Movies for a Summer Day

This year, I got released for break a bit earlier than some of my friends from other schools, and their updates about the beginning of the sweltering season got me thinking, Which movies feel summery? By that I mean, which movies make you feel the sun and heat and outdoors without ever stepping foot out of your air-conditioned home? Now, if you're like me and don't go out, these movies may be of interest to you.

Cinema Paradiso (1988)

Nothing says summer like running barefoot, outside movie nights, and eating fresh salad! This movie brings back a simpler, more communal time, where everyone knew each other and people savored the movies. It doesn't take place entirely in the summer, but the moments in the season most clearly represent a time of innocence and nostalgia. Whenever I watch Cinema Paradiso, which is probably my favorite movie, I grow misty-eyed for a past that's not even mine. It always makes me wish I had grown up in such a tight-knit village, fanning myself from the heat.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)

The best way to cool off is with some raindrops on your head, of course. Butch Cassidy may be less about setting than it is about characters, but it sure does have some great cinematography of the "wild west" and Bolivia. And what brings out the heat better than South America? Not only that, but you get to see the rugged trails and rushing waters that you're missing by sitting on the couch or at the computer watching this movie. Though if you want my opinion, watching Robert Redford and Paul Newman exchanged witty one-liners is a far better use of time than actually riding horses. And if Newman's baby blue eyes don't make you shiver, than I don't know what will.

Gone With the Wind (1939)

Is it hot in here, or is that just Atlanta burning? The best venue in which to watch this nearly four hour, emotionally draining epic is in a nice, cool theater, like I got to do when I was thirteen. Somehow, it makes the movie even better, and you also get to sigh and clap along with the audience when Rhett (Clark Gable) appears in all his glory. It was one of the best cinematic experiences of my life. With its sumptuous landscapes and festivities (not to mention the gowns), Gone With the Wind revives a bygone era that encapsulated what it meant to sizzle, whether from the heat or passion. If you think your summer is hot, try bearing it with a corset.

Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi/Spirited Away (2001)

Summer is often associated with childhood, and this gorgeously animated film by Hayao Miyazaki tells of one girl's transition to adulthood, something any adolescent can relate to. The animation conveys a summer setting that makes you wistful for the past, beautiful with its flowers and wide spaces. A feature of Spirited Away that often gets sadly overlooked is its expressive score; with soft, lilting piano, it is one of my favorites. Pieces that especially makes me tear up are "One Summer's Day" and "Reprise," both reminding me of my own summers, and the expansive imagination I once had. But at one glance at his art, it is obvious that Miyazaki never lost that feeling of summer. Be prepared, for you will sob.

(500) Days of Summer (2009)

No, this is not a cop out, because it doesn't actually have to do with the season. The eponymous Summer (Zooey Deschanel) in this movie is a manic pixie dream girl that represents the season for Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) in the utter joy that she brings him. But though the film may not revolve around the time of year, it does have a bright color palette and is set in Los Angeles, where it's basically always mild. Quirky and charming, (500) is so wonderfully natural and watchable that it's possible to have several viewings over the stretch of time available during vacation and never tire of it. A great way to spend your own 90-something days of summer.