The Best Summer Movies

Summertime is hard to beat. It doesn’t get much better than soaking up sunshine at the beach, sitting around a campfire in the woods, or just escaping the heat by hanging out at home. In fact, any of those activities are better than time spent at school or work. The weather at this time of year also provides the perfect excuse to take a break from reality, so most people are counting the down the months until that magic season finally arrives. But why spend time waiting when there is an instant shortcut to summer? We’re talking about summertime movies, and luckily for you, we’ve rounded up this list of the best summer movies to watch.

The season is made for feeling like a kid, spending days and nights at the beach, the pool, or someone's backyard, but there is no shame in indulging in another summer pastime: going to the movies. We looked back to summer films new and old to put together this list. Sure, you might want to hit the hot pavement and have some fun in the sun, but don’t shy away from using some of that time off to lounge around and watch a movie or two. A little escapism is good for the soul, and too much time spent outdoors means you’re more likely to get a sunburn.

From big vacation-time thrillers to summertime spoofs, this list of best summer movies spans action, adventure, comedy, and more, so it won’t be difficult to find something that you love. It’s tricky to pick the best summer movies, because so many exist, but we made sure to include some classics you might have forgotten about and some you might have been waiting for the right time to watch. That time has finally come. So, pull up your comfiest chair, crack open a cold one and feel the warm rush of summer as you watch your way through this list of the summer flicks to enjoy now and forever.

It’s nearly impossible for a sequel to ever top the original, but American Pie 2 certainly comes close. After spending a year away at different schools, the main cast reunites and collectively decide to rent a beach house in hopes of having the most epic summer ever. The movie has all the fixings of crazy summer: wild parties, drinking games, and sex-crazed coeds. If you’re looking for a little debauchery without having to leave your couch, then this is the perfect movie for you.

Need to add a little suspense to your summer? Look no further than the Steven Spielberg classic Jaws. In a sleepy New England town, a young woman who goes swimming late at night is killed by a great white shark. The small beach community quickly enters a shark-hunting frenzy to catch the beast before it kills again. While the thriller might not be top-of-mind decades after its release, its status as one of the greatest movies ever made is well deserved.

If you’re looking for something with an indie vibe, look no further than Adventureland. Set during the summer of 1987, a recent college graduate returns to his hometown and is looking forward to finally taking his dream trip to Europe—until he abruptly learns his parents will no longer be footing the bill. As a result, he is forced to take a job at a run-down amusement park to save up some cash. He soon finds himself immersed in the weird social circle of his misfit coworkers—and even begins to fall in love with one of them.

Despite not winning over any critics when it was released back in 1997, I Know What You Did Last Summer wasted no time in becoming pop-culture phenomenon. The slasher-suspense plotline might have been lacking substance, but its cast of ‘90s heartthrobs seemed to make up for it, as the movie was a raging box office success. The film stars Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Freddie Prinze, Jr., and Ryan Phillippe as a group of teenagers who find themselves being stalked by a hook-handed killer.

Any movie that stars Bill Murray as a wacky counselor (his first leading role) at a cut-rate summer camp is worth watching. Meatballs takes the classic tale of sleepaway camp and flips it on its head. Both counselors and campers alike navigate an adventure-packed summer full of heartfelt hilarity as they battle their stubborn rivals at the wealthy camp located across the lake. It’s an amusing story of unlikely friendship and youthful spirit that is definitely worth watching.

Endless Summer is a surf movie, but anyone can appreciate its epic, big wave visuals and lush summertime soundtrack. Documentary filmmaker Bruce Brown follows two surfers as they go on a thrilling adventure around the world in search of the perfect wave. If you don’t live anywhere near the coast, then this movie will satisfy your desire for a sun-soaked sights as the crew travels the globe—Hawaii, Australia, South Africa, and more—to discover the best surfing spots in existence.

While Weekend At Bernies may start off as a typical vacation movie, it quickly morphs into something wackier than you’d ever imagine. Two young employees share an accounting error with their high-powered boss Bernie and are invited to spend a weekend at his beach house in the Hamptons as a reward. It’s soon revealed that their boss is actually the mastermind of the scheme and plots to have them both killed. When the plan backfires and Bernie is murdered instead, the guys decide to play puppet-master and pretend their boss is still alive to make the most of their vacation.