2012 Outdoor Movie Guide

FreshAirCinema returns this year to the park at Second Beach with some real crowd-pleasers. Bring your own chairs and snacks to this free event. Come early to grab your personal plot of grass and don’t forget a big, cozy blanket to fend off that English Bay breeze!Nearby eats: Free movies are the perfect excuse to indulge in luxurious snacks at Cupcakes or the Marble Slab Creamery, then stop by Delany’s and fill your thermos before the show.Night cap: After the film, keep the night going at the sleek new Cactus Club English Bay. July 3 – Bill and Ted’s Excellent AdventureJuly 10 – ZoolanderJuly 17 – SpaceballsJuly 24 – The Lion KingJuly 31 – GreaseAugust 7 – The Blues BrothersAugust 11 – Back to the FutureAugust 14 – Monty Python and the Holy GrailAugust 28 – Ferris Bueller’s Day Off Our Pick: Bill and Ted’s Excellent AdventureIt really is the most surprisingly educational movie of all time. And the mall scene is most excellent:

 As though the Nat couldn’t get any more charming, this summer they’ve got a great lineup of family-friendly movies to enjoy on nights that our champs are out of town. The grass is out of bounds for this free event, however, so bring the softest pillow you own or risk a case of bleacher bum. Homemade snacks are also a no-no but the stadium’s concession will be open for business.Nearby eats: Before the show, hop on over to Main St. and enjoy a delectable roti wrap from East is East, or some mouth-watering Jamaican plantain chips from The Reef.Night cap: cozy up to the bar at Locus for a Midnight (hot chocolate spiked with butterscotch schnapps and spiced rum) July 27 – The IncrediblesAugust 10 – Field of DreamsAugust 31 – Aladdin Our pick: Field of DreamsReally, how often do you have the chance to watch this movie in a ballpark?  Now that’s a recliner! The H.R. MacMillan Space Centre will be showing a great selection of space movies this summer in their planetarium. General admission is $10.75, as with all evening planetarium shows. Worth it to experience 180 degrees of Captian Kirk? We think so.Nearby eats: on the way up to the Space Centre, stop by the Rocky Mountain Flatbread Co. on 1st Ave to see what ingenious organic goodies are topping the pizza of the day.Night cap: to recover from your nerdy indulgence, head over to the Kits Hapa Izakaya, one of the coolest casual spots in town. July 13 – 2001: A Space OdysseyJuly 27 – Star Trek (2009)August 10 – The Right StuffAugust 24 – Spaceballs Our pick: 2001: A Space Odyssey As much as we love Chris Pine, there’s just something so darn sexy about the disembodied voice of an evil computer: Also: did you know that the H.R. MacMillan Planetarium opened in 1968 – the same year that 2001: A Space Odyssey was released?

The fun and quirky Trout Lake community is sure to make this a memorable evening, so come prepared with a big blanket and your best Doc Brown impression.Nearby eats: Stroll down Commercial and almost every hole in the wall has delicious treasures waiting inside, like the monster paninis at La Grotta Del Fromaggio, or the succulent injera berad and Ethiopian stews at Harambe.Night cap: Continue your very serious discussions on time travel paradoxes over one of St. Augustine’s  40+ craft brews. August 11 – Back to the Future

 “Great Scott!”

Join the condo exodus this July 29th and August 19th at David Lam Park for Yaletown Outdoor Movie Night. See these pictures from last year to understand just how awesome a free movie on a 20 x 40 ft. screen in a gorgeous waterfront park can be.Nearby eats: Small plates abound in this über-trendy neighbourhood, and we recommmendthe ones at Goldfish Pacific Kitchen. For a rounder meal, find a perch on the patio at Provence Marinaside.Night cap: Return to the above locale for some off-the-wall cocktails or follow the raw iron staircase down to the new Hooker’s Green Public House (under the New Oxford) and relax in their funky den-like tavern. July 29 – The Princess BrideAugust 19 – Dirty Dancing Our pick: Dirty DancingPatrick Swayze’s most swoon-worthy legacy (and it’s a pretty good story too). If you prefer your movies at a higher altitude, take a hike up Burnaby Mountain for SFU’s annual Screen on the Green outdoor movie night in the green space at Gaglardi Way and South Campus Road. Admission is free but bring your own blanket and snacks to either of these environmentally-conscious flicks.Nearby eats: Ok, so it’s a university campus and we all know that usually means some slim culinary pickings. So while Horizons is the obvious fine dining option, rumor has it the new Cornerstone building offers some tasty bubble teas, and thankfully there’s also the deli at Nester’s Market.Night cap: While we can tolerate a little campus dining, we draw the line at campus pubs. After the movie, roll on back down the mountain and visit the almost cartoon-esque Mountain Shadow Pub, where you’ll find GIB Honey Lager and double highballs as the Friday night special. July 20 – Big MiracleAugust 17 – The Lorax Our pick: The LoraxWith the voices of Ed Helms, Zac Efron, Taylor Swift, Danny DeVito and Betty White behind these bumbling and colourful Seuss characters, you just can’t go wrong.