That was the summer of 1963, when everybody called me ‘Baby’, and it didn't occur to me to mind.
If you’ve been here a while, you know I love to set the tone for each season with cozy, seasonal films. There’s something so comforting about having a little rotation of books, shows, and movies that instantly put you in the mood for what’s to come. I find it so special to return to the same stories year after year — there’s a certain magic in how they signal the start of a new season and help me slip into that mindset. Whether it's nostalgic summer camp adventures, quirky coming-of-age stories with dreamy visuals, or a touch of summerween magic with light slashers and eerie glow, these are the kinds of picks that capture the feeling of summer in all its moods. For this post, I wanted to share my ultimate (and almost exhaustive - there’s always one or two I remember after) list of favourite movies for summertime.
Some of these are movies I’ve been watching since I was a kid, so the cozy, nostalgic feeling they bring is unmatched. I’m a sucker for anything with a summer vacation or camp setting, obviously. They always just feel like the heart of the season. Around this time of year, I also find myself slipping into a retro mood — drawn to films that capture the charm of decades past, especially the ’50s through the ’80s. I’ve always had a soft spot for that dreamy 1950s suburbia aesthetic — even if a film isn’t set in that era, I love when it channels that picture-perfect, polished neighborhood aesthetic. The Truman Show, The Stepford Wives, Pleasantville, and Don’t Worry Darling all give me that feeling.
I also want to note that with movies in a series (ie. Back to the Future, Diary of a Whimpy Kid) I always watch all of them! Just for the sake of condensing the list a little bit I only added the one that felt the most fitting.
Happy Summerween! June 22nd has been dubbed the official date of Summerween, thanks to the series Gravity Falls where the idea originated. Summerween is, in my opinion, the quintessential cozy summer aesthetic — think ‘80s vibes, summer camp slashers, and cozy campy horror. The vibes:
Here’s my curated list of spooky movies to dive into that dreamy, eerie summer mood:
Much like with the summer movies list, any series (Scream, Friday the 13th) I like to watch multiple! With Friday the 13th specifically, I especially love part 1 and 2.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS: TV SHOWS
the summer I turned pretty
Pretty Little Liars Original Sin - specifically the summer school season
Outer Banks
Gravity Falls
Total Drama Island
White Lotus
I Know What You Did Last Summer series
Goosebumps original tv series
Wet Hot American Summer: first day of camp
Bloodline
So there you have it! My must-watch list of summer movies. There’s something so special about summer nights — the hum of a fan in the window, the sweetness of half melted popsicles, and a glowing TV screen lighting up the room. Whether it’s a campy slasher, a sun-soaked childhood favourite, or something retro and weird you stumble into for the first time, I hope this list brings you a little spark of that cozy, dreamy feeling that only summer can give.
Love, K
I love the Summerween list!