#Middlebury
This week, I’m taking a break from my regularly scheduled programming. Social distancing and staying home have all of us playing remote control king and queen of the couch, but as the temperature outside steadily climbs, my thoughts have been straying to classic summer adventures. Here are five great movies you can stream for summer vibes safely from your sofa.
“American Graffiti” – The 1973 classic by Francis Ford Coppola is a coming of age story for a group of high school graduates on the last night of summer in Modesto, California. The lives of drag racers, daydreamers, hoods and romantics intertwine – Curt (Richard Dreyfuss) enlists a radio DJ in his pursuit of a hot blonde in a T-Bird (Suzanne Somers); Steve and Laurie (Ron Howard and Cindy Williams) fight and make up again.
“One Crazy Summer” – Ah, the timeless love story of Hoops McCann (John Cusack), an insecure, failed basketball player who must illustrate a love story in order to apply to art school, and Cassandra Eldridge (Demi Moore), a gutsy guitar-wielding musician on a mission to save her grandfather’s house from the stuffy Beckersted family. Unfolding on Nantucket, this 1984 charmer was written and directed by Savage Steve Holland, and features iconic ’80s actors Curtis Armstrong, Bobcat Goldthwait, Joel Murray and even Jeremy Piven.
“The Sandlot” – A group of boys hang out, cruise the local community pool for stolen kisses and generally have a great time learning lessons and cementing lifelong friendships in this 1993 sleeper. When Scotty Smalls moves to town, he takes up baseball, joining a cast of characters that includes Benny the Jet, Ham, Squints and Yeah-Yeah. They play at an empty lot, but when Smalls borrows a special ball from his dad, and then loses it over the fence, the boys must face a giant beast to get it back. If you haven’t seen this film, then “You’re killing me, Smalls.”
Ross Lynch, Maia Mitchell in “Teen Beach Movie” (Disney photo)
“Teen Beach Movie” – This one is straight out of the Disney channel, and couldn’t be stickier or sweeter if it tried. Best friend surfers (Ross Lynch, Maia Mitchell) find a necklace on the beach, which whisks them away on the waves and straight into a beach party musical, complete with a goody two shoes who falls for a biker gang gal – or should have until the newcomers arrive to muck it up. They’ll have to work together to make things right in order to get back home. Packed with all the catchy tunes you’d expect from a Disney TV musical.
“Wet Hot American Summer” – This 2001 cult treat is set in 1981 Camp Firewood, a Jewish summer camp anchored by head counselor Beth (Janeane Garofalo). While she’s busy falling for the local astrophysicist (David Hyde Pierce), the other counselors and campers find friendship, the agony of a good love triangle and bug bites. It’s heavy on sketch comedy, parody and warped nostalgia, and is definitely not for the kiddos.
New Releases
“The Invisible Man”
“Wildlife”
“Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band”
“The Deuce” The Complete Series
“Queen of the South” Season 4
“Scorsese Shorts” Criterion Collection (Blu-ray)
© 2020 King Features Synd. Inc.
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