20 movies to watch on a lazy afternoon

The ultimate lazy afternoon movie. Jaws will take a chunk out of your afternoon — and your arm, if you're not careful — thanks to Steven Spielberg's atmospheric direction. This is a horror movie that spends more time fleshing out its beach community than it does their inhabitants, who themselves add to the postcard charm.

It's the ideal summer vacation for a group of kids when they...find a monster? They find a boatload of treasure, too, which makes this the equivalent of striking gold for families on a lazy afternoon.

This is a musical made for lazy afternoons. For one, it's really long. You're going to need some free time if you want to watch Julie Andrews save a family from Nazi occupation. For another, it's endearingly gorgeous, with a setting you want to cozy up to for a number of hours.

If you're on the couch all day, you might want to travel somewhere beautiful through your screen. Enter Hayao Miyazaki: arguably the greatest director at building atmosphere and worlds you want to visit. His story of a fish turning into a human is a dazzling adventure you won't want to miss.

More Miyazaki! This time it's the story of a fighter pilot who happens to be a pig. Yes, you read that right. Porco Rosso trades pigs in a blanket for pigs in a plane, and the result is more delectable than you can imagine. 

Grab the surf wax, dude. We're traveling the world looking for surf. In The Endless Summer, a couple surfers travel the world looking for new breaks, adventures and horizons. What they find is a sumptuous travelogue.

Wondering what to watch with the boys on a lazy afternoon? Put on Dazed and Confused. Richard Linklater's high school comedy is about as entertaining as movies get, which makes it a perfect watch with some buds and Budweisers — or whichever beer you prefer.

It's a beach movie. It's a comedy. It's a story by the great Jacques Tati, who invented a cinematic language that went on to inspire directors like Wes Anderson to create their own quirky vibe. It's a nice choice for a lazy afternoon.

Did you really think we were going to leave Clueless off our list? As if! This high school comedy was made for lazy afternoons, with its laidback vibe and comfortingly silly humor.

Most of you have already watched this one on a lazy afternoon, whether as a kid or an adult. Home Alone remains a staple of afternoon viewings. In fact, the premise of a kid stuck at home pretty much lends itself to staying at home with nothing to do.

Sometimes you just want to turn your brain off and watch something you know is cheesy, but works anyway. Dirty Dancing is about as subtle as a dance club in a summer camp — you can hear the music and see its moves from a mile away. But that doesn't stop us from tapping our feet to the beat of its romantic chemistry.

For movie buffs who want a little more substance with their escapism, we got you. Forget the cheesy blockbusters for a second and turn your eyes to A Matter of Life and Death. A wispy daydream about a man who escapes death to be with his crush, this is the kind of escapism that doesn't just pass the time, but suspends it in a haze of colorful grandeur.

Four besties find a pair of jeans that fit them all perfectly, so they decide to ship them to each other over summer vacation. The result is a drama that fits nicely into a lazy afternoon.

A film about lazy afternoons on the French Riviera. La Piscine is about as atmospheric as movies get, from the stars to the locations to the... well, just about everything in this movie is sizzling cool.

Look past the horror label and Jurassic Park is a breezy escape. No really, the first part of Steven Spielberg's blockbuster is a theme park with genuine thrills. And when the dinosaurs escape, it's still a fun ride worth taking. There are some scares to be had, but we like to watch it through the lens of popcorn entertainment.

It's got a number of elements you want from an afternoon film, including fencing, fighting, monsters, true love and a kidnapped princess. Not to mention laughs, adventure and finesse. This fantasy remains a staple of cinematic escapism.

I'll be back... to watch this on a lazy afternoon. Either that, or some other time of day. You can watch this story of a robot sent from the future anytime of day and still be sucked into its action-packed charms. 

Would this really be a Nancy Meyers movie without a dreamy backdrop and a number of movie stars? No, no it wouldn't. But that's what makes this comedy about two women swapping homes such a delight. 

It's about a bunch of people hanging out at a country club, many of whom are played by successful comedians. Of course we were going to include Caddyshack on our list. Turn your brain off and get ready to laugh hysterically. 

A comedy that reminds you not to take lazy afternoons too often. Ferris Bueller's Day Off is about living your best life, embracing the good things and making every day as great as possible. Watching Ferris ditch school is truly inspiring. Not to mention a fun time.