May We Suggest - Movies

With a wonderful thing called a portable DVD player, or a DVD player in your mini-van-you can take a movie with you anywhere. Like…camping…for example. As fun as camping can be, when the weather does not cooperate it can quickly turn into a war zone if you have a family crammed in a tent with nothing to do. Or, you might have a not-so-thrilled-about-going-camping camper in the group that you might need to entertain. So while you are packing the ingredients for S’Mores and extra socks, why not add a few movies to the back pack as well.

May we suggest….

Cute Kid Comedy:

The Parent Trap

The original version of this movie, with Hayley Mills, is just way too cute. The story is about two identical twin girls who didn’t know each other existed until they meet for the first time at a summer camp. Starting out as enemies, they become friends…and switch places when it is time to go home. This is a great family film that will keep everyone laughing at the all the hijinks.

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Teen Angst Drama/Comedy:

Little Darlings

This movie might be called Little Darlings, but the girls in this teen flick are anything but. It starts out with the typical teenage girl movie cattiness, resulting in the two main characters in a bet to see who will lose their virginity first. Honestly, it isn’t the best movie ever, but it does examine how girls view puberty and their “first time.”

Tear Jerker:

Indian Summer

This movie first came out in 1993; it is about group of adults invited back to their childhood summer camp for a reunion during an Indian Summer. The camp director treats all of them like campers, and forces them to participate in the same activities they did as children. The movie is great because it captures the unique relationships only those who have gone to camp together can experience. During their trip, old memories resurface and they are all faced with difficult decisions. What will they do? You’ll have to watch to find out.

Weird Comedy:

Wet Hot American Summer

This is one funny movie for those of you who appreciate weird humour. If you are easily offended, don’t watch it—remember it is Rated R (gasp) for a whole lot of sex, obscene language, and drug use. It is definitely an exaggeration of the things that happen at camp, but so funny. If you have a kooky sense of humour, you will get a kick out this camp movie.

Raunchiest Comedy:

American Pie

This movie is not at all about a summer camp (unless you count one of the many spin-offs), but it does have the line that everyone remembers: “This one time, at band camp…” Now nobody can tell camp stories without someone flashing this line at them. Yes, that’s right. I’m recommending this movie just for that line.

If you don’t mind watching a bunch of oversexed (or wannabe oversexed) teenagers acting like morons, this movie is for you. It has some pretty crude humour, but if you have to choose—go with Wet Hot American Summer for some real laughs.

Silly Slasher Horror:

Sleepaway Camp (1, 2, & 3)

I first saw these movies during my “I love scary movies” phase as a teenager. But these are not scary movies—these are funny slasher flicks. If you have a sense of humour, you will laugh your way through the Sleepaway flicks. If you don’t have a sense of humour, you will think these are the dumbest movies ever. Beware—the killer in this movie has no mercy for anyone “fornicating” at camp. Funny lines:

“Is that a gun?”

“No, it’s a drill!”

Make You Scared of Camp Horror:

Friday the 13th

If you watch these movies, you will probably have a hard time walking across a summer camp alone at night. Apparently, Jason Voorhees drowned at Camp Crystal Lake because the counsellors were too busy hooking up to pay attention to him. Well, Jason comes back to chop to pieces any teenager dumb enough to come back to the camp. You want to be too scared to go to camp? Watch the Jason movies.

~Suzzane McNab~

© Copyright, 2010 Main Street Magazine/Rain Enterprises

As seen in the May Issue of Main Street Magazine.

Printed in Canada, ISSN: 1920-4299 by Rain Enterprises