Wet, Hot American Summer (2001)
With tube socks pulled all the way up, this spoof should be on the top 10 funniest movies ever. Early in their successful and very funny careers, Janeane Garofalo and Paul Rudd (in shorty shorts) play counselors at a summer camp doomed for destruction. Slapstick and clever sketch comedy and campy zingers ("I'm so old Jesus Christ was my camp counselor"), this is summer tonic for the brain. PB
Moonrise Kingdom (2012)
Not even a year old and already a classic, Moonrise Kingdom has all the summer film pre-reqs: young love, camp, coonskin caps and (adorable) action, theater-within-theater and a little kidnapping thrown in—just for fun. Also, Bill Murray, in his best summer camp movie since Meatballs (1979). JW
The Sandlot (1993)
Summertime adventures with Scotty Smalls and the Sandlot gang! This coming-of-age flick has everything a great summery film needs for success, baseball, epic one-liners ("You play baseball like a girl!," "You're killing me, Smalls!"), beastly monster dogs, and the smoking hot Wendy Peffercorn. We wish it was summertime for-ev-ER...for-ev-ER...for-ev-ER. BB
