The summer of 2017 is fast approaching its end, and it’s been a hot one. Not just in temperatures, but at the box office too. From intense to silly, we’ve had a number of great releases: Spider Man: Homecoming, Atomic Blonde, Baby Driver, Wonder Woman, The Big Sick and more. These films show a lot of promise over time, but they’re nowhere ready to be called “classic”, and certainly won’t be ready for more private, non-Hollywood outdoor movie events any time soon.
For outdoor movie events, some of the best films to show are these following family favorites. Films that are content-safe for kids and still entertaining for adults can be a tough niche to fill. To help get those gears turning, Outdoor Movies has compiled a quick list of 5 great summer movie ideas to make your outdoor event entertaining for the whole family.
1. The Lion King
This Disney classic inspired its own Broadway musical hit under the same title, and has seen huge success in both avenues. While definitely geared towards the kids, anyone will be able to appreciate the impact this film had on animation, story, music and overall quality of its successors.
2. Mary Poppins
Blending animation into a more traditional musical, this classic film stars Julie Andrews as a magical nanny — not to be confused with The Sound of Music! Lively music and characters make this fun for the kids, but the amazing performance given by Andrews and the whole cast is something still favored by all audiences. Especially outdoors, this larger-than-life film scales very well to on the big screen.
3. Indiana Jones (Series)
While some movie series have continued in Hollywood, the Indiana Jones series seems to have come full-stop. (Unsurprising, as main man Harrison Ford continues to age a bit past the high-action demand of these films.) These films are nonetheless classics, and stand up to some of the greatest American films to date. The classic trope of finding ancient treasure, exploring uncharted areas, fighting evil villains and saving the day right in the nick of time? Indiana Jones perfected it. Raiders of the Lost Ark can be a little more graphic, so know your audience when choosing this entry.
4. Star Wars (Series)
Potentially the most entertaining for the entire family, the original Star Wars trilogy is an exciting work of film that has delighted audiences since its debut in 1977. The series is one of the few running movies that continues to put out sequels and side stories, making it a great way to stay relevant while respecting the classics. Aside from that, the original trilogy is still widely considered to be the best of the Star Wars series – even to this day!
5. The Princess Bride
Another title that blends family-friendly content with an excellent story, this timeless tale is full of good humour, action, romance and good storytelling. The Princess Bride, perhaps along with Star Wars, has the best mix of all of these important elements to keep your audience in love with the outdoor movie experience.
We hope that this quick list gives some inspiration for your next outdoor movie event. Whether your event skews younger or older, toward action or romance, your equipment is even more important than your selection. For large-scale outdoor events, Outdoor Movies is ready to help. Have a look at our packages to see how we can handle everything from audio to AIRSCREEN©.