20 Movies That Capture The Magic of Summer

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20 Movies That Capture The Magic of Summer
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Summer is a time of renewal, a season that people tend to look to with great excitement, full of trips and events that can offer a lifetime of memories. And like so many things in life, those feelings can be reflected on the big screen, with many movies over the years charting the ups and downs of characters as they revel in the season of sunshine. Join us as we guide you through 20 of the films that we feel truly capture the magic of summer…

By Victoria Luxford

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20 Movies That Capture The Magic of Summer.
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Mamma Mia (2008) – Ever wanted to get away to a far-off island where everything is fabulous and there’s no problem that can’t be solved with a song? Well, Mamma Mia is the movie for you! There aren’t many films that sum up the playful nature of a summer movie as well as this big screen version of the ABBA musical about a bride-to-be who wants to find her birth father. With an incredible cast that includes Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan and Amanda Seyfried, it’s the perfect happy-go-lucky experience that will make you feel like you’ve been on a vacation for the evening!

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20 Movies That Capture The Magic of Summer.
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Il Postino (1994) – We again are swept away to an island, this time in Italy, where a humble postman (Massimo Troisi) is helped to woo the woman of his dreams (Maria Grazia Cucinotta) with the help of an exiled poet (Philippe Noiret). Love, literature and politics combine for a captivating story of passions ignited when the right words are found, all set to a backdrop that makes you think the characters may have just wandered into paradise.

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20 Movies That Capture The Magic of Summer.
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Dirty Dancing (1987) – Often imitated but never bettered, Dirty Dancing created its own genre of summertime romance films. Jennifer Grey plays Baby, a young woman vacationing with her family at an exclusive resort, who falls for the rough but passionate dance instructor Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze). Set in the 1960s, the music and classic moments have kept audiences dancing and singing along for 35 years, and is a regular favourite at outdoor cinema festivals. The film’s popularity is thanks to its ability to capture the first flushes of summer romance, and the promise of having the time of your life!

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20 Movies That Capture The Magic of Summer.
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The Goonies (1985) – Hollywood great Steven Spielberg knows how to make everyday settings seem magical, and that’s just what he did when he wrote and produced this adored ‘80s staple. Everyone who grew up with the movie wanted to have a summer like this, where a gang of young friends who call themselves The Goonies go in search of pirate treasure. The idea that a lost ship and unusual figures like the infamous Sloth are just around the corner remains a captivating notion to this day. Far-fetched but bursting with enthusiasm, only the hardest of hearts won’t want to join in with their rallying cry: “Goonies never say die!”

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20 Movies That Capture The Magic of Summer.
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Stand by Me (1986) – “I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was 12” is the final line of this classic coming-of-age mystery, based on the book by Stephen King. It speaks to the intense bonds of early friendship, portrayed by four friends who spend a Labor Day weekend trying to find the body of a local man. Despite the grizzly premise, it’s a delightful film full of childhood wonder and the sense of endlessness that those days away from school used to have.

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20 Movies That Capture The Magic of Summer.
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Now and Then (1995) – A female-led equivalent to Stand by Me, this charming comedy-drama sees a group of four women reunite to fulfil a pact they made when they were twelve, only to look back on a pivotal summer that changed their lives forever. Like its male counterpart, Now and Then is full of the charming listlessness of trying to fill summer days when you are a child, as well as the simplicity of life that seems to fade with adulthood. Nostalgic and hilarious, it’s also notable for its stellar cast that includes Demi Moore, Rosie O’Donnell and a young Christina Ricci.

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20 Movies That Capture The Magic of Summer.
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The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005) – Another group of friends makes a pact, but this time the distance between them is bridged by an item of clothing. A young Blake Lively and America Ferrera star in the story of four teenage besties who are forced to spend their first summer apart. To their amazement, before they leave the quartet find a pair of jeans that fit each of them perfectly, despite being a variety of body types, and the shared garment plays a part in some life-changing moments as it’s shared across the country. Warm and heartfelt, the film captures that balance of homesickness and excitement when we leave our familiar surroundings.

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20 Movies That Capture The Magic of Summer.
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Adventureland (2009) – Big summer plans can often go awry, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have life-changing experiences. This independent movie from the late 2000s saw Jesse Eisenberg play a recent college graduate whose dreams of travelling Europe are dashed when financial woes force him to take a job at the local amusement park. However, it’s there that he meets the love of his life in co-worker Emily (Kristen Stewart) and learns a lot about growing up from his eccentric colleagues. A fun film about the ‘in-between’ jobs we’ve all had while on the road to our goals.

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20 Movies That Capture The Magic of Summer.
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The Way Way Back (2013) – Another tourist attraction, but this time instead of finding love, The Way Way Back looks at how a summer trip can help even the most isolated among us find their people. The story follows Duncan (Liam James), who comes across a local water park and finds a father figure in staff member Owen (Sam Rockwell). His eventual boss shows him a life beyond the repression of his mother and her dismissive new boyfriend (Steve Carell), and carves out an uplifting story for those watching.

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20 Movies That Capture The Magic of Summer.
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Call Me by Your Name (2017) – Luca Guadagnino’s sun-bleached epic speaks to the messiness of young love, but also the magic of summer romance. Timothée Chalamet’s star-making turn as 17-year-old Elio is filled with soul and wit, as he falls for the 24-year-old assistant to his father, an American grad student named Oliver (Armie Hammer). Based on the novel by André Aciman, it’s hard to believe it’s not an autobiography, given the intimate way we get to know the characters over the course of a season. The breathtaking Italian countryside setting lends the heart-rending story the air of a fairy tale, reminding viewers of the special people and places that seem to only exist in the summer.

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20 Movies That Capture The Magic of Summer.
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Palm Springs (2019) – What if summer never ended? That’s the conundrum faced by Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti, who star in this bizarre romantic comedy as guests at a destination wedding who are forced into a time loop, living the same day over and over. Similar to ‘90s hit Groundhog Day, this new twist on the formula takes the awkwardness of destination weddings and the gorgeous scenery of the eponymous place to force our leads into working out what matters to them in life. A cult hit since its release, Palm Springs is worth checking out for the many moments that will have you nodding in recognition.

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20 Movies That Capture The Magic of Summer.
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In the Heights (2021) – Hopes, dreams and destiny all combine during a hot week in the titular Manhattan neighbourhood. This adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Broadway musical is bursting with joy, and features several summer classics in the soundtrack that sparkle on the screen. One highlight is “96,000”, set in a public pool, where residents congregate to cool off and imagine what they would do if they hit a lottery jackpot. Summer is a time for renewal, for making dreams come true, and that’s never more evident than in the energetic music extravaganza that celebrates both American and Latin-American heritage.

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20 Movies That Capture The Magic of Summer.
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Mystic Pizza (1988) – “A romantic comedy with The Works” was the poster tagline for one of Julia Roberts’ early roles, as she played one of three young women working through the summer at a pizza parlour, with their monotonous routine broken by the arrival of a trio of men who could offer their respective happy endings. The kind of glossy escapism only Hollywood can offer, it’s clear to see why this was a launching point for the Oscar-winning Roberts, as well as Marvel star Vincent D’Onofrio and Matt Damon.

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20 Movies That Capture The Magic of Summer.
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Roman Holiday (1953) – Summer is all about escaping to find new adventures, and there will be few visitors to Rome who haven’t imagined themselves as either Audrey Hepburn or Gregory Peck gracefully touring the streets on a Vespa. The iconic Hepburn plays a princess who becomes frustrated with her gilded cage lifestyle, and escapes her security detail to explore Rome, meeting ambitious American reporter Joe (Peck) in the process. Italian authorities initially refused the film permission to shoot there, an incredible thought given the film’s celebration of the Eternal City. A dream-like vision from the golden era of Hollywood, it’s what we wish every vacation would become!

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20 Movies That Capture The Magic of Summer.
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How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998) – Many of these films focus on youngsters and their rights of passage, but what about those with a little more experience? Before she was part of the Marvel Universe in Black Panther, Angela Bassett starred in this ‘90s romantic comedy about a 40-year-old stock broker who leaves the responsibilities of business and motherhood behind to recharge her batteries in Jamaica, finding love along the way! It’s a fine example of how the summer, and getting away from it all, can help us work out what we want from life at any age.

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20 Movies That Capture The Magic of Summer.
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Crossroads (2002) – For many of us, Britney Spears provided the soundtrack to a lot of summers, but did you know she also made a movie as well? Crossroads, written by Scandal creator Shonda Rhimes and co-starring Zoe Saldaña (Avatar), saw the pop legend play a high school student who hits the road with her best friends to find love and adventure. Although somewhat overlooked by history, the film has a cult following for its breezy take on the road trip movie, serving up a rose-tinted slice of wish fulfilment for many.

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20 Movies That Capture The Magic of Summer.
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Wet Hot American Summer (2001) – A cheeky satire of teenage comedies like American Pie, this remains a bit of an undiscovered gem that was revived by Netflix in recent years for prequel and sequel series. It follows the trials and tribulations of a summer camp in the 1980s, where camp counsellors try to control the antics of those in their care. Poking fun at certain cliches of teenage dramas (such as the cast being comedically too old to play teenagers), it lampoons the spirit of summer movies while also managing to capture what makes them special.

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20 Movies That Capture The Magic of Summer.
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The Hand of God (2021) – 2022 sees the football World Cup being held in the winter, but for most fans, summer provides the backdrop for the greatest memories of the Beautiful Game. Paolo Sorrentino (The Great Beauty) draws on his own childhood for this story of a young man growing up in Naples at the time when the great Diego Maradona joined the city’s team. A coming-of-age film more than one about sport, this piercingly personal movie explores how the heat can make a city come alive, particularly at night, as well as how beauty and tragedy often go hand in hand.

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20 Movies That Capture The Magic of Summer.
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Vicky Christina Barcelona (2008) – Many soul-searchers use the warmer months to find themselves, a process usually helped by travelling. Those who are unsure what they want, but sure of what they don’t want, will find some connection to this relationship comedy about two friends (Rebecca Hall and Scarlett Johansson) with very different outlooks on life who become entangled with a handsome stranger (Javier Bardem) during a trip to Barcelona. One of the great modern comedies of director Woody Allen, this Oscar-winning film speaks to the many winding roads that love and life can take us on.

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20 Movies That Capture The Magic of Summer.
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Tomboy (2011) – The free time that the summer affords can be a time for reinvention, as 10-year-old Laure finds out in this moving French drama. Laure, played by Zoé Héran, moves to a new neighbourhood and experiments with gender, presenting as a male named Mickaël to their new neighbours and friends. Intelligently told by director Céline Sciamma (Portrait of a Lady on Fire), it encapsulates the rights of passage for so many Queer youth, and reveals how the freedom of the summer holidays can be more informative than anything taught in a classroom.

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20 Movies That Capture The Magic of Summer

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