Good movies with great music strike summer at the movies must-stream gold when the soundtrack or songs associated with the movie make a lasting impression.
Here’s a list of entertaining and fun flicks playing on screen and streaming on a device near you along with musical previews of filmtastic songs.
9 to 5
Sing it with me, folks…
Workin’ nine to five, what a way to make a livin’
Barely gettin’ by, it’s all takin’ and no givin’
They just use your mind and they never give you credit
It’s enough to drive you crazy if you let it
Thief
Action drama thriller from 1981, Thief is the debut feature film from director Michael Mann.
Actors James Belushi, Dennis Farina, William Petersen, and Robert Prosky make their film debuts in Thief.
OST (original soundtrack) by Tangerine Dream and Composer Craig Safan is mesmerizing.
Almost Famous
Life on the road with an up-and-coming rock band gathering material for a feature article to be published in Rolling Stone magazine becomes a 15-year-old boy’s journalistic field of dreams.
Coming of age on the road in the presence of all that comes with the rock and roll lifestyle turns this comedy-drama film written and directed by Cameron Crowe into a remarkable 122 minutes.
The Graduate
Directed by Mike Nichols, this off the wall comedy-drama written by Buck Henry and Calder Willingham stars Anne Bancroft and Dustin Hoffman.
Iconic tunes from folk-rock duo Simon and Garfunkel headline the film’s soundtrack with jazzy numbers by Dave Grusin echoing the sounds of sixties swing.
Sunporch Cha-Cha-Cha by Dave Grusin brings to mind summer happy hour à la Florida in the swinging sixties.
Jackie Brown
Crime drama written and directed by Quentin Tarantino starring a premier ensemble cast including Pam Grier, Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Forster, Bridget Fonda, Michael Keaton and Robert De Niro.
Tarantino turns crime and street smarts into an entertaining twist.
Bonus Track:
American Graffiti
Produced by Francis Ford Coppola and directed by George Lucas, American Graffiti tells the story of high school endings and next phase beginnings merging with changing times of 1962.
Nothing ever really changes but the clothes and the music, and the music featured in this days gone by film took the soundtrack to triple platinum.
The Big Chill
Friendships go through stages, growing pains, and the general stuff that comes with the adult part of life after college. Directed by Lawrence Kasdan, The Big Chill brings its fair share of comedy to the drama party when a group of college friends gather to bid farewell to one of their group.
What is originally intended for a gathering of a couple of hours turns into a weekend of revelations and realizations all set to tracks of the times that resulted in one very popular soundtrack.
Rocky
Nominated for ten Oscars, Rocky has become an American film institution. Written by and starring Sylvester Stallone, the rags to riches sports drama took the box office of the mid 1970s by storm never looking back.
“I was nobody. But that don’t matter either, you know?
‘Cause I was thinkin’, it really don’t matter if I lose this fight.
It really don’t matter if this guy opens my head, either.
‘Cause all I wanna do is go the distance.”
Bonus track to really get the winning spirit kicked in.
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Outlaws of the Old West working the buddy system as bandits mastering a series of train and bank robberies, running from the law, and making questionable career changes.
American Made
Summer at the movies Tom Cruise edition, American Made, directed by Doug Liman, is an action comedy influenced by former TWA pilot Barry Seal who becomes a drug smuggler for the Medellín Cartel.
When his less than admirable side hustle is discovered he becomes an informant for the DEA in order to avoid serving time in jail.
Two music mentions make the sounds of summer cut, one a shout-out to Louisiana where Barry Seal hailed from, and one a house favorite from George Harrison.
Saturday Night Fever
Summer isn’t summer without a little Saturday Night Fever.
I’ve seen this movie over forty times, and over the years have boogied down to the heavily disco influenced soundtrack with enough night fever to last a lifetime.
Mask
Directed by the late Peter Bogdanovich, Mask is based on the life of high school student Rocky Dennis who has a rare bone dysplasia.
Starring Cher as his mother, Sam Elliot as her boyfriend, and Eric Stoltz as Rocky, this is a film that depicts the spirit of determination and power of love.
Tracks from Bruce Springsteen frame the director’s cut, and Bob Seger tunes fit the narrative of the theatrical version with lyrics true to the story.
Bob Seger gets it so right when he reminds us rock and roll never forgets.
Pop some popcorn, turn up the AC as well as the volume, and enjoy the summer pastime ritual of watching good movies with great music.
