2011 Free Summer Movie Guide

Hello internets! It's been awhile! I've decided to live an opulent lifestyle and have subsequently abandoned this blog. Fortunately, I'm a generous robber baron (think Carnagie) and have decided to once again compile a list of free outdoor summer movies. Remember all films start at dusk and you should try to get there as early as possible to ensure you'll get a good spot (Pack a picnic and enjoy the sunset beforehand! The ladies love it.) If my giant philanthropist hands and heart feel up to it, I may update this as film schedules are released. Enjoy the films! Maybe I'll see you there (from one of my many roof top terraces, of course)!

5/15- Warriors- Habana Outpost
5/22- Crooklyn- Habana Outpost
5/25- Ocean's Eleven- Stuy Town
5/27- Top Gun- Intrepid
5/29- Moving- Habana Outpost

6/1- Some Like it Hot- Stuy Town
6/3- The Swimming Pool- Cedar Hill
6/5- Quicksilver- Habana Outpost
6/7- Teddy Bear- Bohemian National Hall
6/8- Legally Blonde- Stuy Town
6/8- Entre Nos- Tavern on the Green
6/10- Those Happy Days- Washington Square Park
6/12- Selena- Habana Outpost
6/14- Melancholic Chicken- Bohemian National Hall
6/15- True Grit- Hoboken Pier A
6/15- Ocean's Twelve- Stuy Town
6/17- A Summer's Tale- Washington Square Park
6/17- Singing in the Rain- Snug Harbor
6/19- Krush Groove- Habana Outpost
6/20- One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest- Bryant Park
6/20- Desperately Seeking Susan- Elevated Acre
6/21- How to Drown Dr. Mracek, the Lawyer- Bohemian National Hall
6/22- The Fighter- Hoboken Pier A
6/24- Spiderman- Intrepid
6/24- Contempt- Tompkins Square Park
6/24- Moonstruck- Snug Harbor
6/25- Iron Man 2- Roosevelt Island
6/26- Above the law- Habana Outpost
6/27- The 39 Steps- Bryant Park
6/27- The Godfather Part II- Elevated Acre
6/27- March of the Penguins- Astoria Park
6/28- Thanks for a Good Morning- Bohemian National Hall
6/29- Breakfast at Tiffany's- Hoboken Pier A
6/29- Between the Folds- Tavern on the Green
6/30- Raging Bull- Tompkins Square Park

7/1- Mr. Hulot's Holiday- Tompkins Square Park
7/3- Grease- Habana Outpost
7/4- Easy Rider- Bryant Park
7/5- Whisper- Bohemian National Hall
7/6- Friday- McCarren Park
7/6- Clermont Ferrand Short Films- Socrates
7/6- The Social Network- Pier 63
7/7- Coming to America- Tompkins Square Park
7/7- Manhattan- Brooklyn Bridge
7/8- The Goonies- Intrepid
7/8- The Karate Kid (2010)- Pier 46
7/8- Towards Zero- Pier I
7/8- Mars Attacks!- Snug Harbor
7/8- Prometeo Deportado (Ecuador)- Unisphere
7/8- Momma Mia- Narrows Botanical Gardens
7/9- The Goonies- Roosevelt Island
7/10- Roller Boogie- Habana Outpost
7/11- Saturday Night Fever- Coney Island
7/11- Gentlemen Prefer Blondes- Bryant Park
7/11- The Brother from Another Planet- Elevated Acre
7/12- The Bitch's Diary- Bohemian National Hall
7/12- Men in Black- Valentino Pier
7/13- Wayne's World- McCarren Park
7/13- Who Wants to Kill Jessie- Socrates
7/13- The Invisible Man- Pier I
7/13- Easy A- Pier 63
7/13- The King's Speech- Hoboken Pier A
7/13- Mad Hot Ballroom- Tavern on the Green
7/14- The Warriors- Tompkins Square Park
7/14- Ghostbusters- Brooklyn Bridge
7/15- Despicable Me- Pier 46
7/15- My Father's Glory- Pier I
7/15- Antz- Snug Harbor
7/15- Africa United (Africa)- Unisphere
7/17- Saturday Night Fever- Habana Outpost
7/18- Rango- Coney Island
7/18- In the Heat of the Night- Bryant Park
7/19- Twosome- Bohemian National Hall
7/19- Bring it On- Valentino Pier
7/20- Ghost World- McCarren Park
7/20- Caramel- Socrates
7/20- Invasion of the Body Snatchers- Pier I
7/20- The Kids Are All Right- Pier 63
7/20- The Social Network- Hoboken Pier A
7/21- Star Trek- Tompkins Square Park
7/21- Sweet Smell of Success- Brooklyn Bridge
7/21- West Side Story Dance and Sing a Long- Prospect Park Bandshell
7/22- Back to the Future- Intrepid
7/22- The Princess Bride- Pier 46
7/22- Children of Haiti (Haiti)- Unisphere
7/22- Wally- Narrows Botanical Gardens
7/23- Star Trek- Roosevelt Island
7/24- Breaking- Habana Outpost
7/25- Top Gun- Coney Island
7/25- The Lady Eve- Bryant Park
7/26- Dissolved and Effused- Bohemian National Hall
7/26- Lords of Dogtown- Valentino Pier
7/27- Ferris Bueller's Day Off- McCarren Park
7/27- The Good, The Bad, The Weird- Socrates
7/27- The Birds- Pier I
7/27- The Other Guys- Pier 63
7/27- Waiting for Superman- Hoboken Pier A
7/27- Food Curated- Tavern on the Green
7/28- Arthur- Tompkins Square Park
7/28- Basquiat- Brooklyn Bridge
7/29- Toy Story 3- Pier 46
7/29- Kung Fu Dunk (Taiwan)- Unisphere
7/31- Dirty Dancing- Habana Outpost

8/1- Iron Man 2- Coney Island
8/1- Iron Man- Waterside Plaza
8/1- Cool Hand Luke- Bryant Park
8/1- Karate Kid- Cunningham Park
8/2- Wall-E- Valentino Pier
8/3- Clueless- McCarren Park
8/3- The Straight Story- Socrates
8/3- Attack of the Killer Tomatoes!- Pier I
8/3- The Fighter- Pier 63
8/3- Wizard of Oz- Hoboken Pier A
8/4- Pope of Greenwich Village- Tompkins Square Park
8/4- An American Tale- Brooklyn Bridge
8/4- Metropolis with Alloy Orchestra- Prospect Park Bandshell
8/5- E.T.- Intrepid
8/5-Sugar (Dominican Republic)- Unisphere
8/5- How to Train Your Dragon- Pier 46
8/5- Young Frankenstein- Narrows Botanical Gardens
8/6- Up- Roosevelt Island
8/7- Heathers- Habana Outpost
8/8- Annie Hall- Coney Island
8/8- Spiderman 2- Waterside Plaza
8/8- Airplane!- Bryant Park
8/8- Toy Story- Astoria Park
8/8- Breakfast with Scot- Cunningham Park
8/9- Karate Kid (1984)- Valentino Pier
8/10- Jurassic Park- McCarren Park
8/10- At the Edge of Russia- Socrates
8/10- Return of the Swamp Thing- Pier I
8/10- Scott Pilgrim vs. the World- Pier 63
8/10- Despicable Me- Hoboken Pier A
8/10- Appetite City- Tavern on the Green
8/11- Kick-Ass- Tompkins Square Park
8/11- Breakfast at Tiffany's- Brooklyn Bridge
8/11- Rent- Cunningham Park
8/12- Shrek Forever After- Pier 46
8/12- Heliopolis (Egypt)- Unisphere
8/14- Risky Business- Habana Outpost
8/14- Tron: Legacy- Roosevelt Island
8/15- Moonstruck- Coney Island
8/15- Spy Kids- Waterside Plaza
8/15- High Sierra- Bryant Park
8/15- Shrek- Astoria Park
8/15- Despicable Me- Cunningham Park
8/16- The Fast and the Furious- Valentino Pier
8/17- Biutiful- Socrates
8/17- Mars Attacks- Pier I
8/17- The Town- Pier 63
8/17- Tangled- Hoboken Pier A
8/17- Carol Channing: Larger Than Life- Tavern on the Green
8/18- Rosemary's Baby- Tompkins Square Park
8/18- Grown Ups- Cunningham Park
8/18- Crooklyn- Brooklyn Bridge
8/19- Jurassic Park- Intrepid
8/19- Tangled- Pier 46
8/19- The Accordion Kings (Columbia)- Unisphere
8/19- Over the Hedge- Narrows Botanical Gardens
8/21- St. Elmo Fire- Habana Outpost
8/22- Justin Bieber: Never Say Never- Coney Island
8/22- The Incedibles- Waterside Plaza
8/22- Dirty Harry- Bryant Park
8/22- Saturday Night Fever- Astoria Park
8/23- The Iron Giant- Valentino Pier
8/24- Silent Film Festival- Socrates
8/24- Toy Story 3- Hoboken Pier A
8/25- The Godfather- Tompkins Square Park
8/25- Rosemary's Baby- Brooklyn Bridge
8/26- Libertador Morales, el justiero (Venezuela)- Unisphere
8/28- Purple Rain- Habana Outpost
8/29- How She Move- Coney Island
8/30- Pump Up the Volume- Valentino Pier

9/1- Stake Land- Tompkins Square Park
9/1- Audience Choice- Brooklyn Bridge
9/3- The Incredibles- Roosevelt Island
9/4- Teen Wolf- Habana Outpost
9/6- Highlander- Valentino Pier
9/7- Cabaret- Stuy Town
9/8- Two Days in Paris- Columbia University low library steps
9/11- Blues Brothers- Habana Outpost
9/13- Pee Wee's Big Adventure- Valentino Pier
9/14- Austin Powers- Stuy Town
9/18- The Good, the Bad and the Ugly- Habana Outpost
7/21- The Devil Wears Prada- Stuy Town
9/25- The Harder They Come- Habana Outpost

10/2- 5 Easy Pieces- Habana Outpost
10/9- Edward Scissor Hands- Habana Outpost
10/16- Gremlins- Habana Outpost
10/23- The Empire Strikes Back- Habana Outpost
10/31- Rocky Horror Picture Show- Habana Outpost

Things noticed: What the heck is Crooklyn and why is it showing twice? Someone should coordinate when they show originals and sequels (Godfather, Toy Story). I think this is the first time I've heard of a concert film at an outdoor screening (Beiber). You can pick who you want to accompany the good and the bad, either the ugly or the weird. Saturday Night Fever 3 times? Really? How does that happen? Welcome Coney Island to the outdoor screening game. About time, amIright?

In addition to the outdoor screenings:
Huckleberry Bar continues their indoor screenings every Monday. More info here.

Like German Cinema? Who doesn't. This summer, the Neue Gallery presents Vienna 1900 every Monday at 4pm. More info here.

The Queens Museum has a spring movie series exploring surveillance. Mondays at 2pm. More info here

Kate's Joint in the east village was playing films in the bar on Mondays, That may still be happening.

Motorcyclesploitation? Cine Meccanica at Otto's Shrunken Head plays the best worst motor cycle films every Tuesday. More info here.

Regal Cinemas jacked up the price of their summer kids series. Tuesday and Wednesday matinees are now a whopping $1. More info here.

Wally's Square Root Cafe has a summer movie night with food specials and free popcorn. More info here.

The Rubin Museum of Art presents Cabaret Cinema every Friday (Screenings are free w/$7 bar minimum). More info here.

The Sony Wonderlab has free screenings every Saturday. More info here.

The Church Lounge at the Tribeca Grand Hotel has free screenings every Sunday. More info here

Ace Hotel had weekly Sunday screenings during the winter, looks like they're a bit more sporadic this summer. Or maybe they just update their website more sporadically. More info here

The Museum of the American Indian has free screenings (often for the kiddies on the weekend) more info here

Also, keep an eye on your public libraries! Free screenings abound! More info here

For more info on the outdoor venues visit the links below:
Intrepid Summer Movie Series- "Celebrating some of our favorite heroes"
Movies with a View at Brooklyn Bridge Park- Come out early for DJs and a short film before the feature. (Moved this year to the new Pier 1)
HBO Bryant Park Summer Film Festival- Get there early, the lawn opens at 5!
Outdoor Cinema at Socrates Sculpture Park- Each week film, food and performances focused on a different culture
Movie Nights on the Elevated Acre- Classic New York features paired with independent shorts. This fills ups fast, so get there early (Opens at 6)!
Movies Under the Stars (Pier I at 70th St)- Best theme so far this year: Terror through the decades.
RiverFlicks for Grownups (Pier 63)- Watch all of your favorite blockbusters from 2009
RiverFlicks for Kids (Pier 46)- New and classic films for the whole family
Celebrate Brooklyn at Prospect Park Band Shell- A series of films played with live music scores. $3 suggested donation.
Summer Screen- McCarren Park Ballfields (Bedford and North 12th)- Movies with "a nod to our adolescent idols and crushes"
Films on the Green- Tompkins Square Park, Central Park, Washington Square Park- French musicals
Movie Night in Astoria Park- Astoria Park Lawn- Family friendly movies on the Astoria waterfront
Movies Under the Stars at Habana Outpost- Make yourself a margarita on a bike blender while you watch films allllll summer
Movies Under the Stars- Snug Harbor Staten Island- Come out to the Neptune Fountain Stage early for music from local bands.
Movies Under the Stars- Pier A Park, Hoboken, NJ- Yes it's in Jersey, but it's just as easy to get to Hoboken as a lot of the outer boroughs. So hop on the PATH to check out a series of just released films with the Manhattan skyline as your backdrop.
Films in Tompkins Square Park- Catchy name, great films!
Coney Island Flicks on the Beach- Bloomberg begs you! Come for the free movie, stay for a hotdog!
RCN Movie Nights at Waterside Plaza- Because cable has all the best movies! Promises to be family friendly, so maybe more Beiber?
Movies Under the Stars- Cunningham Park Queens- Free popcorn!
Passport Fridays at the Unisphere- Celebrate a different culture every Friday with dance/music and a film
Movie on the Oval- Peter Cooper Village/Stuyvesent Town- Includes prefilm entertainment and food from your favorite food trucks
The Scene at Tavern on the Green- Food Trucks and films in Central Park
Friday Movie Night- Narrows Botanical Gardens- Come to Bay Ridge for some family friendly movies in the garden
Summer on the Roof- Bohemian National Hall- Czech films and Manhattan views
Roosevelt Island Outdoor Movie Series- Saturday Night is Family Night
Red Hook Summer Films- Valentino Pier- Enjoy the view of Lady Liberty


The links below were film fests in 2010 so we'll wait and see what 2011 brings...

Tony Dapolito Recreation Center Rooftop Film Series- July: Film Noir, August: The Vault of Horror Flicks
Summer Starz- East River State Park (N 8th St and Kent Ave)- Family friendly films
Reel Harlem- Morningside, Marcus Garvey, Jackie Robinson, and St. Nicholas Parks in Harlem- Films mostly feature black music, arts and activism. Events also include short films and music
Brooklyn Film Works- The Old Stone House, Washington Park Brooklyn- Classic films culminating in films by students age 12-16
Ortine Cafe- 622 Washington Avenue Brooklyn, NY, 11238- July is Roald Dahl month! Can't wait to see what August will bring
One Front Street- The Kings County Cinema Society has started a film series every Sunday on the wall of Grimaldi's in Dumbo. I'm excited to see what they'll bring us!
Imagenation Film Festival- St. Nicholas Park, Harlem- Show up early for performances before the films.
Parks Summer 2010 Movie Series- In a park near you- If there weren't already enough film festivals in city parks this summer, the Parks Dep't is taking the show on the road and bringing family friendly films to a park near you. And while most film fests pick a day of the week this is typically every Wednesday-Saturday. Yes some of the films and locations repeat but can you really blame them? And besides maybe it'll be easier to find a showing that works with your schedule.
Central Park Film Festival- This year's theme "Iconic New York." The film's are at the Mineral Springs, which is just north of Sheep Meadow at 69th St on the western side of the park.
Family Movies in the Park- Jamaica gives you a lot of options with multiple screenings in multiple parks AND classic film Fridays. Maybe you wanted to fall asleep on the A train after all.


Alright! Not a bad place to start if I do say so myself. If I missed anything let me know and I'll get it on the list! Go see free movies! Justify to your parents back home why you pay so much to live here!

July in Review

Wow, is it August already? All the hot, sticky days have seemed to run together into a big gooey mess.

So how was your July?

I know the blog hasn't been so active, but don't worry, that doesn't mean we've given up the cheap lifestyle. Quite the contrary.

In July, summer concerts were in full effect.

We hit up the Siren Festival at Coney Island. Ted Leo was great and Night Marchers were my band discovery of the show. Like every day this summer it was stupid hot out so we saw a few sets and then hit the beach to relax to the sights and sounds of drunk teenagers getting in fights.

Next it was another Brooklyn summer institution, the Jelly Pool Parties! Windnie went shopping while I met up with some Brooklyners to see Murder City Devils. Good times were had and a lot of free Amp was drank. Again, hot as balls, shade at a premium, dehydration: inevitable. But man, was that a great show!

Then Weasel came to visit! He wanted to check out Cap'n Jazz and Lightening Bolt at the Pool Parties but since they don't really like water they moved the show indoors at the first sight of rain and promptly sold out. Weasel was a good sport however and that night we went to that Sunday institution: Asssscat 3000 at UCB! I think he had a good time, or at least pretended to.

Let's see, then there was a grill out and Sonic Youth at Prospect Park Bandshell to Celebrate Brooklyn! Grilling out is awesome! And it was a good time, laying on a blanket outside the fence and pretending we were from the 90s.

Last but not least, Lincoln Center's Out of Doors concert series. We went to check out Balkan Beat Box but weren't that impressed. Maybe because they had to follow Mucca Pazza who were incredible!

[Added by Windnie]: We also went to the Dragon Boat Festival---where I fell asleep. But pre-nap it was nice!

Sprinkle in a couple outdoor movies, a trip to the Met, some half priced Pinkberry and a big dose of Windnie moving into her new apt just up the street and you've pretty much summed up our July.

Hope yours has been just as great! A lot of these fests still have plenty of shows left in them so be sure to check them out in August!

Lucero's Gone to Governor's

We've already been to Governor's Island to check out some free art. This time we went for the free music.

With our friend Jo Anne in toe, we headed to Water Taxi Beach on Governor's Island (which is really more of a sand box) to check out Lucero, J-Roddy Walston and The Business, and Johnny Corndawg.

We arrived early expecting it to be crowded but the threat of rain seemed to keep people away. Fortunately, the only rain we had were the sprinkles when we arrived! The small crowd made for a relaxed atmosphere, maybe even like a day at the real beach. The food prices at the beach aren't terrible for a concert venue but they aren't cheap either. I'd recommend bringing your own. We found a picnic table in the sand and soaked in the atmosphere. We stayed at our table for Johnny Corndawg and enjoyed his cutesy country music but then moved a bit closer for the next 2 acts.

J-Roddy Walston was incredible. Sounding like a southern rock mix of Billy Joel and Meatloaf they completely blew away the crowd. Everyone needs to check them out right now.

The headliner of the show was Lucero, whose hollow-bodied guitar meets singer-songwriter style was on full display. Songs about love and drinking seemed to fit the mood on a cool night on the river and the show often turned into a big sing a long. After a lovely, long set we headed back to reality. After a nice day on the Island.

A day at the Meadow

Over the long July 4th weekend the Mets were playing my hometown Reds so we thought we'd head up to Flushing Meadows and explore before checking out the game that night.

Flushing Meadows has a long history and a ton of activities inside!

First up, the Queens Zoo. This zoo is a lot like Central Park and Prospect Park Zoo, with several exhibits set up in a ring around a sea lion pit. The zoo was small but fun.  The focus is on animals from the Americas. There is also an aviary inside a Buckminster Fuller geodesic dome. The structure was originally part of the 64 World's Fair (more on that later).

Flushing Meadows has been home to 2 World's Fairs in 1939 and 1964 and there are still remnants of both events. The Queens Museum of Art is housed in a building from the 1939 World's Fair. Though the building was closed when we were there, it is worth checking out. It fits our budget ($5 suggested donation) and houses temporary and permanent exhibits including the New York City Panorama. The Panorama is a model of the city, originally built for the 1964 world's fair and it includes EVERY building in the city built before 1992, at 9,335 sq ft and with 895,000 individual structures (and airplanes!) it is absolutely worth the trip.

The 1964 World's Fair introduced us to Tomorrowland (presented by GM) helping pave the way (heh heh) for the automobile domination of much of the country. But transportation planning philosophies aside, the 64 world's fair also gave us the Unisphere!

The fountain has been out of use for awhile but that should change soon with the restoration project currently underway.

Unfortunatly, another relic from the 64 World's Fair has not aged as well...

It seems like every world's fair has a signature overlook tower. Seattle has the Space Needle, San Antonio has the Tower of the America's, and Knoxville has the Sunsphere. New York has 3 towers, all built as part of the New York State Pavilion. While I believe the other towers mentioned are all currently servicing tourists, the New York State Pavilion looks like this:

Which I mean looks kinda cool, but in the worst sort of way. I think the city is supposed to be fixing it up but I don't think there is a time table.

After wandering around the park, we thought we might try the Queens Botanical Garden, which was started for the 1939 World's Fair and moved for the 1964 World's Fair. After a long walk under some highways and across a pedestrian bridge we found this:

Looks pretty closed huh? We thought so too. Upon further review of the garden map, it turns out that this is the "Meadow" section of the park and the entrance is on the opposite side. Someone needs to work on signage around this place. If you want to try your luck the admission price shouldn't break your small wallet ($4, $2 for students). If you've been there in the past you should note the new admission price since this is the first season they've charged. During less "green" seasons you can still get in free.

So after a long day exploring Flushing Meadows we headed over to Citi Field. On a holiday weekend, with the first place Reds in town, there weren't a lot of available tickets on resale sites (Stubhub, etc) and the scalpers weren't really in the mood to do business with me and my cheapness. We resigned to buy the cheapest seats in the house:

And then move down to here:

And then we watched the Reds win with help from a controversial call that pissed off all the Mets fans! Fun times in Queens!

How to Properly Celebrate America's Birthday

There are a lot of good ways to celebrate the 4th of July but there are really only 2 essentials: Cook outs and fireworks. So our day started with a trip to Prospect Park to celebrate with our Brooklyn friends.

Here's Kevin working the grill.

Here's Robert enjoying the picnic.

Here's Brian soaking up the sun.

Here's a Petanque game in action!

After about 8 hours of food, naps, and Pentanque it was back to the island to check out some fireworks. It turns out there was a pretty great view from my roof.

Happy Birthday Uhmerika!

Movies, movies, movies, movies

The list continues to grow!

A few new series to add to the summer movie list:

Movies Under the Bridge at Little Bay Park in Queens featuring free family films overlooking Long Island Sound. So far the only info we've got is they're showing something August 17th. But using my excellent deductive reasoning, the usage of the plural "movies" means that this is in fact a series with additional movies forthcoming. As more info becomes available you can find it here. EDIT: There are at least 3 movies being played Under the Bridge. Reasoning: Deduced. Calendar: Updated.

Lawn Chair Theater at Salt Marsh Nature Center wayyyyy out in Brooklyn. Another series with only one announced date. Finding Nemo is scheduled for July 30th. I was pretty certain this was a series due to it's snazzy name (who would take the time to name a one time thing?) but for you lovely people, I called and confirmed. There will officially be more movies announced later.

Movies on the Waterfront in Astoria Park is a short run of family films every Monday in August. You've now got 1 more chance to catch the Lion King in a park down by the river (not sure if vans are allowed, har har har).

In addition to these series, there are some other films that have been added as part of more diverse series happening in the city this summer. Salt at Salt Marsh Nature Center is apparently not part of Lawn Chair Theater but is instead part of the Arts, Culture and Fun Series and 2 TBA family films will be playing in August for the Clearing in the Forest events in Central Park.

Updated Super list here!

More Outdoor Summer Movies!

It turns out there are at least 18 more opportunities to enjoy a movie outside this summer! Including 1 tonight!

The epic Free Summer Movie Guide has been updated with 2 more series in Brooklyn and one spread out over Manhattan!

Summer Screen is a series at McCarren Park Ballfields (Bedford and North 12th) and features a selection of films with "a nod to our adolescent idols and crushes." Should I feel like a hipster if I'm excited for several of these??? Also note that you now have to decide between Labyrinth and Pan's Labyrinth on the same night. My choice is easy, Bowie's bulge scares the crap out of me in that movie.

Also happening in Williamsburg this summer is Summer Starz- East River State Park (N 8th St and Kent Ave). It features a bunch of family friendly films (a lot of Disney). Show up early for live music and a "kids hour" before the show.

Finally, we've added Films on the Green. These films are spread out through 3 parks in Manhattan (Tompkins Square Park, Central Park, Washington Square Park) and are all French musicals compliments of the French Embassy. We may have to invite our French friend along for proper translating/explaining.


If you know of anything we've missed, please let us know! Help us create the most complete summer movie guide IN THE WORLD (in New York City).

Your Free Summer Movie Guide

I'm home sick today and while there's plenty to catch up on, I'd rather talk about the fact that Memorial Day is this weekend which officially allows summer to start. One of the best parts about New York in the summer (besides the smell of garbage) is all the free outdoor movies. From parks, to the river, to roof tops to an aircraft carrier, there are a ton of unique places to watch your favorite films! It's pretty safe to assume that the screenings start at dusk (8ish) but check the sites below for full details. Without further adieu, here is your FREE summer movie calendar:

May 16th- Car Wash- Habana Outpost
May 23rd- Beverly Hills Cop- Habana Outpost
May 28th- Top Gun- Intrepid
May 30th- Do the Right Thing- Habana Outpost
June 6th- Breaking Away- Habana Outpost
June 9th- Up in the Air- Pier A Park Hoboken
June 11th- The Young Girls of Rochefort- Central Park – Cedar Hill
June 13th- Dance With Me- Habana Outpost
June 16th- TBA- Pier A Park Hoboken
June 18th- 8 Women- Washington Square Park
June 19th- Field of Dreams- Intrepid
June 20th- Fame- Habana Outpost
June 21st- Goldfinger- Bryant Park
June 23rd- Edward Scissor Hands- Pier A Park Hoboken
June 24th- Buena Vista Social Club- Prospect Park Band Shell
June 25th- Same Old Songs- Washington Square Park
June 25th- Mama Mia- Snug Harbor
June 26th- Spiderman- Roosevelt Island
June 27th- Footloose- Habana Outpost
June 28th- Carousel- Bryant Park
June 30th- Grease: Sing-along- Pier I
June 30th- Blow Up- Shangri La Studios
June 30th- Grease (Sing a long)- Pier A Park Hoboken
July 1st- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory- Ortine
July 2nd- A Woman is a Woman- Tompkins Square Park
July 4th- Rambo- Habana Outpost
July 5th- The French Connection- Bryant Park
July 7th- Flood Tide- Socrates
July 7th- NeverEnding Story- Pier I
July 7th- The Hangover- Pier 54
July 7th- Say Anything- McCarren Park
July 7th- Say Amen, Somebody- Morningside Park
July 7th- Kiss Me Kate- The Old Stone House
July 8th- Laura- Tony Dapolito Rec Center Rooftop
July 8th- Annie Hall- Brooklyn Bridge
July 8th- Azur and Asmar- East River State Park
July 8th- I Bring What I Love- Morningside Park
July 8th- The Witches- Ortine
July 9th- The Wizard of Oz- Hudson River Park’s Pier 46
July 9th- Love Songs (Les Chansons d'Amour)- Tompkins Square Park
July 9th- Ghostbusters- Intrepid
July 9th- Streetball- Unisphere
July 9th- Jaws- Snug Harbor
July 11th- Victory- Habana Outpost
July 11th- Oceans 11- One Front Street
July 12th- My Man Godfrey- Bryant Park
July 12th- Good Hair- St. Nicholas Park
July 13th- Goonies- Valentino Pier
July 13th- Shrek 3- Crotona Park
July 14th- The Secret of Kells- Socrates
July 14th- I Love You, Man- Pier 54
July 14th- Pan's Labyrinth- Pier I
July 14th- Labyrinth- McCarren Park
July 14th- Girl Shy- The Old Stone House
July 14th- Nina Simone Great Performances- Marcus Garvey Park
July 14th- Avatar- Pier A Park Hoboken
July 14th- Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs- Al Oerter Recreation Center
July 15th- Double Indemnity- Tony Dapolito Rec Center Rooftop
July 15th- Monsters vs. Aliens 3D- Brooklyn Bridge
July 15th- Bolt- East River State Park
July 15th- Still Bill- Marcus Garvey Park
July 15th- James and the Giant Peach- Ortine
July 15th- Hairspray- Betsy Head Memorial Playground
July 16th- Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs- Pier 46
July 16th- Tosca: The Movie- Central Park – Cedar Hill
July 16th- We Paint Houses with Paint!- Unisphere
July 16th- Close Encounter of the Third Kind- Snug Harbor
July 16th- Transformers- Bellevue South Park
July 17th- Zoolander- Roosevelt Island (Rain date)
July 17th- Brooklyn Transformations Short films- Fort Greene Park
July 17th- Bee Movie- Michaelis-bayswater Park
July 18th- A Bronx Tale- Habana Outpost
July 18th- TBA- One Front Street
July 19th- The China Syndrome- Bryant Park
July 19th- Freedom Riders- St. Nicholas Park
July 20th- Deep Blue Sea- Valentino Pier
July 21st- Inkheart- Pier I
July 21st- The Proposal- Pier 54
July 21st- Swedish Short Films- Socrates
July 21st- Romeo + Juliet- McCarren Park
July 21st- Asbury Shorts New York- The Old Stone House
July 21st- Casablanca- Van Cortlandt Park Indian Field
July 21st- Zora Neale Hurston: Jump at the Sun- Jackie Robinson Park
July 21st- Amelia- Pier A Park Hoboken
July 22nd- 3 Chaplain films- Prospect Park Band Shell
July 22nd- Sunset Boulevard- Tony Dapolito Rec Center Rooftop
July 22nd- The Big Lebowski- Brooklyn Bridge
July 22nd- Night at the Museum- East River State Park
July 22nd- Salt- Salt Marsh Nature Center
July 22nd- Slap The Donkey- Jackie Robinson Park
July 22nd- The Fantastic Mr. Fox- Ortine
July 22nd- Shark Tale- Bloomingdale Park
July 23rd- The Great Muppet Caper- Pier 46
July 23rd- The Goonies- Intrepid
July 23rd- Castaway on the Moon- Unisphere
July 23rd- Madagascar- Snug Harbor
July 23rd- Antz- Maria Hernandez Park
July 24th- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles- Roosevelt Island
July 24th- Wizard of Oz- Cpl Thompson Park
July 25th- Flash Dance- Habana Outpost
July 25th- TBA- One Front Street
July 26th- Monty Python and the Holy Grail- Bryant Park
July 26th- The Spirit of Salsa- St. Nicholas Park
July 27th- Big Wednesday- Valentino Pier
July 28th- The Fall- Pier I
July 28th- District 9- Pier 54
July 28th- Daisies- Socrates
July 28th- Dead Man- McCarren Park
July 28th- Bee Movie- Soundview Park
July 28th- The Other Side of the Water- St. Nicholas Park
July 28th- Piper Film Workshop- The Old Stone House
July 28th- Date Night- Pier A Park Hoboken
July 29th- Broadway Danny Rose- Elevated Acre
July 29th- Mother India (21st Century Remix)- Prospect Park Bandshell
July 29th- All About Eve- Tony Dapolito Rec Center Rooftop
July 29th- Rear Window- Brooklyn Bridge
July 29th- Finding Nemo- East River State Park
July 29th- The Princess and the Frog- St. Nicholas Park
July 29th- Evan Almighty- J Hood Wright Park
July 30th- Monsters vs. Aliens- Pier 46
July 30th- Finding Nemo- Salt Marsh Nature Center
July 30th- OrzBoyz!- Unisphere
July 30th- Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs- Faber Park
August 1st- Little Shop of Horrors- Habana Outpost
August 1st- TBA- One Front Street
August 2nd- Rosemary's Baby- Bryant Park
August 2nd- West Side Story- Astoria Park Lawn
August 2nd- Those Who Remain- St. Nicholas Park
August 3rd- Jaws- Valentino Pier
August 4th- Big Fish- Pier I
August 4th- Julie and Julia- Pier 54
August 4th- Starship Troopers- McCarren Park
August 4th- TBA- Socrates
August 4th- Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs- Pier A Park Hoboken
August 4th- The Wizard of Oz- Barretto Point Park
August 5th- Auntie Mame- Elevated Acre
August 5th- Brokeback Mountain- Brooklyn Bridge
August 5th- Aladdin- East River State Park
August 5th- Evan Almighty- St. Mary's Recreation Center
August 6th- House of Usher- Prospect Park Bandshell
August 6th- Freaks- Tony Dapolito Rec Center Rooftop
August 6th- Big- Pier 46
August 6th- Raiders of the Lost Ark- Intrepid
August 6th- Amreeka- Unisphere
August 6th- Hairspray- Highland Park
August 7th- Conspiracy Theory- Roosevelt Island
August 7th- Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs- St. James Park
August 8th- To Wong Foo- Habana Outpost
August 8th- TBA- One Front Street
August 9th- The Goodbye Girl- Bryant Park
August 9th- Fame- Astoria Park Lawn
August 9th- Reel Sisters of the Diaspora- St. Nicholas Park
August 10th- Secret of Roan Inish- Valentino Pier
August 11th- Stranger than Fiction- Pier I
August 11th- Public Enemies- Pier 54
August 11th- Point Break- McCarren Park
August 11th- TBA- Socrates
August 11th- The Fantastic Mr. Fox- Pier A Park Hoboken
August 11th- Shark Tale- Mill Pond Park
August 12th- The Country Girl- Elevated Acre
August 12th- Dream Girls- Brooklyn Bridge
August 12th- Lion King- East River State Park
August 12th- Antz- Betsy Head Memorial Playground
August 13th- Invasion of the Body Snatchers- Tony Dapolito Rec Center Rooftop
August 13th- Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs- Pier 46
August 13th- The Man Who Bottled the Clouds- Unisphere
August 13th- Ghostbusters- Bellevue South Park
August 14th- TBA- Great Hill Central Park
August 14th- The Rise and Fall of Miss Thang- St. Nicholas Park
August 14th- Transformers- Bloomingdale Park
August 15th- Krush Groove- Habana Outpost
August 15th- Soundtrack For A Revolution- St. Nicholas Park
August 16th- 12 Angry Men- Bryant Park
August 16th- Lion King- Astoria Park Lawn
August 16th- Up- Cunningham Park
August 16th- Rise Up- St. Nicholas Park
August 17th- TBA- Little Bay Park
August 17th- Splash- Valentino Pier
August 18th- Star Trek- Pier 54
August 18th- TBA- Socrates
August 18th- Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs- Pier A Park Hoboken
August 18th- Kung Fu Panda- Joyce Kilmer Park
August 19th- The Muppets Take Manhattan- Elevated Acre
August 19th- Blues Brothers- Brooklyn Bridge
August 19th- Toy Story- Maria Hernandez Park
August 20th- Night of the Living Dead- Tony Dapolito Rec Center Rooftop
August 20th- Annie- Pier 46
August 20th- Rocky- Intrepid
August 20th- Bombay Summer- Unisphere
August 20th- Ghostbusters- Cpl Thompson Park
August 21st- TBA- Great Hill Central Park
August 21st- Nighthawks- Roosevelt Island
August 21st- Lilo and Stitch- Cpl Thompson Park
August 22nd- Cocktail- Habana Outpost
August 23rd- Bonnie and Clyde- Bryant Park
August 23rd- March of the Penguins- Astoria Park Lawn
August 23rd- The Blind Side- Cunningham Park
August 24th- TBA- Little Bay Park
August 24th- Cabin Boy- Valentino Pier
August 24th- Fame- Mineral Springs, Central Park
August 25th- TBA- Socrates
August 25th- Taking of Pelham 1,2,3- Mineral Springs, Central Park
August 26th- Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade- Brooklyn Bridge
August 26th- Saturday Night Fever- Mineral Springs, Central Park
August 27th- Rosemary's Baby- Tony Dapolito Rec Center Rooftop
August 27th- Those Who Remain- Unisphere
August 27th- King Kong- Mineral Springs, Central Park
August 28th- Toy Story- Van Cortlandt Park Indian Field
August 28th- *Viewer's Choice*- Mineral Springs, Central Park
August 29th- Michael Jackson Tribute- Habana Outpost
August 30th- Casablanca- Cunningham Park
August 31st- TBA- Little Bay Park
August 31st- Princess and the Frog- Valentino Pier
August 31st- Toy Story- Cpl Thompson Park
September 2nd- *Public vote*- Brooklyn Bridge
September 5th- Indiana Jones- Habana Outpost
September 7th- Life Aquatic- Valentino Pier
September 12th- Saturday Night Fever- Habana Outpost
September 14th- Pirates of the Caribbean- Valentino Pier
September 19th- The Last Dragon- Habana Outpost
September 26th- Urban Cowboy- Habana Outpost
October 3rd- The Mighty Ducks- Habana Outpost
October 10th- Shaft- Habana Outpost
October 17th- Batman- Habana Outpost
October 24th- Elvira- Habana Outpost

Things noticed: You can catch Monsters vs. Aliens twice (7/15 & 7/30) but only Brooklyn Bridge Park has it in 3D (will they be passing out glasses???). Rosemary's baby is also on the schedule twice (8/2 & 8/27), apparently the August heat brings out the freaks (which is being shown on 8/6). There are 2 muppet films (7/23 & 8/19), one for kids and one for Manhattanites. You can also catch 1/2 of the Indiana Jones series with Raiders of the Lost Ark at the Intrepid and the Last Crusade at Brooklyn Bridge Park. That should nicely compliment my viewing of the The Holy Grail last month at the Huckleberry Bar. If you missed Huckleberry's screening you could substitute Monty Python's quest on July 26th in Bryant Park. And finally, be a little more creative than Movies Under the Stars when you're naming your fest.

In addition to the outdoor screenings:
Huckleberry Bar continues their indoor screenings every Monday. Currently, they're on a films about music series (note: this is different than a musical series). More info here.

The Rubin Museum of Art presents Cabaret Cinema every Friday (I guess they got their liquor license back so the screenings are free w/$7 bar minimum). More info here.

Kate's Joint in the east village was playing films in the bar on Mondays, That may still be happening

Regal Cinemas is having a free summer family film festival at theaters in Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island, but you'll have to be free early in the day to catch them. More info here.

Like German Cinema? Who doesn't. This summer, the Neue Gallery presents Weimar on Screen every Monday at 4pm. More info here.

The Church Lounge at the Tribeca Grand Hotel has free screenings twice every Sunday. More info here

The Sony Wonderlab has free screenings every Saturday. More info here.

Arlo and Esme has free screenings (along with free popcorn) every Tuesday. More info here.

The Raspberry Brothers have a residency at the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn. MST3k style movie mocking every Tuesday. More info here.

Also, keep an eye on your public libraries! Free screenings abound! More info here and narrow your search type to film

For more info on the outdoor venues visit the links below:
Intrepid Summer Movie Series- "Celebrating some of our favorite heroes"
Movies with a View at Brooklyn Bridge Park- Come out early for DJs and a short film before the feature. (Moved this year to the new Pier 1)
HBO Bryant Park Summer Film Festival- Get there early, the lawn opens at 5!
Outdoor Cinema at Socrates Sculpture Park- Each week film, food and performances focused on a different culture
Roosevelt Island Outdoor Movie Series- The tram is down, but the movies are on! Featuring Films the were filmed on the island!
Movie Nights on the Elevated Acre- Classic New York features paired with independent shorts. This fills ups fast, so get there early (Opens at 6)!
Movies Under the Stars (Pier I at 70th St)- Movies for those who believe in escaping into a good book. Appropriate for tweens and teens as well as adults. This year's theme: Tall Tales.
RiverFlicks for Grownups (Pier 54)- Watch all of your favorite blockbusters from 2009
RiverFlicks for Kids (Pier 46)- New and classic films for the whole family
Tony Dapolito Recreation Center Rooftop Film Series- July: Film Noir, August: The Vault of Horror Flicks
Celebrate Brooklyn at Prospect Park Band Shell- A series of films played with live music scores. $3 suggested donation.
Summer Screen- McCarren Park Ballfields (Bedford and North 12th)- Movies with "a nod to our adolescent idols and crushes"
Summer Starz- East River State Park (N 8th St and Kent Ave)- Family friendly films
Films on the Green- Tompkins Square Park, Central Park, Washington Square Park- French musicals
Movies on the Waterfront- Astoria Park Lawn- Family friendly movies on the Astoria waterfront
Passport Fridays at the Unisphere- Celebrate a different culture every Friday with dance/music and a film
Red Hook Summer Films- Valentino Pier- Films about water with a view of Lady Liberty
Movies Under the Stars at Habana Outpost- Make yourself a margarita on a bike blender while you watch films allllll summer
Reel Harlem- Morningside, Marcus Garvey, Jackie Robinson, and St. Nicholas Parks in Harlem- Films mostly feature black music, arts and activism. Events also include short films and music
Movies Under the Stars- Cunningham Park Queens- Free popcorn and some award winning films
Brooklyn Film Works- The Old Stone House, Washington Park Brooklyn- Classic films culminating in films by students age 12-16
Movies Under the Stars- Snug Harbor Staten Island- Come out to the Neptune Fountain Stage early for music from local bands.
Movies Under the Stars- Pier A Park, Hoboken, NJ- Yes it's in Jersey, but it's just as easy to get to Hoboken as a lot of the outer boroughs. So hop on the PATH to check out a series of just released films with the Manhattan skyline as your backdrop.
Ortine Cafe- 622 Washington Avenue Brooklyn, NY, 11238- July is Roald Dahl month! Can't wait to see what August will bring
One Front Street- The Kings County Cinema Society has started a film series every Sunday on the wall of Grimaldi's in Dumbo. I'm excited to see what they'll bring us!
Imagenation Film Festival- St. Nicholas Park, Harlem- Show up early for performances before the films.
Parks Summer 2010 Movie Series- In a park near you- If there weren't already enough film festivals in city parks this summer, the Parks Dep't is taking the show on the road and bringing family friendly films to a park near you. And while most film fests pick a day of the week this is typically every Wednesday-Saturday. Yes some of the films and locations repeat but can you really blame them? And besides maybe it'll be easier to find a showing that works with your schedule.
Central Park Film Festival- This year's theme "Iconic New York." The film's are at the Mineral Springs, which is just north of Sheep Meadow at 69th St on the western side of the park.

Whew! I hope you're happy.

Da Cloistas

For Valentines Day, I found a nice romantic spot for Windnie and me to spend our day, and in typical fashion, we didn't have to break the bank to do it!

Way up in the northern tip of Manhattan lies Fort Tryon Park. The first thing we noticed was the elevation. The park lies on a rocky hilltop with a great view of the city to the east and New Jersey to the west. But this isn't your momma's New Jersey...

The Jersey Shore

The G.W. Bridge

Looking east towards the city

The views made me feel like I was in Cincinnati and heading to the art museum, but I'm getting ahead of myself.

Our first stop in Fort Tryon was the New Leaf Cafe. This is a cozy restaurant just inside the park, in what looked to be an old house. It was a homey place with a bit of style, definitely a good place to take a date. It isn't exactly what you'd call cheap, but that doesn't mean there isn't a deal to be found. For the special occasion we splurged a bit, BUT if you're interested in stopping by for brunch we'd recommend the basket of muffins. You get 4 muffins, a cinnamon roll and a scone for $9. All are delicious, homemade and unique. With the complimentary coffee I think they give everyone, you can have a nice breakfast for 2 for less than $5 each!

Next we made our way to our true destination: The Cloisters.

The Cloisters is an extension of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and accordingly also has a suggested donation admission. This means you can pay whatever your little heart desires to get in. The collection is entirely medieval art, this includes the building which is a composite of several French cloisters brought here to house the collection! I hear it's even more beautiful in the spring once the flowers bloom, but there was plenty of eye candy for us on a cold, snowy Valentine's Day...

The unicorn tapestries


Lots of dead Jesi and Marys








Some intense stained glass


Saints stabbing demons was a common theme


The courtyard was a bit intimidating in the weather



And you weren't anybody in medieval times without a dragon chalice with a hairy, wild man holding a club on top

And since it was Valentine's Day, we've got to include the amor pin:

On our way back home I attempted unsuccessfully to sled using thrown away cardboard and garbage can lids, but my mild concussion did little to hamper the lovely day :)

That night we met up with our good buddy Dave Brown (D Bizzle, Brizzley Bear, etc) for a little bit of free jazz in the east village. There was a one drink requirement per set, but I'm not sure if it was really enforced, they seemed pretty friendly. If you want to check it out, it was at Googies at The Living Room. Great vibe, great music, great company... Great day! How Lovely :)

Later days

We <3 Animals (Brooklyn)

I'm sick again!  How wonderful!  But it's okay, because Brian and I had a lovely day of free fun in Brooklyn.  He's still there watching the UC game at a friend's place... but I called it a night and came home to snuggle it up with my blanket... and you know, write this.

So first for your viewing pleasure: a picture of Brian from Halloween day--free "boo-rito" in hand!  Please take note of his amazing bib.  We bought a little roll of foil from the grocery store across the street and made our "costumes" literally as we walked over to Chipotle.  I made a bracelet and he made this bib.  We're good, i know!

And here we are in our real Halloween costumes, which I'm not going to lie... are kind of sad.  We went to the thrift store the morning of and I bought that shirt for $1.99 and Brian bought his overalls for like $10.00?  I was a farm girl (i've got freckles and pigtails...) and he was some sort of factory worker (i used my mascara to dirty up his face...)?  I don't know.  We were confused too... but whatevaaaaah

Now on to today's fun activities!
Brooklyn Animal Resource Coalition
We woke up semi-early and went to "BARC" to walk dogs and play with cats!  Not only free, but fun!  and not only fun but nice!  This is how it works:  You show up to the place, fill out a form if it is your first time, they hand you a dog and give you a little bit of their background, behavior summary, and things to watch out for.  Then you walk the dog around the neighborhood for about an hour and enjoy the scenery!  Easy Peasy!  Just make sure you check their volunteer hours on the website so you actually have a dog to walk when you get there.

Here are pictures of Brian and I walking Jenny.  (He was very proud of the 2nd photo so I had to post it for him ;) )  She was so cute and liked to play in the crunchy leaves (like me!).  Most dogs are actually much bigger and stronger... typically Pits and things.  We were given this little one because I told them I had never walked a dog before.  If you go, you'll most likely get handed something a little more challenging :)

On Saturdays you can walk dogs from 9am til noon and you can start playing with cats at noon, conveniently!  So after we finished walking Jenny we went into this cat room type thing and loved on a bunch of cats.  I had a lot of fun, but Brian was a little frightened.  A handful of the cats scratch and/or bite people for no apparent reason.  Luckily, my cat at home does both so I'm used to walking away with a few miniature wounds. (Today, I left with a scratch from a cat named Scratch...)  But don't be afraid.  Most of the cats are super friendly and the ones who might harm you are labeled with caution signs!

Prospect Park Zoo: $7 Admission, Free with membership!
After BARC we made our way over to Prospect Park.  We took our time strolling around and crunching the leaves.  So beautiful and relaxing!  We even ran into our friend Robert May who was also enjoying a day in the park.  Eventually the 3 of us made our way over to the zoo, which we got into for free because we have memberships (totally worth it for zoo lovers like ourselves!  go here for more info: Bronx Zoo Membership. We have the "Individual" one... which is really for 2 people because you can always bring a guest for free.)  But if you don't have a membership, admission is only $7!  This zoo is great.  Very manageable in size and very interactive (Take your kids!).  You can see everything in about 2 hours. Fun!

Brooklyn Museum: Target First Saturdays
And since we were in the neighborhood we walked over to "BAM" for free art!  Every first Saturday of the month, entrance is free and they have fun activities and events going on.  Today there was a great band called The Beats playing and all sorts of booze and foodstuffs (which cost money, so no thank you.)  On the website, all of the events are listed that happen between 5pm and 11pm... which I just now noticed.  You can really make a whole night out of this thing!  Calendar marked for next month!  I suggest getting there a little early since there may be lines for events that you need tickets for.

So yeah, that was about it!  The only thing we spent money on today was our brunch at The Bagel Store in Williamsburg.  This place is so delicious and reasonably priced.  They also have day-old bagels that they sell 7 for $2.25, which I had to buy.  I got all sorts of specialty bagels that I cannot wait to eat!!  (I'll write a blog on bagels soon... because i love them...)  And for dinner I'm eating leftovers!  Today was a cheap success!