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| Summer 2010 Outdoor Screening Guide
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June 23, 2010
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WARNING: Summer blockbusters are at serious risk this season. Why? The number of NYC outdoor film screenings just keeps growing...and growing. And really, what's to compare? Who wants scratchy seats, an $8 Sprite and pneumonia-inducing AC when you can have fresh grass, wine-in-the-box and a warm breeze through your hair? Not only can you catch a flick al fresco—usually for free—any night of the week, but folks are taking it a step further and turning movie nights into all-out events. With so many to choose from, we broke it down so you know where to go when you are in the mood to….
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Relive your high school crush:
Let Keanu, Ione and Leo make you feel all tingly again at Summerscreen in Williamsburg. The screen is no longer at the historic pool (slated to re-open in a few years) but at the McCarren Park Ballfields, so a blankie will suffice. Every Wednesday in July and August our teenage heartthrobs bring us back to the glory days, but this time around it's legal to drink. So invite your current crush and cozy up with burritos, beer and that forlorn young Cusack.
Wednesdays, July 7-August 11, McCarren Park Ballfields at Bedford and N. 12th St, Williamsburg. Gates at 6pm, film at dusk. Free. Summerscreen.org |
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Feel at one with New York:
The mother of all summer of outdoor movie events, Bryant Park's Monday night screenings are something every New Yorker must do at least once. The race for space on the grass is half the fun—send your speediest friend at 5pm sharp to vie for a piece of the lawn. With four hours to kill before the flick begins at sundown, groups large and small play board games, practice acrobatics, celebrate birthdays…one group even sets up a full margarita bar each year. No, drinking is technically not legal, but tell that to your rowdy neighbors drowning out the movie lines. When the HBO theme finally comes on and thousands of people rise to dance in unison, it all feels worth it.
Mondays, June 21-August 23, Bryant Park lawn at 42nd St and 6th Ave, Manhattan. Gates at 5pm, film at dusk. Free. www.bryantpark.org |
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Be edu-tained:
Often hailed as the most diverse borough in the county, it’s no surprise that the outdoor screenings in Queens take you around the world. So get off your rear and head to Long Island City’s “Outdoor Cinema” for some culture. Each Wednesday, Socrates Sculpture Park is transformed into a different foreign country, beginning at 7pm with performances in music and dance, and culminating in a film. The films are fascinating, but it's the food carts that make it tough to decide when to go—Arepas from Brazil, curry from India or doners from Turkey??? The crowd really gets into the theme, so here’s your excuse to dust off that sari left over from your cousin’s wedding.
Wednesdays in July & August, Socrates Sculpture Garden, Long Island City. Performances start at 7pm. Free. www.socratessculpturepark.org |
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Hook up with someone interesting:
Yeah, yeah, so this one's not free, but with theme nights, like “The Rural Life and Spirit” (June 24 ) and Animation Block Party" (July 30), on the schedule, we can deal. Some feature films, some collections of shorts, the Rooftop Films series (dubbed “Underground Movies Outdoors”) screens on rooftops around the city, rotating locations such as The Old Can Factory in Gowanus and El Museo del Barrio in East Harlem. The best part: after each flick ends, the party moves to a nearby joint for an open bar! Critique artists’ takes on Brooklyn gentrification (July 17), or the plight of a small-town Mexican circus (July 10) while mingling with fellow indie-flickheads and drinking as much sangria as humanly possible. And we all know what free booze leads to....
$10, Check website for days, locations and times. www.rooftopfilms.com
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Catch up on all the Blockbusters you missed last summer:
Since you spent all last summer watching movies outside, you probably missed what was playing in the theaters. Riverflicks brings it all back for you this summer at Pier 54 on the Hudson. Engage in a little bromance with The Hangover (July 7) and I Love You Man (July 14), or make it a girl’s night out-of-doors with The Proposal (July 21) or Julie & Julia (August 4). Beware: you might get distracted by the gorgeous Hudson sunset just beyond the big screen.
Wednesdays, July 7-August 18, Pier 54, Manhattan. Films start at dusk, chairs provided. Free with free popcorn. Riverflicks.com |
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Karaoke while you watch:
The theme for this year’s Movies Under the Stars series in Riverside Park is “Tall Tales.” How Grease fits into that theme, we have no idea, nor do we care. Not only because the musical is dynamite, but because this screening is a SING ALONG! Grab your Pink Ladies and your Danny—if you can convince him—and bust it out June 30. If a drag race causes you to miss it, come back any Wednesday through August for flicks more in line with the theme, like The Neverending Story (July 7) or Big Fish on (August 4).
Wednesdays, June 30-August 11, Pier 1 at 70th St., Manhattan. Films start at 8:30. Free. www.riversideparkfund.org
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Get your testosterone fix:
Battle ghosts, snakes and heavyweight boxers this summer aboard the Intrepid’s flight deck. A ship that carried heroes is the perfect venue to watch our favorite movie heroes fight the bad guys onscreen. So order some take-out and make it a man-picnic. It’s only too bad the Intrepid Summer Movie Series seem to agree that females are the “gentler sex” and left out heroines like badass Lara Croft.
July 9, July 23, August 6, August 20, Pier 86, W 46th St and 12th Ave, Manhattan Doors at 7:30, films at dusk. Free. www.intrepidmuseum.org |
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Be antisocial and unadventurous:
Your nearby Regal, AMC or Loews. Catching a flick outdoors is awesome, but you also risk inclement weather and having strangers invite you to join in their fun activities or conversations. So if you are risk-averse and hate fun in general, stick to indoors. If not, the city is your theater! |
For a full schedule of summer screenings click here, or check our events calendar for weekly updates.
- Mishka Vertin
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