Summer is almost over, which means that it’s time to beat the heat by going inside and watching some movies in the sweet sweet air-conditioning to live out our summer dreams for as long as possible. As kids, summer was always the best season because we had school vacation. But as we’ve gotten older, it’s gotten easier and easier to forget why we loved summer.
Now, thanks to the “Hot Girl Summer” movement, hot girls all over the world (“hot” meaning “fun; always down for a good time”), we’re once again encouraged to let our hair down, jump into the ocean, and party until the break of dawn … even if it is time to re-enter society for the autumn. Luckily, we can keep the summer fun going thanks to these seven movies.
Wet Hot American Summer (2001)
The title speaks for itself, but for those who haven’t already watched Wet Hot American Summer, it’s the perfect film to round out a summer. Taking place over the last day of summer camp, it features many A-listers before they rose to household name fame, including Paul Rudd, Bradley Cooper, Amy Poehler, Elizabeth Banks, Christopher Meloni, and many, many more. Created by David Wain and Michael Showalter (who also stars as “Coop”), the humor oscillates between absurd and just-plain silly. From inappropriate relationships gone wrong (and right) to 20-minute drugged marathons, Wet Hot American Summer is the perfect summer film to elicit nostalgic hotness.
Aquamarine (2006)
Almost every girl wants to feel like a princess, and one of our all-time favorite summery princesses is none other than Ariel of The Little Mermaid. So what better way to close out the summer with a viewing of the ultimate mermaid saga, Aquamarine? It has everything we could ask for from an early 2000s summer romp — romance, friendship drama, and of course, a fantastical universe in which real-life mermaids exist. So jump in the water and get wet to celebrate “Hot Girl Summer” one last time in 2024 with Aquamarine.
Crossroads (2002)
The world is still enraptured with the allure of Britney Spears. After we “freed” her from her conservatorship in 2021, fans have continued to monitor her wellbeing through her questionable Instagram posts. In all of the real-life drama surrounding Britney, it’s easy to forget why she won our hearts in the first place, but Crossroads is the perfect reminder. The 2002 film showcases Britney at her finest on a girls’ trip to try to meet her mother, who abandoned her at a young age, with her two childhood besties. While a summer fling romance adds some of the spicy summer love we crave during a “Hot Girl Summer,” the true epitome of the season exists in her rekindled friendships and iconic karaoke performance.
Barbie (2023)
It might be a more recent movie, but we all have to thank Greta Gerwig, Margot Robbie, and of course, Barbie as a whole for giving us the ultimate “Hot Girl Summer” movie. With an abundance of pink and cowboy campiness, plus Ken’s occupation as “beach,” there is no film that better captures the season. But what makes it a “Hot Girl” film? It’s not necessarily the fact that Barbie is the archetype of a classically “hot” woman. It’s not even the overbearing theme of feminism that many of the women the film marketed to didn’t need to relearn. It’s the comraderie between Barbie, America Ferrerra’s character, and all the other more diverse Barbies. Between the celebration and reverence of “Weird Barbie” and the homage paid to Ruth Mattel(?) (portrayed by TKTK), Barbie’s legacy extends far beyond its one-season blockbuster hype.
The Lizzie McGuire Movie (2003)
2024 was easily the summer of travel for many “hot girls” thanks to the loosening of COVID-19 restrictions and general safety in the skies. As friends jetted around the world, however, some of us didn’t have that luxury. So what better way to travel than through the whims of our favorite childhood characters? The Lizzie McGuire Movie follows Lizzie and the gang on a school trip to Rome when Lizzie is confused with a popular Italian singer who seemingly ghosts Lizzie’s attractive Italian love interest, Paolo. For anyone who wants to continue singing summer anthems into the autumn, “This Is What Dreams Are Made Of” is the ultimate hot girl tune. The film eventually celebrates female camaraderie and lifelong friendship instead of random summer flings while showcasing the joys of traveling to a new city.
Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion (1997)
Romy and Michele are ready to show the world who they really are … or at least who they want to be in the feminist and fun girl romp, Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion. Lisa Kudrow and Mira Sorvino star as the ultimate best friend duo, from high school classmates to Los Angeles roommates. Their matching dresses and gogo heels are the dream summer besties outfits. With a soundtrack that makes us want to drive with the top down, this girly favorite is a classic “Hot Girl Summer” movie.
Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)
Whether it’s “Hot Girl Summer” because you’re celebrating self-love or because you may have had a recent breakup, there’s no better film to watch than Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Not only does Jason Segel have his own “hot boy summer” while his ex goes on a luxury vacation with a grimy pop star, but Mila Kunis’s carefree vibe is a shining example of what we want every ideal summer to be.
