Set down your laptops and remote controls -- there's a better way to watch movies this summer. While Netflix binges can be fun on a freezing, winter day, there's nothing more depressing than sitting inside for hours on end while it's gorgeous outside.
We're still a fan of sitting for hours on end, though, so why not bring the movies outdoors? And not just any old movies, but the best movies of all time. If that sounds good to you, then you're likely the perfect candidate for watching movies at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Yes, a cemetery in the heart of Hollywood.
If you haven't already heard, Cinespia puts on amazing events at Hollywood Forever and historic movie theaters in downtown Los Angeles. But it's the outdoor cemetery showings that make summertime in LA truly magical. (And before you ask, nobody paid me to write this resounding endorsement of Cinespia's events. I'm just your average zealous fanatic.)
This year's movies are no exception with "The Sandlot" coming up this weekend, "Kill Bill Vol. I & II" the weekend after that, followed by "The Muppet Movie," "Speed," "Sabrina," "2001: A Space Odyssey" and many, many more. My friends and I got super-duper stoned for "Grease" last weekend and sat mere feet away from an enormous screen. Between laughing at 40-year-olds playing high schoolers and drooling over the mind-blowing fireworks show, it was definitely a night to remember.
Even if by some cruel twist of fate you're not a fan of the cinematic arts, here are five things anyone with a soul can love about movie nights at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.
You can bring alcohol.
Yep, that's right. Bring a picnic and all the wine and beer you want. You'll be glad you opted for a movie night instead of $15 watered-down margaritas at some sweaty club.
Take baller selfies in an insane photo booth.
For each movie, Cinespia sets up an elaborate photo booth to celebrate the theme of that night's film. For the Fourth of July showing of "Grease," they replicated the carnival scene (pictured above) for a photo op that looks straight out of the fifties. And the "Purple Rain" setup was just to die.
Be around chill, like-minded people.
Something about the ambiance and the selection of films draws LA's chillest to the cemetery like flies to honey. You might get the chills from a cool summer breeze, but rest assured they won't be douche induced.
Spot a celebrity or two.
LA is teeming with celebs, no doubt, but Cinespia does a great job of attracting the ones you actually want to see. A few weeks ago, it was Elle Fanning stopping by for the premiere of "The Neon Demon." And last year, Elizabeth Berkley hung out during a showing of "Showgirls." Does it get any better than that? No, to answer my question, it doesn't.
Bask in the glory of a perfect, LA summer night.
There are few things more blissful than lounging on a blanket, staring at Hollywood stars (and a few real stars) on a warm summer night. The weather in Los Angeles is perfect just about any day of the year, and summer nights are no exception. So kick back, be grateful to be alive and watch a damn good movie. That's what summer is all about.
