Whether it’s a sun-splashed animated classic or a madcap holiday rom-com, summer films spirit us away to warmer climes and happier times. From The Parent Trap to Independence Day, here are some of our contributors’ favourites.
Il Postino
More than any other season, we tend to turn our summers into stories. Optimistic stories about love and change—stories that are finite because, like summers, they have to end. Michael Radford lets this romance drip into Il Postino. Massimo Troisi plays a meek man whose life changes after developing an unlikely summer friendship with poet Pablo Neruda (Philippe Noiret). The actors harmonise, anchoring the script’s sway between humour and philosophy, while Luis Bacalov’s whimsical score washes over southern Italy’s idyllic landscapes.
It dreams romantically about the impact one individual, one friendship, and one summer can have on another. And through its honest reflections on friendship and agency, Il Postino somehow becomes a nostalgia we can all share. An ode to the summers that stay with us forever. A promise that life exists beyond those summers, if we let it in.
Words by Ben Faulkner
The Parent Trap
When I think of summer, it’s inherently tied up with nostalgia. Maybe it’s because childhood summers are the most free you will ever be in your life. A film that I think perfectly captures that combination of nostalgia and summer is the 1997 remake of The Parent Trap, starring Lindsay Lohan. Between the dates on boats, the summer camp plot and the aesthetic of Dennis Quaid’s vineyard, this whole film radiates the energy of the season. It is a feel-good film about discovery and rediscovery, and shows summer as a season that allows both. As well as this, there is added nostalgia in my childhood memories of watching and rewatching the film, desperately wanting to learn the cool handshake, and trying to grasp the fact that Lindsay Lohan isn’t actually a twin.
Words by Rehana Nurmahi
Independence Day
Alien invasions get a mothership-sized dose of Hollywood pomp in a silly, scary, spectacular summer blockbuster that refuses to stop entertaining until the Fat Lady sings. Its highlights include not only awesome images of flying-saucers obliterating American monuments (there’s the spectacular), but also the single coolest shot in film history—an overstatement only in the minds of those who haven’t seen it. The shot in question is that of leading men Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum swaggering away from their crashed spacecraft, cigars between their teeth, greeting their spouses and the President having just saved the world from annihilation. Don’t be misled into thinking this is just another uber-macho round of big-screen chauvinism though—look closely and you’ll find a deceptively well-plotted, character-driven narrative. And while only Americans can celebrate the 4th of July, all filmgoers can celebrate Independence Day.
Words by Alex Crisp
When Marnie Was There
Thinking back to childhood summers awakens distant memories, some born out of imagination, and some a product of our own insecurities. When Marnie Was There does not shy away from the delicate blend of the two. The young protagonist, Anne, is struggling with panic attacks and is sent to the country for the summer. Her trauma is woven into the magic she discovers, keeping the story away from the stereotypically uncomplicated portrayal of childhood. For those looking to get lost in their own summer nostalgia, When Marnie Was There offers a thoughtful take on the delicate magic of memory.
The queer-bating in this film cannot be escaped, with the ending causing disappointment and confusion. However, the viewer is sure to find solace in the themes approached, even though they weren’t necessarily what the creator intended. A gentle ghost story told through compelling visuals, When Marnie Was There is an imperfect, yet soothing summer watch.
Words by Elisabetta Pulcini
Do The Right Thing
Nothing feels more fitting for the summer months than sitting back and watching Spike Lee’s 1989 comedy-drama Do the Right Thing. Lee’s directorial stunner moves away from the sunshine serenity of most summer flicks, instead offering a jam-packed narrative that turns up the heat through increasing pressure in a Brooklyn neighbourhood. You can almost feel the sweat dripping from the screen as you see racial tensions rise while the on-screen temperature increases to the point of bursting.
Summer becomes the antagonist of the film, pushing people to their limits and reflecting the stress heat can cause on people’s existing pressures. Communities sitting back and trying to relax as water becomes a godsend couldn’t feel closer to reality as we reach our hottest months of the year. Lee’s boiling drama reaches new heights of summer and couldn’t offer more for summer viewing.
Words by Katie Evans
The Nice Guys
‘Staches, shades, sunlit promenades. There are plenty of movie clichés about 70’s LA, and The Nice Guys has every single one of them. Following private detectives, pool parties and struggling single fathers, the film sees Ryan Gosling as a hapless and self-pitying PI swallowed by the miseries of life. Russell Crowe co-stars as a Steven-Seagal-shoot-first-ask-later type who is hired to stop Gosling’s investigation. With awkward deadpan comedy that just keeps on surprising you, the film cleverly mocks itself and the era it depicts.
Words by Arib Dauhoo
Almost Famous
A love letter to both music and the seventies, Almost Famous is a sunny film and the perfect summer flick. We follow young William Miller (Patrick Fugit) as he grows up, across a backdrop of the fictional band Stillwater’s American tour. Along the way he falls in love, with both the rock music scene and groupie Penny Lane (Kate Hudson). With her wild curls, big smile, and that iconic fur coat, she seems to embody the season itself, lighting up the screen every time that she appears. The film is truly heartwarming and it’ll leave you wishing you were spending your summer alongside them. But wherever you are this holiday, never forget that as long as you have music, “you are
home”.
Words by Georgia Keenan-Hill
Moonrise Kingdom
No matter how old you get, the association of summer with youth, rebellion, and freedom never fades. This is something that Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom captures with every frame. As twelve-year-old Suzy and Sam run off together through the wilderness away from their families (and fellow scouts in Sam’s case) with hopes of living blissfully on a cove, you can’t help but be overwhelmed by the need for adventure that seems to awaken during summertime. The bright and beautiful scenery of the beach and forest also adds to the sense of freedom and adventurousness that the film brings.
Even though it is obvious that Suzy and Sam’s quest to run off together is futile—especially since a whole town’s population of adults are looking for them, as well as a pack of scouts—the feelgood nature of the film is never dampened. And while Sam and Suzy’s plans were foiled, seeing them happily (and safely) together is bound to make any viewer feel warm inside.
Words by Em Reilly
Walking On Sunshine
Walking On Sunshine announces itself as a summer film right from the start, opening on a shot of a sun-drenched Italian beach. A classic rom-com, it follows Taylor on her holiday to Italy. On arrival, she finds that her sister is engaged to her ex-boyfriend whom she met there years prior. She pretends they’ve never met, and problems ensue.
Truthfully, this film isn’t the best movie musical—the singing and dancing are questionable. But it ticks all the right boxes as a summer film. Cheesy eighties hits provide a fun, upbeat soundtrack, while incredible Italian vistas fill the screen. The mark of a great summer film is one where you’re left smiling, and it’s impossible not to smile (or want to sing along) with Walking on Sunshine.
Words by Jo Elliott
My Neighbour Totoro
In My Neighbour Totoro, two young sisters move to the Japanese countryside with their father while their mother is in hospital. Its charm, stunning landscapes and delightful soundtrack are all typical of Studio Ghibli films. What sets My Neighbour Totoro apart is how it tunes into the powerful feelings of adventure and optimism that come with longer, brighter days spent in nature. During a difficult period, nature—in the form of a friendly forest creature and other woodland spirits—becomes a source of hope and wonder for the sisters. Even moments such as finding a shiny acorn in the grass or seeing seeds begin to sprout are enough to lift their spirits. As the pandemic continues to affect our lives, seeing the value of such childlike appreciation might help us all to find small occasions of joy this summer.
Words by Gemma Laws
High School Musical 2
Nothing says nostalgia like the High School Musical trilogy, most specifically High School Musical 2. This sequel sees Troy Bolton (Zac Efron), Gabriella Montez (Vanessa Hudgens) and the rest of the East High Wildcats go to Lava Springs country club. While Troy is job hunting to gain money to go to college, Sharpay Evans (Ashley Tisdale) is a guest—as an iconic poolside musical number demonstrates.
Words by Wing See Li
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown is a surprisingly colourful dark comedy that encapsulates the drama and intensity of Madrid in the summertime. Directed by Pedro Almodóvar, the film follows the protagonist Pepa’s attempts to uncover why her lover, Iván, has left her. Her bright, kooky apartment acts as the backdrop for her antics, witnessing her set a bed alight as she also makes copious amounts of gazpacho. Starring a young Antonio Banderas amongst other famous Spanish actors of the 1980s, like Carmen Maura, the film explores the often complex and amusing interactions between men and women, culminating in a highly entertaining chase scene to Madrid-Barajas airport. Filled with hilarious coincidences, friendship and drama, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown is a thoroughly enjoyable film to watch this summer.
Words by Charlotte Grimwade
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