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Summer Movie Preview '18: Special engagements, kids' screenings and more

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chip chandler
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"The Boss Baby" is one of several special summer screenings.
Courtesy DreamWorks Animation
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By Chip Chandler — Producer

The summer movie season is more than blockbuster films. 

Family friendly favorites will screen weekly at all three of Amarillo's movie theaters, while special engagements will offer respite from the superhero onslaught. Plus, several outdoor screening events are scheduled around the area.

Events are subject to change, so make sure to look for Movie Watch posts on Thursdays for the latest!

 

Outdoor screenings

Tascosa Drive-In

Amarillo's Tascosa Drive-In, 1999 Dumas Drive, will begin summer hours May 25. 

The drive-in will be open Fridays through Wednesdays (excluding Thursdays) for the season. Tickets are $8 for ages 11 and older and $4 for ages 10 and younger. Admission is $10 per carload on Sundays.

Call 806-383-3882.

 

Memorial Day Western Weekend

Enjoy free screenings of some Clint Eastwood classics in the Memorial Day Western Weekend at Sandell Drive-In, 12 S. Center Drive in Clarendon. 

The Outlaw Josey Wales will screen at dusk May 25, with concessions opening at 6 p.m. and Pale Rider will screen at dusk May 27, with gates opening at 4 p.m. and a washer pitching contest beginning at 5 p.m. Registration for it begins at 4:30 p.m.

Tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for children and free for ages 2 and younger. Call 806-874-0685.

 

Movies at the Lake

Lake Meredith National Recreation Area, located 50 miles northeast of Amarillo near Fritch, will host monthly summer screenings beginning in June.

Titles are still being determined, but films will screen at dusk nightly on June 1, July 1, August 4 and Sept. 1.

Admission is free. Call 806-857-3151. 

 

Movies in the Park

Westminster Presbyterian Church will bring back its Movies in the Park series with a slate of Disney and Pixar favorites.

The lineup includes Toy Story on June 8, Monsters Inc. on June 22, Finding Nemo on July 6, The Incredibles on July 20 and Up on Aug. 3 (schedule subject to change).

Activities begin at 8 p.m. each night, with the movie starting at dusk, at Austin Park next to the church, 2525 Wimberly Road. 

Admission is free, and punch and popcorn is provided. Blankets and lawn chairs are recommended.

Call 806-359-4781.

 

Movie on the Lawn

Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum will screen a favorite 1990s dinosaur film (name withheld because publicizing the title would negate the distributor's agreement with the museum to allow for a free screening).

Bring lawn chairs or blankets, and enjoy retro concessions and popcorn. The screening begins at 8:30 p.m. June 15 at Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, 2503 Fourth Ave. in Canyon.

Admission is free. Call 806-651-2244.

 

Summer Carnival

The return of some beloved animated heroes will inspire a summer carnival at Sandell Drive-In, 12 S. Center Drive in Clarendon. 

To accompany the release of The Incredibles 2, the theater will host an advance screening at dusk June 14, a premiere-night screening at dusk June 15 and a carnival and screening beginning at 4 p.m. June 16. 

Tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for children and free for ages 2 and younger. Call 806-874-0685.

 

Movie Night at Wolflin Square

The Shops at Wolflin Square will host a movie screening around dusk July 13 (with a title yet to be determined).

The event also will include food trucks, a DJ and "a few fun surprises," said Austin Sharp of Mays Group, which owns the shopping center.

Call 806-355-6131.

 

Movie Night on the Square

A pair of recent family favorites will screen in late summer in Canyon.

The Oscar-winning Pixar film Coco will screen at dusk July 20, and this year's live-action / CGI hybrid Peter Rabbit will screen at dusk Aug. 3 on the Randall County Courthouse lawn, 501 16th St. in Canyon.. 

Bring a lawn chair or blankets, along with food and beverages.

Admission is free. Call 806-656-6833.

 

'50s Night and Car Show

Nostalgia will rule at the '50s Night and Car Show at Sandell Drive-In, 12 S. Center Drive in Clarendon. 

The theater will host a classic cars and screen the beloved film American Graffiti in an event beginning at 6 p.m. Aug. 18. 

Tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for children and free for ages 2 and younger. Call 806-874-0685.

 

Summer movie clubs

Cinemark Summer Movie Clubhouse

The Cinemark Hollywood 16, 9100 Canyon Drive, will screen 10 PG-rated family films over the summer for $1 per movie in its Cinemark Summer Movie Clubhouse. Each film will screen at 10:30 a.m. Wednesdays from May 30 to Aug. 1. Here's the line-up:

 

Premiere Cinemas Summer Kids Fest

The Premiere Cinemas Westgate Mall 6, 7701 W. Interstate 40, will host its first-ever Premiere Cinemas Summer Kids Fest, offering two free showing of popular children's movies at 10 a.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays from June 5 to Aug. 8. Each movie plays both days. Here's the lineup:

 

Regal Summer Movie Express

The United Artists Amarillo Star 14, 8275 W. Amarillo Blvd., will bring back its Regal Summer Movie Express series, offering two movies two days a week from June 5 to Aug. 1. Screening times change weekly, but most begin at 10 a.m. Each movie plays both days, and tickets are $1 each. Here's the lineup:

 

Special engagements

Pride Film Night

Panhandle Pride will host an exclusive Amarillo screening of the mysterious new drama And Then There Was Eve.

The film — which explores both a woman’s attempt to rebuild her life after the strange disappearance of her husband and her new relationship with a trans friend — made its debut at the Los Angeles Film Festival in 2017 and since has screened in festivals around the world. (Full disclosure: I helped secure the film for Panhandle Pride.)

The screening is set for 7 p.m. June 23 at Amarillo Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 4901 Cornell St.

Call 806-355-9531.

 

Theatrical screenings

Fathom Events will screen a wide variety of documentaries, theatrical producers, classic films and anime favorites over the summer.

Here's the lineup (subject to change):

  • Wednesday: The beloved noir drama Sunset Boulevard will screen at 2 and 7 p.m. Wednesday at both Amarillo Star 14 and Hollywood 16 as part of the TCM Big Screen Classics series.
  • Thursday: A National Theatre Live screening of Macbeth, starring Rory Kinnear and Anne-Marie Duff, will screen at 7 p.m. Thursday at Amarillo Star 14.
  • May 20 to 23: The Studio Ghibli Fest 2018 continues with Porco Rosso at both the Amarillo Star 14 and Hollywood 16. An English-dubbed version will screen at 12:55 p.m. May 20 and 7 p.m. May 23, with a subtitled version screening at 7 p.m. May 21.
  • May 22: The inspirational documentary Godspeed — The Race Across America charts an attempt by racers Jerry Schemmel and Brad Cooper to make it across America on bicycles. It'll screen at 7 p.m. May 22 at Amarillo Star 14.
  • May 30: Based on the memoir, A Chance in the World tells the story of adoption advocate Steve Pemberton and his struggles surviving in the foster system. A live-streamed panel discussion will follow. It'll screen at 7 p.m. May 30 at both Amarillo Star 14 and Hollywood 16.
  • May 31: Faith-based documentary Andy Irons: Kissed by God details the story of champion surfer Irons and his struggles with bipolar disorder and opioid addiction. A streamed Q&A will follow. It'll screen at 7 p.m. May 31 at both Amarillo Star 14 and Hollywood 16.
  • June 1: Vol. 2 of Tommy Wiseau and Greg Sestero's Best F(r)iends will screen at 8 p.m. June 1 and June 4 at Amarillo Star 14.
  • June 3 and 6: The TCM Big Screen Classics series continues with The Producers, screening at 2 and 7 p.m. June 3 and 6 at both Amarillo Star 14 and Hollywood 16.
  • June 10 and 11: Enjoy a double feature of the original 1995 Jumanji and the 2017 hit Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle in special screenings at 2 p.m. June 10 and 6:30 p.m. June 11 at both Amarillo Star 14 and Hollywood 16.
  • June 11: The Fourth Doctor (Tom Baker) learns the origins of his deadliest foes in Doctor Who: Genesis of the Daleks, a cinema-length director's cut of one of the most popular Doctor Who serials ever made. It'll screen at 7 p.m. June 11 at both Amarillo Star 14 and Hollywood 16.
  • June 12: A National Theatre Live screening of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, a theatrical adaptation of the acclaimed book (which itself is part of PBS's The Great American Read) will screen at 7 p.m. June 12 at Amarillo Star 14.
  • June 13: The inspirational drama One Last Thing, presented by Chicken Soup for the Soul, finds a dentist (Wendell Pierce) being encouraged by his assistant (Joanne Froggatt, Downton Abbey) to reconnect with his estranged daughter (Jurnee Smollett-Bell). It'll screen at 7 p.m. June 13 at both Amarillo Star 14 and Hollywood 16.
  • June 14 and 19: The original Mystery Science Theater 3000 guys are back to poke fun at a notoriously cheeseball '80s sci-fi film in RiffTrax Live: Space Mutiny. It'll stream live at 7 p.m. June 14 and encore at 7:30 p.m. June 19 at Amarillo Star 14.
  • June 17 to 20: The Studio Ghibli Fest 2018 continues with ecological fable Pom Poko at both the Amarillo Star 14 and Hollywood 16. An English-dubbed version will screen at 12:55 p.m. June 17 and 7 p.m. June 20, with a subtitled version screening at 7 p.m. June 18.
  • June 21: Top drum corps Blue Stars, Bluecoats, Boston Crusaders, Carolina Crown, The Cavaliers and Phantom Regiment will show off their new shows at 2018 DCI Tour Premiere, screening live at 7:30 p.m. June 21 at Hollywood 16.
  • June 24 and 27: The TCM Big Screen Classics series continues with beloved musical West Side Story, screening at 2 and 7 p.m. June 24 and 27 at both Amarillo Star 14 and Hollywood 16.
  • June 25 and 28: Broadway show Bandstand, a swing musical about a group of soldiers adapting to life on the homefront following World War II, will screen at 7 p.m. June 25 and 28 at both Amarillo Star 14 and Hollywood 16.
  • July 3 to 7: Filmmaker Geni Kawamura follows up his Your Name with Fireworks, a sci-fi tale of star-crossed teenagers who use an alien device to reset time and stay together — at the risk of losing touch with reality. A subtitled version will screen at 7 p.m. July 3 and 5, with an English-dubbed version screening at 12:55 p.m. July 7.
  • July 12: In 350 Days — Legends, Champions, Survivors, former pro wrestling champions Bret Hart and Billy Graham talk with fellow vets about the toll taken by the sport. It'll screen at 7 p.m. July 12 at Amarillo Star 14.
  • July 15 and 18: The TCM Big Screen Classics series continues with a 30th anniversary presentation of the Tom Hanks comedy Big, screening at 2 and 7 p.m. July 15 and 18 at both Amarillo Star 14 and Hollywood 16.
  • July 22 to 25: The Studio Ghibli Fest 2018 continues with fantasy adventure Princess Mononoke at both the Amarillo Star 14 and Hollywood 16. An English-dubbed version will screen at 12:55 p.m. July 22 and 7 p.m. June 25, with a subtitled version screening at 7 p.m. July 23.
  • Aug. 5 and 8: The TCM Big Screen Classics series continues with a 20th anniversary presentation of the cult classic The Big Lebowski, screening at 2 and 7 p.m. Aug. 5 and 8 at both Amarillo Star 14 and Hollywood 16.
  • Aug. 12 to 15: The Studio Ghibli Fest 2018 continues with the powerful post-World War II drama Grave of the Fireflies at both the Amarillo Star 14 and Hollywood 16. An English-dubbed version will screen at 12:55 p.m. Aug. 12 and 7 p.m. Aug. 15, with a subtitled version screening at 7 p.m. Aug. 13.
  • Aug. 26 and 29: The TCM Big Screen Classics series continues with a 60th anniversary presentation of the classic musical South Pacific, screening at 2 and 7 p.m. Aug. 26 and 29 at both Amarillo Star 14 and Hollywood 16.

 

 

Chip Chandler is a producer for Panhandle PBS and a member of GALECA. He can be contacted at Chip.Chandler@actx.edu, at @chipchandler1 on Twitter and on Facebook.