llustration by Baili BighamBaili Grace Bigham - Head Entertainment Columnistbbigham@uab.edu
Summer is back and the heat has melted away all your plans to go outside, but you don’t want to fall in the same regimen as always. What foolproof plan has never failed any of us? The answer is always unanimously: movie time. However, if Netflix doesn’t seem to be doing the trick for you anymore, fret no more — some of Birmingham’s favorite venues (including Iron City, the Alabama Theatre and the Botanical Gardens) are offering chances to spice up your nights by providing several series of film showings throughout the summer.
If you are looking for a romantic movie date night, Flicks Among the Flowers at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens is a perfect chance to make your move — just bring a box of chocolate, the flowers are already included. While admission is free, a $5 donation for the education programs at The Gardens is encouraged. The last remaining film on the schedule, “Star Wars: the Force Awakens,” is set to show on July 20 at 8 p.m. and gates open two hours before the film begins.
Iron City’s Summer Movie Series includes a variety of adored Disney movies that are perfect for the whole family and easy on the budget. Admission is free for all seven movie showings and will be going until the last showing on July 26. The schedule is available on Iron City’s website, but a few to keep an eye out for are: “The Lego Movie” (6/28), “Up” (7/12) and the final showing, “Zootopia” (7/26).
Iron City hasn’t forgotten about their 21+ audience either, so there will be a full open bar throughout each of the showings to keep the whole crew happy.
Alabama Theatre’s 2016 Summer Film Series will include 16 showings of film classics. The series has already begun and will continue until August 16 with “The Sound of Music” set to end the season. Admission is $8 at the door or online at Ticketmaster. There will be a sing-a-long performance at the beginning of every show by the Mighty Wurlitzer organ to ensure entertainment from start to finish. Be sure to grab a group of friends and not miss out on shows like “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” (7/17), “Pulp Fiction” (7/29) and “Grease” (8/14), just to name a few time-tested favorites.
Doors will open an hour before each show. For those worried about having to parallel park or finding a spot that’s not more than a few blocks away, parking is available at the two parking lots located on the corners of Second Avenue and 18th Street North and Third Avenue and 19th Street North.
