Summer is the season for ice cream, the beach, bad sleep, skimpy clothes, overworking air conditioners and — if you’re partial to a film or two — evenings spent at your local outdoor cinema. On a warm night, slouching back on a picnic rug beneath the stars, the appeal is obvious.

Actually, there’s another important consideration: the film itself. One of the benefits of the outdoor cinema experience is the ability to choose between often eclectic line-ups of old and new titles. Who can say why blending current releases and yesteryear classics is a trait shared at almost every outdoor cinema across the land; it probably has something to do with outdoor cinema’s low-key vibe – the appeal of watching, on the big screen amid a plethora of people and picnic baskets, a film you’ve send plenty of times on DVD. Or perhaps classics you’re afraid to admit you’ve never watched before.

Certain titles, like The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,Breakfast at Tiffany’s and The Goonies appear on the line-up without fail every year. The latter two are in fact playing tonight in Melbourne: Tiffany’s screens at Moonlight Cinemas in the Botanic Gardens and The Goonies at St Kilda Open Air cinemas.

Here’s a snapshot of what else is on around the country tonight — and over the weekend.

Melbourne: Michael Jackson fans can head to Moonlight on Saturday to catch This Is It, a concert documentary comprising rehearsal footage of Jackson’s highly anticipated comeback tour, which was curtly interrupted by the pasty-faced star’s death three weeks before opening night. For an infinitely better musical experience wait one day and head to The Wizard of Oz on Sunday night — same Bat time, same Bat venue.

Rooftop Cinema on Swanston Street, which exhibits a program geared more towards film aficionados, is screening Peter Bogdanovich’s seminal small town drama The Last Picture Show on Saturday night.

Sydney: Tonight, there’s a bunch of very diverse films to watch. There is The September Issue, a documentary about Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour as she prepares the 2007 fall issue of the famous mag, which plays at St George Open Air.

Those who haven’t checked out Bruce Beresford’s enjoyable if underwhelming biopic of Chinese ballet prodigy Li Cunxin, Mao’s Last Dancer, can give it a squiz at Bondi Open Air Cinema.

And if you’re in the mood for junky retro action populated by buff fellas and super-sized planes join Maverick and Iceman for a screening of Tony Scott’s 1986 high-concept low-brainer, Top Gun, at Moonlight. Or don your dancing shoes and flares and return forSaturday Night Fever on, erm, Saturday night.

Adelaide: Adelaide this weekend will be treated to an outdoor cinema music-fest with Saturday Night Fever on Friday evening atMoonlight (way to defy common sense programming), This Is It on Saturday and Monty Python’s classic you-can-never-see-it-too-many-times-cuz-it’s-always-freakin-hilarious biblical spoof Life of Brian on Sunday.

Perth: For a quality new release flick, Perth residents get the pick of the bunch at Lunar Outdoor, where advanced screenings of director Lee Daniels’s moving Bronx-set drama Precious are playing Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The film, which features stellar acting and a gut-busting performance from Mo’Nique (expect to hear about her come Oscar time) may not be the typical easygoing movie synonymous with outdoor cinema, but it’s very much worth a look.

Luke Buckmaster

source-http://www.crikey.com.au/2010/01/29/daily-proposition-watch-a-film-under-the-stars/

‘Every year, we spring at least one couple in the bushes,” says Moonlight Cinema’s Jillian Bowen. “But this isn’t surprising. Moonlight does tend to promote amorous activity between people.” This Sunday, it could also result in some canine canoodling, thanks to a pooch-friendly outdoor movie screening of the PG-rated comedy Hotel for Dogs.

“My dogs will probably be in the bushes,” Bowen says. “Actually, I suspect there will be quite a few doggie hook-ups, but I take no responsibility for any resultant litters.”

Moonlight first hosted a bring-your-dog outdoor cinema session five years ago, and more than 500 pooches and their owners attended. “Contrary to what you would think, the dogs were remarkably well-behaved. They’re pretty canny creatures. They all seemed to scope it out when they arrived and went, ‘Yeah, actually, I might just keep to myself.’ It was amazing to see 500 dogs sitting on their picnic rugs. Often, they behave better than our human patrons.”

Your average dog is unlikely to sit quietly when surrounded by hundreds of other dogs in the Botanic Gardens. But those who visit the outdoor movies at Moonlight are not average dogs. Rather, they are the substitute children of professional, 30-something couples — the sort of pooches that have diamante-studded collars, cedar dog houses and their own Facebook profiles. They are also well-trained, immaculately groomed and accustomed to going everywhere with their owners.

“You do see some really spoilt dogs,” Bowen says. “I’m just waiting for someone to turn up with their pooch in a pram. But generally, the dogs are very well socialised and are used to being in these kinds of environments.”

Still, there are rules for the outdoor cinema screening. All pets must be on a leash no longer than two metres. Chocolate and macadamia nuts, both toxic to dogs, are banned. So are aggressive breeds and those that require a muzzle. Everyone, of course, must clean up their mutt’s mess. And each dog must have its own adult supervisor.

Bowen, who has two samoyeds, has enlisted actor Matthew Newton to look after one of them. “As much as I’d love to bend the rules for myself, it doesn’t seem fair,” she says. “And Matthew absolutely adores dogs.”

Sigrid Thornton and her labradoodles, Billie and Baz, will also be at the outdoor movie, albeit in a fenced-off VIP (and VID) area. But even the celebrity guests will be asked to leave if their pets misbehave.

“The point is to just have a good time. This is not a serious cinematic experience, which is why we’re not showing something like The Godfather. There is going to be a bit more noise than usual. (Pyjama designer) Peter Alexander, for example, bought his dogs a couple of weeks ago and they were gorgeous, but they could hear the possums in the trees and they started barking.” Or perhaps they were just bored by the movie?

“As much as we like to think our dogs will enjoy the film, they’re actually incapable of watching images on a screen. They can only see in 2D and in black and white, so to them it appears as blobs of movement. They simply won’t respond to an image of a dog, no matter how large it is. But they will get excited if they hear a dog barking.”

These dog-friendly outdoor film screenings are the creation of Moonlight founder and former owner James Tutton. There was nothing complicated about his idea — he simply likes outdoor cinema and dogs, so he decided to combine the two. Even so, Bowen admits that non-dog-lovers are bemused by the concept.

“They tend to raise their eyebrow and go, ‘Are you mad?’ ” she says. “But dog owners just get it. I certainly get it. Then again, my dogs go to doggie day care, so what can I say?”

She pauses, rethinking her words. “I probably should clarify that last statement so I don’t seem like a complete loser. They go to day care because I’m renovating.”

Despite the popularity of Moonlight Cinema’s outdoor movies among the double-income-no-kids crowd, Bowen says it attracts all sorts of people: families, retirees, teenagers — and singles.

Given the tendency of pets to act as catalysts for romance — at least in movies starring Meg Ryan or Jennifer Aniston — will Bowen promote this session as a kind of outdoor singles bar?

“Everyone keeps telling me that dogs are a great way to meet potential partners,” she says. “Except I just keep meeting girls, which doesn’t really work for me. But if there are some smart boys out there, and they’re looking for a lady with a dog, they should come along. I think they’ll find that they do very well for themselves.”

http://moonlight.com.au

Source: “Best in show” by Michael Lallo- The Age. Read full article at: http://www.theage.com.au/news/entertainment/film/best-in-show/2009/01/07/1231004104078.html.

The Shorts Film Festival in Adelaide, Australia – November 26 – 30 – returns bigger and better than ever after taking a year off in 2007. This year’s outdoor movie event features the largest program, with 74 films selected for screening from a record 210 entries. Although founded and run by South Australians, Shorts has developed into a national competition with a cross-section of entries from all states.

While eight SA films will vie for the major prize – a trip to the Cannes International Film Festival – 21 from Victoria have been selected as well as 20 films from New South Wales, six from Queensland, three from Tasmania and one from the ACT.

Festival founder David Lightfoot, best known as the producer of Wolf Creek and Rogue, says Shorts is different from other film festivals because it puts the emphasis on great storytelling.

“It’s one of the fairest festivals in the world in that it’s about storytelling, not who’s in it or who made it or how technically brilliant it is. It’s about how do the audience react to it,” he says.

Lightfoot says this means a micro-budget film with a good idea is more likely to win than a slick, but hollow, entry from a film school.

“We can have anything. It could be animation; you could be a comedy film-maker or have done a straight drama. We accept graduate entries from film schools through to someone who’s made a film in their back shed. As long as they’ve done it well story-wise, they’ve got a chance to win it,” he says.

From 2002 to the last event, Shorts was held in an open air cinema at the Garage Bar in Waymouth St.

“We wanted to take it out of the cinema atmosphere and do it in an alfresco way where you’d have multiple screens, you could eat, drink, have intermissions where people could mix with the film-maker or discuss the film among themselves, rather than have a very formal cinema experience,” Lightfoot says.

There was even an outdoor cinema in the car park with bean bags for the audience.

The event this year moves to a new home – not very far away – at Queen’s Theatre, which will increase the capacity but keep the cabaret-style feel.

The best entries from the previous year’s festival are screened outdoors accompanied by some tasty Aussie outback cuisine at the Prairie Hotel in the Flinders Ranges. Shorts this year started up a partnership with the UK Rushes Soho Shorts Festival, with the first screening of highlights from Shorts held there this year in July.

The Shorts Film Festival will be held at the Queen’s Theatre, Adelaide, from November 26 to 30. Tickets are available through Bass on 131 246 or online at http://www.bass.net.au

Outdoor movie screenings begin with the opening night gala on Wednesday, November 26, at 6.30pm and continue on Thursday, November 27, at 7pm; Friday, November 28, at 1.30pm (matinee) and 7pm; Saturday, November 29, at 1.30pm (matinee) and 7pm and Sunday, November 30, at 6.30pm (including the awards ceremony and party).

Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for concessions (seniors, students, unemployed and group bookings of more than six) and $10 for Fringe Benefits, Green Room and YHA members. Patrons must be aged 18 years and over. www.shortsfilmfestival.com

Read full article at: http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,24675262-5006346,00.html