Some Summer Movie Must-Sees

By Annabel Taylor

Looking to explore some classic summer-themed movies? Here are five that have stood the test of time. Spanning the 80s through the 2010s, these films range from coming-of-age quests, to rom-coms, to the ultimate beach horror classic. Enjoy!

Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)

Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick) might be the namesake of this 1986 John Hughes flick, but he isn’t necessarily the protagonist — at least, in the typical sense where the main character experiences a transformative character arc. Bueller, a truant high school senior anticipating summer freedom and resolute on soaking up the glorious springtime rather than showing up to class, serves as an almost godlike figure; he delivers the film’s sardonic narrative while provoking and encouraging others around him, from his neurotic best friend, Cameron Fry (Alan Ruck) to vengeance-hungry Principal Rooney (Jeffrey Jones). The movie is everything one might expect from a Hughes film centered on the last carefree days of spring — there’s an over-the-top parade float sequence, a sprint through sticky, chlorine-soaked backyards, and an ode to Chicago in a day filled with Cubs games and museum outings. The soundtrack is also infectious and oh-so-’80s. You won’t be able to get the tune to “Oh Yeah” by Yello, or its icky accompanying scene, out of your head. In the words of Ferris himself, which seem to sum up the crux of the film: "The question isn't 'what are we going to do?,' the question is 'what aren't we going to do?'"

Stand By Me (1986)

Another iconic 1980s entry, “Stand By Me” – directed by Rob Reiner and based on the 1982 Stephen King novella "The Body" – follows 12-year-olds Gordie Lachance (Wil Wheaton), Vern Tessio (Jerry O’Connell), Chris Chambers (River Phoenix) and Teddy Duchamp (Corey Feldman) during Labor Day weekend of 1959 when they decide to venture beyond their small town to find the body of a teenage boy who was killed in a train accident nearby. The boys experience a series of terrifying adrenaline rushes including dodging an oncoming train, jumping a junkyard fence and outwitting an older gang of boys. But the true “coming-of-age” occurs in the quiet stretches of time spent working towards the common goal of tracking down the body, as they discuss their home lives, dreams and the insecurities holding them back. While the film takes place in the ‘50s, its ‘80s heart shines through in the young cast and the intelligent, self-aware dialogue. “Stand By Me” encapsulates the fleeting romanticism and sun-soaked days of summer freedom, and the kind of relationships you form when you’re young. It disfigures the typical rose-colored lens of coming-of-age films with its honest ending — One character grows apart from the others, and another dies tragically yet heroically. Adult Gordie looks back on that weekend with nostalgia, typing up his feelings into a novel that culminates with that iconic, gut-wrenching line, "I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, does anyone?”

Jaws (1975)

Often credited with inventing the summer blockbuster, Steven Spielberg directed this gory masterpiece, perfect viewing for a hot July day – though you should perhaps not think of it too much when you're swimming in the ocean. Roy Scheider stars as Police Chief Martin Brody, who keeps watch over the typically peaceful New England tourist town of Amity Island. That tranquility, however, is immediately destroyed when a young woman’s fatal shark attack sets off a series of gruesome deaths. With the help of oceanographer Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) and ship captain Quint (Robert Shaw), Brody sets out to sea to slaughter the shark once and for all. Though it may not be a typical slasher, it’s still a masterclass in suspense and buildup; the haunting John Williams score is enough to unsettle any movie-goer. To boot, the visual effects and use of prosthetics still hold up today. 

Something’s Gotta Give (2003)

Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson star in this tongue-in-cheek, coastal romantic comedy with a star-studded cast including Keanu Reeves, Frances McDormand, Amanda Peet, and Jon Favreau. Nicholson portrays Harry Sanborn, a playboy with a history of dating younger women. His girlfriend-of-the-month, Marin, takes him to her Hamptons home where her mother, the high-strung playwright Erica Barry, is also spending the weekend. Erica, a divorcee, is bothered by Harry’s promiscuous nature. After Harry has a heart attack and must stay in the house longer than expected, he finds himself falling for Erica. Director and screenwriter Nancy Meyers delivers stunning coastal imagery in this beachy romp. As in all Meyers projects — like The Parent Trap (1998) and Father of the Bride (1991) — the set design feels realistic, lived-in and cozy. The film is not only a feel-good rom-com, but a refreshing take on the possibilities of romance later in life.

'Before' Trilogy (1995, 2004 and 2013)

Richard Linklater crafts a brilliant trilogy contrasting the highs and lows of a twenty-year love affair. Each installment is unique. “Before Sunrise” focuses on American man Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and French woman Céline (Julie Delpy) and their serendipitous day in Vienna. The film is filled with subtle yet deeply romantic conversation and it explores the beauty and brevity of first encounters, while the second film, “Before Sunset,” delves into the ongoing attraction between the two when they run into each other in Paris nine years later. The circumstances aren’t the same this time though; Jesse has a son and is struggling in a strained marriage, while Céline is in a long-term relationship and focused on her career goals. “Before Midnight,” another nine-year time jump, reveals that the two did, in fact, end up together and “live happily ever after.” That is, until long-simmering resentment in their relationship is forced to the surface while on a trip to Greece. The “Before” series is a complex look at the idealism of first love and the wearying endeavor that is making it last. It’s summer in every shade, with each film focusing on a new location and chapter in Jesse and Céline’s heavily flawed but, resoundingly, beautiful relationship.

Annabel Taylor is as a freelance writer for The Falls Church Independent. A rising senior at Walt Whitman High School, Taylor serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the student-run newspaper, The Black & White. In her free time, she loves to read and write, crochet, and play basketball.