Some of the best geeky films of all time have come out in summer, and there are plenty of films to choose from to prove it. We know that we can expect amazing special effects, iconic heroes and villains, and too many instantly quotable lines to count, but we’ve also gotten some of the best geeky films all time from the summer blockbuster season. Here are the films that encapsulate summer movie season (that you probably already love).
Jurassic Park
Michael Crichton’s novel hit the silver screen in June 1993, and nobody ever thought of dinosaurs the same way again. Whether it was thanks to the amazing animatronic velociraptors, the way you screams when the jeep almost crashed into the ground, or Jeff Goldblum just being Jeff Goldblum, Jurassic Park is the quintessential summer movie. Period. Even more so because it gave us several sequels, including last summer’s Jurassic World, and what’s more blockbuster-y than too many sequels?
The Avengers
Iron Man may have been Marvel Studios’ first film (and that film that “started it all”), but it was The Avengers movie in May 2011 that defined what a superhero movie could be for audiences across the world. We got Loki – one of modern pop culture’s best villains – and we got science bros Mark Ruffalo and Robert Downey Jr. Oh, and did we mention it grossed over a billion dollars? In 2011, that was nearly unheard of, and it set the stage for summer blockbusters to come.
Independence Day
I’m tempted to just post President Thomas Whitmore’s iconic speech to the pilots here, but I feel like that’s cheating. The alien special effects and action sequences are great, but it also gave us some amazing character moments. Who didn’t want to be Will Smith as he flew his plane? Or Jeff Goldblum as he was just being Jeff Goldblum (again)? And yes, because of the name of the film, we get to rewatch this film ever Fourth of July and shout “Today we celebrate our Independence Day!” as loud as we possibly can.
The Dark Knight
Before we got the New 52 and the very, very dark DC Cinematic Universe, The Dark Knight proved that not every great summer movie needs to be upbeat, fun, or mindless. Christopher Nolan created a dark, twisted, think piece that was also a ton of fun to watch on screen. Not only did this film surpass all expectations (critically and financially), but it made clear that there is no typical “summer movie.”
Ghostbusters
No, not the reboot that’s set for July 2015 (although with that cast, it could become and instant summer movie classic). When you get some of the best comedic talents to star in a horror-action-comedy movie, along with the queen of science-fiction, Sigourney Weaver, you can expect an amazing film that you can watch again and again and again. The cast aside, we also love the special effects in this film (as cheesy as they are) like the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man and Slimer. Who knew slime could be so much fun?
Inception
The second Christopher Nolan film on this list – it’s hard to believe that this is a film that he and his brother created together (and independently from any existing IP). We may never know if the top stops spinning, but Inception’s combination of sci-fi thriller, heist film, and conspiracy flick make for a perfect summer movie.
Let us know your favorite Geeky Summer Film in the comments below
