An amazing movie can be watched at any moment in time, but there are certainly films that particularly resonate with a specific time of year. In the summer months, visuals of bright blue oceans, thrilling tropical adventures, and travels to faraway places become far more enticing. It’s also the time that nostalgia for childhood days strikes hard.
Perhaps it is because such movies are nostalgic. One is reminded of back when summers were vacations and not simply hot days followed by mosquito-frenzied nights. There is no better streaming service to indulge that wistfulness than Disney Plus, and the platform has some great summer films subscribers can watch there.
10 Lilo And Stitch
Spawning one of Disney’s largest franchises with three sequel movies and three spin-off series, along with a live-action adaption in development, Lilo And Stitch is one of the studio’s most beloved titles. Not only does it invoke nostalgia for childhood fans, but also a sense of summer with its setting in Hawaii.
The coastline is almost always in sight, and characters are often swimming or surfing in their beautiful, blue sea. And of course, it invokes memories of summer days when one’s ice cream scoop met a tragic fate.
9 Luca
This wholesome film combines a vibrant ocean, the charm of a small Italian town, and a lesson about embracing change even when it’s scary. All these ingredients together cook up a whimsical summer tale. Stuffed with plenty of pasta and rustic alleyways, the creators made an effort to truly pack the film with Italian culture. That said, the animation is so lovely that even viewers who have no familiarity with Italy are sure to fall in love with the fictional coastal town.
Luca and Alberto’s true identities as sea monsters are actually drawn from Italian folklore, such as the myth of Cola Pesce who supposedly swam so often, that his mother got frustrated and cursed him to be a fish.
8 The Parent Trap
This remake of the 1961 film of the same name (arguably superior to its predecessor) served as Lindsay Lohan’s acting debut. This movie meshes together nearly every summer vacation fantasy one can imagine: an expansive lakeside camp where campers practically have free rein, horseback riding through a California vineyard, making calls in London’s trademark red telephone booths, candlelit dinner on a yacht, and even an old-fashioned camping trip in the woods.
While Lindsay Lohan’s youthful performance is exceptional, Dennis Quaid and Natasha Richardson, who play the parents caught in the trap, do so with captivating chemistry. Anyone could understand why their twin daughters believe they’re meant for each other.
7 Moana
Inspired by Polynesian mythology, Moana tells the story of the titular heroine and her journey to save her island with the demigod Maui. Although it was released in November, one can’t help but think of summer beach days when watching the film’s anthropomorphic ocean which guides Moana on her mission.
The ocean serves as the primary setting of Moana, and is one of the most gorgeously rendered bodies of water in animation. Not to mention, it has a soundtrack that’s easy to blast all summer long.
6 A Goofy Movie
If viewers don’t have any of their own summer memories of a chaotic road trip, let this movie’s goofy ride fill that void. Everyone’s favorite goofball decides to take his rebellious son, Max, on a father-son fishing trip to reconnect after Max pulls a prank during an assembly on the last day of school (a feat that many have wished to accomplish).
A Goofy Movie is a bumpy journey, but it's one with lots of heart and some iconic hyuk hyuks. And if summer road trips aren’t nostalgic enough, music fans can enjoy the film’s Prince and Michael Jackson-inspired pop star, Powerline.
5 The Princess And The Frog
Set in New Orleans, Louisiana, this fantasy film was Disney's last traditionally hand-drawn feature-length animation to date and introduced Tiana, who would become the first Black Disney Princess. The story takes place during Mardi Gras, a spring holiday, but its cozy swamp setting invokes memories of the humidity of summer and its distinctive fireflies that light the sky on those warm nights.
The Princess And The Frog is set to receive its own water ride in Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom, where it will replace Splash Mountain. What says summer more than a water log ride?
4 Finding Nemo
As a season associated with swimming, what could be more summery than a movie whose most iconic quote is, “Just keep swimming”? This underwater (for the most part) tale won Pixar its first Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, and for good reason.
Not only does it show the viewer the grandeur that lies beneath the ocean’s surface, ranging from vividly colored coral reefs to dark trenches where the faintest light persists. But it teaches even those on land important lessons about letting go and pushing oneself to know what they can accomplish.
3 Pirates of the Caribbean
This hilarious franchise has gained so much notoriety that many forget it originated as an eponymous dimly lit Disney Park boat ride. Along with sharing a name, both the films and the attraction have shared a lead actor, with Johnny Depp once donning Jack Sparrow’s smudged eyeliner to surprise park-goers.
These tales of adventures at sea have charmed audiences, a cinematic incarnation of the make-believe games children play. Especially on summer beach days, when that salty breeze is in the air and a shiny rock could be mistaken for a mysterious crystal.
2 The Incredibles
The Incredibles is undoubtedly the most iconic superhero film to date that had no origin as a comic, though it was certainly inspired by both their art, superhuman characters, and action. Despite not being released in the season, this critically acclaimed movie embodies all the best features of a summer blockbuster without sacrificing thematic depth or fleshed-out characters in its flashy explosions and impeccable action sequences.
This is the film viewers can point to when someone inevitably utters, “cartoons are for kids.” Whether viewers are on summer break or their Junes are simply warmer work days, this masterpiece is for everyone.
1 Jungle Cruise
Based on the Disney Park ride of the same name, the adventure film is led by sea captain Frank Wolf and botanist Dr. Lily Houghton, played by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Emily Blunt respectively. Critics and viewers agree that this film is no Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, but if viewers are simply looking for a fun popcorn film with some great special effects and some tropical escapades, Jungle Cruise will satisfy that craving.
If anything else, it’ll give viewers something to remember the next time they find themselves on Disney’s riverboat ride.