With summer quickly approaching, we all have a little more time on our hands to relax and do the things we enjoy. For me, that means watching all the movies I possibly can. Summer is such a fun time of year, and there are a plethora of movies that make it even more of a blast. Here are seven of my favorite movies for the summertime!
1. “Grease” (1978)
The carnival scene at the end of “Grease” just screams summertime. At the start of the classic musical movie, Sandy (Olivia Newton-John) and Danny (John Travolta) have a romance during a 1950s summer, only to find out that they’ll be attending the same high school the next year. Together, they and their friends navigate their high school’s rigid cliques while also trying to find love and have fun.
2. “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” (1986)
“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” is another fun, classic film, but I’m obviously extremely biased because I love John Hughes films. This movie is all about the day that Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick) and his friends skip school and get into all sorts of trouble while their principal (Jeffrey Jones) tries to catch them in the act.
3. “The Sandlot” (1993)
This is the quintessential summer film, and you will never be able to change my mind. Again, I’m super biased here because “The Sandlot” is one of my favorite films of all time. Scottie Smalls (Thomas Guiry) and his family move to a new town, where he knows no one. Benny (Mike Vitar), one of the boys in the neighborhood, invites Scottie to join in on a game of baseball with his friends, leading to Scottie having the best summer of his life.
4. “I Know What You Did Last Summer” (1997)
There’s something about summer and horror movies that just makes sense. “I Know What You Did Last Summer” is perfect for this time of year. When four friends leave behind the body of a fisherman they ran over, they start getting letters from someone claiming that they know what the friends did. Then, a man with a meat hook starts hunting them down one by one. Will they be able to unmask the killer before it’s too late?
5. “Mamma Mia” (2008)
The stunning shots of Greece in “Mamma Mia” make me want to hop on a plane and have the greatest adventure of my life. Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) is getting married, and she wants to invite her father to her wedding. The problem? She has three possible candidates for who that man could be. The solution? She sends invitations to all three. This is a jukebox musical featuring the music of international sensation ABBA that is a goofy time.
6. “The Kissing Booth” (2018)
Think what you will of “The Kissing Booth” series, but I think the first movie is great. And who doesn’t love a good rom-com for summertime? It’s the start of a new school year, and best friends Elle (Joey King) and Lee (Joel Courtney) need a fundraiser idea for their dance club. The one they come up with is, shockingly enough, a kissing booth. At the booth, Elle kisses Lee’s older brother, Noah (Jacob Elordi), which breaks one of their friendship rules. When Elle keeps her feelings for Noah a secret from Lee, will their friendship survive?
7. “In the Heights” (2021)
The most recent addition to this list is also a musical. I guess there’s something inherently summer-y about movies with big dance numbers. “In the Heights” is a Lin-Manuel Miranda story about the Washington Heights neighborhood in New York City during a heatwave. Usnavi (Anthony Ramos) is planning to leave his home and go live in the Dominican Republic, but not without running into a few hiccups along the way. It’s a story that makes you feel just about every emotion and gets you dancing in your seat.
There you have it, collegiettes. I hope you have a spectacular summer featuring some fantastic films!