Best movies to watch on the beach this summer
Last updated: August 1, 2025
Summer's here and nobody wants to be inside watching movies when the weather's this nice. But you don't actually have to pick one or the other. Just grab your laptop and a blanket, throw in a small speaker if you have one and you can watch movies outside. Doesn't matter if it's on the beach, your backyard, or just sitting on your balcony – you can do both things at once.
The Breakfast Club
This one is a no-brainer for beach rewatching. Five kids stuck in Saturday detention, talking their way through teenage life. The characters feel real, the soundtrack's perfect and those oneliners are still quotable after all these years. There's something about watching it while you're sprawled on a towel doing absolutely nothing that just makes sense. Maybe it's the whole rebellious vibe when you're supposed to be productive.
The Royal Tenenbaums
This Wes Anderson film follows a really messed up New York family and watching it feels like flipping through someone's bizarre family photos, except they're all stunning. Everything looks amazing – the bright colors, the way people dress and how they speak in this formal but odd manner. It's good for lazy days when you want something quirky without having to concentrate hard.
Big Fish
This one's got magic written all over it if that's what your beach day is missing. A dad tells his son all these crazy stories that might be true, might not be, with scenes that look like they came from old Southern fairy tales. The timing matters, put this on when the sun starts going down and prepare to get emotional.
Mrs. Doubtfire
Sometimes you just need pure comfort food in movie form and this is exactly that. It's funny, it's chaotic and it's got that wonderfully wholesome 90s thing going on. Robin Williams doing voices while he's doing the washing-up is still comedy gold. Even though you've probably seen it a million times it never stops being entertaining. Perfect for having on in the background while you're sipping something cold.
When Harry Met Sally
This movie hits different when you watch it during sunsetwith all those pink and orange colors in the sky. They have these really smart conversations and their connection feels real, not like they're just acting. It's like watching two people slowly fall for each other on one of those long walks where you lose track of time. Even though everyone knows the restaurant scene by heart – what she orders and how she orders it – it's still fun to watch every time.
The cinema of summer
Summer's really about making memories and sometimes the best ones come from doing the simplest things. So next time you're packing your beach bag, throw in a computer. Your own little summer cinema is waiting.
