If you live in New York City you know that finding personal space is a constant issue and a luxury that our suburban and mid western brethren take for granted. This is especially true in the throws of summer. From the second you wake in your highly organized but ultimately tiny apartment you are being slowly suffocated. Moments later you’re on a packed subway car where fellow commuters will risk amputating a limb just to squeeze their sweaty body in the three by three inch space between you and a greasy pole; Or get uncomfortably close and breath heavily on your neck while waiting in line to order an overpriced iced coffee. It comes with the territory, and sometimes it’s unbearable while other times you have to grit your teeth and just embrace it.
The HBO Bryant Park Summer Film Festival is a perfect excuse to get sweaty, cozy up your neighbor and enjoy a movie under the stars. Bryant Park is one of New York’s most beautiful watering holes for the animals (myself included) that call this place home; And every Monday starting next week the park will be host to a free summer long film festival. It opens with One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, hits fever pitch with Easy Rider and Airplane! and ends with a bang with Dirty Harry which I hope will have the crowd mouthing “You’ve got to ask yourself one question: Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?” in unison. Grab a blanket, some popcorn, pour some vodka into a water bottle and check it out.
Bryant Park; 42nd St. at Sixth Ave.; 212-768-4242 (The lawn opens at 5pm)
6/20 - One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
6/27 - The 39 Steps 7/4 - Easy Rider (!!!!!) 7/11 - Gentleman Prefer Blondes 7/18 - In the Heat of the Night 7/25 - The Lady Eve 8/1 - Cool Hand Luke 8/8 - Airplane! (“Have you ever seen a grown man naked?”) 8/15 - High Sierra 8/22 - Dirty Harry
