School’s out, and today marks the official First Day of Summer. While many of us are planning trips to beaches, camp sites, or amusement parks, I think one of summer’s best offerings is right down the street.
One of my favorite places to go on a summer afternoon is the local movie theater. It’s quiet, it’s air conditioned, and even with rising movie ticket prices, it’s still cheaper than a day at the amusement park. Besides, here in the South, we never know when we’ll get a sudden afternoon downpour, and there’s no better way to kill a few hours when it’s too rainy to be outside.
If you’re a fan of big blockbusters, the summer is the best time of year for movies. This year, I’m looking forward to a few myself – Finding Dory looks like a great pick for the whole family; I live by Dory’s “Just Keep Swimming” mantra.
I’m also a big fan of the Jason Bourne movies (starring Matt Damon), so the upcoming Jason Bourne means that my hubby and I (and Jason!) already have a date night scheduled on our summer calendar.
With all of the sequels, remakes, and returns to classic casts, this summer feels a little like meeting up with old friends. In addition to my boyfriend, Jason Bourne, and my pal Dory, I can’t help but notice remakes, like Pete’s Dragon, Ben Hur, and an old favorite – Ghostbusters.
1984, the summer the original Ghostbusters was released, was one of the biggest summer blockbuster years of all time. The action classic Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom came out as well. In addition, Gremlins, The Karate Kid, Red Dawn, Revenge of the Nerds, Purple Rain, and The Terminator all hit theaters that same summer.
My parents had just moved us from the city of Wilmington, North Carolina to the boondocks: Burgaw, NC. With straight brown hair that cascaded down my back, my purple mini skirt and my purple and white polka dot shirt, I was clearly far more cosmopolitan than the locals – LOL!
But I was thankful for summer movies – even though I was now living in the country, I still had something to talk about with my more sophisticated city friends in Wilmington.
While we wait for this year’s summer movies (Are The Secret Life of Pets and Bad Moms destined to be the new classics?), I suggest grabbing some microwave popcorn, bringing up your Netflix account and getting retro with it!
Queue up a few of these summer movie classics and recreate the eighties all over again – but with better air conditioning (and better hair!) this time around.
Happy Monday and Happy Summer,
~Mary
