Summer Movie Diary: The Endless Summer (1966)

Summer is almost over. You may feel the need to cram in as many fun-filled, carefree summer movies as you can before you go back to school and have to start cramming for tests. If you want a film that screams Hakuna Matata, then look no further than The Endless Summer.

What it's about: This 1966 documentary was made by surfer Bruce Brown and follows two surfers named Mike Hynson and Robert August as they spend their summer traveling the world searching for the perfect wave. The California natives journey to South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, and Hawaii, doing nothing but surfing and taking in some local culture. The reviews were positive and the National Film Registry selected the film for preservation in 2002.

Why it's great: This is the most chill documentary I have ever seen. When I say chill, I mean there is no dramatic background music, no editing techniques to make you think a certain way. Bruce Brown's narration is the funniest I have ever heard in a documentary; he's cracking jokes and doesn't take anything too seriously. This film is solely about surfing. There's no agenda or viewpoint to convince the viewer, no history lesson to teach. There are some interesting lines that definitely remind you that this was made in the 1960's, but it is a fun, easy movie to watch. If you are interested at all in '60's surf culture, then you need to see the movie that got the world excited about surfing and made surfing in different countries more popular.

Why it's a perfect summer movie: I mean, come on, it's a movie about surfing and it's set during the summer! The Endless Summer is going to give you the itch to travel and go on your own amazing summer vacation. It will make you want to go to the beach right after you see it and overall put you in a summer mood. ("Good Vibrations" by The Beach Boys plays in the background.)