The Ultimate Summer Movie Playlist

I was watching The Sandlot the other night and I couldn't help thinking that it is quite possibly the perfect summer movie.  Then I thought it would be fun to create the Ultimate Summer Movie Playlist, which is actually a lot harder than it sounds.  But I tried to pick five movies that I think perfectly encapsulate the summer season in one way or another.

First, of course, is the movie that got me started on this path, The Sandlot.  Is there another movie that screams summer like this one?  I don't think so.  For those who haven't seen it, what rock have you been living under for 20 years?!  The movie follows a group of kids as they spend a summer playing baseball, swimming at the local pool, and getting into a little bit of trouble.  It is absolutely wonderful!  And it gave us everyone's favorite line, "You're killing me, smalls!"

Next up is Jaws.  I usually watch Jaws at least once at the beginning of every summer. I don't really know why because it isn't exactly a topic that you want to think about for the summer, but for me, it just wouldn't feel like summer without watching Jaws.  It was the first real summer blockbuster, it takes place during summer, there's suspense, tension, and laughter, and it has some of the most memorable scenes in movie history.

Next up is National Lampoon's Vacation.  I mean, c'mon, it's about a summer vacation.  And who hasn't been able to relate to the Griswold's cross country trek to visit Wally World?  I know I can.  Everyone who has ever taken a road trip with their family knows how awful it is at the time, but how wonderful it was when you look back on it.  And that's what Vacation reminds you of.

The next movie on my playlist is Independence Day.  For Americans, nothing says summer more than the Fourth of July, and aliens.  And this movie has both.  I know the special effects look dated now, but I don't know anybody who can watch this speech and not get chills.

And finally, I'm going with another baseball movie, Bull Durham.  Summer means baseball, and while there are a lot of baseball movies I could have picked from, I chose Bull Durham because, well, it just feels like summer.  Although, Field of Dreams is the perfect Father's Day movie, and Major League is another great baseball movie, Bull Durham shows a summer of baseball that most people don't get to see.  And I often find myself watching it throughout the summer.

So that's my list.  What would be on yours?

My Top 10 Favorite Candies

A couple months ago the topic of candy was brought up at work.  We talked about different types of candy such as the candy bar, bite size candies, fruity candy, etc.  I envisioned writing a series of posts about the best of each genre of candy.  Well, I never got around to it.  Then the candy discussion was brought up again today, so I was reminded of my post ideas.  And then I realized I haven't posted anything in almost a month.  So I have decided to condense the topic and just list my top ten favorite candies of all time.  Remember, these are just my favorites.  This is not meant to be a list of the best candies of all time.  I realize everyone has their own preference and I encourage you to share yours with me as well.  But let's get to my list.  We'll go countdown style for this one.

10. M&M's
An all time classic, M&M's are candy royalty.  I like that they come in varieties such as Peanut and Peanut Butter.  You can very rarely go wrong by serving M&M's.  The reason they only rank 10th on my list is because as much as I love them, I don't often buy them, opting instead for the other candies on this list.

9. Twix
Buying Twix is like getting two candy bars for the price of one!  Plus, they're delicious.

8. Dum-Dums
Many people lament the fact that Dum-Dums are small for lollipops, but they pack a lot of flavor.  First and foremost, any candy that has a root beer flavor is a plus in my book.  And it's a quality root beer flavor to boot.  The other flavors offered are pretty good too, so the choices you have while eating Dum-Dums helps the ranking.  Plus, I like that they are small because I don't feel so guilty for eating one.

7. 3 Musketeers
Light, fluffy, chocolatey, delicious.  3 Musketeers utilizes a wonderful blend of chocolate and nougat.  It's the easiest candy bar to eat and hard to resist.

6. Hershey Bar
Another classic.  The Hershey Bar doesn't need any frills.  It's just plain milk chocolate whipped up into a delightful bar.  It doesn't get much closer to perfection than that.  And having been to Hershey, PA, it holds a special place in my heart.  And my stomach.

5. Lemonheads
This is probably the biggest outlier on this list.  Not many people reach for the Lemonheads on the candy shelf, but I love them.  I've always loved lemon flavored things, especially candy, and it doesn't get much more lemony than these.  I used to trade my friends for Lemonheads on Halloween because most of them didn't want them.

4. Crunch Bar
On first approach chocolate and rice might not seem like a good combination, but Crunch Bar pulls it off beautifully.  A nice, crisp candy bar that is always enjoyable.

3. Kit Kat
There's something fun about Kit Kats.  Maybe it's the fact that you can break them apart and choose to share or save for later.  Or maybe it's that crunchy candy is just inherently fun.  Either way, I love Kit Kats, and the fact that they have dark and white chocolate versions makes it even better.

2. Baby Ruth

Everything in life comes back to Goonies, including candy.  I'm not gonna lie, this is part of the reason why I love Baby Ruth.

1. Reese's Pieces
Another movie inspired selection, the inclusion of Reese's Pieces in ET is what first drew me to the candy, and I have been eating them ever since.  They are my go to when it comes to candy selection.  I just absolutely love them.

So that's my list.  Once again, feel free to share your favorites as well!