C&G’s Guide to Openair Cinemas
Get excited! On Friday the 22nd of November the American Express Openair Cinemas are returning to their humble home in St Kilda. Enjoy the open summer breeze with a picnic rug and cheese platter, while still enjoying the latest Hollywood blockbusters. This is perfect for Baysiders brainstorming ideas for a family night out, friendly catch-up, or romantic date night! C&G’s latest blog is full of useful tips on making it a memorable evening. Read on!
What should I bring?
If you’re new to the outdoor cinema experience, it can be confusing when you’re told to bring more than just your amazing self.
Unlike a traditional cinema, there are no seat allocations when you make a general booking. It’s simply a first-come, first-served system so it’s always a good idea to set aside some extra time to set up your picnic rug or blanket if you want the best seat in the house. For ultimate comfort you can choose to add an air-lounger and blanket to your booking – do it early as there are only a limited number and they tend to sell out! Fancy Baysiders can opt to upgrade to premium tickets which include reserved seating areas, wine, chairs, bean bags and cushions!
You may be sweating when you arrive, but do bring a coat or jacket for the journey home. Trust us, when the movie finishes you’ll realise the cool change has kicked in!
And lastly, do bring your wonderful self! And your friends, even the four-legged ones. Yes, dogs are most welcome at Openair Cinemas! Of course, please tell them to stay on their best behaviour even if it means being on a short leash and keeping noise to a minimum.
Food and drinks?
You can make this experience your own, by bringing your own food and drinks! We’re talking cheese platters, chips and salsa, hummus and crackers, sandwiches… the possibilities are endless! This is a great opportunity to show off your cooking and food preparation skills. The picnic extraordinaires amongst us will also have their moment in the sun!
If food preparation is not your thing, it’s still all good! Ladro will be there serving up authentic Italian wood-fired pizzas to satisfy any hunger cravings. Their menu extends to delicious snacks like calamari and olives, to healthy salads and sweet Tiramisu. You can have a look at the menu here. The official Openair Cinemas Bar will also be open to serve beer, wine, champagne and Pimm’s. And of course, all your favourite movie eats will be available – we’re talking chips, lollies, ice cream and popcorn!
And the movies?
Alas, the reason we’re all here… the movies! Only one film will be showing each night so make sure you check the program and plan your outing accordingly. Friday 22nd November will kickstart the season with Knives Out, a whodunnit mystery featuring a star-studded cast including Daniel Craig, Chris Evans and Jamie Lee Curtis. Other notable flicks include the infamous Joker, the adorable Abominable, and Hustlers, the one everyone is talking about! As we get closer to the silly season, you can enjoy some nostalgic classics like Elf and Love Actually, as well as new release Last Christmas.