Summer Lovin’ Sharks in Fedoras on Independence Day

Today is the Fourth of July, which here in America is kind of a big deal. It was this day in 1776 that our forefathers got together and signed this little thing called the Declaration of Independence and officially gave a big F.U. to the king. It’s a day of parades and backyard bar-b-ques. Flags fly high with pride, and for a little while people actually forget to hate each other for whatever excuse they use to hate each other. Well, that last one is probably a stretch, but I like to think it happens.

The Fourth of July is also the day in which Bill Pullman, as President Thomas, stood up and yelled, “Today we celebrate our Independence Day!” and the whole world opened a can of whoop ass on some ugly big-headed, tentacle-covered, slimy dudes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoLywiaM6PA

This leads me into the real reason for my post, folks. My favorite summer movies ever.

I like movies. No, I love movies. I especially like big action doomsday world’s gonna end movies. I know, I should be all over the mushy romances, right? I like those too, but nothing sends my heart a flutter like the horrified screams brought on by some well-done visual effects. I do like mushy, though, and musicals! I’m a movie conundrum. So, be prepared, my list of best summer movies ever is going to leave you scratching your head.

Grease

Okay, really, do I need to explain this? Good girl, bad boy. And singing. That’s it. That’s all you need to know.

 

Jaws

Did anyone ever go in the water the same way again? I know I didn’t. And as a kid I had such a crush on Roy Scheider. Something about a man, his smoke, and killing a man-eating shark.

 

Twister

The aforementioned natural disaster movie. A must for summer fun. Especially here in Iowa where tornadoes come and go as they please, whenever they please. Perfectly fine summer day? Let’s just toss in a tornado watch and ruin that for you.

 

Independence Day

Aliens. Destruction. Explosions. That is all.

 

Stand by Me

Okay, this one kinda gets me every time. A group of misfit kids go out looking for the body of another kid and along the way get into some really deep talk about how messed up their lives are. But the best part, the one kid who had the least chance of doing something, grows up to be a lawyer and gets killed trying to stop a teenager from making a big mistake. Tissues, please. Like now, right now, I need a tissue.

 

Mama Mia

Sure going to the play would be better, but it’s Pierce Brosnan and Meryl Streep singing ABBA. Come on, does it get better than that?

 

Ghostbusters

I grew up on this movie. My kids aren’t nearly as impressed by it as I am, but I have to tell you I am absolutely over the moon giddy that this is going to be re-released into studios this summer. I mean…orgasmic. Okay, not that great, but close. Very, very close.

 

Beaches

Bette Midler. Barbara Hershey. Chick flick. ‘Nuff said.

 

2012

This has everything my natural disaster lovin’ heart desires. I mean…wow, I love this movie. Earthquakes, tsunamis, and Woody Harrelson getting blown to bits by Yellowstone. For real. Pitter-freakin’-patter.

 

Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark or The Temple of Doom

(anything after was that a bust) Harrison Ford in a fedora. That’s all you need to know.

 

There you have it. My top ten go-to summer movie fun. What’s yours?