Spring Break is such a tease. While it may have left some a little refreshed, for the rest of us it just made us yearn for the real she-bang: summer vacation. Since summer is technically months away, here are a few summer themed movies to extinguish the flame—or make it brighter.
5. Blue Lagoon (1980): Featuring Brooke Shields and Christopher Atkins.
No telling what season the movie actual takes place in, but the oceanic scenes are enough to make anyone want to frolic on the sandy beaches in a loin cloth. Blue Lagoon follows two young children stranded on a tropical island and displays their journey into puberty. Struggling to survive on a tropical paradise on their own and with no rules or notions of societal norms, this adventure/romance is the perfect movie to get anyone in the mood for a summer getaway.
The Blue Lagoon: Special Edition DVD
4. Vacation (1983): Featuring Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo, Imogene Coca
Arguably one of the funniest summer vacation movies of the 80s, this National Lampoon classic follows the Griswold family on a summer road trip to Wally World. On their country-cross road trip, the Griswold family encounters all sorts of challenging (and not to mention hysterical funny) situations. This flick will either get you in the mood to embark on your own family road trip or avoid it all together.
National Lampoon’s Vacation: 20th Anniversary Special Edition
3. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005): Starring Blake Lively, Amber Tamblyn, Alexis Bledel, America Ferrera
This girl-empowering flick is perfect for the ladies, more specifically for best friends and mother daughter duos. It embarks the self-discovery journey of four best friends who try to stay connected throughout the summer by sharing a pair of jeans that magically fits each girl despite their different body shapes and sizes. There’s a sequel too for those who want to know how their adventures end.
Get Sisterhood Of The Travelling Pants on DVD
2. Dirty Dancing (1987): Featuring Jennifer Grey, Patrick Swayze, Jery Orbach
This iconic film, which is set in the 60’s, follows a young girl’s summer vacation spent with her family in a ritzy resort in upstate New York. When the lead character becomes interested in the camp’s edgy dance instructor Johnny, Frances “Baby” Houseman transforms from an uptight “square” to a liberated “dirty dancer.”
Dirty Dancing Collection on DVD and Blu Ray
1. Jaws (1975): Featuring Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss
For decades this horror/suspense classic has struck fear in the hearts of beach bunnies and surfers everywhere and continues to do so to this very day. The flick, which is directed by Steven Spielberg, will satisfy any generation’s imagination of the ocean and what creatures lies beneath. You don’t need a psychology degree to know that this movie resonates with millions of beach goers a year! It is a truly must-see summer film.
Movies that almost made the cut: Friday the 13th; Standby Me; Weekend at Bernie’s; Almost Famous, Grease, Summer Catch, My Girl, I Know What you Did Last Summer and Footloose.
This guest contribution was submitted by Tara Miller, who regularly writes for psychology degree. She especially loves hearing back from her readers. Questions or comments can be sent to: [email protected].