Your 2015 summer outdoor movie guide

When the weather is good, why waste a minute of it? Whether it’s old favorites or French films you kind of need to be drinking wine to understand, there’s something for everyone. Plus, your food options also won’t be limited to Red Vines and popcorn, and you can decide that, maybe, the second act would be better spent taking a dip in the ocean. Long live summer!

The HBO Summer Film Festival at Bryant Park gets crowded, to say the least, so arrive early. Programming ranges from silver screen gems (1972’s disaster classic “The Poseidon Adventure,” July 6) to new favorites (“Back to the Future” closes out the fest on Aug. 24). Free; lawn opens at 5 p.m., films start at dusk. Through Aug. 24. West 42 Street and Avenue of the Americas

Hudson River Park’s RiverFlicks runs every Wednesday (weather permitting) through July and August. Unlike many other outdoor series, this one lines up recent hits like Oscar winners “American Hustle” (Jul. 16) and “The Lego Movie” (Jul. 30). And there’s free popcorn too. Free; movies start at dusk,July 9-Aug. 20; Pier 63

Nostalgia rules at this year’s Summer Screen with new classics like “Clueless” (Jul. 8) and “Dirty Dancing” (Jul. 22). You get to choose the final movie, which screens Aug. 12. Head to McCarren Park on Wednesdays at dusk. Get there early for live music, and there are food vendors at the park. Free, doors at 6 p.m., showtime 8 p.m., July 8-Aug. 12, North 12th St. and Bedford Ave.

Films on the Green is a free outdoor French film festival taking place across various city parks. Don’t miss the animated feature “Zarafa,” presented in English, about a young boy who crosses the desert from Africa to Paris with his giraffe (June 26, Tompkins Square Park). DJs spin tunes before each screening. Fridays through Sept. 10, 8:30 p.m.

This year’s theme for Summer on the Hudson’sPier Picture Showis itself outdoorsy: movies set on lawns, parks, country estates and forests. In addition to the regular Wednesday night screenings — kicking things off on July 1 is the original and still best “Jurassic Park” — are Thursday special features, including “Pride & Prejudice” (July9).Picnics are welcome. 8:30 p.m. Wednesdays, July 1-Aug. 12; Pier 1 at 70th Street, Riverside Park

Flicks on the Beach, held right on the Atlantic Ocean boardwalk. On Mondays during July and August, a 40-foot inflatable screen turns the beach at West 10th Street into an outdoor movie theater, which is really how “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” (July 27) was meant to be experienced.Free, doors: 7:30 p.m., movies around 8 p.m., July 6-Aug. 24

It’s safe to say thatSyfy Movies with a Viewis the most comprehensive of the summer film fests: For the action fans, there is “Sharknado 2”; for the mystery buffs, “Clue”; and for the slackers, “Dazed and Confused.” Every Thursday, the free outdoor film series takes place on the Harbor View Lawn at Pier 1, making it one of the most scenic options, too. This year’s theme is stories that happen over the course of 24 hours, and DJs from Brooklyn Radio kick off the evening.Free. July 9-Aug. 27; music starts at 6 p.m., movies at sunset

Long Island City’s Socrates Sculpture Park hosts an eight-weekOutdoor Cinemadedicated to Queens’ cultural diversity. A musical performance usually precedes the movies, which begin at sundown.Wednesdays. 7 p.m. July 1-Aug. 19. 32-01 Vernon Blvd.

The Intrepid museum’sSummer Movie Seriesis back with family-friendly and space-themed blockbusters (with a sense of humor, as “Spaceballs” is on the agenda). This year, a special guest introduces each film.Free, one ticket per person, members have priority; doors: 7:30 p.m., films at sunset, weather permitting. Through Aug. 6. Pier 86

Central Park Conservancyis celebrating its 35th with a five-day movie festival that includes only films released in 1980. Luckily for us, it was a good year: “Fame,” “The Blues Brothers” and Robert De Niro’s iconic portrayal of macho angst in “Raging Bull.”Movies at dusk on Frisbee Hill, enter at 72nd Street. 8 p.m. Tues.-Sat. Aug. 25-29, rain or shine

Every Monday evening on Chelsea restaurantDeath Ave’s sizable backyard (with a retractable roof for rainy nights), catch films like “Annie Hall” (June 29) and “The Big Lebowski” (July 20). The $88 per couple cost includes a platter of shareable Greek bites.Seating begins at 7 p.m.; movie starts at 8 p.m. 315 10th Ave.

Learn something about your world at aRooftop Filmsscreening, going on around the city (mainly on, as the name implies, rooftops, though there are often contingency plans for weather). This summer series showcases the work of emerging filmmakers and includes pre-film live music and an after-party.Free-$15, doors: 8 p.m. Tues.-Sat. through Aug. 2.

About the Author