We are currently in the dog days of summer. A time when it is the most hot and humid. Soon fall will be here along with pumpkin spice and the changing of the leaves. Until then, there are those people who aren’t fans of the heat at all(me included). Some of us would much rather stay inside surrounded by the air conditioner, cool in our beds, watching comfort movies. What are the best types of comfort movies? Horror movies of course. If you like to stay cool but still want the feeling of summer, I got you covered. Here are some summer horror movies to watch.
Jaws
Not only the ultimate summer horror movie but what many consider the first real blockbuster. It became the first film ever to reach 100 million dollars in the domestic box office. The story of Martin Brody, Matt Hooper, and Quint searching to try to stop a man-eating shark is still intense and mesmerizing almost 50 years later. Full of summer vibes as it takes place on a beach a lot of the time and over the 4th of July weekend. With great moments, a great score, and a great villain, Jaws is not to be missed.
Sleepaway Camp
Man, I love this one. After Ricky and Angela arrive at camp people start getting murdered. Who is responsible and why is this happening? This movie is full of memorable characters, some fun kills, and some of the most quotable lines in horror. It can be cheesy and over the top for sure but that adds to its charm. It truly encompasses the feeling of camp and the activities that occur. It also has one of the best endings in horror history.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
One of the most influential horror films of all time is The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. When Sally, her brother Franklin, and their friends take a trip to check on Sally’s grandfather’s grave, they stumble upon a deranged family and must do what they can to survive.
This movie is still scary to this day. It is shot beautifully yet disturbingly coming off as a snuff film. The graininess adds to the experience. You can feel the fear of all the characters and the Texas summer heat radiates off the screen. It is funny how most people remember this movie being incredibly bloody and violent when in reality, there is not one drop of blood on screen. It just shows how effective Leatherface and this movie is.
Friday the 13th Part 6
The Friday the 13th franchise screams summer. The first one is iconic but in my opinion, the best one is part 6. Jason returns once again to cause havoc among campers and counselors. Friday the 13 part 5 received poor reviews and did not do well at the box office. With this, they decided to make 6 full of fun kills, with a better script and tons of memorable scenes. Activities like swimming and paintball are shown; funny enough, this is the only Friday the 13th movie to feature campers. Actual kids in danger create more risk.
I Know What You Did Last Summer
I Know What You Did Last Summer is a classic when it comes to teen slashers. The movie may not hold up 100 percent but it’s still a fun time. The main cast is fun and the story is engaging. There is tension throughout and even though it is not an exact adaptation of its source material, it makes for a fun ride. Especially during the spooky season.
Midsommar
Ari Aster is a unique director. Everything he has been a part of has a strong sense of dread. Midsommar achieves being scary in the daytime. The whole film takes place during the day and everything in it works. The story is good. The acting is incredible and it stays with you after it’s over. Why not spend your time with a crazy cult in a foreign country?
Tucker and Dale vs. Evil
Tucker and Dale is easily one of the best horror comedies ever made. Alan Tudyk is pretty popular in the fandom world, especially because of shows like Firefly. Here he is hilarious while playing more of a straight man character.
The story follows best friends Tucker and Dale who have saved enough money to purchase their summer home. A place where they can fish and take it easy. Some college students come across them and judge them by their appearance. Automatically thinking they are evil. When the college students start dying one by one due to wild accidents, Tucker and Dale must clear their names from this crazy misunderstanding.
Often hilarious and gory, this is a must-see with a standout performance from Tyler Labine as the loveable Dale.
Wrong Turn
Friends traveling through West Virginia suddenly start to have some car trouble. They find a group of backwoods cannibals hunting them. The cannibals are hungry and won’t be reasoned with.
Wrong Turn is a fun Eliza Dushku-led horror film that has some creative makeup, creative kills, and a likable cast. It spawned several sequels, some good and some bad. Either way, this first entry is still a solid summer horror film that many still think about when going the wrong way.
Popcorn
Popcorn is a movie that has a love for horror. The story is about a master of disguise killer who begins killing college students when they are planning a horror movie marathon during the summer.
When I think of summer, I think of the drive-in. I think of late-night movie marathons and it brings my heart such joy. This movie is so much fun. The killer is creative, the kills are entertaining and the movie makes you feel like you are in this abandoned theatre with the cast. The students pick 3 movies for their marathon. Even though the rest of the movie takes place in the theater, the films shown on screen are pretty great too. They were all filmed and made just for this film and it truly is a treat.
Popcorn is definitely for those who love horror and love movies about people who love movies.
The Ruins
The Ruins is an underrated horror film from 2008. A group of couples are vacationing in Mexico when they come across an archaeological dig with their tour guide. The locals aren’t happy they are there and won’t let them leave. Carnivorous plants emerge from the dig causing hell for our cast of characters.
You may think that this plot sounds silly. It does. The effects and body horror throughout though are something special. The movie is a good time and a warning about wandering off on vacation.
