The Heat Is On...Screen: 10 Summer Movie Picks

Yes, this might be a boring and obvious idea, but a classic never gets out of style! This absolute MUST for summer follows a 17-year-old Teenager, portrayed by Timothée Chalamet, as he navigates his love for his father’s summer intern, Oliver, portrayed by Armie Hammer, in 1980s Italy.

Not only can you feel the Italian heat through the screen, but you can also feel the characters' tension. This summer, the movie for sure deserves a rewatch. Oh, and of course, do not forget that this movie originally made peaches famous on screen!

Another classic – in this 1958 movie, everything is hot—the nights, the temper, the drama, and the main characters. Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman portray a couple on the brink of their marriage and their lives. Due to a tragic accident, neither of them is the same – he is an alcoholic; she is fighting for a place for her truth. On a hot summer weekend at his parents’ house, forces explode, as they do so often when family is forced together. This movie persuades through sharp dialogue, complex characters, and a narrative that slowly unravels hidden secrets. Originally written as a play by playwright Tennessee Williams, it is also worth reading – it is even more scandalous than the movie, suggesting even more secrets the characters might withhold from one another.

A woman who does not believe in love and a man who falls for her anyway – the perfect foundation for a whole lot of miscommunication and heartbreak. Although the movie sounds like a rom-com, it is the opposite. This Movie shows, very realistically, what love does to people and the complexity of the relationships that result. It is one of the best summer movies, as it captures the feeling of a summer romance while also reminding us of the hardships of love. Before watching the movie, I recommend a re-listen to The Smiths’ music.

Not many people do horror like Ari Aster. Midsomer is no exception – two-thirds of the movie unfolds in bright daylight and still fails to let go of its horror. On a hot summer evening, this movie will not fail to bring the chill to the night. The remarkable Florence Pugh stars as a grieving college student who, along with several friends, finds herself unwittingly lured into a ritual that combines a sinister cult with the Swedish Midsommar. The movie persists with its slowly unfolding horror, due to its lack of paranormal horror; Instead, it becomes even more frightening due to its realism that this might in fact happen somewhere, somehow in the Swedish woods.

A good summer movie list cannot miss a classic rom-com. This movie just hit Netflix in June and hits all the marks for a classic early-2000s rom-com. A woman who loses her sister copes with her death by sending voicemails to her sister’s old number. Little does she know that someone may be listening on the other side. The movie, of course, works with its classic clichés, but thanks to its awareness and cute, quirky characters, it brings a lighthearted joy that has been absent from rom-coms for a while. This is especially due to its loud and colorful main character, who is not a classic Instagram clean girl.

Another movie that never gets old or boring. Therefore, there is not much to say. Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling deliver remarkable performances. One can cry, one can laugh, and one can sing – the perfect movie, not only for summer, but for every season. Even if you are not a fan of Musicals, this movie will convert everyone.

Tarantino makes every movie list, so he can be absent from this one, even though the movie has been the subject of controversy among fans and in Hollywood. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is, for me, one of the best movies of the past 10 years, especially due to the bromance between Leonardo DiCaprio, who portrays a fading Hollywood star, and Brad Pitt, his Bodyguard. The oddness of their relationship and characters amuses the viewer as they explore the old Hollywood of the 1960s alongside them. The visuals are stunning and transport you right back to the historical summer of 1969.

Not many people do comedy as Andy Samberg does. Palm Springs is no exception. In this very underrated movie that combines rom-com with Sci-Fi (trust me, it works!!), Two wedding guests get sucked into a vortex and are trapped in a time loop, doomed to relive the day of the wedding every day. The movie is weird, funny, and cute, and deserves more attention.

Another movie to become nostalgic about during summer, but that is a must for every late-night friend’s night. Based on Shakespeare’s classic The Taming of the Shrew, 10 Things I Hate About You persists in its awareness of its own silliness and the clichés it works with. Therefore, at times, it feels like a satire. However, often enough, the movie knows when to become serious and let its main characters take the stage, without puns or silly actions. This movie is perfect for the 1990s nostalgia, and if you need another argument, a young Heath Ledger is one of the leads.

The New York Times describes this movie as the mother of all comedies, and I could not agree more. Written and directed by the legend Billy Wilder, starring Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis, and Marilyn Monroe, it could also just be a camera pointed at them for 2 hours for me to watch. But the comedic genius of all is embedded in a hilarious narrative setup. Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis portray two poor musicians in 1929 Chicago. When they witness a crime by the Mafia, both are forced to hide. Their solution is to dress as women and join a women’s orchestra on their way to Florida. Needless to say, that chaos will unfold. Truly one of the smartest and funniest comedies out there.