We rank the biggest fun machines of all time—the best summer movies designed for maximum impact—from sci-fi to comedy
Fine, it's hot out there. Scorching. Sticky, too. But isn't New York City also glorious during the summer? Don't fight us on this. Especially when you've got time to hit some gorgeous parks, maybe with a cooler of something pre-mixed, our town is hard to beat. And if you're a film fanatic who loves free movie screenings—of beloved rom-coms, Academy Award-winning classics, action movies and more—it's an optimal time to bookmark this page right here: a constantly updating calendar of all of this summer's outdoor screenings. Thank us later. Just get out there.
RECOMMENDED: Full guide to things to do in the summer in NYC
July 1
The Notebook
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before
Bryant Park Movie Nights, sunset
July 2
Clueless
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
July 3
Cielo
Outdoor Cinema at Socrates Sculpture Park, sunset
July 5
Bohemian Rhapsody: Sing-Along
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
Tomboy
Films on the Green at Tompkins Square Park, sunset
July 6
The Princess Bride
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
July 7
The Big Lebowski
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
July 8
Carrie (1976)
Bryant Park Movie Nights, sunset
Casablanca
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
Fool's Gold
Seaport Cinema at the Rooftop at Pier 17, sunset
July 9
Goodfellas
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
Top Gun
Red Hook Flicks at Valentino Pier, 8:30pm
July 10
The Amazing Catfish
Films on the Green at J. Hood Wright Park (W 173th St), sunset
Grease: Sing-Along
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
Purple Noon
Outdoor Cinema at Socrates Sculpture Park, sunset
The Warriors
Hudson River Flicks at Pier 63, 8:30pm
July 11
Love Jones
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
Pariah
Movies with a View at Brooklyn Bridge Park, sunset
July 12
After Hours
Escape in New York: Outdoor Films on Governors Island, sunset
Aya of Yop City
Films on the Green at Tompkins Square Park, sunset
Moulin Rouge!
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Hudson River Flicks at Pier 46, 8:30pm
July 13
A Star Is Born (2018)
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
July 14
Dazed and Confused
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
July 15
Bad Boys
Bryant Park Movie Nights, sunset
Bohemian Rhapsody
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
Finding Nemo
Seaport Cinema at the Rooftop at Pier 17, sunset
July 16
Major League
Red Hook Flicks at Valentino Pier, 8:30pm
The Princess Diaries
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
July 17
Anbessa
Outdoor Cinema at Socrates Sculpture Park, sunset
Brave
Summer Movies Under the Stars at Prospect Park, dusk
Top Gun
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
When Harry Met Sally…
Hudson River Flicks at Pier 63, 8:30pm
July 18
Girlfight
Movies with a View at Brooklyn Bridge Park, sunset
La La Land
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
July 19
First Man
Intrepid Museum's Summer Movie Series, sunset
Pretty Woman
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
Ralph Breaks the Internet
Hudson River Flicks at Pier 46, 8:30pm
Sequins
Films on the Green at Riverside Park, Pier I (at 70th St), sunset
July 20
Dirty Dancing
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
July 21
Selena
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
July 22
Coming to America
Bryant Park Movie Nights, sunset
Rooftalks: Pillow Talk
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
The Waterboy
Seaport Cinema at the Rooftop at Pier 17, sunset
July 23
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
Red Hook Flicks at Valentino Pier, 8:30pm
July 24
Love & Basketball
Summer Movies Under the Stars at Prospect Park, dusk
Moonstruck
Hudson River Flicks at Pier 63, 8:30pm
Sideways
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
The Story of the Weeping Camel
Outdoor Cinema at Socrates Sculpture Park, sunset
July 25
Back to the Future
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
It Happened One Night
Movies with a View at Brooklyn Bridge Park, sunset
July 26
Bohemian Rhapsody: Sing-Along
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
Chocolat
Films on the Green at Riverside Park, Pier I (at 70th St), sunset
The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part
Hudson River Flicks at Pier 46, 8:30pm
July 27
Pitch Perfect
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
July 28
The Great Gatsby (2013)
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
July 29
Breakfast at Tiffany's
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
Goodfellas
Bryant Park Movie Nights, sunset
Shark Tale
Seaport Cinema at the Rooftop at Pier 17, sunset
July 30
A Star Is Born (2018)
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
The Terminator
Red Hook Flicks at Valentino Pier, 8:30pm
July 31
Babe: Pig in the City
Summer Movies Under the Stars at Prospect Park, dusk
Before Sunrise
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
Do the Right Thing
Hudson River Flicks at Pier 63, 8:30pm
En El Séptimo Día
Outdoor Cinema at Socrates Sculpture Park, sunset
Bohemian Rhapsody
Photo: Courtesy of 20th Century Fox
August 1
Bohemian Rhapsody
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
Crooklyn
Movies with a View at Brooklyn Bridge Park, sunset
August 2
Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation
Hudson River Flicks at Pier 46, 8:30pm
Sleepless in Seattle
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
August 3
Dirty Dancing
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
August 4
Mean Girls
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
August 5
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
Bryant Park Movie Nights, sunset
Moana
Seaport Cinema at the Rooftop at Pier 17, sunset
The Notebook
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
August 6
Brown Sugar
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
Real Genius
Red Hook Flicks at Valentino Pier, 8:30pm
August 7
Dark Toons
Outdoor Cinema at Socrates Sculpture Park, sunset
Themed Night: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
Tootsie
Hudson River Flicks at Pier 63, 8:30pm
August 8
The Big Lebowski
Movies with a View at Brooklyn Bridge Park, sunset
A Star Is Born (2018)
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
August 9
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Escape in New York: Outdoor Films on Governors Island, sunset
Incredibles 2
Hudson River Flicks at Pier 46, 8:30pm
You've Got Mail
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
August 10
Good Time
A24 Public Access in Long Island City, 41st Ave at Northern Blvd
Say Anything…
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
August 11
500 Days of Summer
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
August 12
Call Me by Your Name
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
Fan Choice!: Vote on Twitter @vulture starting July 22
Bryant Park Movie Nights, sunset
The Last Song
Seaport Cinema at the Rooftop at Pier 17, sunset
August 13
Casablanca
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
The Dark Crystal
Red Hook Flicks at Valentino Pier, 8:30pm
August 14
La Ciénaga
Outdoor Cinema at Socrates Sculpture Park, sunset
The Last Dragon
Hudson River Flicks at Pier 63, 8:30pm
Poetic Justice
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
August 15
An American Tail
Movies with a View at Brooklyn Bridge Park, sunset
La La Land
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
August 16
Community choice pick!: Vote here
Intrepid Museum's Summer Movie Series, sunset
How to Train Your Dragon 3: The Hidden World
Hudson River Flicks at Pier 46, 8:30pm
Serendipity
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
August 17
The Greatest Showman: Sing-Along
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
August 18
Love Actually
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
August 19
Rooftalks: Roman Holiday
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
August 20
Boyz n the Hood
Red Hook Flicks at Valentino Pier, 8:30pm
Love & Basketball
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
August 21
Big
Hudson River Flicks at Pier 63, 8:30pm
March of the Penguins
Outdoor Cinema at Socrates Sculpture Park, sunset
August 22
Notting Hill
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
Selma
Movies with a View at Brooklyn Bridge Park, sunset
August 23
Trolls
Hudson River Flicks at Pier 46, 8:30pm
When Harry Met Sally…
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
August 24
Bohemian Rhapsody
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
August 25
Grease: Sing-Along
Rooftop Cinema Club at SkyLawn, 8:30pm
August 27
Red Dawn (1984)
Red Hook Flicks at Valentino Pier, 8:30pm
August 29
Public Pick!: Vote here
Movies with a View at Brooklyn Bridge Park, sunset
August 31
Jacquot de Nantes
Films on the Green at Fort Lee Community Center (New Jersey), sunset
September 2
Hook
Seaport Cinema at the Rooftop at Pier 17, sunset
September 3
Olivia
Films on the Green at Columbia University (at 116th St), sunset
September 6
Minuscule: Valley of the Lost Ants
Films on the Green at McGolrick Park, sunset
September 9
50 First Dates
Seaport Cinema at the Rooftop at Pier 17, sunset