As part of our Vodafone summer series we’ve already had Summer Activities You Can’t Do Alone and now it’s time for the run down of outdoor cinemas not to miss this season. In addition to the entertainment provided by the movie, you’ll be in scenic surrounds with several snacking options, and you get all the added benefits of an al fresco setting (a breeze, for example). It’s an ideal first date scenario too [winky emoti].
Right about now Vodafone have a $30 prepaid cap, which scores you double the data that you would normally get – so now, real talk, if you’ve just spent a small fortune on movie tickets and snacks you’re going to really appreciate that extra 500MB. Every little MB counts.
Whether you’ve been to one or all of these outdoor movie watching venues we can all agree that they’re pretty hard to rank – considering you’re definitely going to much prefer the place down the road from you over the cinema you have to cross the country to get to. Still, we’ve put them in an order based loosely on must-visitability, movie choice and general vibe:
9. Camelot Outdoor
Where: 16 Lochee St, Mosman Park, WA 6012
Website: www.luna.com.au
Watch the latest films from a comfy deckchair or from the classic cabaret-style seating on the balcony. Wood-fired pizzas on site – there are wood-fired pizzas on site – this is not a drill. If that isn’t your thing (???) you can pack your own picnic, which really does make this the perfect date spot. Pack a picnic, bring your boo. They also have special events on each month, like live jazz night with freshly shucked oysters and a sunset blues night with gourmet burgers.
I-deal.
8. Rooftop Cinema
Where: Curtin House, 252 Swanston Street, MELB 3000
Website: www.rooftopcinema.com.au
The Rooftop Bar is open daily from midday and so they enourage you to come before the film and drink in the atmosphere up in the skyscraper stratosphere. Food is from All Day Burger and they show a great selection of new releases and cult classics.
Done!
7. Deckchair Cinema
Where: Jervois Road, Darwin, NT 0800
Website: www.deckchaircinema.com.au
On the waterfront of Darwin Harbour, on the site of the city’s old baths, the Deckchair Cinema is a raging delight. Chill in your comfy decky, enjoy refreshments with friends and watch family favourites (DISNEY?!), foreign films and full blown festivals. It’s open every night during dry season and is the perfect ‘red-hot sunset’ watching spot. When in Darwin…
6. Rooftop Movies
Where: 68 Roe Street, Perth, Western Australia 6003
Website: www.rooftopmovies.com.au
Perth’s first rooftop cinema runs from October this year till April 2014 and will be showing ‘old-school gems, cinephile classics, cult and art house movies thrown in alongside blockbuster new releases.’ They’ve also gone to lengths to create a ‘Palm Springs’ kind of setting on a rooftop in Perth – way to decorate, guys!
5. Hot Tub Cinemas
Where: 2 Acland Street, St Kilda, MELB 3182
Website: www.hottubcinemas.com.au
Opening on the 20th of December, Hot Tub Cinemas gives you the chance to be semi-submerged in warm water with friends, while watching the film of your choice. Oh, and bar service and ‘Melbourne’s finest restaurants on rotation.’
It hasn’t happened yet and we have no idea what it will be like, so it’s hard to rate, but then also – extra points for mystery! How wrong can anything really go when hot tubs are in the mix?
*Not very.
4. The Shadow Electric
Where: Sacred Heart Courtyard, 1 St Heliers Street, Abbotsford, MELB 3067
Website: http://2014.shadowelectric.com.au
Held in the delightful Sacred Heart Courtyard at The Abbotsford Convent, The Shadow Electric Cinema is definitely worth a visit. With a range of food from vendors such as Mr Burger, Pierogi Pierogi, White Guy Cooks Thai and a program including new releases, music docos, contemporary Australian cinema masterpieces and classics from the vault.
3. Ben and Jerry’s Open Air Cinema
Where: 1 Queen Elizabeth Drive, Bondi, SYD 2026
/ South Beach Reservce, Jacka Boulevard, MELB 3182
/ Brian Nadilo Reserve, Glenelg, ADL 5045
/ Cultural Forecourt, South Brisbane Parklands, BRIS 4101
/ Commonwealth Park, Parkes, ACT 2600
/ PERTH Coming Soon
Website: http://openaircinemas.com.au
With a bunch of locations across Aus Openair Cinemas are all about ‘Music by day, movies by night’. They’ve got new releases like Hunger Games – Catching Fire, Captain Phillips, The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug and then classics like Point Break, Labrynth, Zoolander and Grease Sing-a-Long. Check out what’s on in your closest city because tickets are selling out quick and those deck chairs are not going to put a butt-groove in themselves.
2. St.George Openair
Where: Fleet Steps, Mrs Macquaries Point, SYD 2000
Website: www.stgeorgeopenair.com.au
The openair cinemas are on every Summer with views over the Opera House, Harbour Bridge and city skyline (ew, yucky – what a terrible view – hate it). Don’t just get there in time for the film though, with a bar and restaurant down by the water definitely worth a pre-movie visit. They’ve got a great mix of new releases including, but not limited too, Dallas Buyers Club, Inside Llewyn Davis, Chinese Puzzle, Labor Day, August: Osage County and Are We Officially Dating?
1. Maltesers Moonlight Cinema
Where: Botanic Park, Plane Tree Drive, ADL 5000 / Brunswick Street, New Farm Park, BRIS 4005 / Royal Botanic Gardens, Birdwood Avenue, MELB 3141 / Fraser Avenue, Kings Park, WA 6005 / QT Port Douglas, 87-109 Port Douglas Road, Port Douglas, QLD 4877 / Grand Drive, Centennial Park SYD 2021
Website: www.moonlight.com.au
Based on their range of excellent range of locations across the country and the fact that ‘going to Moonlight’ has been a summer mainstay, it had to be Moonlight Cinema. That, coupled with a great film selection, featuring new and ‘weekly’ releases there’s guaranteed to be a night relevant for you and your friends’ interests. Movies by moonlight = summer in three words.
For more on Vodafone’s sweet deals during this, the silliest of seasons, head here.
