era, I often associate that time with the "Summer of Love". It was a free-loving time, where women wore flowers in their hair and everybody got high. The counterculture era was influenced by marijuana, the Vietnam War, yet also classic rock music. I'll never forget my first summer out of college in 2007 where I went thru my ultimate classic rock appreciation phase. I came to appreciate the history of this counterculture thru music yet also many iconic movies about the era.
- The Graduate (1967)
- Yellow Submarine (1968)
- Easy Rider (1969)
- Dazed and Confused (1990)
- The Doors (1991)
- Almost Famous (2000)
- Bobby (2006)
- Across the Universe (2007)
- Taking Woodstock (2009)
5. American Revolution Movies: Just as WWII movies are best appreciated around the cold winter time, and Civil war movies around fall time, movies about our independence and the American Revolution are best enjoyed around the 4th of July and the summer season. One could make the case that the 4th of July holiday is the pinnacle of the summer season and the ultimate season to celebrate American culture (fireworks, hot-dogs, baseball, concerts, etc). Memorial weekend is also a significant holiday weekend marking the end of summer and similar to the 4th of July it is a holiday that is celebrating our patriotism. Here are my favorite films regarding the historical topic of the American Revolution.- April Morning (1988)
- The Crossing (2000)
- The Patriot (2000)
- John Adams (2008)
3. Vietnam War Movies: This category could be tied in with the counter-culture category but unlike the love represented by hippies this category is pure war and violence. The Vietnam War was the longest war in American history and perhaps one of the most infamous and unsuccessful of our history. For me this category is best enjoyed during the summer time because it is a setting that takes place deep in a hot, humid, rainy, bug-infested jungle. Just last summer I felt like I was going thru Vietnam as I endured a summer of flea-infestation, sickness, stress, and no air-conditioner. Things are much better this summer.- The Deer Hunter (1978)
- Apocalypse Now (1979)
- Platoon (1987)
- Full Metal Jacket (1987)
- Good Morning Vietnam (1987)
- Tigerland (2000)
2. Latin American Culture: For myself being part Latin this is no doubt a bit biased having this category so high on the summer list, yet also within reason. Latin culture is best associated with warmer tropical climates. The movies on this list deal with themes of love, war, adventure, politics, and revolution. I relate to many of these politically driven Latin movies during the summer time perhaps the same reason as with Neo-Noir films, Drug Movies, Vietnam, and the Counterculture categories. It is a theme of free-thinking adventurism, whether a war or a road trip, the setting is engulfed by hot summer temperatures on a beach or deep in the jungle.- Y Tu Mama Tambien (2001)
- City of God (2002)
- The Motorcycle Diaries (2004)
- Maria Full of Grace (2004)
- Che (2008)
1. Forrest Gump: This movie masterpiece is the total fusion of American culture with summer culture. The small-town southern character of Forrest Gump goes thru a roller coaster of American historical experiences. Beginning with his childhood encounter with Elvis Presley, his college football career at Alabama, his service at the Vietnam War, his involvement with the counterculture movement, his hippy girlfriend Jenny, his shrimping career on the open bayou, and his long distance running across the country.All settings that take place in a warm or hot tropical environment. The only part of this film that seems out of place to me is the New Years celebration in New York City with Lt. Dan that takes place during the winter time. Every other scene in this film seems to take place during summer. Add to this some great filming and an iconic American classic rock soundtrack and it has all the ingredients of a summer movie. The film has a historical, heroic, and happy quality to it that makes it my favorite film to watch during the summer time.
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