Certain movies are able to evoke that bittersweet feeling of the final few days of summer. They capture the apprehension of starting a new school or college year, of friends or lovers going their separate ways, or of a big change taking place. And they marry that feeling with the excitement and satisfaction of completing a quest, or relaxing after an adventure - the lessons learned, and the relationships strengthened.
These are movies that take place during the summer but have key scenes with that end-of-summer feeling - the paddle back to shore in Adventureland.
Moonrise Kingdom (2012)
Wes Anderson's quirky fantasy rom-com is the perfect end-of-summer movie. It follows two delinquent 12-year-old runaways: Sam, a scout camp escapee, and Suzy, who runs away from her parents. They plan to find a secluded, romantic cove on the small island of New Penzance, which is home to Scout Camp Ivanhoe and Suzy's house, aptly named Summer's End.
Sam and Suzy evade the island's police chief, Khaki Scouts troop 55, and Suzy's parents until they are tracked to the church's bell tower and their transient affair is brought to an end. The plot was inspired by Anderson and Coppola's childhood experiences and fantasies, which may explain why the whole film has an orangey-yellow tint, as though viewed through nostalgic summer spectacles.
Almost Famous (2000)
Almost Famous is a coming-of-age road trip movie for the ages. In the film, 15-year-old William pretends to be an adult in order to land a job writing for Rolling Stone. His article assignment takes him on tour with rock band Stillwater, where he is witness to all kinds of sex, drugs, and rock & roll depravity.
At the end of the movie, Stillwater's guitarist finally submits to an interview and visits William's childhood home. It's a quiet, reflective scene, with just the two of them talking in William's bedroom, in direct contrast to the storm of energy, excitement, and crowds throughout the film. Despite the end of his adventure, there is a promise of big things on the horizon for William and his career as a writer.
Adventureland (2009)
James, Em, and a plethora of other hilarious characters spend the summer of 1987 working at Adventureland, a neglected theme park in Pennsylvania. The film is drenched in nostalgia, with a soundtrack featuring '70s and '80s Gods Lou Reed, Hüsker Dü, and The Cure. The characters even make each other "summer bummer" mixtapes.
At the end of the film (and of the summer), James' love interest Em moves to New York to study, leaving Adventureland on bad . James, who is confused about what his next step in life is and hasn't got enough money for graduate school, decides to take a risk and follow her there. The sadness of leaving his friends and uncertainty of the future is overshadowed by the excitement of a new life with Em in New York. The two reconcile in her apartment as rain shatters down.
The Way, Way Back (2013)
The Way Way Back follows an introverted teenager who goes on summer vacation with his mom and her cruel, patronizing boyfriend, played by Steve Carell in one of his few roles as an antagonist rather than a lovable lead. Duncan escapes his mom's boyfriend's wrath by working at a water park, where the manager Owen, a jovial big brother figure, takes him under his wing and buoys his confidence by showing him respect and pointing out his positive attributes.
At the end of the movie, Duncan has to leave his new friends and dream job, but he takes with him a newfound self-assurance. Owen also puts the mom's boyfriend in his place in a satisfying moment of justice served.
Jaws (1975)
Cape Cod is an archetypal New England vacation spot, and this blockbuster follows Chief Brody and co. as they hunt down the great white shark that has been terrorizing the residents of the fictional Massachusetts hamlet, Amity Island. It's a dangerous, high-stakes quest with more than a few sad moments, as Quint and several others fall victim to the shark, but there are many moments of camaraderie between the trio of Brody, Hooper, and Quint that provide comic relief.
At the end of the movie when the expedition has been successful, Brody and Hopper paddle back to shore, clinging to barrels and laughing to themselves as seagulls croon and waves lap. It's a final moment of peace after a violent ordeal.
About Time (2013)
This film About Time covers all seasons as it follows protagonist Tim's life from an 18-year-old making his way to the big city through the birth of his second child a decade later. However, there's something particularly warm and fuzzy about this time travel rom-com that qualifies it as an end-of-summer movie.
A central tenet of About Time is the father-son relationship. The final scene of the film sees Tim and his father go back in time one last time - before the latter's death - to a glorious late summer's day on a beach in Cornwall, where they run around as the sun sets and the music swirls. Tim's favorite song is also "The Sunscreen Song," the lyrics of which he quotes after being blindsided by his sister's car crash, and which serves as a mantra for not worrying. The film teaches viewers about seizing the day and enjoying the moment, which is kind of what summer is all about.
Disturbia (2007)
This thriller flick inspired by Hitchcock's Shia LaBeouf's best earliest performances. After witnessing the man across the street murder his wife, Kale enlists the help of his friend Ronnie and Ashley, the new girl next door, to try and find some evidence of his neighbor's wrongdoings.
Although Disturbia is a thriller film involving a serial killer, it's also ultimately a story of group adventure - and even romance, between Kale and Ashley. When combined with the balmy suburban setting, successful conclusion of an epic quest, and the eventual removal of Kale's ankle tag, it certainly feels like a new beginning and the end of an eventful summer.
Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)
This Jason Segel-penned movie follows lackadaisical music composer Peter as he grapples with a breakup by going to Hawaii, only to find that his movie-star girlfriend Sarah Marshall is staying at the same resort. Among the island's wacky characters - including the surf instructor with memory loss played by Paul Rudd and a sexually stunted newlywed couple -- is the hotel employee Rachel, whom Peter soon falls for.
Rachel helps Peter see how awful Sarah is and follow through on his dream of composing a Dracula-themed rock opera. The movie captures fleeting interactions with interesting people and the uncertainty of nascent love. Eventually, Peter is able to complete his musical, get over Sarah once and for all, and progress in his relationship with Rachel, but only after a summer filled with misery and awkwardness.
Kings Of Summer (2013)
Seeking freedom from his controlling and critical father, Joe heads to the woods with two of his friends and decides to build his own house. The three friends swim in lakes, hunt for food, and have the time of their lives living off the "fatta the lan'" in their makeshift house. However, when Joe invites a girl over and she ends up taking a shine to his friend Patrick, cracks start to form in their idyllic off-grid lifestyle. Patrick ends up returning to suburban home comforts and things continue downhill from there.
The two eventually reconcile, and the film ends as they are driven home by their parents and come to with their inescapable fate: life on the grid. It's a slightly melancholic ending, but the experience was eventful and no doubt priceless, perfectly encapsulating that end-of-summer feeling.
Stand By Me (1986)
This Stephen King story of youthful adventure and friendship perhaps epitomizes the theme of this list more than any other movie. When four friends set off on a journey across Oregon in 1959 to find the dead body of a missing boy, they encounter all kinds of danger -- bullies, leeches, a junkyard dog, and they narrowly avoid being hit by a train. They argue, cry, and tell stories around a campfire. It's a quintessential summer adventure that feels endless.
Except the story does end: with present-day Gordie revealing that his friends drifted apart soon after that summer, with the new school year and a new chapter for each of them. It's a plaintive ending and definitely feels like summer's close, yet Gordie's experience was so memorable that he's compelled to write a book about it years later.
