Movies

Each year during the month of August, Central Park hosts a week of evening film screenings at Rumsey Playfield.

2011 marks the 9th annual Central Park Film Festival. This year, the theme of each movie is music and covers everything from rock to jazz to salsa. In addition to the movies, there will also be guest DJ's playing before each feature screening. 

All screenings begin at 8:00pm. Gates open at 6:30pm. Guest DJ's play at 6:30pm. Attending is free. Don't forget to bring a picnic! Please note that glass bottles, video cameras, tape recorders or flash cameras are not allowed and all bags may be searched. 

2011 Central Park Film Festival Schedule

Tuesday, Aug 23: El Cantante (2006) Starring Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony. The life story of Hector Lavoe who started the salsa movement in 1975 and brought it to the United States.

Wednesday, Aug 24: Bird (1988) Starring Forest Whitaker, Diane Venora, and Michael Zelniker. The troubled life and career of the jazz musician, Charlie "Bird" Parker.

Thursday, Aug 25: Dreamgirls (2006) Starring Beyonce Knowles, Jennifer Hudson, Jamie Foxx and Eddie Murphy. Based on the Broadway musical, a trio of black female soul singers cross over to the pop charts in the early 1960's.

Friday, Aug 26: Shine a Light (2008) Starring Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Charlie Watts. A career-spanning documentary on the Rolling Stones, with concert footage from their "A Bigger Bang" tour.

Saturday, Aug 27: Viewer's Choice! Choose between Coal Miner's Daughter (1980), the biography of Loretta Lynn, a country and western singer that came from poverty to fame starring Sissy Spacek and Tommy Lee Jones, and A Star is Born (1976) where a has-been rock star falls in love with a young, up-and-coming songstress, starring Barbra Streisand, Kris Kristofferson and Gary Busey. Voting begins July 11 and runs through August 15.

Visit 7online to cast your vote.

— Jesse M. Wheeler