There is no greater bliss on earth than that enjoyed by kids on their summer holidays. The time before school starts again seems endless; the mischief available to revel in is irresistible; and all the time, there’s a spare afternoon to escape the beating sun (or rain!) and watch a magical movie.
Now, I’m not talking about the summer blockbusters that Hollywood likes to shove down our throats year after year. (Does anyone really care about the millionth installment of Spiderman?) I’m talking about the movies that seem to capture the excitement of these golden days in the sun. Maybe you have your own favorites, but here is a personal selection of three films that make me feel young, and give you the urge to eat a popsicle or icecream in front of the TV for a couple of hours.
Grease (1978)
Looking too impossibly old to be teenagers, this movie actually takes place at the end of the summer (forgive me), but it’s still worth a mention here. John Travolta sports a pair of sideburns that even a Norse god would be proud of, and along with Olivia Newton-John, sings their way to our hearts. It’s worth digging a copy out and introducing your (perhaps slightly older kids) to one of the best musicals of our time.
The Sandlot (1993)
Playing outside is a must in summer time, but what do you do when you lose your dad’s signed (by none other than Babe Ruth) baseball? Well, you get your pals together and you try and rescue it from the scary neighbor and his killer dog, that’s what! The Sandlot is the perfect mix of schoolboy antics and summer fun, and if your children ever have ideas about chewing tobacco, the scene at the theme park will be enough to set them straight forever.
The Goonies (1985)
The undisputed heavy-weight champion of summer movies, The Goonies is something that every child in the world should (nay, be forced to) watch. It has everything: adventure, gadgets and a morbidly obese child shaking his belly in what is known as the shuffle truffle (see what I meant about everything?). The best thing about The Goonies is that it has a really strong moral at its center: the kids rally together to go in search of pirate treasure so that their parents won’t be evicted from their homes. Combining their unique skills the kids march off into a cave and discover One-Eyed Willie’s treasure.
What are your favorite summer movies?
