Often times when I tell people I’m going to the movies on a weeknight, they assume I’m catching a newer release while simultaneously avoiding the crowds that tend to congregate on Friday nights or during the weekends- and while this can be the case every so often- they’re always left puzzled and perplexed when I explain that I’m either going to catch a classic movie from the 50s/60s/70s or am seeing a “so bad it’s good” cult favorite.
Given that we are all looking for ways to beat the scorching Summer temperatures while we await those first few glimpses of the Fall- I thought I’d share some of my favorite cinema-centric ways to stay cool, enjoy some snacks, and re-live movie magic or have a really, really good laugh with friends and strangers alike.
For starters, once a month- every month- I like to drive into nearby Hadley, Massachusetts since their theater partners with Turner Classic Movies to play one-night-only screenings of timeless classic movies. This year’s lineup has been amazing so far- with screenings of ‘Casablanca’, ‘Singin’ In The Rain’, and ‘What Ever Happened To Baby Jane?’ among so many others. Before the movie starts, they show interesting facts about the movie selected or have trivia questions on-screen.
I’m a huge TCM fan and I adore old Hollywood pictures- so those screenings are so precious to me- and depending on the movie, there’s usually an enthusiastic crowd, too!
Secondly, and these screenings only happen a couple of times a year- but I try never to miss seeing Rifftrax Live events. From the brilliant and cynical minds behind ‘Mystery Science Theater 3000’- the cast of the show choose a hilariously awful movie (and some very dated commercials/infomercials/after-school specials, etc.) to perform commentary over for audiences all over the country.
I went to their latest screening last night, ‘The Return of Swamp Thing’. The theater was packed- and we were all losing our minds with laughter.
And finally, before school is back in session- I recommend getting some extra caffeine in your system and heading over to Coolidge Corner Theater for their ‘After Midnight’ programming. Here they show super late night screenings of campy cult classics, horror movies, martial arts sagas and foreign films. They serve alcohol, too- which adds to the fun and mayhem in my personal opinion.
I’ve seen ‘The Room’ there more times than I can count and ‘Cats’ as soon as COVID-19 restrictions were relaxed (I wrote about it last Summer, I believe!) It is always pandemonium- but in the best way possible.
So if you’re in need of popcorn, air conditioning or just something to do in these final weeks of Summer- I highly suggest checking out what your local movie theater has going on! A great resource you can utilize is Fathom Events– where you can see unique screenings close to your area/zip code. I reference it all the time!
xo
Coffee & Chiffon 