Summer Adventures - Movies Edition
The Joy Of Summer Movies
Every season has its own adventures. Summer is bullshit, but it’s also a time to be outside, to explore and relax.
In the next few weeks, our quests will take us on some summer adventures you can try.
Summer Movies
Summer blockbusters are tons of fun. My favorite kind of movie: it’s unpretentious and often has a deeper message hidden somewhere, but it’s meant to seep in as you laugh and enjoy yourself, munching on luscious popcorn and sipping a refreshing, frosty drink.
Some movies feel like summer, even though they’re not necessarily focused on or even set during the season. What matters is the laughter, the fun, the lightness you feel as the credits roll.
Movies Everywhere, Anytime
Where I live there are open air cinemas during summer, and it’s a lot of fun. My favorite is the one where you rent transats (wooden sling chairs), and enjoy your own picnic watching the movies projected on a giant inflatable screen.
I also love going to the actual movie theater - it’s darker, and there’s air conditioning. 😂 The sound experience is better than any other place, and there’s something intrinsically joyful about the ritual of buying popcorn, soda and snacks before you go in.
And! I also adore watching movies at home. The privacy and comfort are unparalleled. You can get comfy, pause the movie for a bathroom break, to get more drinks or just to yell at the screen. Nowadays, the choice of movies to watch at home is virtually infinite, so you can enjoy whatever strikes your fancy at any given time.
Each setting offers it’s own charms.
Being a Person Of a Certain Age…
I do miss the experience of coming home with a few rented VHS (and later DVDs) to watch during the weekend. It was truly an adventure. Sometimes the movie you wanted to watch wasn’t available; you had to choose only based on the back copy; you usually couldn’t watch movie trailers unless you went to the actual theater.
It was, in other words, fantastic. 😁
Choice was limited, but it made every movie feel more special. I wish there was a way of balancing an abundance of choice with things feeling out of the ordinary.
This Week’s Quest - The Joy Of Summer Movies
Ideas & inspiration to find your joy.
1 - Choose movies to watch
Think about your favorite summer movies, and choose a few to re-watch. Or choose a couple of new releases you haven’t seen, and add it to your calendar. Check the lists below if you need inspiration.
Some of my all-time favorites:
Indiana Jones - any of them, tho The Last Crusade is my favorite, and Crystal Skull is just bullshit and only worth it because we hadn’t seen Indy in years.
Back To The Future (1985)
Independence Day (1996)
Beverly Hills Cop (1984) - And I can’t wait to watch the latest - Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (2024)
The Goonies (1985)
Mamma Mia! (2008) - the scene where Meryl Strips sings The Winner Takes It All is one of my favorites ever. It always makes me cry.
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Jurassic Park (1993)
Jumanji Welcome To The Jungle (2017) & Jumanji The Next Level (2019)
Yes, I’m a child of the 80s, why do you ask? 😂
2 - Make a night of it at home
A fun thing to do is have a Movie Night at home. Make it special; it can be as simple or as complicated as you like.
Choose the movie.
Set a date to watch it. Add it to your calendar.
Plan drinks and snacks - make them themed! Either the classic popcorn & soda or things inspired in the movie you’re going to watch, like this Jurassic Park Themed Dinner or this Dolittle inspired Movie Night Snack Board
Invite people if you’d like.
3 - Have fun with printables
There are tons of options, from themed menus to tickets and decorations.
4 - Create a summer movie journal
I love journals - daily journals, travel journals, book journals, commonplace notebooks… they’re such a joyful way of creative expression. And I’m now thinking about creating a Summer Movie Journal, or a Summer Movies section on my Movie Journal.
This guide has excellent ideas on How To Create A Film Journal.
Just remember: you don’t have to know lettering or drawing to enjoy creating a journal. You can use stickers, cut & glue stuff, use templates like the one offered in the link above (there are tons more online), or just write. What matters is having fun!
📚Reads
➡️ A History of the Summer Blockbuster
From Air Conditioning to Jaws to Marvel: How Summer Blockbusters Changed Hollywood Forever
Blockbusters may seem like a summer tradition for modern audiences, but that hasn't always been the case. Throughout the evolution of cinema, major Hollywood studios dreaded summer because it was historically their least profitable season. It was a challenging period for the fledging film industry, which struggled to maintain a consistent cash flow and keep moviegoers in theaters. At a critical crossroads, Hollywood needed a significant shift to sustain its growth. This pivotal change came about thanks to a cool invention and some PR magic.
A very, very interesting piece that goes from the 1920s to present day and beyond.
Create the ultimate movie night party in the great outdoors with these Backyard Movie Ideas. Tasty recipes, comfortable seating hacks, movie décor tips, snack bars and more.
Tons of great ideas for a Movie Night at home. Some are really specific for the outdoors, but you can enjoy many of them inside, too!
➡️ What Is a Summer Movie Anyway?
Written in 2020 when everything was still unknown, this is an interesting discussion about what makes a movie a summer movie. Also lots of titles to inspire you.
➡️ 75 Best Summer Blockbusters of All Time
In defense of the blockbuster, Rotten Tomatoes offers you Best Summer Movies, a countdown of the highest-rated wide releases to hit theaters during the hot season since the release of Jaws in 1975.
In case you need inspiration to choose your summer movies.
🌳 Quote
That’s It For Today!
Have fun at the movies! 😊
Until next time. —Nospheratt
And The Breakfast Club, and Top Gun, and Only You (one of my favorite romcoms), and Crazy Stupid Love, and Legally Blonde! And and and… We watched Back To The Future at Christmas and it’s aged a little… my son’s girlfriend had never seen it (24) and we kept on telling her « now it’s going to be funny »!! And she waited and waited 😂😂
Aw, I loved reading this list! It brought back so many fond memories. 😊 I'l add Kindergarten Cop to the 80s/90s nostalgia list. And fun fact: it was filmed in the same town as The Goonies (Astoria, Oregon, where I used to live)!