Movie Time: Favorite Summer Movies
Favorite Summer Movies
Today is the first official day of summer! Hooray! We love summertime. Winter and coldish, wet spring seemed cling so long and I’m (Kari) so grateful for the warm and lovely weather. However, when the weather gets too warm it’s nice to have something fun to do in the shade- like watch movies! RJ and I love movies and here’s a list of our favorite summer movies, and our favorite moments from them, too.
Take Me Out to the Ball Game
This light-hearted MGM musical set in the early 1900s focuses on two baseball players and entertainers, played by Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra. They are in for career and personal shakeups with the new owner, a female, played by the always-elegant Esther Williams.
Kari’s Favorite Moment– As always with any Esther Williams movie the biggest thrill for me is watching her swim. Although they didn’t give her a long, fancy swimming number in this (due to Gene Kelly’s bad attitude) watching her swim is always a beautiful thing.
RJ’s Favorite Moment- In the beginning, when Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra show up for Spring Training after performing their Vaudeville act in the off-season. What a crazy throwback to a time when big leaguers needed to have second jobs. Good thing those boys are so talented, as their second job here is less reliable than being ball players!
The Parent Trap (1961)
This movie is so sweet and so funny, plus it has great music. The Hayley Mills original is so much better than the remake with Lindsay Lohan. If you haven’t seen the original- try it!
Kari’s Favorite Moment. I love this movie so much that picking a favorite scene is really, really hard. I suppose my absolute favorite moment would be the camp dance. But, I really, really love “For Now, For Always” its a beautiful song!
RJ’s Favorite Moment– When the two girls are performing together for their parents. This is a really neat moment in special effects history, as it was so seamless you don’t even notice they’re the same person!
image from wikipedia
High School Musical 2
This is a Disney Channel original movie at its finest. It’s a movie that the whole family can enjoy. It’s funny, it teaches good lessons about friendship and self-awareness and the music is so fun.
Kari’s Favorite Moment– The performance of “You Are the Music in Me” that features Zac Effron and Vanessa Hudgens. It’s such a beautiful song.
RJ’s Favorite Moment– Hands down favorite moment is the musical number “I Don’t Dance” which has a great old school MGM feel to it and is director Kenny Ortega’s tribute to his mentor Gene Kelly’s belief that dance moves are pretty much the same as the move athletes make. Some of the baseball movements seen here are lifted right from the Omnibus special that Kelly did.
Picnic
This film is set at the annual Labor Day picnic in a small Kansas town. A drifter finds himself attending the picnic and trying not to fall in love with his old friend’s beautiful girlfriend.
Kari’s Favorite Moment– Millie. She’s my favorite part. I know- that’s a character not a favorite part. But, everything about Susan Strasberg’s performance was wonderful. I love the character and the performance!
RJ’s Favorite Moment– The scene where everyone is at the pool.
That Thing You Do
Who hasn’t seen this movie? We really like it and quote from it all the time. I know so many people who love it and quote it too. If you haven’t seen the movie about how 4 Pennsylvania guys called The Wonders rocket from small town band to smash single success- watch it!
Kari’s Favorite Moment– The first concert that they play at the Mercy Hurst College talent show. I love that they are called the “oh-need-ers”, the hecklers in the crowd and the other acts that perform. But, of course the best part of the whole scene is when Guy finally makes “That Thing You Do” a rockin’ classic instead of a moody ballad.
RJ’s Favorite Moment- You can’t beat the big performance of “That Thing You Do” near the end of this movie. It’s such a dream moment for any performer to have a big debut on national TV like that
State Fair (1945)
Rodgers and Hammerstein’s music lifts to new heights the simple story of an Iowa family who attends their state fair looking for blue ribbons and excitement.
Kari’s Favorite Moment- Well, I’m inclined to say its Jeanne Crain and Vivian Blaine’s and the costumes. But, then I think about the wonderful music. However, my favorite scene is where Wayne returns to visit the vendor who cheated him the previous year.
RJ’s Favorite Moment- Harry Morgan turned in a great performance in his scene as a carnival barker that gets put in his place by Dick Haymes. The way he yells “I’m losing, but I’m having fun!” is a thing of beauty.
The cast of Camp Rock- image from wonderwall.com
Camp Rock
This is another wonderful Disney Channel original movie. Everyone loves camp movies, but how cool would it be to go a rock roll summer camp? We’d have loved to go to a camp like this when we were in high school!
Kari’s Favorite Moment– I love many of the songs from this movie. But, my favorite and my favorite part of the movie is the performance of “This is Me
RJ’s Favorite Moment– When Demi and Joe’s characters sing together.
Have fun! Get some sun, stay hydrated, wear sunscreen, go swimming, open the windows, eat some ice cream and enjoy summer! Enjoy some fun summer movies, too!
