Theater Camp and 3 Other Most Heartfelt Movies With Summer Vibes
There are frivolous comedies about holiday romances, as well as serious films.
Summer cinema can transport you – if only in your imagination – to that special time of short nights and hot days. Its unique atmosphere and vibrant colors warm your soul, even on the gloomiest of days.
1. Theater Camp, 2023
Every summer, the most talented kids come to a New York theater camp, where they spend weeks meeting famous actors and participating in productions.
But the camp's long history is suddenly in jeopardy. The camp's founder has fallen into a coma, and the reins of power are in the hands of her wayward son, Troy. Together with a team of friends, Troy saves his mother's business.
It was one of the top hits of the 2023 Sundance Festival. Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman's gentle comedy deliberately rejects modern Hollywood norms – it has no big stars or cameos, but it does have a decent moral and a talented cast of non-professional child actors.
2. Luca, 2021
A boy named Luca spends an unforgettable vacation in a cozy Italian village. He makes new friends, rides an old Vespa through the narrow streets and, of course, falls in love.
The idyll is spoiled by one thing – Luca is no ordinary boy. Behind his innocent exterior lies a monster from the depths of the sea that everyone in town wants to kill. But even this fact cannot spoil Luca's vacation.
The animated film by director Enrico Casarosa is the last true masterpiece of the Pixar studio. The original story failed at the box office in 2021, but Luca's adventures on the Italian Riviera are not harmed by poor box office receipts.
3. No Hard Feelings, 2023
A wealthy couple hires 32-year-old Maddie to seduce their uptight 19-year-old son before he leaves for college.
Deep in debt, Maddie tries to save her mother's house and agrees to a shady deal. To the surprise of her parents and the girl herself, the boy falls head over heels for Maddie. And decides not to go to college.
A black comedy with raunchy jokes and nudity was a bold move for Hollywood in 2023. Gene Stupnitsky's film is reminiscent of American Pie, only with more elegant humor.
4. Ticket to Paradise, 2022
A divorced couple reunite after many years apart. David and Georgia travel to Bali together to prevent their daughter from marrying a local man.
The parents are afraid their daughter will repeat their mistake, but their adventures on an exotic island will make them rethink their views on marriage.
The romantic comedy genre is supposed to have died in the mid-2010s, but director Ol Parker clearly hasn't heard of it. The nostalgic Ticket to Paradise relies on the tried-and-true duo of George Clooney and Julia Roberts.