Alright, so I’ve done this with my Spooky Season, Thanksgiving, and Holiday movie lists here on the SoBros Network Patreon space. I figured, “why not get in on the summer time action, too?” Last summer, when the news out of Hollywood was little more than a weekly update of whether or not the theaters were open, Brandon and I dove into the topic of the ‘summer movie’ on an episode of The Vick’s Flicks Podcast – if you’re into the topic, or super bored, give that a listen. But, what follows here today is strictly MY list – the four movies that I make time to watch every summer. First, a few worthy honorable mentions.
Honorable mentions: Summer Catch, The Nice Guys, Your Highness, Independence Day, Stand By Me, Can’t Hardly Wait, O Brother, Where Art Thou?
My Favorite Summertime Movies
The Goonies – This one is just flat out an adventurous piece of nostalgia. Every kid wanted a Goonies-esque quest growing up, and this fun film stands the test of time, still invoking that sense of wonderment from childhood. This makes for the perfect movie night after a beautiful golden hour spent watching the sun set.
The Sandlot – This was the one that Brandon and I agreed was pretty much THE quintessential summer movie. Baseball, the fun of childhood summers, The Sandlot has it all and makes for a nice blast from the past every time I watch it. A fine piece of nostalgia as well.
Midnight In Paris – Might seem like a weird addition to my ‘Mount Rushmore of Summer Movies’ here, but I tried this bad boy on for the first time a couple years ago, and found that it captured the essence of wild summer nights pretty well. Not the ‘drunk on Broadway’ type of wild, but the ‘anything can happen’ summer nights. It’s thoughtful, and reflective, much like those late night chats on the back porch with friends about life’s mysteries.
Grown Ups – I’ve written about this one before, and tweeted about it several times now…so much so, that I believe it’s borderline becoming a bit here on SoBros Network. But, there’s just something about this dumbass movie that captures the spirit of the early summer perfectly. Between the weather warming up, the weekend getaway to a lake house, the concept of the family vacation, and the anticipation of school letting out for the summer, Grown Ups touches on all the major themes of summer kicking off. Is this gang capable of a much funnier movie? Sure – it ain’t like you’re getting the Adam Sandler of the 90s. But, I think it’s a fun, heartfelt movie that you can sit down with the family to get into the season the same way you watch Elf to get ready for the holidays. That’s my take, and I’m sticking to it.
Got any for me to check out and add to the list? Hit the comments.
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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