Top 5 Best Summer Blockbusters of All Time

By Beau Behan, Film Critic

Summer is naturally a season for escapism. Abounded in hot and dry temperatures, its offerings of fun, leisure and entertainment activities is endless.

One that easily comes to mind is to go see a blockbuster film. After all, we are currently living in the Blockbuster Age of Hollywood, the era that arguably began in 1975 with the theatrical release of Steven Spielberg’s “Jaws.”

Blockbuster films are defined to be astronomical by nature— high-budget production, A-list cast and crew, and high-profile marketing. Aimed at mass markets worldwide with their extravaganza of flares and gimmicks, they are not usually the darlings of the film critics, and most of them are released between May and August of each year.

On the contrary, I would like to offer you my top 5 summer blockbuster films which are all critically acclaimed, Oscar winners, and Oscar nominated for Best Motion Picture.

5. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

Synopsis: Years after the collapse of civilization, the tyrannical Immortan Joe enslaves apocalypse survivors inside the desert fortress the Citadel. When the warrior Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) leads the despot's five wives in a daring escape, she forges an alliance with Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy), a loner and former captive. Fortified in the massive, armored truck the War Rig, they try to outrun the ruthless warlord and his henchmen in a deadly high-speed chase through the Wasteland.

4. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Synopsis: Renowned archeologist and expert in the occult, Dr. Indiana Jones, is hired by the U.S. Government to find the Ark of the Covenant, which is believed to still hold the ten commandments. Unfortunately, agents of Hitler are also after the Ark. Indy, and his ex-flame Marion, escape from various close scrapes in a quest that takes them from Nepal to Cairo.

3. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

Synopsis: After a gentle alien becomes stranded on Earth, the being is discovered and befriended by a young boy named Elliott (Henry Thomas). Bringing the extraterrestrial into his suburban California house, Elliott introduces E.T., as the alien is dubbed, to his brother and his little sister, Gertie (Drew Barrymore), and the children decide to keep its existence a secret. Soon, however, E.T. falls ill, resulting in government intervention and a dire situation for both Elliott and the alien.

2. Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977)

Synopsis: The Imperial Forces -- under orders from cruel Darth Vader (David Prowse) -- hold Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) hostage, in their efforts to quell the rebellion against the Galactic Empire. Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and Han Solo (Harrison Ford), captain of the Millennium Falcon, work together with the companionable droid duo R2-D2 (Kenny Baker) and C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) to rescue the beautiful princess, help the Rebel Alliance, and restore freedom and justice to the Galaxy.

1. Jaws (1975)

Synopsis: When a young woman is killed by a shark while skinny-dipping near the New England tourist town of Amity Island, police chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) wants to close the beaches, but mayor Larry Vaughn (Murray Hamilton) overrules him, fearing that the loss of tourist revenue will cripple the town. Ichthyologist Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) and grizzled ship captain Quint (Robert Shaw) offer to help Brody capture the killer beast, and the trio engage in an epic battle of man vs. nature.

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