Water cooler: Summer movies to turn on when you need to cool off
Ah summer, the season of blockbusters, cult movies, action pictures, adventure films and fleeting romance dramas. Everyone has their favorite. Now that summer is in full swing, it’s high time to get in the spirit of all things sunny, beachy, sweaty and carefree. Here are a few flicks to get you rolling.
“The Endless Summer” — Possibly the dreamiest documentary ever made. Follow two surfers around the world in search of the perfect wave, accompanied by a lush and relaxed surf guitar score. Directed by Bruce Brown. 1965. Not rated. 95 minutes.
“American Graffiti” — A hometown daydream of California in 1962. The town’s high school graduates spend one last night cruising the strip before heading out for college the next morning. Directed by George Lucas. 1973. 110 minutes.
“Do The Right Thing” — It’s the hottest day of the year in Brooklyn. Hate, romance, bigotry and loyalty smolder between the neighborhood’s residents with racial tension stoking the fire until it all explodes into violence. Directed by Spike Lee. 1989. R. 120 minutes.
“Weekend at Bernie’s” — An adventure into young adult absurdities and summer thrills. Two friends are invited to their boss’s luxury island for the weekend. Their boss gets shot and in order to not be pegged as the murder suspects, they embark on the ultimate charade to make him appear as if he is still alive. Directed by Ted Kotcheff. 1989. PG-13. 97 minutes.
“Dazed and Confused” — Witness the exploits, adventures and mishaps of a group of Texas teens on their last day of school in 1976 as they question and challenge their identities and other life questions. Directed by Richard Linklater. 1993. R. 102 minutes.
“Wet Hot American Summer” — Take a nostalgic trip back to the summer camp days of the 1980s with all the raunchy and absurd humor you could ask for. It’s the last day of camp and a group of counselors are determined to complete some unfinished business before the day ends. Directed by David Wain. 2001. R. 97 minutes.
“Love & Basketball” — Quincy and Monica were childhood friends in the same neighborhood. Their shared dedication and consuming passion for basketball carries through into their adulthood and after falling in love, they navigate the complications of their relationship while trying to have separate career paths as athletes. Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood. 2000. PG-13. 124 minutes.
“Point Break” — The ultimate in ‘80s bromance. A gang of surfers that moonlight as bank robbers is infiltrated by a young, undercover FBI agent, Johnny Utah. Directed by Kathryn Bigelow. 1991. R. 122 minutes.
“Thelma & Louise” — A short girls’ weekend turns into a cross country chase after Louise shoots a man who attempted to rape Thelma. Along the way the two rediscover themselves and their unique strengths while deepening their friendship. Directed by Ridley Scott. 1991. R. 130 minutes.
“Stand By Me” — A quintessential coming of age film brimming with ‘50s nostalgia. A writer recounts his childhood journey with his friends where they walked miles to find the body of a missing boy. Directed by Rob Reiner. 1986. R. 89 minutes.
“The Graduate” — The perfect movie for a bummer summer set to the perfect moody and punchy Simon & Garfunkel score. Disillusioned by social expectations for finding a career after school, a college graduate takes up an older lover only to complicate things by falling in love with her daughter. Directed by Mike Nichols. 1967. PG. 106 minutes.