You say the weather’s fine and you want to head outdoors? Or transport yourself to exotic locales? Well, you can do both over the next few months while watching movies. Catch some flicks on a grassy field under the stars, or take in some foreign, vintage, or rare film-festival selections that you might not otherwise get a chance to see. As a bonus, slipping into a theatre offers a chance to beat the heat, the crowds, or the rain (since this is the Wet Coast). Before heading out, though, double-check official Web sites, as some details are still being finalized.

Outdoor Excursions

FreshAirCinema
freshaircinema.ca/
A free movie projected onto a three-storey screen in the great outdoors? Grab a blanket and family and friends for a cinematic experience that home entertainment can’t re-create. This Canadian company works with local organizations to present numerous events around the Lower Mainland, like Yaletown Movie Night (July 25, 9 p.m., David Lam Park) and Coal Harbour Movie in the Park (Harbour Green Park, at the north end of Thurlow Street), with E.T. on August 13 (8:30 p.m.) and Hairspray on August 27 (8 p.m.). Handy tip: Watch for a full list of events to be posted soon on the Facebook page “FREE Outdoor Movie Events in BC”.

Lunafliks
July 7 and 21, August 4 and 18, gates 8:30 p.m.; tickets $7; Lost Lake, Whistler; www.lunawhistler.com/
Thanks to a little event called the 2010 Winter Olympics, this outdoor film series will make use of Lost Lake PassivHaus (formerly Austria House) for a pre-screening barbecue dinner (8 p.m.) and as a backup venue if it rains. Feast on films from Argentina, Sweden, France, Taiwan, and the United States (all preceded by B.C. short films) on a picturesque lakeshore. Movie titles will be announced closer to screening dates. Handy tip: LUNA coordinator Kiran Pal-Pross advises wearing layers due to cool evening temperatures.

Monsters in the Meadow
Ceperley Meadow near Second Beach, Stanley Park; vancouverparks.ca/
B-movie fans rejoice: the annual outdoor frightfest in Stanley Park takes place again this year. With The Blob, Godzilla, King Kong, and Creature From the Black Lagoon shown in the past, what creature will rampage through the park this year? Stay tuned, true believers, and check the Web site for details and dates. (It’s usually held in August.) Handy tip: Remember to take a flashlight to aid you in leaving the park after dark. Due to limited parking, biking or walking is recommended.

Cultural Escapades

Vancouver French Film Festival
Until August 5; Ridge Theatre, 3131 Arbutus Street; www.festivalcinemas.ca/
Back for a fourth year, this popular francophone series kicked off with Micmacs (which runs to June 24), featuring Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s distinctive visual and narrative style. The strong lineup continues with Anna Mouglalis and Mads Mikkelsen as Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky (June 25 to July 8). There’s also Wild Grass (July 9 to 22) by modernist master Alain Resnais (Hiroshima Mon Amour), and the Cold War thriller Farewell (July 23 to August 5) as the finale. Handy tip: If you plan on seeing a few festival selections, plus films throughout the year at Festival Cinemas, consider getting a membership ($12.50), which reduces regular ticket prices by $3.

Kurosawa Centennial
June 17 to August 10; Pacific Cinémathí¨que, 1131 Howe Street; cinematheque.bc.ca/
All 30 of Akira Kurosawa’s films will be shown—you can’t get more comprehensive. This sprawling retrospective lasts about two months. There’s a 35mm restoration of the Oscar-winning Rashomon; new 35mm prints of Stray Dog, Dodes’ka-den, and the epic Ran; and the internationally influential masterpiece Seven Samurai. Handy tip: While you can revisit the chanbara (samurai films) and jidai-geki (period pieces) that the Japanese legend is most acclaimed for, it’s also an opportunity to acquaint yourself with his lesser-known works. Check out One Wonderful Sunday, his foray into shomin-geki (dramas about commoners), or later works like Dreams and his final film, Madadayo.

Global Lens 2010: Ten Times Around The World
June 18 to 27; Vancity Theatre, 1181 Seymour Street; www.vifc.org/
Hollywood dominates the world over, and the Global Film Initiative is working to counter the stultifying effects of cinematic monoculture. The San Francisco–based organization aims to promote cross-cultural understanding by helping cinema in developing countries flourish and bringing international films to North America. Ten of GFI’s selections will offer glimpses of everything from the Iranian rock scene (My Tehran for Sale) to erotic entanglements in Vietnam (Adrift). Handy tip: For a review of the centrepiece, South Africa’s Shirley Adams, check our movie review section on June 17.