When I was growing up in the sticks, one of my favorite summertime activities was dragging the TV and VCR out to the backyard (courtesy of a very long extension cord), setting up lawn chairs and watching outdoor movies outside with friends on warm summer evenings. Turns out, when you grow up and move to Brooklyn, you can watch all sorts of outdoor films during the summer, no extension cords or explanations to your parents required.
Fridays and Saturdays
Rooftop Films, various locations: Shorts, documentaries and experimental outdoor films, sandwiched between live music curated by
Sound Fix and open bar after parties, rule the roost at Rooftop Films, which screens outdoor movies on the American Can Factory's roof near the Gowanus Canal, the lawn of the Automotive High School in Williamsburg and outdoor locations around the city. The eclectic line-up is too broad to sum up neatly, but we're on board for the
Un-American Films screening on the pier of Solar One July 4th. There'll be an open bar with
Brooklyn Oenology wines, music, a great view of the fireworks and movies including Brad Neely's genius short, "JFK". All for $30.
Tuesdays beginning July 8
L Magazine SummerScreen, McCarren Park Pool: The concrete seating and gritty paint flakes aren't exactly the lap of luxury (this is an empty pool), but the outdoor film lineup is stellar. The free outdoor movie series kicks off July 8 with Wet Hot American Summer and the first-ever Williamsburg Block Party at 4 pm, with food from Fette Sau, Marlow & Sons and other Brooklyn restaurants, music and an introduction from Wet Hot star and writer, Michael Showalter. You'll definitely see Brooklyn Based at "Desperately Seeking Susan" on July 22 and our most favorite underrated movie ever, "Velvet Goldmine" on August 19. Food and beverages are available at the pool; if you're bothered by cigarette smoke or the smell of pot, this may not be your venue.
Thursdays beginning July 10
Movies with a View, Empire Fulton-Ferry State Park: Every summer Brooklyn Bridge Park puts on a not-to-be-missed Thursday night movie party in a spectacular setting, with free valet bike parking, and a rolling lawn to lie on. Sweet! The free outdoor movie series kicks off July 10 with the ultimate summer childhood nostalgia movie, "Stand By Me", and includes family-friendly films like "Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were Rabbit" on July 24. BB's vote for not-to-be-missed flick here is "Being There" (August 24), a favorite 70s political satire with Peter Sellers.
Special Screenings
Celebrate Brooklyn, Prospect Park Bandshell: On Saturday, July 19, Hong Kong martial arts fans can get their Bruce Lee on when Karsh Kale, a South Asian DJ and electronic musician, performs his live score to the 1973 classic, "Enter the Dragon". Also Brooklyn Film Works, which begins on July 2nd in JJ Byrne Park (Fifth Avenue and Third Street). This summer, the series is called Democracy in Action and it opens with "1776". The show begins at dark. As always, there will be great shorts to accompany the feature. A lovely thing to do on a summer night: movies al fresco under the stars.
Source: Brooklyn Based blog- http://brooklynbased.net/everything/summer-films/.
