Nothing beats a good summer movie: the kind that smells of warm sand, freedom, and the nostalgia of long school vacations. Here is our pick of 5 films to (re)discover, whether stretched out on a lounge chair or camped in front of a fan.
1. Call Me by Your Name (2017)
An Italian summer, a budding love story, and images bathed in sunlight. Luca Guadagnino delivers a sensual, nostalgic film that perfectly captures the intensity of a first summer love. Gentle, beautiful, and undeniably memorable.
2. Palm Springs (2020)
A wildly funny rom-com, trapped in a time loop under the California sun. Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti make an explosive duo in a film that is fun, absurd, and surprisingly touching all at once. The perfect vacation spirit: light but unforgettable.
3. Moonrise Kingdom (2012)
A summer on a small New England island, two kids who decide to run away together, and a whole community setting out to find them. Wes Anderson delivers a poetic, funny, visually stunning tale that breathes the nostalgia of childhood summers.
4. Little White Lies (2010)
A vacation among friends, sunshine on the Arcachon Bay, but also unspoken words, tension, outbursts, and moments of tenderness. Guillaume Canet delivers a bittersweet chronicle about friendship and the summers that mark you for life.
5. Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
Okay, it is not a beach movie, but it is a van road trip, under the sun, with a completely dysfunctional and hugely endearing family. It is bright, tender, and one of the best feel-good movies of the last 20 years.
👉 Whether you are more into sun-drenched romance, a wild road trip, or a tender comedy, these films all capture, in their own way, that unique taste of summer.
Also worth reading:
the best movies to watch in streaming in August 2025
