Silver Screen and Starlit Skies

David Beard Jul 13, 2013 7 Comments

Photo from Twin Ports Night Life

Last night, Kate, Steve and I went to Movies in the Park to see Thor. This is just the kind of cotton-candy movie that Movies in the Park was built for. The sound, oddly enough, was the best part — we could hear it from our apartment parking lot, several blocks away, and it just got bigger and richer as we got closer. The several hundred people there — could it have been a thousand? — enjoyed themselves as much as I did, I hope. And maybe I’ll see you at the next ones — this year is Nerd’s paradise.

July 19
8:50 p.m. X-Men First Class

July 26
8:40 p.m. The Incredibles

August 2
8:30 p.m. The Amazing Spiderman

August 9
8:20 p.m. The Dark Knight

August 16
8:10 p.m. Superman 2 (The Richard Donnor Cut)

August 23
8 p.m. Iron Man 2

August 30
(Labor Day Weekend) *No Movie

September 6
7:40 p.m. The Avengers

Events

7 Comments

MomAH

about 11 years ago

I'm disappointed in this year's selections. I don't think a single one of this summer's movies is appropriate for kids younger than 8. We've seen the Incredibles and I was sorry I rented it. My kids, who are 7 and 4 and have seen plenty of "scary" kid's movies, did not like it at all. They said it was too scary. The fighting was almost non-stop through the entire movie. It wasn't mild cartoon fighting in which there was little peril to the characters - it was pretty intense. In one scene the mom warns her kids the bad guys will kill them, and in another the bad guy kidnaps and threatens a baby. And of the whole list, this is the only movie that seems aimed at the younger set. They could have at least thrown in one movie for the younger kids that was truly appropriate for the younger kids. I love to take the family to at least one movie in the park each summer, but this year I guess we won't be going.

[email protected]

about 11 years ago

I see your point, although I can't imagine being out at an outdoor movie until 11pm when I was under the age of 8, so maybe there is a mismatch of visualized audience?

MomAH

about 11 years ago

Moves in the Park almost always offers at least on "younger kid" movie each season and lots of people bring very young kids to see them. Being out until 11PM with one's parents is not unusual for kids in the summer. If it is not OK for them to be out until 11, then how do you expect kids to see fireworks on the 4th? Catch fireflies after dark? It does not get dark until late in the summer, we have to be flexible because of that. When I was a kid we would go to drive-in movies all the time - which never started earlier than 7:30 or 8. It's not inappropriate to keep kids out late for special things. Check out the Movies in the Park website. One of the big pictures they have on the site is of three kids - two of them seem to be about 8 or so and they are sitting with a small toddler. Movies in the Park says they are, according to them, "for everyone." I don't expect all their movies, or even most of them, to be OK for younger kids. However, they could at least give us one.

MomAH

about 11 years ago

And also a quote from the owner of Twin Ports Outdoor movies, direct from the website, in which he says the goal is to be family friendly:

"We wanted to create a fun family friendly event that ties in the great outdoors and there isn't a more perfect venue than Leif Erikson Park. Just bring your blanket, we'll provide the stars."

[email protected]

about 11 years ago

I would argue that the whole festival seems family friendly to me, in the broadest definition of family, and between Incredibles and Superman II (which is even tamer than the Incredibles, no?), there are movies aplenty for the younger set -- at least, as young as I would take to a movie at 9pm.

This is an "agree to disagree" moment based on various approaches to kid-friendly content.

That said, I would have preferred that more of the movies might have passed the Bechdel test:  http://bechdeltest.com/

--David

MomAH

about 11 years ago

I think what you and I disagree on is whether or not it is appropriate to take kids under 8 to Movies in the Park. You think kids too young to see The Incredibles probably should not be going to Movies in the Park at all. I pointed out that their website shows a picture of two young girls and a toddler (baby?) eating popcorn and says their goal is to provide movies for everyone. Obviously the promoters think really young kids should attend. Yes, you and I can disagree on whether or not Incredibles or Superman II are good kid movies, but it seems your main point is that younger kids should not be brought to this event at all. Many, many people believe it is OK to bring little kids to the event, including the promoters. And I know many, many people think this year's line up does not provide any good choices for the under 8 crowd. It's OK for us to disagree. I just hope next year they offer one movie that is lighter fare than this year's offerings.

[email protected]

about 11 years ago

I am largely indifferent to how late you'd like your kids to be awake;  I am largely indifferent to the content you'd like them to see.

I saw Superman II when I was 7.  I saw Superman 1 when I was just entering kindergarten.  Reasonable people can disagree about whether this content is appropriate for what ages.

My folks almost never let me stay up past nine.  I was in bed by 8pm until Kindergarten.  My friend lets her kids stay up as late as she is awake most nights of the week.  Reasonable people can disagree about whether this hour is appropriate for what ages.

Reasonable people can disagree about whether the content of the series has been well curated.  It's short on female leads, on nonwhite actors overall, on movies where problems are resolved by talking instead of punching.  "De gustibus non est disputandum."

I'm glad we can agree to disagree;  I just want to express my appreciation for these free events, which I think hit the mark.

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