Yeah, yeah, summer. Go outside, hone your tan, toss a Frisbee, blah blah blah. Sometimes you don’t feel like going anywhere or doing much of anything. Sometimes you all you want to do is loaf in your apartment on your couch with some snacks, a fan, and a mindless movie. Here are ten films perfectly suited for summer, ones that will keep you entertained and won’t give you a farmer’s tan.
BATMAN BEGINS
We love Christopher Nolan’s treatment of the character as an uncompromising ass-kicker with a gadget fetish. But really any comic book superhero movie will do: substitute Donner’s Superman, Spider-Man 2, X-Men 2, or even Burton’s campy Batman depending on your preference.
BEVERLY HILLS COP
Your vacation this year will not be as entertaining as the one the Detroit Police Department forces Axel Foley to take, so why not accompany him for the ride? Incredibly, Eddie Murphy is still as funny in this in 2007 as he was in 1984.
DAZED AND CONFUSED
Thing is, you can jump into this movie at any point and still get transported away to suburban Texas on the last day of school. This film captures the freedom granted by youth that most people don’t appreciate enough when they’ve got it. (Plus you’ve got Ben Affleck as the rock-dumb jock in overalls, and Parker Posey yelling “Wipe that face off your head, bitch.”)
DIE HARD WITH A VENGEANCE
No list of summer movies is complete without the brainless action film. The first Die Hard might be the most entertaining movie in said category, but it takes place at a Christmas party, and Christmas isn’t summery. The third though, Die Hard With a Vengeance, takes place in the summer, and, contrary to what Mr. Willis says, it does the job quite nicely.
DIRTY DANCING
"That was the summer we went to Kellerman's." There's nothing unsummer about Dirty Dancing. It's the epitome of sex in the hotter months: backseats, rearview mirrors, nylons, and eyeshadow. "I carried a watermelon," Baby mumbles, trying to seem so cool. But she's just hot, and charmingly aloof in the Merengue.
FRIDAY THE 13th
If you haven’t watched it in a while, you’ll be pleased to know this summer camp slasher is still scary.
GHOSTBUSTERS
So, admittedly this doesn’t have a lot to do with summer, but if you live in an urban setting, you can grab some friends when the movie’s over and head to your roof and re-enact the scene when they roast the hell out of the Stay Puff Marshmallow man. It’s fun. No, seriously.
JAWS
One of the most effective films of all time, regardless of genre. If you watch this, you’re not likely to want to hit the beach for the rest of the season.
THE KARATE KID
It's an inspirational tale of the benefits of hard work and positive thinking. The exact thing to watch when you're sitting on your expanding posterior throwing back Fritos. A cruel summer indeed.
MAJOR LEAGUE
If your own personal favorite baseball team isn’t getting the job done, or if, like us, you need a break from day-to-day minutiae surrounding your home team, this ragtag group may be just the lovable underdogs you need. Try watching this without getting excited for Pedro Cerrano when he hits that home run. We’re betting you won’t be able to.
POINT BREAK
A movie featuring plenty of beach time that’s enjoying some renewed interest thanks to a reference in Hot Fuzz. On the short list of Keanu Reeves’s best performances.
PREDATOR
No matter how hot it is where you are, it isn't as hot as the tropical rainforests of South America where Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Jesse Ventura, and the rest of the gang set down. And there's no super-scary beast who can only see infrared light out there, either. But no matter what impression this movie gives you, covering yourself in mud is not a good way to beat the heat. Trust us on this one.
RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK
This movie manages to cram an entire summer's worth of blockbuster action into just under two hours. Indiana Jones works up a sweat battling Peruvians, Egyptians, and Nazis.
THE WARRIORS
Whether you still have a soft spot for Coney Island or you just think the whole place should be imploded, it’s probably fair to say you wouldn’t mind taking this trip a couple of times.
WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER
Brilliant farce (featuring much of the cast of The State) about a day in the life of some campers and their counselors. Funnier than Meatballs.