Totally undefinitive list of best summer movies - chosen heavily from movies I watched growing up. On VHS.
~ Enjoy ~
1. Dazed and Confused (1993) -
2. Wet Hot American Summer (2001)
3. Stand by Me (1986)
4. The Goonies (1985)
5. Dirty Dancing (1987)
6. National Lampoon's Vacation (1983)
7. Jaws (1975)
8. Point Break (1991)
Not higher because, come on, it's a best year around movie, no need to relegate it to summer.
9. Caddyshack (1980)
Infinitely quotable.
10. Weekend at Bernie's (1989)
Weekend at Bernie's provides a great capsule of late 80s beachwear and I never get tired of people who dress up as it for Halloween. It also always reminds me how on Friends, Joey called Rachel out for telling people her favorite movie is Citizen Kane when it's really Weekend at Bernie's - don't be ashamed!
Honorable Mentions:
Summer School; Blue Crush; Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead; I Know What You Did Last Summer; Endless Summer and Beach Blanket Bingo (for the olds); Heavyweights; Camp Nowhere; Do the Right Thing (for those who like critical acclaim in their summer movies); and The Sandlot and Field of Dreams which I have never seen because, sorry, baseball.
Lesser known movies that are possibly only popular summer movies in my family:
Deliverance (1972)
Do other families not show this to their child the night before she goes white water rafting for the first time?
Shag (1989)
This and Dirty Dancing were pretty much my favorite movies for about five years growing up. My cousin Christie and I watched the movie so many times. I still have a copy of the VHS.
If you don't want to go to the beach and meet boys and play games instead of touring gawd damn colonial homes then I don't have time for you.
The Flamingo Kid (1984)
Quintessential summer movie, but not as many people have seen it. Another favorite of my family's, as it has one of my uncle's favorite movie lines. Also, young Matt Dillon movies!
(Sexist Portion)
(a few girl's summer movies and a few boy ones)
Manlier Summer Movies
Die Hard With a Vengeance (1995)
Independence Day (1996)
Meatballs (1979)
The Natural (1984)
Girly Summer Movies
Grease (1978)
Indian Summer (1993)
Mermaids (1990)
My Girl (1991)
Mystic Pizza (1988)
The Notebook (2004)
Now and Then (1995)
The Parent Trap (1961 and 1998)
Summer Catch (2001)
A Walk on the Moon (1999)
This is my personal it's-not-summer-until-I-watch-this-movie movie. A while back, I was watching something with my mom where Viggo Mortensen played the hunky role and said I just didn't see the appeal. She goes "Have you see A Walk on the Moon?". And I've been in love ever since. . .
Also, the movie has a Woodstock scene, which is super summery.
Did I miss any? Any little-known awesome movie everyone should know about? Did these lists make you want to beat the heat and lay on the couch watching a few? Hope so, it'd be a lot cooler if you did.