Last Updated on 25 May 2025

The following list is a snapshot of society’s current opinions of the 250 best Summer movies of all time. These movies either happen during summer, have a theme of summertime, or are considered good to watch in the summer.

I averaged 49 different ranked lists of “Best Summer or Summertime movies of all time” to get this definitive compilation. See my Methodology page for the research process that was used, including all 49 lists that were averaged. Below is a checklist you’re welcome to print, followed by the full list with links to IMDb.

1. Jaws (1975)
2. The Sandlot (1993)
3. Dirty Dancing (1987)
4. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
5. Mamma Mia! (2008)
6. Stand By Me (1986)
7. The Parent Trap (1998)
8. Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977)
9. Grease (1978)
10. Do the Right Thing (1989)
11. Wet Hot American Summer (2001)
12. Dazed and Confused (1993)
13. Adventureland (2009)
14. I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)
15. Moonrise Kingdom (2012)
16. Weekend at Bernie’s (1989)
17. A Goofy Movie (1995)
18. The Dark Knight (2008)
19. Call Me By Your Name (2017)
20. Independence Day (1996)
21. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005)
22. Girls Trip (2017)
23. Ghostbusters (1984)
24. The Endless Summer (1966)
25. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
26. Midsommar (2019)
27. The Goonies (1985)
28. American Graffiti (1973)
29. The Way, Way Back (2013)
30. Alien (1979)
31. Jurassic Park (1993)
32. Back to the Future (1985)
33. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
34. National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983)
35. Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
36. In the Heights (2021)
37. High School Musical 2 (2007)
38. Thelma & Louise (1991)
39. Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar (2021)
40. Crazy Rich Asians (2018)
41. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
42. Now and Then (1995)
43. Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
44. Y Tu Mamá También (2001)
45. Blue Crush (2002)
46. The Kings of Summer (2013)
47. 500 Days of Summer (2009)
48. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
49. Before Sunrise (1995)
50. The Avengers (2012)
51. Top Gun (1986)
52. Rear Window (1954)
53. Palm Springs (2020)
54. Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood (2019)
55. WALL-E (2008)
56. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
57. Booksmart (2019)
58. The Lizzie McGuire Movie (2003)
59. Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)
60. The Parent Trap (1961)
61. Aquamarine (2006)
62. Mystic Pizza (1988)
63. Toy Story 3 (2010)
64. The Notebook (2004)
65. The Great Outdoors (1988)
66. Summertime (1955)
67. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 (2008)
68. Aliens (1986)
69. The Lion King (1994)
70. How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998)
71. My Girl (1991)
72. Caddyshack (1980)
73. Inception (2010)
74. Amarcord (1973)
75. Book Club: The Next Chapter (2023)
76. Flamin’ Hot (2023)
77. It Takes Two (1995)
78. Luca (2021)
79. Barbie (2023)
80. Fire Island (2022)
81. The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
82. Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
83. The Seven Year Itch (1955)
84. Charlie’s Angels (2000)
85. The Meg (2018)
86. The Last Song (2010)
87. Bridesmaids (2011)
88. Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018)
89. Friday the 13th (1980)
90. Point Break (1991)
91. Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
92. Batman (1989)
93. Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday (1953)
94. Summer with Monika (1953)
95. Cheaper by the Dozen 2 (2005)
96. Wine Country (2019)
97. The Karate Kid (1984)
98. Something’s Gotta Give (2003)
99. Hot Summer Nights (2017)
100. Spider-Man (2002)
101. In the Heat of the Night (1967)
102. Roman Holiday (1953)
103. Men in Black (1997)
104. Forrest Gump (1994)
105. Morvern Callar (2002)
106. The Last Summer (2019)
107. Die Hard (1988)
108. Body Heat (1981)
109. Eighth Grade (2018)
110. Up (2009)
111. Iron Man (2008)
112. Real Women Have Curves (2002)
113. Clueless (1995)
114. Crossroads (2002)
115. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)
116. The Graduate (1967)
117. Southside with You (2016)
118. We’re the Millers (2013)
119. What About Bob? (1991)
120. Heavyweights (1995)
121. Camp Rock (2008)
122. Grown Ups (2010)
123. Star Trek (2009)
124. Gladiator (2000)
125. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
126. What a Girl Wants (2003)
127. Monte Carlo (2011)
128. Gremlins (1984)
129. Tomboy (2011)
130. Cruel Intentions (1999)
131. Enchanted April (1992)
132. Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between (2022)
133. Stealing Beauty (1996)
134. The Little Mermaid (1989)
135. My Summer of Love (2004)
136. King Richard (2021)
137. Miss Juneteenth (2020)
138. Summer Catch (2001)
139. Apollo 13 (1995)
140. Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
141. Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (2021)
142. The Inkwell (1994)
143. Finding Nemo (2003)
144. RV (2006)
145. Teen Beach Movie (2013)
146. There’s Something About Mary (1998)
147. Say Anything (1989)
148. The Cheetah Girls 2 (2006)
149. Under the Tuscan Sun (2003)
150. Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)
151. Wonder Woman (2017)
152. Twister (1996)
153. Dope (2015)
154. The Baby-Sitters Club (1995)
155. Summer ‘03 (2018)
156. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017)
157. Summer School (1987)
158. Chasing Liberty (2004)
159. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days (2012)
160. Easy Rider (1969)
161. Flipper (1996)
162. Inside Out (2015)
163. Joy Ride (2023)
164. L’Avventura (1960)
165. The River Wild (1994)
166. Meatballs (1979)
167. Crooklyn (1994)
168. Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)
169. Ratatouille (2007)
170. The Fugitive (1993)
171. Almost Famous (2000)
172. Addams Family Values (1993)
173. Risky Business (1983)
174. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
175. Superbad (2007)
176. The Florida Project (2017)
177. Speed (1994)
178. Beach Rats (2017)
179. Challengers (2024)
180. Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995)
181. North Shore (1987)
182. Staten Island Summer (2015)
183. Taking Woodstock (2009)
184. Lilo & Stitch (2002)
185. Bull Durham (1988)
186. Daddy Day Care (2003)
187. A League of Their Own (1992)
188. The Beach (2000)
189. Summer Rental (1985)
190. The Sixth Sense (1999)
191. Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead (1991)
192. Eat Pray Love (2010)
193. Along for the Ride (2022)
194. Banana Split (2018)
195. George Washington (2000)
196. Happiness (Le Bonheur) (1965)
197. Shirkers (2018)
198. Summer Magic (1963)
199. Unrelated (2007)
200. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
201. Field of Dreams (1989)
202. The Little Mermaid (2023)
203. Indian Summer (1993)
204. Inglourious Basterds (2009)
205. Anne of Green Gables (1985)
206. Annie Hall (1977)
207. The Help (2011)
208. Troop Beverly Hills (1989)
209. Theater Camp (2023)
210. Ticket to Paradise (2022)
211. Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
212. Cast Away (2000)
213. Shrek (2001)
214. Lords of Dogtown (2005)
215. Before Midnight (2013)
216. Men in Black: International (2019)
217. My First Summer (2020)
218. The Hurt Locker (2008)
219. Avengers: Endgame (2019)
220. District 9 (2009)
221. Jurassic World (2015)
222. Sylvie’s Love (2020)
223. The Swimmer (1968)
224. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
225. Little Darlings (1980)
226. Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
227. Lady Bird (2017)
228. Mafioso (1962)
229. Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983)
230. Summer ’03 (2018)
231. National Lampoon’s Animal House (1978)
232. Baywatch (2017)
233. Everybody Wants Some!! (2016)
234. Blissfully Yours (2002)
235. Ghostbusters (2016)
236. Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008)
237. Pollyanna (1960)
238. Summer of 84 (2018)
239. Toy Story 4 (2019)
240. Moana (2016)
241. Aftersun (2022)
242. Beaches (1988)
243. Grown Ups 2 (2013)
244. Sleepover (2004)
245. The Green Ray (Summer) (1986)
246. Minority Report (2002)
247. Hit Man (2023)
248. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
249. Poetic Justice (1993)
250. The Long, Long Trailer (1954)