Whimsy watchlist that feels like summer
10 movies dripping with summery sea magic, childlike wonder, nostalgia, and a splash of humor…༄
We’re swimming deep in the depths of Summer’s waters and it’s fair to say, around this time, my mermaid obsession fully rises up to the surface. 🫧⋆｡˚⋆
Lately, I’ve been drawn to any movie with oceanic themes and even a hint of mermaid magic (some of which did not earn a spot on this whimsy watchlist—but I still found enjoyment in).
So far this summer, I’ve traveled back and forth to the coast—between hours of car rides and ferry trips over to islands and beach towns.
I find myself walking the shoreline thinking about mermaids and sea creatures, whispering my heart’s desires to the ocean tide, making wishes to the stars above at night, and keeping an eye out for all the glimmers of summer magic—which come in the form of spotting unique seashells that feel like a gift from the sea, evening summer storms that both scarily excite and sooth, and the way the sun scatters sparkles onto the ocean waters.˚✧ *₊ ✧ *
Not everyone has the natural gift of seeing the magic in everyday things, but I also believe it’s a muscle you can train.
✦☆✦ If you look for the magic, you will surely find it. ✦☆✦
While summer seems to have felt so much different in our younger years—because we were out of school and free to play, explore, and dream with no real world responsibilities yet—we still have the ability to tap into that childlike joy in our adulthood. And in fact, it’s crucial!
In a world that has hardened the hearts and hopes and dreams of many… may we all hold onto our whimsy!
Now let’s dive in… ༄⋆。
I’ve rewatched so many nostalgic movies this summer and discovered some new ones! I’ve also consumed quite a few YouTube conspiracy videos on mermaid lore across cultures—but we’ll save that for another future article.
Here’s the full list to reference back to:
𖤓 WHIMSY WATCHLIST 𖤓
Ponyo, Song of the Sea, Aquamarine, Splash, Lu Over the Wall, Surf’s Up, The Little Mermaid, Pirate’s of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, The King’s Daughter, Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue
To soak up all the summer vibes, let’s explore these 10 movies.
We’re invoking sea magic, channeling the essence of mermaids and fairies, reconnecting with our inner-child, and exploring themes of romance and friendship.
May we watch these movies to dream, to imagine, and to romanticize the season we’re living in. ⊹ . ݁˖
1. Ponyo (2008)
Ugh. Ponyo has my heart!
I can’t say enough about this movie (seriously, I could write an entire article over-explaining everything I love about it). If you watch any recommendation from my curated list, let this be the one.
As with all Studio Ghibli films, the animation style is just so visually pleasing, captivating, calming, and kawaii.
Kawaii: a Japanese word for “cute”, “adorable”, or “lovable”.
The way ordinary life is captured in a Studio Ghibli film is *chefs kiss*. The aesthetics, the whimsy, the characters, the plots, the emotion, the depth—pure artistry.
Set in a mountainous yet coastal Japanese town, you’ve got raging summer storms, the ocean and its magical creatures, sailors and ships, a beautiful sea goddess, a wacky sea wizard, childhood nostalgia, and innocent curiosity.
It’s about a little boy, Sosuke, who lives in a house on a cliff by the sea. He comes across a magical goldfish, whom he names Ponyo.
It’s a lesson of care, friendship, and unconditional love. With an underlying theme on the delicate balance between humans and the ocean.
I was curious to know why the name “Ponyo” and what it meant. I smiled to myself once my google search revealed the answer:
The director Hayao Miyazaki coined the word “Ponyo” as a Japanese onomatopoeia that captures the feeling of something “soft and squishy”.
With the pile of squishmallows on my bed as evidence, I am clearly obsessed with cute, squishy things! And Ponyo is the perfect expression of said cuteness.
You know when you see something so adorable that you just want to squeeze it? Yeah, that feeling.
Although there is a dubbed version, I rewatched Ponyo in Japanese with English subtitles. I really enjoyed hearing the Japanese language while watching—why do so many of their words sounds so cool?! Watching a movie in another language forces me to really be present and pay attention—as I typically am so used to multitasking while watching something.
Side note, I’ve been reading a book called “Eight Million Ways to Happiness”, which is all about exploring Japan’s spiritual practices and I was able to pick up on how Shinto beliefs have shaped these films. Like the way the ocean is personified and depicted as a conscious, living being (a Kami: a sacred spirit or deity). Something to be revered and respected.
In the Shinto religion, they view the ocean (and other forces of nature) as its own spiritual entity. One that may push back if disturbed with too much—resulting in catastrophic events like tsunamis *hint hint*.
I showed this movie to my boyfriend this summer and now every time we head to the beach and begin to see the ocean channels along the way, we say, “where’s Ponyo?!”—and this image of Ponyo running across the waves lives on rent free in my mind.
Sooo much about this movie makes me smile.
As a graphic designer and illustrator that took animation classes in college, I nerd out on the fact that Ponyo is made up of over 170,000 individual frames drawn entirely by hand. I have such a deep admiration for the animators that brought this film to life!
How fluid the movement of the water is in this movie… that alone is pure magic in itself.
Also, honorable mention, there’s currently a whole Studio Ghibli’s PONYO Exhibit in Los Angeles, CA: watch this IG reel for a peak into it.
I need to see this sooo bad!! If I can make it back out to CA to visit family before the exhibit is gone (by January of 2027), I will go see it—speaking it into existence. Otherwise, online reels and YouTube videos of other people’s experiences of it will just have to suffice.
2. Song of the Sea (2014)
Another really lovely animated movie!
As you can tell, I absolutely adore hand-drawn animation. The artistic style of this movie is so unique and refreshing to watch. It’s not just another animated character designed with 3-D software and CGI (which all tends to look so similar)—it’s different!
With hand-drawn characters and watercolor backgrounds that give it so much layered texture and patterning, I found myself getting lost in the artistry of this masterpiece. It’s made with a beautiful mix of traditional and modern techniques that still feels deeply organic and handcrafted.
Set in a coastal town in Ireland, the story revolves around a brother and sister relationship. We’ve got Irish folklore, Celtic mythology, dreamy sea lullabies, Selkies (shape-shifting sea-folk), adorable seals, and an ancient magical seashell.
The young boy, Ben, is on a quest to help his mute sister, Saoirse, find her voice and sing her song of the sea (hence, the title of the movie).
There’s complex family dynamics, underlying themes of grief, adventures to a forgotten spirit realm, tales of giants and faeries turned to stone, and plenty of magic and luminescence.
It’s a very beautiful movie and the music reminded me of the soundtrack to Coraline.
A must watch!
3. Aquamarine (2006)
Obvious choice. I know, I know. What girl hasn’t seen this movie? It’s a classic. A teenage rite of passage. And it’s worth rewatching each summer.
The giggles. The nostalgia. The dramatics. The Y2K style. The girlhood. The mermaid depictions. The living starfish earrings that whisper compliments. The dolphins and their squeals. The shell-phone arguments with Aquamarine’s father (Poseidon is that you?).
The mermaid wishes granted. The silly sound effects and girly screams. The mall scene. The boy crushes and their cringey slow-mos. The try hard meet-cutes. The color changing nails. The unconventional use of items. The binge reading of Teen Magazine and CosmoGIRL (filled with over-complicated and contradicting dating tips).
It all warms my heart and brings up nostalgic memories of girlhood.
Even the iconic water tower. I have never looked at a water tower the same ever again. Years ago, I even climbed up one with my friend one night in a small country town and thought about her.
Aquamarine who swam away from her father and ocean kingdom because of an arranged marriage to a merman who’s “as deep as a tidal pool”—this is a fair fear.
This quote comes to mind:
“Mermaids have no fear of depths, only a fear of shallow living.” - Anais Nin
On a quest to prove to her father that true love exists, she learns what it’s like to be human, and the not so nice realities that often come with our humanity. From the frivolous things to the more complicated feelings.
Aquamarine may or may not have found lasting romantic love but she found love in friendship and proved to her father that love does indeed exist—in its many forms.
And while her dad may think she has “bubbles in her brain”, I find her ditziness and delulu quite endearing.
Oh how I just LOVE movies from the 2000s. They were corny but in a good way (think, the Twilight Saga and A Cinderella Story). They weren’t trying too hard to be edgy or relatable, (like many of the newer rom-coms today) they were just a reflection of pop-culture at the time—and it was magical.
Aquamarine reminds me of my very memorable teen summers. And rewatching it made me want to put blue sparkly fairy tinsel in my hair—and so I did.
4. Splash (1984)
Think, your classic mermaid-reaches-land-in-search-of-love fairytale, but grown-up. Produced by Disney (under Touchstone), but with some nudity and adult humor. At the time, a new territory for Disney’s usual family-friendly films. (Yes, I look into breakdowns and fun facts after, and even before, watching a good movie.)
As soon as my boyfriend pointed out this movie on Netflix and I realized it was a mermaid rom-com and from the 80s, it was an immediate yes!
Older movies just have a different energy to them. Don’t get me started on John Hughes movies (The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink, Sixteen Candles—just to name a few favorites).
In this plot, a young Tom Hanks, is reunited with a (secret) mermaid whom he encountered as a young boy. While another threat dares to out her true nature, of course, he begins to fall for her.
Our fish out of water, Madison, with her crimped blond hair and tail that transforms to legs on land, is a very lovable character. She’s charming (as mermaids usually are), curious, mysterious, alluring, sensual, silly, and a bit chaotic. A whirlwind of sorts.
She is seen exploring New York City in the 80s as she tries to adjust to this strange new world.
I really appreciate and love the fact that Madison’s mermaid tail was a real hand-crafted and fully functional prop—no CGI! Fun fact, this same makeup and effects artist who created the mermaid tail for Splash, also worked on E.T. and Beetlejuice.
It weighed 35 pounds and took hours to be attached to her, yet our mermaid actress, Daryl Hannah, swam around in it so gracefully. Due to her fascination with The Little Mermaid growing up, she was experienced at swimming with her legs bound together as a child—which is something I think so many of us tried as little girls (I mean, I still play mermaids with my girlfriends to this day). She was perfect for this role.
There were many funny moments throughout this film that genuinely made me chuckle. I love its light heartedness.
If you’re looking for mermaid magic but with some adult humor, this is the one.
5. Lu Over the Wall (2017)
Yes, another animated movie. Animation just itches my artistic brain in a way that live action never could!
While it’s not quite Studio Ghibli level animation, it’s got that same aesthetically pleasing 2-D look that anime usually does—created using a combination of both digital and traditional techniques.
A Japanese island, known for its supernatural history and merfolk legends, celebrates their magical, aquatic roots. It’s about mermaids (and mer-doggies), music, dance, friendship, family, legends and curses.
Uniquely, the director attaches classic vampiric traits to the merfolk—like their vulnerability to sunlight, the ability of their bites to turn others into merfolk, and their hypnotic pull over humans.
And of course, what has a pull over the merfolk? Music. Lu, the mermaid, is drawn to one of the main (human) character’s through his tunes. The music itself is what transforms her mermaid tail into legs that dance.
Lu is such an adorable character, as she twirls around like a little ballerina with fish swimming in her floating teal hair.
If you love anime, music, mermaids, and dogs, you’ll love this movie. I just watched it for the first time.
6. Surf’s Up (2007)
This is an animated movie from my childhood that my siblings and I loved! It’s full of adult humor and filmed like an interview style documentary. I forget how genuinely funny this movie actually is.
Oh, the irony of penguins being pro surfers in a tropical setting. A complete contrast from their usual freezing cold habitat—it’s pure gold!
The main character Cody is obsessed with pro surfing and travels to a far out island to participate in a surfing contest where he unknowingly (at first) meets his old surfing idol.
There’s so many iconic scenes and standout moments. From the dysfunctional dynamic between Cody and his family, especially his older brother that bullies him. To Chicken Joe who’s the hilarious surfer dude that always seems high and says ridiculous things. And then there’s the arrogant Tank showing off “his ladies”—aka, his trophies. If you’ve seen this movie, you know the scene I’m referencing.
This movie brings worldly, materialistic possessions, and titles into question. It asks, what really matters in life? It makes you recognize that the joy is in the journey, rather than idolizing a win (or the destination) itself.
7. The Little Mermaid (1989)
My all-time favorite Disney movie, duh. Old Disney is just superior.
The art, the visuals, the animation style. Modern Disney could neverrrr, or maybe they could, if they’d branch out from their modern 3-D software and implement more traditional techniques.
I’m sure almost everyone has seen this one (if you haven’t, you might be living under a rock… at the bottom of the sea?).
Ariel is one of the Disney princesses that shaped our childhoods and ignited our imagination and understanding around the term “mermaid”.
As we all know, Ariel herself is curious, childish at times, a little delusional (in that lovable way), rebellious, free-spirited, and a hopeless romantic. Many of the qualities that us women resonate with.
There’s not much more to say about this movie that hasn’t already been felt. But it’s a classic animated movie that I always come back to when I want to feel closer to little me and the magic of the sea. It also expands into two other sequels and a remake—The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea, The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Beginning, and the newer live-action The Little Mermaid from 2023. And who knows how many other mermaid movies this classic fairytale inspired.
In my opinion, no matter how many remakes are done, the OG 1989 version will always be my favorite one.
Imagine this… a Friday movie night-in with yourself (or friends), just coloring and watching back-to-back mermaid movies.
One of my favorite fantasy artists known for her big-eyed characters (who also happens to be a licensed freelance artist for the Walt Disney Company) is Jasmine Becket-Griffith. I personally own her mermaid coloring book and a stunning fine art monograph of her work, which I adore!! She has her own shop full of many more goodies to choose from. You can also find galleries of her work at the Disney parks in California and Florida.
Both of these pages below were colored at Bald Head Island, NC (a magical place my boyfriend grew up going to—lucky him). I colored the left page two years ago and the right was colored by my talented artist friend on our recent summer trip to BHI—just amazing.
8. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)
Yes, yet another movie produced by Disney. While the fourth one of this series is not necessarily the best one in my opinion, it’s still so good and especially fits the running theme of this watchlist.
First off, Johnny Depp is always the best part about the Pirates of the Caribbean. He brings so much humor, charm, and wit. I just love his character.
I’m spotlighting On Stranger Tides in particular because of its focus around… sirens.
But really, ALL the Pirates of the Caribbean movies are worth watching and fit the theme of this article—full of oceanic explorations, magic, legends, folklore, mysticism, romance, and even whimsy (but in the darker, eerie ways).
In this film, Captain Jack Sparrow is on a race against other pirates and explorers—like the infamous Blackbeard—to reach the Fountain of Youth. There’s dangerous waters where sirens lure sailors, a captured mermaid who falls in love, a voodoo doll that vies for control, (of course) Jack’s magical compass which points to his deepest desire, mermaid tears with secret immortal powers, and odes to famous pirate lore.
As a lover of the Outer Banks and all its mysteries and history (especially surrounding Blackbeard lore), this movie really satisfies my nerdy interest for pirate tales and beautifully haunting sirens.
9. The King’s Daughter (2022)
Set at the famous Palace of Versailles (literally, portions of the movie were shot at the real Chateau de Versailles), King Louis XIV of France becomes obsessed with discovering the key to immortality, which consumes his conscience. Another nod to the Fountain of Youth—found, in this case, in the life force of mermaids.
The plot revolves around the King and his secret illegitimate daughter, Marie. There’s a captured mermaid (associated with the lost city of Atlantis), a creepy physician with hidden motives, an emphasis on classical music and siren songs, and a looming solar eclipse.
There’s also a bit of romance (although that fell flat for me). The main reason I enjoyed this movie was because of the historical setting and the bond between the daughter and the mermaid.
Although she’s clearly CGI, the way they dreamed up the mermaid with her luminous and unique anatomy, was a bit different from the typical depictions we usually see (as shown in the cover).
The King’s daughter, who’s a musician herself, becomes enamored by the mermaid’s siren call, which brings her to her place of captivity underneath the palace. There they form a bond as Marie comes to discover the mermaid’s backstory, who’s responsible, and the sinister plan that awaits her—she attempts to take the mermaid’s fate into her own hands.
Not the best execution tbh, but I do love a period piece mixed with fantasy elements. This one being set in the late 17th-century Baroque Era—characterized by music and the arts, faith/religion and ongoing wars, ornate architecture, opulent fashion, and social hierarchies.
And what’s a period piece without a grand ball? *wink wink*
10. Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue (2010)
Tinker Bell. Need I say more?
She’s one of the most iconic fairies we’ve grown up to know. We admire her for her moodiness, resourcefulness, clumsiness, creativity, and charming intrigue that often gets her into trouble.
Our wandering Tinker Bell stumbles into a fairy home (built by a little girl) and accidentally gets trapped inside. The little girl who’s obsessed with fairies, brings her home in hopes to prove to her father that fairies are in fact real. The irony of her father being an entomologist who researches and collects butterflies and other insect specimens—but yet does not believe in fairies.
An adorable quote I noted in my brain dump here, was Tink’s response when asked how she was born into this world:
“When a baby laughs for the first time, a fairy is born.” - Tinker Bell
Even in captivity, she bonds with the young girl and teaches her all these fun fairy facts which the girl records into a book of field notes and drawings—which is something I have a dream of creating myself!!
This animated movie takes place in the English countryside during summer with its rolling fields and meadows of vibrant greens, and a fairy camp where the fairies spend their time doing seasonal work. One duty being; painting butterflies! ཐི༏ཋྀ ₊ ⊹˚
All the Pixie Hollow fairies go on a mission to rescue Tink during a massive storm. We of course have Silvermist, the water-talent fairy, who helps navigate the crew’s makeshift ship through the dangerous flooding. I always loved her. Tink, Silvermist, and Fawn are my favorites; but they’re all so so cute. I’m drawn to Tink’s tinkering abilities, Silvermist’s water talent, and Fawn’s care for animals.
While there’s no mermaid theme here, clearly fairies fall into the whimsy category.
By the end of this movie, your faith in fairy magic will be restored!
Silly confession: years ago I made all the Pixie Hollow characters on Sims and they currently live in a village together with each of them occupying their own mushroom house.𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊—shoutout to my Sims girlies and gamer girls. ;)
Where to Watch 📺༄𖦹⋆。
With just a quick google search, you can find where to watch each of these movies. Some were already streaming on certain subscriptions I have, like; Netflix and Disney+. Some can be found on YouTube, Amazon Prime, and even free TV apps like Tubi.
Final Thoughts 🫧💭₊˚ෆ
I hope this watchlist finds you well and lifts your spirits. I hope summer is delighting you with little pieces of magic all season long—no matter how subtle. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about my movie explorations and nerdy interests. I find that knowing niche facts about a film, adds so much dimension to how we absorb, process, and interpret a movie. And I hope this introduces you to new stories you haven’t seen and sparks inspiration to rewatch the oldies you may have already loved. ♡
In case you need some more whimsy in your life… get to watching ₊˚.༄˚。⋆ 𓇼 ˚ ᐝ
Feel free to share your own movie recommendations in the comments!! I’d love to discover more goodies and know what lights you up. ✧⋆⁺₊
…Stay tuned for an upcoming shell craft blog and personal reflection as we approach Summer’s end and look forward to transitioning into beloved Autumn…
before then, may we slow down a bit, and appreciate the right here, right now. <333
*images used in this article are sourced from pinterest*
Dear Reader, may I interest you in more ponderings:
Thanks for the list I've been wanted to watch a good mermaid movie finnally found it!!
oh my goodnesss...this entire list feels so so adorable & cute. i love the people like youu, who are always fascinated about nature and loves to talk about mermaids, fairies and all the other magical beings!!! who tries to capture their emotions, write and express about them so beautifully!!♡♡♡
out of all the movies that you've mentioned above, i've only watched 3 of them — Ponyo, Little mermaid & Tinkerbell — these are my personal favorites since childhood, they're the definition of PURE NOSTALGIA for meeee!🧜🏻♀️🌊🫠🫶🏻
also, i'd definitely be adding the other movies to my watchlist as i've almost missed out watching all of these beauties...! thanks for sharing this wonderful, whimsical list with usss😍😍