Top Gun: This was the defining blockbuster for a baby-faced Tom Cruise, who heads up an irresistible mix of F-14s, cool nicknames and homoerotic volleyball. Top Gun is as loud, silly and unashamedly cheesy as the best summer cinema aspires to be.
Crocodile Dundee: An unexpectedly huge hit, this fish-out-of-water comedy sees Mick 'Crocodile' Dundee discovering new uses for his 'bushman' skills when he's brought to New York's urban jungle. Boasting a charming blend of broad laughs and guileless romance, Crocodile Dundee continues to be a quotable favourite to this day.
Aliens: This time, it's war… James Cameron took the terror of Ridley Scott's original and exchanged it for ripping action in one of the all-time great sequels. So different, the two movies don't need to enter a 'Which is better?' contest, although Sigourney Weaver's sterling Ripley provides a gripping throughline between the two.
Ferris Bueller's Day Off: One schoolboy prankster's day spent bunking off school became one of the most iconic films of the '80s. Whether you caught it at the time or not, John Hughes' insight to the teenage mindset means you can actually relate to the characters, and it remains the yardstick for the ideal way to spend a day off when you're pulling a sickie.
The Fly: Probably the easiest entry point into David Cronenberg's body-horror canon, this grim sci-fi has it all. Dodgy haircuts notwithstanding, The Fly has remained vital thanks to the practical effects, portentous themes and, significantly, the love story at its core.
As Suggested By: Paul BlackDynamite Lavender, Alex Bott
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Comments
redreed
Jun 2nd 2011, 11:20
the movies of next year are my reasons for living: the avengers and the dark knight rises what more can you want?
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Hadouken76
Jun 2nd 2011, 12:12
1998 for me...Armageddon, Saving Private Ryan, Blade, Theres something about Mary..
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Hadouken76
Jun 2nd 2011, 13:11
..and Truman Show!
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Jsilver
Jun 2nd 2011, 15:53
Temple of Doom a damp squib? How dare you...
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Jsilver
Jun 2nd 2011, 15:53
Temple of Doom a damp squib? How dare you...
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Jedijayo
Jun 2nd 2011, 15:53
Um you forgot 1993 for God's sake!! Jurassic Park alone made for a historical summer, but there was also The Fugitive, The Firm, Sleepless in Seattle, In the lIne of Fire, Cliffhanger and, well, The Last Action Hero. AMAZING YEAR!!!!!
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Arethosemyfeet
Jun 2nd 2011, 18:03
1982: You seem to be forgetting THE THING!!!
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MrScary
Jun 2nd 2011, 18:57
I saw The Monster Squad in the theatre in 1987 and it was the only time I was the only person in the theatre. I believe I snuck into Can't By Me Love after it and that flick was 10 times better. McDreamy sucks, Ronald Miller rules!!!
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MrScary
Jun 2nd 2011, 19:04
For me in no particular order I like 75, 77, 84, 82, 85, 80, and 86. Looking back at those years all of the big films were surprises, unlike today; where there is a new X-Men or Batman or Harry Potter or Transformers film every other year. Yes, eventually you have the occaisional Hangover, but most summer movies are all special effect bonanza. Look at all of the super hero films coming out this summer as an example.
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ScottFree
Jun 2nd 2011, 20:20
I agree on 1998...!!! 2001....Shrek, Monsters Inc., Pearl Harbor, Mummy Returns....
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Monkeynuts30
Jun 3rd 2011, 2:53
There's no point yelling at the TF team folks, this one was written (pretty much) by the fans.
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fortunesfool
Jun 3rd 2011, 8:51
Um, 1991 - The Rocketeer and Backdraft were also released that summer.
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FBNFatima
Jun 7th 2011, 12:11
1979 the muppet movie 1980 airplane 1982 ET 1984 gremlins 1986 aliens 1987 robocop 1989 batman 1990 gremlins 2 1991 terminator 2 1992 batman returns 1994 lion king 1995 apollo 13 1996 independence day 1997 face/off 1999 the matrix, 6th sense, 10 things i hate about u 2002 minority report 2003: Pirates Of The Caribbean , finding nemo, x2 2005 sin city 2008 wall e, hellboy II, dark night 2009 up 2010 scott pilgrim vs the world, inception, toy story 3
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andrewwylie
Aug 25th 2012, 9:12
Got to be either 1980 but more so 1994 only year on the list that every film is quality for me
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aragorn01
Aug 25th 2012, 13:33
i agree with 1989, 84 (but what bout Beverly Hills Cop? thought that was a summer release.. And Indy Jones and the Temple of Doom), 02, 99 (but Phantom Menace shoulda been included, cuz even if it's kinda dull, it still scored HUGE at the box office), 90 (where's GHOST? and Pretty Woman was a SPRING release, not summer..same with 95's Braveheart. there were also Die Hard 2 and Presumed Innocent), 87 (what bout THE UNTOUCHABLES..?? that was the clear summer gem) and in 85, wasn't either Breakfast Club or St. Elmo's Fire a summer release..?? in 2004, didn't we get like 3 HUGE sequels in one summer, Spidey 2, Bourne Supremacy and Shrek 2..?? 98 shoulda been included..we got Saving Private Ryan, Armageddon, Mulan, Truman Show and the other falling sky rock flick, Deep Impact.
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aragorn01
Aug 25th 2012, 13:33
oh, and i also agree with 2008..though i'd include The Incredible Hulk.
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Hadouken76
Aug 25th 2012, 16:39
Nowadays, I think Summer blockbusters have been ruined by the constant drip-feeding of information, sometimes from as far as 8 months before the release of the actual movie. Pre-internet the most you got was a preview at the start of the year and maybe a behind the scenes a week before the movie was out. That was it. Now its information overload, hype for hype sake, the teaser trailer of the teaser trailer of the teaser trailer of the trailer, to point where theres no surprises, because you have half glimpses half of the movie. Can imagine how less an impact Jurassic Park would have been,if you had seen most of the dinosaurs in the Autumn of '92? Thats my theory, anyway. Everyone else might feel differently.
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Hadouken76
Aug 25th 2012, 16:41
'half glimpses half of the movie'? WTF? Why do I always proof read AFTER I post the comment? I of course meant 'because you have already glimpsed half of the movie'.
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meyeronfire5
Aug 26th 2012, 12:24
2012 was a pretty good year for summer movies too
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jessehammer
Aug 27th 2012, 19:35
I hate to be a Fussy Freddy and all but Pulp Fiction was an Autumn release as was A NIghtmare On Elm Street.
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ash333
Aug 28th 2012, 9:20
Oof, 84, 85 and 86.. What a time to be alive Take back that damp squib comment
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hwdn88
Aug 28th 2012, 10:59
I thought 1994 would of been a lot higher, it had top-notch everything that year
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michaelhunter
Aug 29th 2012, 21:45
USA 1989 for the size of each respective movie and the quality. 2 genuine heavyweight all time blockbusters in Batman and Indiana Jones 3 backed up with Lethal Weapon 2, Honey I Shrunk the Kids and Ghostbusters 2. Then you have the heavy hitters in Do The Right Thing and Dead Poets Society. Through The Abyss, Parenthood, Turner and Hooch and Sex, Lies and Videotape. All round a very good summer from June through August with plenty of choice from known franchises to new blockbusters to quality drama.
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