2010 AIA Summer Film Series

Films are screened under the stars (and occasional passing police helicopter) in the Abell Open Space (300 block of E. 32nd St) on Friday nights throughout the summer. All films are free and open to the public. In the event of rain, films are screend the following Saturday evening.

For more information about the film series, contact Paul Burk

Film Schedule:

Film Summaries:

Casablanca
Probably the most famous Hollywood movie of all time, certainly the most quoted, and the most frequently cited as an all-time favorite, Casablanca won Best Picture, Director, and Writer awards at the 1943 Oscar ceremony. The definitive rebuttal to notions of the "auteur" (one author) in film, the romantic drama was put together in pieces by many different sources, with script pages completed just moments before the cameras rolled. The performances by Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman are so subtle and complex because the actors themselves had no idea how it was going to end. Reportedly, Bergman never cared for this film and couldn’t understand its popularity. Most would disagree.

 

North By Northwest
This 1958 thriller from Alfred Hitchcock stars Cary Grant as Roger Thornhill, an advertising executive who is mistaken for a spy named George Kaplan. When his life is turned upside down, Thornhill decides the only way to get his life back is to track down the real Kaplan himself. One of Hitchcock’s most entertaining films, North By Northwest strikes a pitch-perfect balance between humor, suspense and romance. Cary Grant is superb, as is James Mason as a chillingly erudite villain. The iconic crop-dusting scene truly deserves to be seen outdoors and on a big screen.

 

Fantastic Mr. Fox
Director Wes Anderson’s dry, offbeat adaptation of a Roald Dahl story chronicles how Mr. Fox (voiced by George Clooney), restless in his tame job as a newspaper columnist, decides to indulge his animalistic urges to steal game (and cider) from the three biggest farmers in the area. When the mean farmers wage war on him, he enlists a ragtag crew of animal helpers to outwit the humans. A visual treat, and a charming tale that will appeal to both children and adults alike.

 

Yellow Submarine
All is peace, love, and music in gentle Pepperland until the wicked Blue Meanies take over. The Beatles come to the rescue via the title vessel, meeting all kinds of strange and interesting characters along the way. Yellow Submarine is a pleasure for the eye, ear, and heart, featuring spectacularly trippy animation, gorgeous music (including the title song, When I'm 64, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, and Eleanor Rigby) witty wordplay (lots of puns and some sly political satire), and a sweet story with a nonviolent happy ending. An underappreciated classic.

 

My Neighbor Totoro
From visionary Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki, this animated film tells the story of a pair of sisters who move to the countryside where their mother is hospitalized with a long-term illness. As they settle into their new home, the girls discover there are magical creatures inhabiting their house and neighborhood. A richly imagined, gentle tale appropriate for even the youngest children.

 

TBD – Audience Member’s Choice
This one’s up for grabs. Send in your selections and we’ll put it to a vote.