*Originally posted on Fathersofmultiples.com
What is the perfect activity that defines Summer for your family?
Family vacations like road trips?
Swimming and water parks?
Baseball games under the stars?
Summer camps?
Whatever it is that triggers those memories to come flooding back, there's a movie about it. When you're back home from vacation, done swimming for the day, or returning to the indoors from your tent, we've got the perfect list for you. Round those bases all the way home and take a load off. Hit play on one of these movies with your family, and enjoy some air conditioning.
National Lampoon's Vacation
This is possibly the best road trip movie ever. The movie is so quotable that even the name of Wal-Mart has forever been altered for some to "Wally World." If places like Disney World and the Grand Canyon or things like the world's biggest ball of twine make you want to design a family road trip...then you have something in common with the dad of this movie. Sounds like summer family vacations to me!
*Older Kids and Up
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days
The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, as a pure family movie, reminds me of the old "Wonderful World of Disney" movie nights from years ago. Pure family and pure fun. Some complain that there is some crude humor included about boogers and poop ...but have you met young kids? That stuff is comedy gold to them. Some movies include jokes that only the adults get. These movies are the reverse of that.
*All ages
Sandlot
Sandlot is up there with Goonies for being one of the best movies about kids...ever. The new kid in town connects with a rag-tag group of kids as they play baseball and have what probably amounts to the best summer of their lives, making friendships that last forever. It's a Summer movie that truly defines what Summer is supposed to be about. Haven't seen it? "You're killing me, Smalls!"
*All Ages
Stand By Me
If you watch this, you may wonder "how on earth was this written by Stephen King?!?" It is both powerfully emotional and hilarious. Four kids set out on a mission, in the 1950's, to find a dead body of a missing person so they can get on the news as heroes. Along the way, they make memories, bond, and grow up...all while walking down railroad tracks. It also introduces some famous actors you'll barely recognize.
*Older kids and up
Jaws
Scariest water movie of all time. Any shark movie that has come since, even ones with newer and better special effects, is trying to be Jaws. Scary + fun =equals scary fun? I think so. Just watch it after you're OUT of the water...because you're not going to want to get IN the water afterwards. When I was little...I got nervous even swimming in a pool after watching it. Because you never know! Da -Dum...Da-Dum...
*Older kids and up.
Finding Nemo
Finding Nemo and Finding Dory are both so brightly colored that they're just beautiful to watch. On top of that, both movies are very, very funny and amazingly heartfelt. They do an amazing job of showing the relationship between an overprotective father and his son. They also show how difficult and scary it can be to let your kids grow up and do things on their own. It's a must see for all ages. You're welcome.
*All ages
Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown
The Peanuts gang has every holiday locked down, why not summer too? This is a fun trip to summer camp with Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the rest of the gang. They camp, compete in games, and race rafts down a river. With the boys in one raft, the girls in another, the bullies in a third, and Snoopy and Woodstock in a fourth, it's every team for themselves. You won't know who is going to win until they cross the finish line!
*All Ages
Cars
Lightning McQueen is a young hot-shot racer that's a little too obnoxious for his own good. That all starts to change when he's forced to spend time in a small, forgotten town off Route 66. People...I mean Cars that he wouldn't have given the time of day teach him about what really matters. Things like friendship and humility. Since it's Pixar and Disney, this movie about personal growth also happens to be funny.
*All Ages
Ernest Goes to Camp
Let's be honest. If you remember watching the Ernest movies when you were a kid and enjoying them...they're not going to be as good as you remember. The Ernest movies are pretty genius about putting themselves into scenarios where kids are going to see them. Just remember how much you enjoyed them as a kid, and that is how much your kids are going to enjoy the goofy antics of Jim Varney as Ernest now.
*All Ages
Little Mermaid
Disney's original "Under the Sea" movie that took us to the ocean depths before Nemo and Dory. As the mermaid, Ariel, tries to become "part of our world" on land, it's non-stop lighthearted fun watching her mistake forks for combs and so on. Lighthearted fun until the evil Ursula uses her magic to turn Ariel human. It's a deal that could ruin Ariel's chance for true love and ruin the entire underwater kingdom.
*All Ages
Kings of Summer
This one is for the teens because of the rating (R). It's a really cool coming of age movie in which a couple of teenagers decide to get away from the rules of their parents by running away into the woods and building a house. The boys' summer utopia gets broken up pretty fast. Even though the teens run away, this story tells a pretty touching tale of the relationship between parents and their teens AND between friends.
*Teens
My Girl
My Girl is not quite a love story about widower Dan Aykroyd finding new love with Jamie Lee Curtis. Instead, it's about Dan's 11-year old daughter's response to that new love story. It's a very sweet story, set in the 70's, that realistically follows the girl's paradigm change. Along with her for that ride is her friend played by Macaulay Culkin, who was still riding his wave of Home Alone fame. Hint: Bring your tissues.
*Older Kids and up
The Way Way Back
Away on a beach vacation with his mom (Toni Collette) and her new boyfriend (Steve Carell), a 14-year-old boy doesn't quite mesh with that new father figure. What's the best way to stay away from them and avoid any ongoing conflict? He spends his time at a local water park instead, making friends with the park's staff (including Sam Rockwell and Maya Rudolph) along the way. Some interesting life lessons here.
*Older Kids and Up
Moana
Moana, like Finding Nemo, is so colorful that it really is just beautiful. It follows the story of an island princess that struggles against the constraints of the rules her dad has enforced upon her. We get to watch as her attempts to stop a curse from affecting her island sets her off on an adventure. She comes face to face with the demigod responsible for that curse, Maui. You'll be singing some of his songs for weeks after!
*All Ages
Dolphin Tale
This movie centers on the story of a boy who helps save a dolphin that loses its tail and their subsequent friendship. It also shows the need for perseverance through difficulties and the fact that people or animals, that have disabilities are every bit as awesome and special as those who don't. When the kids showed up to see the dolphin they'd heard about, the lesson hit me. Tissues were needed. All based on a true story!
*All Ages
Secondhand Lions
A young boy's mother doesn't seem to be able to take care of him, so she sends him to live with his eccentric uncles for the summer. The uncles are played by Robert Duvall and Michael Caine. Caine plays a grumpy curmudgeon. Duvall makes Caine seem nice! Put Haley Joel Osment in the mix, and the comedy just comes naturally. Duval and Caine are two "Secondhand Lions" you're not going to want to miss watching.
*All Ages
One Crazy Summer
This is an oddball comedy where a guy (John Cusack) goes with his best friend to stay at the friend's aunt's house on the island of Nantucket. The island is filled with zany characters and an evil rich guy trying to take new friend Demi Moore's family house and land. Of course, the guys want to help the damsel in distress...which leads to a boat race! How can you say no to a movie that has Bobcat Goldthwait in it?
*Older Kids and Up
Moonrise Kingdom
If you're familiar with Wes Anderson, you'll know to expect a certain level of surrealism, aka weirdness. There's also a level of sweetness and sincerity about two young teens having a burgeoning romance. A boy scout and his crush go on the run. The girl's parents begin searching for their daughter. The boys scouts begin their search. Local police begin their search. An all-star cast that will leave you rolling with laughter.
*Teens
Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer
Judy Moody is based on a book series for children with that same character in each. This installment, the spunky third grader determines she's going to have the best summer ever, no matter what! It shows the world as seen through the eyes of a child. You rejoice in an absurd club with your friends. Everything can happen in your bedroom. Your garden turns into a jungle. The city is a faraway country. Etc.
*All Ages
The Parent Trap
Hayley Mills stars twice as identical twins who each live with separate parents. Unknown to their divorced parents, they meet at a summer camp and decide to switch places. They both get a chance to meet and get to know the opposite parent for the first time, and then both work on ways to reunite them. Dedicated to the proposition that teenagers and parents are created equally hilarious! See the original, not the remake.
*All Ages
Honorable Mentions:
Hot Pursuit
John Cusack races to catch up with his girlfriend's family on their Caribbean vacation. Even though he's meeting very interesting people and learning great life lessons along the way, he needs to hurry because, though he doesn't know it, her family has been kidnapped!
*Older Kids and Up
Summer School
Mark Harmon's a school teacher whose summer plans get ruined because he's assigned to teach English to a bunch of misfits that failed the class during the school year.
*Older Kids and Up
Did we leave any movies out that you would have suggested? Did we miss an entire summer pastime? Let us know in the comments.
Be sure to check out all of our great movie lists!
Also take a look at our summer activities and summer crafts.