Golden Cinema: Outdoor Movies at Farragut

Robin Tunney as "Deb," in Empire Records.

The Golden Triangle Business Improvement District is sponsoring an outdoor movie series this summer. Movies will be shown on Fridays from May 22 until July 31, and begin at 7:30 PM. The location is Farragut Square, at the corner of 17th and K Sts NW.

Back in March, I advocated for voting Empire Records into the top spot. And of course, it's first up this Friday! The complete lineup, via Golden Triangle: 

May 22: Empire Records

May 29: The Devil Wears Prada              

June 5: Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy     

June 12: The Social Network               

June 19: Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade              

June 26: Hook         

July 10: Nine to Five    

July 17: Miss Congeniality

July 24: Italian Job

July 31: The Wedding Planner

Vote for Summer Movies in Farragut Square!

Golden Triangle Business Improvement District is hosting an outdoor summer movie series in Farragut Square Park. The movies will be shown at the park (17th and K NW) from May 22 to July 31. Anyone can vote for movies at this BID webpage through this Friday, March 6. You can vote for 5, and the top 11 vote getting movies will be shown. I wish I could vote for Empire Records 5 times. Or 100 times. This park is served by the 42 bus, Circulator, Red Line, and isn't far from the Blue/Orange/Silver Lines. I'll post the final schedule after it's released. Onward to Spring!

Return of Movies in Lamont Park

Mount Pleasant Main Street has organized more movies in Lamont Park for this Fall. The three-movie series begins next week and will be held at Lamont Park at the corner of Lamont Street and Mount Pleasant Street NW. 

The dates and movies from the organizers:

"Friday September 19th: Dead Poets Society (PG, tribute to Robin Williams)
Friday October 3rd: Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings (PG) [TENTATIVE]
Friday October 10th: Zoolander (PG) [TENTATIVE]

7:30-10:00. Free. Rain Date: Sundays

Snacks and non-alcoholic drinks

Support your local businesses and main street

Volunteers needed - email achoey@gmail.com

Donations needed - www.mtpmainstreet.org (hit donate button) or at event"

Check the MPMS Facebook page for updates on the tentative movie dates. (No offense HP fans, but I'd rather see LOTR.) Have a great weekend!

OK, so this is totally a photo from the Mount Pleasant Music Festival, not movie night. Imagine movies.

Return of Movies in Lamont Park

Get ready for more outdoor movies! Movie Nights in Lamont Park returns courtesy of our friends at Mount Pleasant Main Street. The series picks up next Friday September 6th. The movies nights will run from 7:15 PM until about 9:30 PM. Lamont Park is located at the corner of Mount Pleasant and Lamont Sts NW. The line up:

September 6: Raiders of the Lost Ark - You've probably seen this 1,000 times but it never gets old. It's the classic Harrison Ford flick set in the 1930s. Ford plays Indiana Jones who finds himself in a race against time and anthropological puzzles to find the Ark of the Covenant. And oh yeah, he has to fend off the Nazis. Naturally, they intend to use the Ark for world domination. Adventure, comedy, action, melting Nazi heads. Perfect summer flick. And Karen Allen as Marion Ravenwood, swoon.

September 20: Bend it Like Beckham - For some reason, this movie only played for a few weeks at the art house theater in my hometown. It deserved a much wider distribution, IMO. The plot might appear to be classic love triangle story between characters played by Parminder Nagra, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, and Keira Knightley. But, the real story is about the love triangle between the main character Jes, the sport of soccer, and the love she has for her family. Jes has to navigate the cultural norms that get in the way of her ambitions and ends up confronting racial and gender stereotypes along the way. Really, really, great movie. It's one of the few I have on DVD and makes for a great Sunday afternoon feel good flick.

October 4: Best in Show - Oh LAWD. That's all I have to say about this movie. This is the perfect movie because 1) There are so many ridiculous one-liners like, "We met at Starbucks," 2) PARKER POSEY, and 3) Whatever Christopher Guest touches is gold. I'm dying just thinking about Best in Show right now. I'm not even watching it... I'm just thinking about it. And dying. It's that funny. Plus, PARKER POSEY. Let's be honest, here's no excuse to miss this showing. Be there.

Tonight! Movies in Lamont Park: The Princess Bride

Did you know Cary Elwes turns 50 next month? And The Princess Bride has been around for 25 years now. Bananas. In high school, a very, very good friend and I had a secret club (yep, secret high school clubs). Anyway, one of the inside jokes we had was based on this movie. We'd say "My name is Chiquita Banana. You killed my father. Prepare to die." What does i mean? I have no idea to this day. But it made me laugh and it made me love this movie even more.

The showing is rain or shine (doesn't look like rain, and it should be getting dark by then). The show starts at 7:15PM at Lamont Park. Lamont Park is at the corner of Lamont and Mount Pleasant Sts NW. Just before The Princess Bride, the organizers (Mount Pleasant Main Street) will show a short film, Into the Lime Lite. I saw this documentary last month and it was was pretty great. Enjoy it; a nice DC story.

Enjoy the movies, enjoy the weekend!

Outdoor Movies Return to Lamont Park

Want.

Mount Pleasant Mainstreet is organizing an outdoor movie series in our very own Lamont Park. The scheduled dates are Friday September 21 and Friday September 28. Movies begin at 7:15PM. The theme is 80s cult classics (PG rated, of course)! Yessssss. I love the 80s: best music, best clothing, best attitude and yes, best flicks. 

MPMS is asking you to vote on which two films which will be shown. You can view the options and vote here. As of late last night Back to the Future was in 4th place. 4th? Come on now. Future Marty. FUTURE. MARTY. Get into it. That is all.

Ride the Divide: Mount Pleasant Movies in the Park

From Mount Pleasant Main Street:

On Saturday, Aug. 7, the Mount Pleasant Main Street Association (together with the Mount Pleasant Business Association and CricKet Wireless) will be showing the documentary film "Ride the Divide," an account of the world's toughest solo mountain bike race along 2,700 miles of the Continental Divide in the Rocky Mountains. 

The film tells the story of three characters' experiences as they endure mental breakdowns, treacherous weather, hellacious blisters and total fatigue while they attempt to pedal from Banff, Canada, to a small, dusty crossing on the Mexican border. The filmmaker intertwines cycling footage with immense mountain beauty and snippets of small-town culture. 

This is the premier public showing of the film in the District of Columbia.

The event is an opportunity to celebrate Mt P's vibrant bike culture as well as support its local businesses. Local cycling groups will host bike clinics and other educational activities.  A suggested donation of $5-$10 will support the local charity Neighbors Consejo.

Movies begin at dusk in Lamont Park (Mount Pleasant St. NW and Lamont St. NW).  Participants are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and meals purchased from local vendors and restaurants.

Thank you for your consideration.  For more information, email info@mtpmainstreet.org.

"Movies in the Park" Returns to Mount Pleasant

Mount Pleasant Main Street is graciously bringing back Movies in the Park this summer. Held in Lamont Park, of course. Who needs Screen on the Green; we have our very own, minus the green. The theme this year is "Road Trip," and you'll see why, looking at the selection. The first film is this Saturday!

Movies start at dusk, so there's no exact start time; they'll begin just as the sun is setting. However, come early because MPMS will have organized music, Mt P trivia and other activities on hand before each movie. I always like to say early is on time, so be like me. Actually, I'm a well known procrastinator. So, don't be like me. Anyway, just come early. Here's the schedule.

July 24 :: Little Miss Sunshine (rain date July 25)

A family piles into their VW van and heads West to a beauty pageant-- adventure ensues.

August 7 :: Ride The Divide (rain date August 8)
An account of the world’s toughest mountain bike race: a trek over 2,700 miles along the Continental Divide. This will double as a fundraiser for Neighbors Consejo with a suggested donation of $5-10.

August 28 :: The Brave Little Toaster (rain date August 29)
Five appliances -- a toaster, desk lamp, radio, electric blanket and vacuum cleaner-- set out on the road in search of their owner. Kid-friendly activities before the film.

September 11 :: Salt of the Earth (rain date September 12)
A blacklisted 1954 film about labor rights and immigration based on an actual strike at the Empire Zinc Mine in New Mexico. Co-hosted by the Latino Association of Mount Pleasant.