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With the summer season well underway, it seems only fitting that we take a moment and soak it all in. Here are five films I think would be perfect for a marathon of summer features.
- Mamma Mia! (2008)
One of my personal favorites on the list, Mamma Mia! has earned its place among summertime classics through its upbeat musical score and scenic views. Taking place on an island in Greece, a hotel owner (Meryl Streep) anxiously prepares for her daughter's (Amanda Seyfried) wedding, but is thrown into chaos when her daughter's three potential fathers show up on her doorstep unannounced. A fun, emotional tale accompanied by the musical musings of ABBA, the film's focus on found family and mother-daughter relationships makes for a dynamic story that will have the whole family ready to plan a trip to Greece.
- The Little Mermaid (1989)
A well-known Disney classic, The Little Mermaid is a story the whole family can enjoy. Full of bright colors and mermaid magic, you can't help but become enchanted with Ariel and her journey to find what she yearns for most: freedom and the chance to find a love of her own.
- Summertime (1955)
If you are looking for a classic romance film that is beautifully tragic, Summertime is the movie for you. Starring Hollywood legend Katharine Hepburn, the story centers on a lonely woman who decides to spend her life savings on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Venice. Although Italy is everything she dreamed of, she still can't help but feel something is missing. When she suddenly meets the man of her dreams, she must decide if she can live with the fact that he is married or choose a different path to lead. A gorgeous film about what it means to truly find happiness within oneself, Summertime is a must-watch piece of classic cinema.
A classic in queer cinema, To Wong Foo is a fun road trip film about three drag queens who are forced to stay in a run-down conservative town while their car is fixed. Although intimidating at first, they eventually become friends with the local women. In the end, we learn what it means to accept and be there for those in need. Most importantly, we are taught what it means to find loyalty in unlikely companions and how one experience can change us for the better.
- Jaws (1975)
For my final film, I felt it only right to include one of the most classic summer films to exist. Jaws is a movie that is responsible for many people's fear of water to this day and reigns supreme in terms of summertime horror flicks. The fear of what lingers beneath the surface is real and perhaps it's all due to the very unlikely chance that a murderous shark may be waiting beneath.
Whether you watch just one after a day in the hot sun or you watch all five during a back-to-back summer movie marathon, these films are sure to elicit that summer feeling.
