Where to Catch Some Cult Classics This Summer


After a year of avoiding theaters, not to mention a lack of exciting movie releases, we’re all in need of a comfort screening. Fortunately, there’s a few places nearby that will be showing your favorite classics in the next few months, from “1o Things I Hate About You” to “Top Gun.” So, pop some popcorn, grab some friends and get ready for a great summer.


Our Wicked Lady’s Rooftop Movie Mondays

Our Wicked Lady, a music venue and bar on Morgan Avenue, is screening plenty of beloved classics for their Rooftop Movie Mondays. The events are free, though donations are encouraged. OWL’s roof has tables and grass where audience members can enjoy drinks, including hard Kombucha, and wait for the sun to go down. When the sun sets late in the evening, the free movie begins. 

Next week’s screening is the aptly named “Snakes on a Plane,” starring Samuel L. Jackson. And ’80s fans fear not—from “Dirty Dancing” to “Footloose,” there are plenty of nostalgic classics on this summer’s schedule. Crime drama enthusiasts can watch “Scarface” on August 9th, though lovers of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” will have to wait till late September to see it projected on OWL’s rooftop screen.

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Patrons at Our Wicked Lady. Photo courtesy of Our Wicked Lady Instagram.

Syndicated Bar’s Sidewalk Cinema

Every night at 9:00pm, Syndicated Bar hosts a free screening outside their indoor movie theater and kitchen. It’s first-come first-serve at this “Sidewalk Cinema,” where audience members can order food and drinks via table service. The June schedule features some beloved movies, such as “But I’m A Cheerleader”on the 29th and “Velvet Goldmine” on the 30th. The July schedule is sure to do the same.

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Patrons at Syndicated Bar’s Sidewalk Cinema watch Wes Anderson’s “Moonrise Kingdom.” Photo courtesy of Syndicated Bar website.

NYC Parks

The city’s Department of Parks and Recreation puts on a few outdoor movie events throughout the summer. This calendar doesn’t focus so much on classics, but many of the free screenings are great for families: “Sonic the Hedgehog” and “Incredibles 2” at the end of June! They’re hosted all over the city, but more than a few will be held in Brooklyn.

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Park visitors viewing “Napoleon Dynamite” in Brooklyn. Photo courtesy of NYC Parks.

Skyline Drive-In

It might not be free, but at Brooklyn’s Skyline Drive-In, you can catch all of your favorite cult classics while enjoying a beautiful riverside view. This upcoming weekend,  there will be midnight showings of Tommy Wiseau’s “The Roomand “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”

In early July, you can see favorites like “Grease” and “Jaws.” And don’t miss “The Princess Bride” and “Jurassic Park” later in the month. Skyline has a diverse set of options, whether you prefer chick-flicks like “How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days on July 21 or something scarier like “Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 on July 17. Though it is a drive-in, seating and concessions are available. 

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Midnight showing at Skyline Drive-In. Photo courtesy of Skyline Drive-In NYC Instagram.

Image courtesy of Skyline Drive-In NYC Instagram.

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