What to watch during summer? 10 film recommendations!
- Karolina Niewiadomska
- Jun 24
- 7 min read
As the summer is just around the corner, students all over the world rejoice. They will finally have time to rest from school. They will be able to hang out with their friends freely and without pressure on their back. But also they will have time to spend on their own - and during this they can do a lot of things - for instance, watch films!
But it’s crucial to choose films that match the season and its vibe. Because who would want to watch a film set in winter during a steamy summer?
So let’s get into the recommendations for the best films to watch during the looming summer break to help you feel the summer breeze!
Daisies (1966) directed by Věra Chytilová
![“Daisies.” [FILMGRAB], 6 Aug. 2014, film-grab.com/2014/08/06/daisies/. Accessed 14 June 2025.](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/e721fe_c8a98bd688bd4b6784acb60a1d583cd9~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_512,h_308,al_c,q_80,enc_avif,quality_auto/e721fe_c8a98bd688bd4b6784acb60a1d583cd9~mv2.jpg)
Daisies is a film telling a story of two young girls who are refusing to grow up. In their everyday life they are busy walking all over men, stealing their money and not committing to relationships. The film pictures their demoralisation with summer and tons of colorful images in the background. It is a great surrealist comedy, allowing you to escape your everyday life. It puts you in a world which feels unimaginable and unreal. The colors and neons only deepen the feeling of fantasy. Though it is rather swiftly paced, the film doesn’t feel like it’s rushing. The viewer gets to see, know and judge the main characters and their actions. This comedy is undoubtedly one of the best summer picks that there are.
Moonrise Kingdom (2012) directed by Wes Anderson
Moonrise Kingdom is one of the most popular works from Wes Anderson. And though I believe many from this director’s work will feel like they have got summer in them, when it comes to Moonrise Kingdom, it quite literally screams “SUMMER!”. We’ve got a camp, a beach, a run-away - what else is there to have? The film tells a story of two kids who fall in love with each other and run away together. The screenplay and images make the film feel infantile and abstract in the best way possible. It is good to watch it without many expectations, only for recreation and with a plan to delight in the aesthetic images. It is surely not the best film byWes Anderson but it has got its spark in it and is definitely a must-watch for summer.
![“Moonrise Kingdom.” [FILMGRAB], 20 Jan. 2013, film-grab.com/2013/01/20/moonrise-kingdom/. Accessed 14 June 2025.](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/e721fe_e920bdf1043a4ef58ad9aaaa6051a324~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_512,h_279,al_c,q_80,enc_avif,quality_auto/e721fe_e920bdf1043a4ef58ad9aaaa6051a324~mv2.jpg)
The Before trilogy (1995-2013) directed by Richard Linklater
Before Sunrise, Before Sunset and Before Midnight are films showing the evaluation of love over time. We get to see two characters find one another in the other person’s words and speech. The films are set during summertime which creates a background for emotions of the people who are young and clueless, then older and wiser and then mature and aware. Their perspective changes throughout the trilogy and years that pass. The films will make the viewer feel affinity with characters and make them cheer for them, then feel bad with them and then feel bad for them.
![“Before Sunrise.” [FILMGRAB], 19 June 2013, film-grab.com/2013/06/19/before-sunrise/. Accessed 14 June 2025.](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/e721fe_d6996c6313d24dccb94e7af87f354fc1~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_512,h_289,al_c,q_80,enc_avif,quality_auto/e721fe_d6996c6313d24dccb94e7af87f354fc1~mv2.jpg)
Thelma and Louise (1991) directed by Ridley Scott
In Thelma and Louise the viewer gets to dive into the hot Texas weather and see two women embark on a girls’ trip that ends up going quite differently than they had previously planned. The film shows two different perspectives and two different characters struggle with the same problems and circumstances they found themselves in. We can see those characters change and evolve during the film. Thelma and Louise is definitely a fun film to enjoy and chill with.
Little Miss Sunshine (2006) directed by Jonathan Dayton
Little Miss Sunshine is a film about a family going on a trip so that the youngest child - Olive, can compete in a beauty contest called ‘Little miss sunshine’. Even before the trip we can see the family members being very different from each other which causes misunderstandings and lack of communication in the household. The trip is a disaster as it should’ve been expected: with an over-ambitious father, a miserable uncle, a determined-to-keep-the-family-together mother, a very strange uncle and a quiet brother, Olive is willing to arrive at the contest and win. During the time of the film, the family is tightening the grip and bonds. What is special about this film is that everybody can find themselves in at least one character and relate to their perspective.
Past lives (2023) directed by Celine Song
Past lives may not be exactly a summer film. It is definitely not very ‘summery’ in the way the previously mentioned films were. However, the way it feels fresh yet somehow ongoing for a while makes it feel warm and bright - like summer. Past lives is about a childhood friendship of two people: Nora and Hae Sung. The friendship falls apart as Nora moves away from South Korea and leaves for the United States with her parents and sister. About ten years later she has a husband and reconnects with her childhood friend. The film is very peaceful and quiet and though it may seem to have a love triangle in it, there are no disagreements or fights. Instead of those, we have got complex characters put in a difficult situation. The film gives a new angle on love of people with two different nationalities and on what could have been but have not.
Chungking express (1994) directed by Wong Kar-wai
Chungking express by Wong Kar-wai tells two slightly similar stories. Both are about policemen whose relationships had just ended and about women who are obsessed with America. The characters are strange and interesting, likeable for the viewer, making it easy to follow the film out of simple curiosity. Chungking Express brims with the bittersweet longing of those lovesick male characters and the emotional drift. It is teeming with beautiful shots and camera movements showing the viewer the place of action and depicting the emotions of the characters. With the great soundtrack, the direction and storytelling is impressively fluid and unobvious. As viewers we do not know how connected the two stories are exactly. Or if they are connected at all.
Some Like It Hot (1959) directed by Billy Wilder
After two musicians are witnesses of a crime they have to escape in order not to be killed. It seems like the only option left for them is to join an all-female troupe. So they do. The only problem they seem to face is that one of them - Joe, falls in love with his troupmate - Sugar Kane Kowalczyk. Some Like It Hot is silly and full of absurd, yet it is engaging and enjoyable for the audience. Billy Wilder’s writing skill is surely impressive in its fluency and keeping his films interesting. The characters are convincingly and humorously written. Both the bone of contention of the film as well as its resolution are very ridiculous and funny. It is a great summer watch for sure!
Portrait of a lady on fire (2019) directed by Céline Sciamma
Portrait of a lady on fire is set in 1760 in France where a painter, Marianne, arrives to paint Heloise’s engagement portrait. The catch is that Heloise refuses to be painted. It is a heartbreaking story of a bond between two women who do not want to get married where only one of them has the possibility not to. It is a beautiful and moving film with beautiful pictures and storytelling. In the film there are plenty of metaphors and hidden meanings. The screenplay is slow and it may appear boring depending on the viewer. However, I believe the storyline and its depth makes the film worth watching.
Aftersun (2022) directed by Charlotte Wells
And for the last film to close this list of summer films I chose Aftersun. It is a heartbreaking film about a father and a daughter who go for a vacation in Turkey. Memories from this journey are reflected by the daughter (Sophie) twenty years later. The film focuses on the depression of a father (Calum) in the eyes of a child. Calum tries to hide his misery from Sophie as he wants her to have as nice a time as possible. The film’s greatest assets are its pictures and soundtrack. We have to see those pictures, listen to those lyrics to be sure exactly what is happening and how the film ends. The location of the film, the use of VHS, all of this matters, symbolising how far and unreachable the memories of Sophie are and how unreliable what we see might be compared to what has really happened.
Bibliography:
“Daisies.” [FILMGRAB], 6 Aug. 2014, film-grab.com/2014/08/06/daisies/. Accessed 14 June 2025.
“Moonrise Kingdom.” [FILMGRAB], 20 Jan. 2013, film-grab.com/2013/01/20/moonrise-kingdom/. Accessed 14 June 2025.
“Before Sunrise.” [FILMGRAB], 19 June 2013, film-grab.com/2013/06/19/before-sunrise/. Accessed 14 June 2025.
“Thelma & Louise (1991) 4K Digital Restoration | Sat 15 – Sun 30 Jul 2023.” Acmi.net.au, 2023, www.acmi.net.au/whats-on/thelma-louise-4k/. Accessed 14 June 2025.
“Little Miss Sunshine (2006).” IMDb, 2025, www.imdb.com/title/tt0449059/mediaviewer/rm1947179008/. Accessed 14 June 2025.
“Past Lives (2023).” IMDb, 2023, www.imdb.com/title/tt13238346/mediaviewer/rm1437286913/. Accessed 14 June 2025.
“Chungking Express (1994).” IMDb, 2025, www.imdb.com/title/tt0109424/mediaviewer/rm309434370/. Accessed 14 June 2025.
“SOME like IT HOT - American Cinematheque.” American Cinematheque, 22 July 2021, www.americancinematheque.com/now-showing/some-like-it-hot/. Accessed 14 June 2025.
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