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Stephanie Curtis' summer movie suggestions
May 23, 2003

During an appearance on MPR's Midday, Stephanie Curtis issued a list of recommended movies for the summer of 2003. Here is that list.

St. Paul, Minn. —

Stephanie’s Top 5 War Movies in Honor of Memorial Day

1. Saving Private Ryan: Only watch the D-Day scene. After the first 20 minutes the movie becomes a ponderous, pointless talk-a-thon. But that opening scene is terrifying, gorgeous and moving.

2. The Deerhunter: The best Vietnam War film. It follows some hometown friends before, during and after the war. A brutal portrait of how war can scar.

3. The Longest Day: A traditional, rousing Hollywood epic.

4. Das Boot: The claustrophobic tale of young men serving on a German U-Boat who painfully learn how vulnerable they are.

5. Hamburger Hill: A harrowing recounting of one of the bloodiest battles of the Vietnam War. It’s little seen, but wonderful.

Worst Summer Movies of All Time

1. The Phantom Menace: After we waited over a decade, George Lucas delivers a bafflingly poorly directed and written film that has none of the magic of the first three. I’ll take those annoying Ewoks over Jar Jar Binks any day.

2. Planet of the Apes: Tim Burton’s update of the sci-fi classic looked cheap and barely made sense. Why did he even bother if he wasn’t trying to top the original?

3. Contact: Every summer there’s at least one movie that’s billed as a “movie for grownups.” This is the worst of that lot: long, soulless and dull. Do they think grownups like to be bored?

4. Jaws 3-D: In honor of every bad sequel that has come our way, I choose the silliest of the lot. Don’t go in the water? Don’t go in the theater.

5. Viva Knievel: Evel Knievel stars as himself. Poor Gene Kelly is along for the ride. This represents the scary soul of the Hollywood’s summer movie goal: we’ll make absolutely anything to make a buck.

Best Summer Movies of All Time

1. Jaws: The movie that got made Hollywood realize they could make money--lots of money--in the summer. It’s a thrilling and funny movie to boot.

2. Shrek: A kid’s movie that I think adults actually liked better than the tots.

3. Do the Right Thing: Not only is this a great film released in the summer, it is also set on a sweltering day in New York City. Spike Lee follows a neighborhood on the brink of conflict. It’s funny, scary and wonderfully acted.

4. Meatballs: Summer is the time of dumb comedies and this is one of the silliest. Bill Murray is head counselor of a summer camp staffed and attended by dorks. Somehow manages to be acidic and sweet.

5. Out of Sight: This is what a “grownup movie” should be. Sexy, funny and suspenseful. Steve Zahn as the clueless Glenn gives the funniest of the film’s many great performances.

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