If you’ve never seen a film outside, this is the summer to take advantage of New York City’s burgeoning outdoor film scene, with parks and festivals all over the city offering classic movies, most at no cost. We pick the best.
Intrepid Museum
“Top Gun” kicks off the Salute to Summer film series on the flight deck of the Intrepid Museum — a decommissioned aircraft carrier — Friday evening in a perfect convergence of time and space. You just might feel Tom Cruise’s Maverick will be landing near you. Among the other flicks — all screening Thursdays — on this summer’s bill are lost-in-space drama “Gravity” (July 17) and “Captain Phillips” (Aug. 14), the story of a hijacking by Somali pirates (you might want to bring binoculars to keep watch on the Hudson). Doors open at 7:30 p.m. at the Hudson River and 46th Street; intrepidmuseum.org.
Crocheron Park
“Tangled,” June 13. At Bayside’s Crocheron Park, this screening of Disney’s delightful update on “Rapunzel” is one of the many films being hosted by public parks all across the city. Check out nycgovparks.org for the full list.
Central Park
“Purple Noon,” May 30. A chilling Alain Delon stars as a murderous social climber in the French film that was later remade as “The Talented Mr. Ripley.” It’s part of the Films on the Green series of French works screening in various city parks every Friday at sunset, all summer long — “Purple Noon” plays at Central Park’s Cedar Hill (enter at 79th Street and Fifth Avenue). This year’s theme is the splendor of the masculine. Follow FilmsontheGreen on Facebook or Twitter for more. “The Royal Tenenbaums,” Aug. 19. The Central Park Conservancy (see centralparknyc.org) runs a week-long series of great NY-centric films the third week in August. Maybe the best is Wes Anderson’s achy, arch, romantic family comedy about a clan of high-achieving neurotics living in a fancifully imagined New York that never quite was.
Bryant Park
“The Mark of Zorro,” June 23. Tyrone Power stars as the original masked avenger, taking on Basil Rathbone’s ruthless military officer in HBO’s Bryant Park Summer Film Festival, the one that got al fresco films rolling. This year’s series kicks off with “Saturday Night Fever” on June 16 and continues through mid-August. Check out bryantpark.org for more info.
McCarren Park
“The Big Lebowski,” Aug. 6. In Williamsburg’s McCarren Park, the SummerScreen series has a Wednesday night set of screenings starting July 9. What better place to soak in the hipster-beloved Coen brothers’ comic fantasy?
Rooftop Films
“Happy Christmas,” July 10. Anna Kendrick stars as a slightly lost young woman who moves in with her brother and his wife in Joe Swanberg’s mumblecore comedy. It’s showing as part of the Rooftop Films series, which specializes in indie features showing atop buildings all over the city.