Associate Hiatus Editor
Let’s face it: You’re certainly not going to see “”Gigli”” this summer. And if you’re already tired of what’s out at your local AMC, it’s time to watch your movies somewhere new. Film festivals are the surest way to check out some new (and old) movies, and see them in a place where you don’t know the attendants by name. From cult classics to new international films, diverse and unique movies are the ticket. And, come on, where else can you see “”Desperately Seeking Susan”” on a screen other than your TV?
Screen on the Green
The San Diego Museum of Art, located in Balboa Park, is featuring its summer outdoor film festival in which movies are projected onto the museum’s east wall. The screenings have already begun, but you can still catch these film favorites: on Aug. 7, “”Strictly Ballroom,”” the 1992 Baz Luhrmann comedy about love and drama in the exciting world of ballroom dancing; “”National Velvet,”” the beloved film featuring a young Elizabeth Taylor on Aug. 14; and “”Flamenco,”” Carlo Saura’s inspiring film of Spanish dance, on Aug. 21. The free screenings start at dusk, so be sure to get there early and bring a blanket or two to stay comfortable and warm.
The San Diego Museum of Art is located at 1450 El Prado, San Diego. For information call (619) 696-1966.
Movies Before the Mast
After seeing hundreds of movies on the big screen, maybe it’s time to switch over to that OTHER big screen this summer: Movies Before the Mast. Each night, movies played on the Star of India, the world’s oldest active ship, on a special “”screen sail”” which is visible all around the deck. With themed nights (Fridays are “”date nights”” and Saturdays are “”family nights””), it’s the place to come with either a date or your baby-sitting charge. This August, “”A Perfect Storm”” will be the Date Night feature, while “”20,000 Leagues Under the Sea”” will be shown for family enjoyment. Alcohol is available on Fridays, so if you’re 21 and older, don’t forget that ID. Tickets are $12 each.
Movies Before the Mast’s gates open at 7 p.m., with shows starting around 8pm. For information and tickets, call (619) 234-9153, or check out http://www.sdmaritime.org and click on the “”Events”” link.
The Long Cult Summer: The Adventure Continues
Cult classics have existed for years, and now the Museum of Photographic Arts has put them all together for a summer film series. Featuring all kinds of classics, the Long Cult Summer is the place to watch all those guilty pleasures. The films featured are eclectic: everything from “”Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”” to “”I Shot Andy Warhol.”” Surely enjoyable, this is the place to go see all those campy movies your mom and dad loved. A full listing of films, and their show times, can be found at http://www.mopa.org/pages/filmpages/upcomfl.asp.
MoPA is located at 1649 El Prado, San Diego, (619) 238-7559. Tickets are $5 for the general public and $4.50 for students. The Long Cult Summer runs through Sept. 27.
San Diego Film Festival
With over 75 films, the San Diego Film Festival will feature some of the best in American and international film. But it’s not all about the movies: There will be a wide range of activities, from Q&A sessions to workshops. It also features panels on all kinds of subjects. Last year’s festival included panels on subjects such as “”Actors on Acting”” and “”10 Stupid Things Filmmakers Do To Mess up Their Movies.”” The festival will run from Sept. 17 to Sept. 20 in the Gaslamp Quarter. Tickets range anywhere from $250 (for a VIP pass) to $10 (for each individual movie); and don’t forget the 25 percent student discount. Passes go on sale Aug. 11. More information on the festival can be found at http://www.sdff.org.
Manny Farber at the Movies
Former film critic Manny Farber will begin his retrospective exhibition (“”Manny Farber: About Face””) at the Museum of Contemporary Art: San Diego. Farber will select several of his favorite films to screen every third Sunday, beginning on Sept. 21. First up are two films: the 1912 classic “”The Musketeers of Pig Alley,”” a story about a young man and woman living in poverty in New York City, along with “”Grand Illusion,”” the 1932 French film about two officers captured during World War I.
Manny Farber at the Movies runs through Dec. 21. The Museum of Contemporary Art: San Diego is located at 700 Prospect St., La Jolla. For more information call the museum at (858) 454-3541. Tickets are $5 for MCASD members and students, and $7 for the general public.
