Best Summer Movies Pt. 2

A while back I made a list of 12 great summer movies [LINK], but here are a dozen more films that expand on that list, perfect for adding enjoyment to your summer vacation!

WHAT ABOUT BOB? (1991)
The point of a vacation is to just get away from it all. What better location than laid back Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire to escape from the pressure of a high stress career? Well, one would think so anyway, that is unless you are a successful psychiatrist whose patient has decided to join you! Dr. Leo Marvin is disturbed when he can't shake the patient, but Bob is relentless due to his obsessive compulsive disorder, though really quite harmless and child-like. He greatly admires Dr. Marvin and seeks his approval in everything, but the admiration is not returned. Still, everyone else loves having him around and continues to make him feel at home. That could make a person go utterly mad!

 

JAWS (1975)
This might not be the kind of movie you want to remember in the summer, but it is a classic nonetheless! It will forever be heralded as the film that made millions of people afraid to go in the water. It's funny when you think of the concentrated efforts of shark enthusiasts to reverse our way of thinking about these sharp toothed monsters, but to little avail. The idea of being lunch to one of these creatures strikes fear into the bravest souls and has even continued our fascination with sharks through many documentaries and even Shark Week on the Discovery Channel. Years later this film holds up as fascinating, and most of all terrifying...enter the water at your own risk!

 

SUMMER RENTAL (1985)
This one is directed by Carl Reiner, but seems more in the vein of John Hughes. Jack Chester is an overworked air traffic controller who decides to take the family on vacation. He rents a beach house and anticipates a relaxing month by the shore. Everything goes terribly wrong, including a dilapidated home, obnoxious neighbors and crowded beaches. The only way to get things back on track and earn back the respect of his family is to beat an arrogant local yachtsman at his own game!

 

RV (2006)
Robin Williams stars in this familiar plot about a stressed out, overworked father in need of a vacation. He plans to take his family on the ultimate trip, and though everyone agrees Hawaii would be ideal, the family ends up on a trek through the Colorado Rocky Mountains instead. Along the way they have plenty of mishaps and eventually meet up with a zany, but friendly family that puts them all on the run. This vacation turns out to be anything but ideal!

 

POINT BREAK (1991)
Who knew surfing could be so dangerous? An FBI agents goes undercover to catch a gang of bank robbers and picks up a little surfing along the way. The suspects appears to be a group of guys who are all about high stakes and thrills, but the agent gets drawn into their lifestyle as he befriends the head of the crime circle. It's an edgy film that features lots of great surf footage and plenty of action!

 

ADVENTURELAND (2009)
It's 1987 and school has just let out. A high school graduate decides to take a dead end job working at a local amusement park. With what seems like a boring summer ahead, he soon meets a girl who captures his interest and falls in love with her, despite the fact that she seems to be hiding something. It's an example of how summer can be a time of self-discovery and growth for young people, but even more for people leaving school as it forces us to step away from everything we've known and try to find out what it is we really want.

 


FOR KIDS (& KIDS AT HEART)...

THE PARENT TRAP (1961)
This is the quintessential family movie, as only Disney can do it. Imagine going to camp for the summer as usual and seeing someone who looks exactly like you - like twins even! You would think the pair would become instant friends, but instead they start out as mortal enemies at war, which eventually gets them into trouble and eventually paired up to share a bunk as punishment. Only then do they discover their true roots and the unbreakable bond that leads to getting their parents back together.

Also check out:
THE PARENT TRAP II (SEQUEL) (1986)
THE PARENT TRAP (REMAKE) (1998)
IT TAKES TWO (SEMI-REMAKE) (1995)

 

FLIGHT OF THE NAVIGATOR (1986)
It's the Fourth Of July and life is normal until 12 year old Joey falls off a cliff in the woods, blacks out and wakes up in the same spot 8 years in the future...only he is still 12 years old. What happened, where has he been, and what are the implications is exactly what the scientists want to find out. This leads to the adventure of a lifetime, as Joey boards a spaceship, makes a new friend and finds out the answers everyone is searching for. You really feel the pain and fear Joey experiences, but also the appreciation he gains for what he once had.

 

HEAVY WEIGHTS (1995)
As if being an overweight kid isn't tough enough, Gerald's parents send him off to fat camp for weight loss and good times with other overweight boys. The camp is owned by a nice old couple but trouble begins when they have to claim bankruptcy and the camp is overtaken by an overly-aggressive, maniacal wacko who has his own plans for whipping the boys into shape. This is where the fun ends and plans begin to overthrow the new camp owner. Who will have the last laugh?

 

A GOOFY MOVIE (1995)
There is something special about the bond between a father and son, but what if your dad is Goofy? Max is a typical teenager interested in friends and especially girls, but his dad has other plans that include a cross-country trip...that naturally goes all wrong. As we get older and become more independent, we sometimes don't appreciate spending time with our parents like we once did. They cramp our style and seem to do everything to embarrass us. Still, once in a while our parents can prove us wrong by ultimately being the ones to save the day!

 

ERNEST GOES TO CAMP (1987)
Ernest appears in his first film as the notably bumbling, but lovable hero. Here he is a handyman at Kamp Kikakee, but works to achieve his greatest ambition of becoming a camp counselor. He is put in charge over a gang of juvenile deliquents and helps them fight back against other bullies at the camp. He soon finds himself taking on a much bigger challenge though, and that is to save the camp from the clutches of a ruthless mining company. It's great summer fun with Ernest around, and even a bit sentimental at times.

 

GARFIELD IN THE ROUGH (1984)
Not actually a movie, this Garfield animated feature only runs 30 min., but it's got plenty of summer fun! Jon gets the idea to hit the great outdoors and takes his beloved pets on a camping trip, much to Garfield's chagrin. All seems to be going along swell until an announcement comes over the radio that a black panther is on the loose. It appears to be miles away, so the gang feels relatively safe but Garfield becomes quickly unsettled when he runs into some furry woodland critters who inform him that the panther may be closer than he thinks. This is certainly not the camping trip any of them would have in mind!

 

[ALSO RECOMMENDED: Best Summer Movies Pt. 1]