Movies in the Park Reveals 15th Annual Lineup

By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief

Movies in the Park, a celebrated summer tradition in Pacific Palisades, returns this August for its 15th year with four Saturday evening screenings. And from a rom-com to superheroes, this year’s lineup covers a wide variety of genres.

Golden Sparkplug Award-winning Movies in the Park is a nonprofit organization that was founded in August 2003 by Alphabet Streets resident David Williams to provide free family fun to the Palisades in the month of August.

“I grew up here,” Williams told the Palisadian-Post. “I went to Marquez, Paul Revere, Pali High … I’m 53 so I’ve seen a lot of the town.”

Williams was inspired to start the Movies in the Park program after he saw “Doc Hollywood,” which features a scene where the town is enjoying an outdoor movie.

“I thought, this could be great,” Williams explained. “My kids have never been to a drive-in.”

After many meetings and a lot of planning, Movies in the Park’s first screening was “E.T.” The team had hoped for 50 people to show up.

“We had almost 500 people,” Williams shared.

The season kicks off on Saturday, Aug. 4, with a screening of Disney classic, family-friendly “The Lion King” (1994, G). If you haven’t had a chance to share the adventure of Simba and Nala and Timon and Pumba with your kids, this is the perfect excuse to do so.

Next up, on Aug. 11 is Date Night at Movies in the Park, featuring 1998’s “You’ve Got Mail” (PG), starring Meg Ryan and Riviera resident Tom Hanks.

“We’re trying something we’re calling ‘Date Night,’” Williams explained. “We went for something more for adults, not that kids can’t watch it, but they may not be as interested.”

This throwback film tells the story about two people involved in an online romance who are unaware that they are also business rivals.

“You’ve Got Mail” marked the third coupling of Ryan and Hanks, who previously starred in “Joe Versus the Volcano” (1990) and “Sleepless in Seattle” (1993).

Enter the superheroes: Aug. 18 features Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” (2014, PG-13). The action-packed flick follows Peter Quill and an unlikely group of extraterrestrial criminals who are fleeing after stealing a powerful artifact.

This year’s series closes on Aug. 25 with Pixar’s award-winning “Coco” (2017, PG)—the movie that Williams is most looking forward to this year.

“I haven’t seen it yet and I’ve heard amazing things,” he said. “We’re expecting well over 1,000 people for ‘Coco.’”

The animated film features an array of music and colors, as 12-year-old Miguel accidentally gets transported to the Land of the Dead and needs to find his way back to the living.

On this night, MITP will also host an annual costume contest with 10 winners.

Throughout the screenings, local businesses will sponsor giveaways. While Williams said that some are not ready to be revealed, he shared that Porta Via, ahead of its Palisades Village opening, will be at a screening to give away gift certificates and UCLA will hand out mini footballs.

“It’s a lot of work,” Williams said, “but when I see the kids the first night enjoying the park and snuggling up with their family, it’s all worth it.”

All screenings are free to the public and start at 8 p.m. at Palisades Recreation Center, located at 851 Alma Real Drive.