10 Classic Summer Movies to Binge Before the End of Summer

A 1978 summer musical based in 1950s? “Tell me more, tell me more…!” It's the story of a summer romance between leather-clad T-Birds leader Danny Zuko and Sandy Olsson, a sweet and innocent girl. Their paths cross again when Sandy transfers to Rydell High School, and the fun, flirty summer fling gets slapped with real life and even worse…high school cliques. It’s a love story so sweet, it'll give you a cavity.

Get ready to have the time of your life and bring on the appeal of the bad boy. Amiright, Baby? I mean, what’s a girl to do when you’re spending the summer at a fancy resort with your stuffy family and bored out of her mind but get in with the dancing “bad crowd”? When Johnny’s partner gets pregnant, Baby steps in to learn some serious dance skills and save the day. Watch as Johnny’s total annoyance eventually leads to one of the most unforgettable dance routines in movie history (be honest, how many injuries have you endured while attempting that famous lift?) *Spoiler alert: Nobody put Baby in a corner.

“Alright, alright, alright,” it's time to take a trip back to 1976 with a wild, nostalgia-fueled ride through the last day of school, the looming threat of graduation and the first night of summer vacation. You’ve got your jocks, your stoners, your nerds and everyone in between, all just trying to have a good time as they gear up for summer. Sit back, soak up the chill vibes and enjoy one of the best soundtracks ever, man.

Before taking us to space in a galaxy far, far away, George Lucas took us on a trip back to the early 1960s, capturing the essence of teen life, car culture and coming-of-age moments. A group of high school friends spend their last evening together before heading off in different directions cruising the main street, reflecting on their lives and contemplating their futures with a bit of good ol’ youthful rebellion thrown in for good measure.

A bunch of misfit kids living in the Goon Docks are facing eviction because some snooty country club wants to build a golf course on their homes. The kids (aka "The Goonies") stumble upon an old treasure map and naturally decide to embark on an epic adventure to find the legendary treasure of the infamous pirate One-Eyed Willy and save their homes. Along the way they dodge booby traps, outrun a family of criminals and somehow survive one seriously creepy pirate lair.

If “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” is part of your holiday movie rotation, then you know just how ambitious (and disastrous) Clark Griswold’s plans can be. Before he had the big idea of having a good ol’ fashioned family Christmas, the ever-optimistic dad gathered his family and set off for a road trip to the ultimate amusement park, Walley World, determined to make this the best family vacation ever. Cue the hijinks.

Even if you’ve never seen this cult classic, you more than likely know of Sean Penn’s Spicoli and his life motto that we all want to live by to some extent: “All I need are some tasty waves, a cool buzz and I’m fine.” We also have Mike Damone, the ladies' man who's all talk with absolutely no game, siblings Brad and Stacy Hamilton who are trying to figure out the world of dating and their future and that famous red bikini scene that’s continually ranked as #1 for the best bikini movie scene ever.

Thanks to a pesky fly, Jack Chester, an overworked, stressed-out air traffic controller, nearly causes a plane crash and is ordered to take a five-week vacation. He decides a beachfront rental is the perfect escape for his family. Spoiler alert: It’s not. Instead, Jack finds himself in an epic showdown with the local yacht owner and a sailing race that involves a makeshift boat. What could go wrong?

Remember summer camp? I bet you don’t remember it like this! This flick is worth watching for the comedic brilliance of its star-studded cast of Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, Bradley Cooper, Amy Poehler, David Hyde Pierce and Zach Galifianakis alone. Set in the carefree summer of 1981, the film follows a group of quirky counselors (see cast) as they navigate the final day of camp with romances, mishaps and an unexpected alien encounter.

Looking for something a bit darker? Spike Lee's "Summer of Sam" takes us into the chilling New York City summer of 1977 where a city is paralyzed by fear thanks to the infamous Son of Sam. As the killer's reign of terror escalates, so does his effect on a group of residents in an Italian-American neighborhood in the Bronx. Throw in a city-wide blackout, and you could say the city’s nerves are as frayed as the power lines.