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Top 10 Movies That Feel Like Summer

Writer's picture: Andie SerraoAndie Serrao

Here on the east coast, the weather is taking its time to get moving. As we currently linger on the beaches in sweats dreaming of tan lines, 90 degrees, a cold drink, and praying to find someone with a boat by the time the weather gets nice. If you are already at the point of boredom and have run out of things to do, getting together with friends to watch these Top Ten Movies That Feel Like Summer could be the cure. Movies are a perfect way to ease into summer and get yourself excited for the adventures to come, and could even give some ideas for your future summer plans.

1. The Way Way Back From the beaches of Massachusetts to the water park and being forced to leave your friends and spend time with family, this is definitely one of my favorite summer movies. As the main character's mother has an extremely overbearing boyfriend, he uses this trip to leave and explore the town they are staying in which leads to him creating new bonds and relationships with the people he meets. During the duration of the movie, Duncan struggles with family issues which leads to him sneaking away from his family to spend his time with people he enjoys at the local waterpark.

2. The Last Song Although Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth's relationship will be left in the past, this movie is on replay throughout the summer. Miley plays a rebellious teen who is forced to stay with her father in North Carolina for the summer along with her brother. The movie depicts the struggle of the summer before college, family relationships, and personal relationships. Although there are struggles, the beach, nature, and blasting music with the windows down are the perfect summer vibe. I watch this movie whenever I want to feel like it's summer.

3. Stand By Me This is a great movie about friendship and almost makes you wish you were a young boy in the 80s. The movie follows a group of young boys as they set out by themselves to find the body of a boy who has been killed. Though it sounds gruesome, their journey documents the group's friendship and how it is tested, and the new bonds they created with each other. The adventuring outdoors, being surrounded by nature and close friends gives the movie a summer feeling.


4. Grown Ups A movie I am convinced everyone likes, but let's pretend the second one does not exist. Meeting up with family and friends on a summer vacation is the highlight of some people's years and makes some of the best memories and this movie shows that. As Adam Sandler and his usual crew take a trip down memory, reconnect with each other, and bring their families along. It hilariously shows the best parts of summer, reconnecting with old friends and creating new memories.

5. Mamma Mia! I am definitely not into musicals, but Mamma Mia! is definitely the exception. Everything about this movie is perfect and sets so many goals. Everyone wants to enter their Mamma Mia! era of leaving home to travel and explore Europe with no other cares and relax on the beaches of Greece. How could you not want as exciting of a life as Donna's? This movie feels like it is summer all year round.

6. The Hannah Montana Movie Who would not want to experience a Miley Stuart summer? Filled with cowboys, the countryside, lake swimming, and family, this movie sets a chill and comforting vibe for the summer. Escaping from the city, reconnecting with nature and your roots to take time to discover yourself and grow. This movie brings out the coziness and comfort of summer by hanging out on the porch on hot summer nights with friends and family. (Lucas Till is also nice to look at).

7. The Parent Trap A movie I believe everyone grew up watching and if you haven’t, it is a must-watch. Obviously, with sleepaway camp, this movie is bound to have the summer feeling. It almost makes you feel nostalgic for summer camp by being surrounded by friends all day and night, creating mischief, jumping in the lake, making new friends, and the iconic ear-piercing scene that is engraved in everyone's memory. Even when the girls leave summer camp, the summer vibe continues all the way into California on Nick Parker's ranch with the dream house and vineyard.

8. Cheaper By The Dozen 2 Taking place at the family's summer lake house, the movie shows the rivalry between the Baker family and the Murtaugh family. As they compete in a summer sports competition to see who is the better family, both parties take it a little too far. I feel this is more of a comforting movie with the campfires, lake swimming, water sports, and even the parts of the movie when they start getting sick of being around family, it feels just like summer.


9. The Notebook Although a sad ending, the movie depicts a perfect summer setting. Starting off with the first scenes to come on screen of the carnival, which immediately captures the essence of summer. Throughout the movie, the night scenes of cozy homes and sitting on porches make you feel like you are in the movie. Watching it, you can almost feel the hot humid air and the chirping of the crickets as you sit on the front porch. This movie captures the beauty of a Southern summer night.

10. Hot Summer Nights Honestly, it is not my personal favorite movie but the vibes and aesthetic of the set are perfect. Set in Cape Cod with the beach, high school parties, carnivals, a summer fling, Timothee Chalamet, and drug dealing, this movie has the perfect summer vibe (but maybe scratch the last part). The acting and plot aren't award-winning but it is worth watching for its aesthetic and the rush of summer.


Written by Andie Serrao

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