8 Ultimate Summer Movies to Watch Before Season 2025 Begins

Summer movies really do hold that special power to take us along with them on a fun and carefree ride even before the season officially kicks off.

As May rolls around and we're counting down the days until summer 2025, we have 8 absolute must-watch films that'll get you in the mood for the season. If you're getting ready for summer 2025, don't forget to add these essentials to your watch list.

Everybody Wants Some!! (2016): Throwback to the '80s

• On Rotten Tomatoes, Everybody Wants Some!! has 87% from critics and 68% from the audience.
• On IMDb, Everybody Wants Some!! is rated 6.9/10.

Everybody Wants Some!! feels like that last weekend of freedom before real life kicks in. The movie follows our freshman protagonist as he finds his footing in a completely new set of circumstances. It's his last summer before college, and it's sure to be a wild one.

If you liked how Richard Linklater brought a 70s vibe to Dazed and Confused, you're going to be obsessed with what he did with the 80s setting in this one.

Available on: fuboTV, MGM+, Philo, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Apple TV, Spectrum On Demand.

Do The Right Thing (1989): A Scorching Classic

• On Rotten Tomatoes, Do The Right Thing has 92% from critics and 89% from the audience.
• On IMDb, Do The Right Thing is rated 8.0/10.

The heat is on (literally and figuratively) in this Spike Lee classic. This film takes place over the course of a single summer day, where racial and social tensions bubble to the surface.

Do The Right Thing is THE summer movie that perfectly bottles that sticky, sweaty, on-edge feeling of a scorching city day.

Available on: Netflix, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Apple TV, Spectrum On Demand.

Lilo & Stitch (2002): Ohana Means Family

• On Rotten Tomatoes, Lilo & Stitch has 86% from critics and 78% from the audience.
• On IMDb, Lilo & Stitch is rated 7.3/10.

Want to feel like a kid again? OG Lilo & Stitch is a perfect choice.

Lilo is a young Hawaiian girl who adopts what she thinks is a strange dog, only to discover that she's brought home an alien experiment named Stitch. If you've seen it, you know it's a story about a family and finding your place in the world. And if you haven't, what are you waiting for?

Available on: Disney+, Microsoft Store, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Apple TV.

The Sandlot (1993): Baseball & Friendship

• On Rotten Tomatoes, The Sandlot has 66% from critics and 89% from the audience.
• On IMDb, The Sandlot is rated 7.8/10.

The Sandlot is the kind of childhood summer that lives in our memories rent free.

This coming-of-age classic follows Scotty Smalls, the new kid in town who just wants to fit in. He finds his people when he joins the neighborhood baseball team playing on the local sandlot.

Available on: Disney+, Fandango At Home, Microsoft Store, Amazon Video, Apple TV.

Chef (2014): A Wholesome Summer Road Trip

• On Rotten Tomatoes, Chef has 87% from critics and 85% from the audience.
• On IMDb, Chef is rated 7.3/10.

Surviving a bad food critic review for a chef is tough, but our main character is tougher. He forgets about the failure and takes to the road alongside his son and some friends. His goal is to bring joy and happiness to people through what he loves most: food. Chef is the ultimate feel-good movie you turn to when you want some good distraction.

Available on: Fandango At Home, Microsoft Store, Amazon Video, Apple TV.

Kiki's Delivery Service (1989): Magic in the Air

• On Rotten Tomatoes, Kiki's Delivery Service has 98% from critics and 89% from the audience.
• On IMDb, Kiki's Delivery Service is rated 7.8/10.

Honestly, almost any Studio Ghibli movie is going to be a good pick for summer, but Kiki's Delivery Service is simply enchanting. Following a young witch who must leave home, this film is a true representation of the freedom and self-discovery that come with summer.

Available on: Max, Microsoft Store, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Apple TV.

Jaws (1975): The OG Summer Blockbuster

• On Rotten Tomatoes, Jaws has 97% from critics and 91% from the audience.
• On IMDb, Jaws is rated 8.1/10.

We can't have a summer movie list without Jaws. A shark terrorizing a beach resort may not sound like your typical summertime fun, but this has since become a definite must-see for many before summer starts.

Available on: Microsoft Store, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Apple TV, FlixFling, Spectrum On Demand.

Adventureland (2009): Summer Job of Your Dreams

• On Rotten Tomatoes, Adventureland has 89% from critics and 61% from the audience.
• On IMDb, Adventureland is rated 6.8/10.

Anyone who has ever had a summer job will relate to Adventureland. Fresh out of college, James takes a seemingly dead-end job at a local amusement park. But instead finds a newfound friendship, romance and some unexpected life lessons.

Available on: fuboTV, MGM+, Philo, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Apple TV, Spectrum On Demand.