The perfect summer movie. There's more than one, according to London film buffs
CBC
School's out, heat is at a high and Londoners may be looking for a way to stay cool and entertained this summer. That might include a trip to the movie theatre to catch the latest blockbuster or a night at home with an old summer classic.
London film buffs we spoke to said the perfect summer movie is something that has mass appeal.
"When I think of summer movies, I just think of something that you can go watch with a bunch of friends, rather than a movie that you maybe want to watch by yourself," said Taye Alvis, a filmmaker who grew up in London.
While great summer flicks have typically been set in the sun and included fast-paced action, what makes a movie exciting to crowds has changed over the years. These days the movie-goer experience is often an interactive one.
"As we saw last year with Barbie and Oppenheimer, it's all about the event movie," said Andrew Dodd, manager of Film London. "What's trendy? What can you dress up as? What can you get your picture with?"
No matter what the trends are, film buffs say there are certain summer movies that stand the test of time. Here are some of Londoners' top picks.
When it comes to the all-around best summer film to sink your teeth into, there seemed to be a consensus among the London film buff CBC spoke to: It was 1975's Jaws.
"I think that's the father of all summer blockbusters," said Dodd. "It's the quintessential summer movie. It's about the beach, takes place the July long weekend and captures that summer feel."
While Dodd first watched the Steven Spielberg-directed film years after it was in theatres, he said his mom saw it during its original release.
"She couldn't go in her own swimming pool for the rest of the summer because she was too scared of the water."
Alvis, who now works in Toronto, said that whenever he comes back to London, he visits the city's independent Hyland Cinema to watch summer movies like Jaws with his grandmother.
Fellow-Jaws fan Mike Klassen, is the Hyland's manager and co-booker, and has already scheduled two showings for July.
2001's Wet Hot American Summer is another shared favourite between Klassen and Alvis.
The movie is set in 1981 on the last day of a summer camp and follows a group of teenage counsellors.
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