The Ultimate Outdoor Movie Guide 2015

by Heidi Ran Chen

New York’s outdoor movie season is one of the many summer-in-the-city perks that tip the happiness scale from stifling, torrid subway stench back to sunshine, rainbows, and ice cream in the park. With a glut of screenings on offer, from up on rooftops to down by the waterfront, from noirs to Disney, it can get a little overwhelming parsing the many – so many – different calendars for that post-war Czech gem/French New Wave masterpiece/80’s John Hughes classic/Pixar family favorite you’ve always wanted to see al fresco.

Well (you know where this is going) we’ve got you covered. Gratis or ticketed, BYOPicnic - and, for those that like to flirt with the law, BYOAlcohol - or food service, we’ve got the low-down on Manhattan and Brooklyn’s outdoor summer movies with a comprehensive, annotated list of screenings.


Intrepid Museum Summer Movie Series

Where: Flight deck of the Intrepid Museum, Pier 86, W 46th St and 12th Ave

Cost: Free

Details: BYO-seating, picnic

Perks: waterfront, skyline and Hudson River views


Friday, May 22: Top Gun

Friday, July 9: October Sky

Thursday, July 16: Moon

Thursday, July 23: Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Thursday, July 30 - Apollo 13

Thursday, August 6 - Wall-E



HBO Bryant Park Summer Film Festival

Where: Bryant Park Lawn, 42nd Street and 6th Avenue

Cost: Free

Details: BYO-blanket (no chairs, tarps etc. are allowed on the lawn), picnic; food vendors and park chairs surrounding the lawn available

Perks: being in a green oasis surrounded by Midtown skyscrapers; designated free bike parking area

 

Monday, June 22: Ghostbusters

Monday, June 29: The Killers

Monday, July 6: The Poseidon Adventure

Monday, July 13: I'm No Angel

Monday, July 20: Badlands

Monday, July 27: Footloose

Monday, August 3: Marathon Man

Monday, August 10: Desk Set

Monday, August 17: Chinatown

Monday, August 24: Back to the Future


Central Park Conservancy Film Festival

Where: Central Park, the landscape between Sheep Meadow and the 72nd Street Cross Drive (Terrace Drive)

Cost: Free

Details: BYO-blanket, picnic

 

Tuesday, August 25: Fame

Wednesday, August 26: The Blues Brothers

Thursday, August 27: Airplane!

Friday, August 28: Raging Bull

Saturday, August 29: Superman II


 


Hudson RiverFlicks, Family Fridays

Where: Hudson River Park, Pier 46 Greenwich Village, Charles Street and the Hudson River

Cost: Free

Details: BYO-seating, picnic

Perks: waterfront, Hudson River views, Hoboken views (perk?), free popcorn


Friday, July 10: SpongeBob: Sponge Out of Water              

Friday, July 17: The Box Trolls               

Friday, July 24: Pee Wee's Big Adventure              

Friday, July 31: Annie (2014)            

Friday, August 7: Jumanji             

Friday, August 14: Paddington                  

Friday, August 21: Hook


Hudson RiverFlicks, Big Hit Wednesdays

Where: Hudson River Park, Pier 63, on the Hudson River between W 22nd and W 24rd Street

Cost: Free

Details: BYO-seating, picnic

Perks: waterfront, Hudson River views, Hoboken views (perk?), free popcorn


Wednesday, July 8: The Imitation Game

Wednesday, July 15: Neighbors

Wednesday, July 22: Selma

Wednesday, July 29: St. Vincent

Wednesday, August 5: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1

Wednesday, August 12: Boyhood

Wednesday, August 19: Interstellar


Summer on the Hudson Picture Show

Where: Pier 1 at 70th Street in Riverside Park South, Riverside Drive bet. 65 St. and 72 St.

Cost: Free

Details: BYO-blanket (chairs available on first come, first serve), picnic

Perks: Waterfront, Hudson River views


Wednesday, July 1: Jurassic Park

Wednesday, July 8: Edward Scissorhands

*Friday, July 10, GOHA

Wednesday, July 15: The Natural

*Friday, July 17, Queen To Play

Wednesday, July 22: The Great Gatsby

Wednesday, July 29: Beasts of the Southern Wild

Wednesday, August 5: Moonrise Kingdom

Wednesday, August 12: Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax


*Part of Films on the Green movie series


Second Location:

Where: 72nd Street Track and Lawn, Riverside Park


Thursday, June 11: Hyde Park on Hudson

Thursday, July 9: Pride and Prejudice

Thursday, August 13: Fantastic Mr. Fox


Films on the Green Festival

Where: Various Locations, see below

Cost: Free

Details: BYO-blanket, picnic

Perks: Central Park greenery, Washington Square Park arch backdrop, la langue d’amour


Central Park, Cedar Hill

Friday, May 29, And God Created Woman


Washington Square Park

Friday, June 5, Caramel

Friday, June 12, Pepe Le Moko



Tompkins Square Park

Friday, June 19, Priceless (Hors de Prix)

Friday, June 26, Zarafa


Riverside Park, Pier I

Friday, July 10, GOHA

Friday, July 17, Queen To Play


Transmitter Park (Brooklyn)

Friday, July 24, La Derive

Friday, July 31, La Collectionneuse


Columbia University (116th St)

Thursday, Sept. 10, The Rabbi's Cat (Le Chat du Rabbin)



Death Ave

Where: Death Ave, 315 10th Ave, Chelsea

Cost: $88 includes food, bottle of wine or growler, screening  

Details: Food, drink, screening package; a la carte service

Perks: Patio garden next to the High Line, hanging lanterns, date atmosphere


Monday, June 15th: Notorious

Monday, June 29th: Annie Hall

Monday, July 6th: Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Monday, July 13th: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Monday, July 20th: The Big Lebowski

Monday, July 27th: Last Tango in Paris

Monday, August 3rd: Midnight Cowboy

Monday, August 10th: Sunset Blvd.

August 17th: Vertigo

Monday, August 24th: Roman Holiday

Monday, August 31st: Bonnie and Clyde

Monday, September 7th: 12 Angry Men

Monday, September 14th: Pulp Fiction

Monday, September 21st: Raging Bull

Monday, September 28th: The Sting

Monday, October 5th: An American Werewolf in London

Monday, October 12th: Night of the Living Dead

Monday, October 19th: Psycho

Monday, October 26th: Poltergeist

Monday, November 2nd: The Shining


Rooftop Films

Where: Various locations, see below

Cost: $15 (select shows are free)

Details: Food and drinks available for sale

Perks: rooftop and (sometimes) Manhattan skyline views, live music before screening, after party, filmmaker Q&A for select screenings


The Old American Can Factory

232 Third St. at 3rd Ave., Gowanus

Friday, Jun 12: Welcome to Leith

Friday, Jun 26: Sam Klemke’s Time Machine

Friday, July 10: Bloomin Mud Shuffle

Saturday, July 18: The Chinese Mayor

Saturday, August 8: Divine Location


Industry City

220 36th Street, Sunset Park

Perk: view of lower Manhattan skyscape and Statue of Liberty


Saturday, Jun 13: Love Comes Later: Romantic Short Films

Friday, Jun 19: New York Non-Fiction

Saturday, June 20: Dark Toons (Short Films)

Monday, June 22: Fresh Dressed

Friday, July 3: Men Go to Battle

Saturday, July 11: Romeo is Bleeding

Friday, July 24: {The And} Game Live Experience

Saturday, July 25: First Comes Love: Romantic Short Films

Friday, August 7: All We Have Is Now

Saturday, August 15: Finders Keepers

Tuesday, August 18: Digging For Fire

Saturday, August 22: Rooftop Shots (Closing Night)


Solar One

24-20 FDR Drive, Service Road East at 23rd Street and the East River

Perks: on the pier, waterfront views, solar-powered


Tuesday, June 16: Sixteen Candles

Thursday, June 25: Frances Ha

Tuesday, June 30: Bridesmaids


Elevated Acre

55 Water St., Financial District (near Coenties Slip)


Wednesday, June 17: High Jinks (Short Films)


RIVER TO RIVER FESTIVAL: Pier 15, East River Esplanade, Financial District


Tuesday, June 23: Krai


RIVER TO RIVER FESTIVAL: Liberty Plaza, 28 Liberty Street, Financial District


Wednesday, June 24: Render and Ritornello


The Roof of Trilok Fusion Center for the Arts

143 Waverly Ave., Clinton Hill


Thursday, July 2: It Seemed So Real (Documentary Shorts)


MetroTech Commons

5 MetroTech Center, Downtown brooklyn


Friday, July 17: A Night With Khalik Allah

Thursday, August 6: Bikes vs. Cars


Rooftop Film Club

Where: YOTEL New York, 570 10th Ave

Cost: $15 for GA, $25 includes seating and some food and drink

Details: Food and drink service

Perks: Beautiful Manhattan rooftop view, headphones and blankets available, themed cocktails


Wednesday June 3: Top Gun

Sunday June 7: Ghostbusters

Monday June 8: Manhattan

Tuesday June 9: Breakfast at Tiffany's

Wednesday June 10: Birdman

Sunday June 14: The Goonies

Monday June 15: The Usual Suspects

Tuesday June 16: Dirty Dancing

Wednesday June 17: Labyrinth

Sunday June 21: Back to the Future

Monday 22: The Breakfast Club

Tuesday 23: Casablanca

Wednesday 24: Amelie

Sunday 28: The Big Lebowski

Monday 29: Time Out New York pick!

Tuesday 30: Pretty Woman


Czech That Film in New York

Where: 321 E 73rd Street, Rooftop of the Czech Center New York, at the Bohemian National Hall (between 1st and 2nd Avenue)

Cost: $10

Details: Seating provided

Perks: Manhattan rooftop views, culture


Tuesday, July 2: Gypsy/ Cigan

Tuesday, July 9: The House/ Dom

Tuesday, July 16: Innocence /Nevinnost

Tuesday, July 23: Don’t Stop

Tuesday, July 30: Made in Ash/ Až do města Aš

Tuesday, August 6: Hops Pickers/ Starci na chmelu

Tuesday, August 13: Closely Watched Trains/ Ostře sledované vlaky

Tuesday, August 20: Cutting it Short/ Postřižiny

Tuesday, August 27: I Served the King of England / Obsluhoval jsem anglického krále


Columbus Park

Where: Columbus Park, Baxter St, Mulberry St, Bayard St and Park, Chinatown

Cost: Free

Details: BYO-blanket


Friday, June 26: The Last Dragon


Carl Schurz Park

Where: Carl Schurz Park, 1483 York Avenue, basketball court

Cost: Free

Detail: BYO-blanket, picnic

Perks: free snow cones (at Frozen), free popcorn


Tuesday, July 28: Frozen

Tuesday, August 11: Adam's Rib


103 Street Community Garden (New York Restoration Project)

Where: 103rd Street Community Garden, 105 East 103rd St, East Harlem

Cost: Free

Perks: Free hot popcorn


Tuesday, July 11: All Dogs goto Heaven

August 11th: Flight of the Navigator



Swindler Cove (New York Restoration Project)

Where: Swindler Cove at Sherman Creek, 10 Ave. bet. Academy St. and the Harlem River

Cost: Free


Tuesday, August 25: E.T. The Extra Terrestrial


Tony Dapolito Recreation Center

Where: 1 Clarkson St, Greenwich Village

Cost: Free


Tuesday, July 14: Forbidden Planet

Tuesday, July 21: Ghostbusters

Tuesday, July 28: Star Trek II The Wrath of Khan

Tuesday, August 4: Casablanca

Tuesday, August 11: Grease

Tuesday, August 18: Roman Holiday

Tuesday, August 25: Dream Girls


Mad 46 Rooftop Lounge at The Roosevelt Hotel

Where: 19th Floor of The Roosevelt Hotel, Madison Avenue at 46th St, Manhattan

Cost: $20 Minimum food & beverage spend for those seated for movie night; no minimum for standing patrons

Details: Food and drink service

Perks: Lofty Manhattan rooftop views, swank


Tuesday, June 23: Jack

Tuesday, July 14: American Hustle

Tuesday, July 28: Sex In The City

Tuesday, August 11: Anchor Man

Tuesday, August 25: Ghostbusters

Tuesday, September 15: Goonies


SummerScreen at McCarren Park

Where: McCarren Park Ballfields, corner of Bedford Avenue and North 12th St, Williamsburg, next to the tennis courts

Cost: Free

Details: BYOPicnic, seating

Perks: hipsters, proximity to Williamsburg bar scene (Turkey’s Nest, the Charleston, Berry Park)


Wednesday, July 8: Clueless

Wednesday, July 15: Wet Hot American Summer

Wednesday, July 22: Dirty Dancing

Wednesday, July 29: Dazed and Confused

Wednesday, August 5: Jurassic Park

Wednesday, August 12: Audience Pick


Brooklyn Bridge Park's Movies with a View

Where: Pier 1 on the Harbor View Lawn, Brooklyn Bridge Park, 334 Furman Street, DUMBO

Cost: Free

Details: BYO-blanket, picnic, concession available

Perks: Amazing Manhattan skyline views, music (DJ’s) pre-screening


Thursday, July 9: High Noon

Thursday, July 16: Sharknado 2: The Second One

Thursday, July 23: Attack the Block

Thursday, July 30: Clue

Thursday, August 6: Friday

Thursday, August 13: Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

Thursday, August 20: Dazed and Confused

Thursday, August 27: Die Hard



Prospect Park (Bandshell)

Where: Prospect Park Bandshell, at Prospect Park West & 9th Street, Park Slope

Cost: Free

Details: BYO-picnic, Beer & wine are available for purchase


Friday, June 26: Paris is Burning

Friday, July 17: The Son of Sheik

Thursday, August 6: House of Usher (part of Celebrate Brooklyn! series)


Coney Island Flicks on the Beach

Where: Coney Island, the beach at West 10th Street, 1001 Boardwalk West

Cost: Free

Details: BYO-blankets, beach chairs, sandles, picnic

Perks: beach, view of the Coney Island ferris wheel


Tuesday, July 7: Frozen

Tuesday, July 21: Iron Man 3

Tuesday, July 28: The Lego Movie

Tuesday, August 4: American Hustle

Tuesday, August 11: Dirty Dancing

Tuesday, August 18: Grease

Tuesday, August 25: Gravity

Tuesday, September 2: ET


Red Hook Flicks

Where: Valentino Pier, by Coffey St & Ferris St, Red Hook

Cost: Free

Details: BYO-picnic, food available onsite

Perks: Waterfront views, proximity to Red Hook Lobster Pound


Tuesday, July 7: Jurassic Park

Tuesday, July 14: Coming to America

Tuesday, July 21: Fantastic Mr. Fox

Tuesday, July 28: Big Trouble in Little China

Tuesday, August 4: When We Were Kings

Tuesday, August 11: High Fidelity

Tuesday, August 18: The Incredibles

Tuesday, August 25: The Bad News Bears

Tuesday, September 1: Goodfellas





Habana Outpost

Where: Habana Outpost, 757 Fulton Street, Fort Greene

Cost: Free

Details: Food and drinks service

Perks: Good food and drinks


Mondays:

June 14: El Cantante

June 21: Scarface

June 28: Thelma & Louise

July 5: Top Gun

July 12: White Men Can’t Jump

July 19: Escape from New York

July 26: Jaws

August 2: To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything

August 9: Purple Rain

August 16: Grease

August 23: Footloose

August 30: Coming to America

September 6: The Goonies

September 13: Teen Wolf

September 20: The Usual Suspects

September 27: Arthur

October 4: Little Shop of Horrors

October 11: Jackie Brown

October 18: The Lost Boys

October 25: The Terminator



Huckleberry Bar

Where: 588 Grand St. Williamsburg

Cost: Free

Details: Food and drink service

Perks: free buttered popcorn and 2-for-1 drinks


Monday, June 15: Superbad

Monday, June 22: Dazed and Confused

Monday, June 22: Weekend at Bernie’s


Movie Nights in the Rockaways

Where: Rockaway Beach Park, Beach 17th Street and Seagirt Boulevard

Cost: Free

Details: BYO-seating, picnic

Perks: beach


Tuesday, July 7: The Iron Giant

Tuesday, August 4: Back to the Future Part II


Summer on the Canal - Dirty Dancing, by Gowanus Art + Production

Where: The Green Building, 452 Union Street, Gowanus

Cost: $10 Movie, $25 Movie + All You Can Drink! (beer and wine bar)

Details: Drinks available for purchase

Perks: Trivia, DJ set and dance party after


Wednesday, July 15: Dirty Dancing



Herbert Von King Park

Where: Herbert Von King Park, 670 Lafayette Avenue

Cost: Free

Details: BYO-seating, picnic

Perks: music performances by the Bullitts and DJ Spinna


Sunday, June 21: They Die By Dawn