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Where to Watch Free Movies Downtown This Summer

By Irene Plagianos | May 31, 2014 8:16am | Updated on June 2, 2014 8:10am
 Hudson River Park is one of several places to catch free films in Lower Manhattan this summer.
Hudson River Park is one of several places to catch free films in Lower Manhattan this summer.
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Facebook/Hudson River Park

DOWNTOWN —  Warmer weather has finally arrived, so grab a blanket, or a seat, and plunk yourself down for the free, mostly alfresco movie options Downtown this summer.

Gratis movies series include outdoor films every Wednesday and Saturday at the South Street Seaport, a French film festival at Washington Square and Tompkins Square parks, movies along the waterfront in Hudson River Park and, for those sweltering, or rainy days, indoor screenings of Steven Spielberg films at the Museum of Jewish Heritage.

Check out where, and when, to catch some free flicks below:

Front/Row Cinema

Fulton and Front Streets, South Street Seaport

The outdoor movies start at sunset, with lots of chairs provided on a faux-grass lawn. Wednesday films are geared toward families, while Saturdays are more general audience.

May 31: "Jaws"
June 4: "Wall-E"
June 7: "Rise of the Planet of the Apes"
June 11: "The Muppets Take Manhattan"
June 14: "The Breakfast Club"
June 18: "Rango"
June 21: "The Perks of Being a Wallflower"
June 25: "Brave"
July 2: "The Karate Kid"
July 5: "The Avengers"
July 9: "Wreck-it Ralph"
July 12: "I Am Legend"
July 16: "Fantastic Mr. Fox"
July 19: "True Grit"
July 23: "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial"
July 26: "Men in Black 3"
July 30: "The Goonies"
Aug. 2: "When Harry Met Sally"
Aug. 6: "The Croods"
Aug. 9: "Four Weddings and a Funeral"
Aug. 13: "Charlie & the Chocolate Factory"
Aug. 16: "Pitch Perfect"
Aug. 20: "Who Framed Roger Rabbit"
Aug. 23: "The Aviator"
Aug. 27: "Frozen"
Aug. 30: "Crazy, Stupid, Love"
Aug. 31: "Skyfall"

Close Encounters of the Spielberg Kind

Museum of Jewish Heritage, 36 Battery Place, Battery Park City

The free indoor movies all start at 6:30 p.m. Tickets will be available at the box office on a first-come, first-served basis each Wednesday, starting at 4 p.m. on the day of each screening.

June 25: "Raiders of the Lost Ark"
July 2: "Saving Private Ryan"
July 9: "Jurassic Park"
July 16: "Amistad"
July 23: "Close Encounters of the Third Kind"
July 30: "Schindler's List"
Aug. 6: "Jaws"
Aug. 13: "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial"

Brookfield Place Plaza

220 Vesey St., Battery Park City

The expansive plaza, overlooking the Hudson River, provides first-come, first-served seating for its free movies, part of the Rooftop Films Underground Movies series. Seating starts at 6:30 p.m., and movies start at 8:45 p.m.

July 24: Animation Block Party – a variety of animated shorts
July 25: NY Shorts – a series of short films from NYC filmmakers
July 26: "The Case of the Three Sided Dream"

Film on the Greens

This French movie festival takes place Fridays in various city parks. Films start at 8:30 p.m.

June 6, Washington Square Park: "Les Tontons Flingueurs"
June 13, Washington Square Park: "Buffet Froid"
June 20, Tompkins Square Park: "The Women on the 6th Floor"
June 27, Tompkins Square Park: "La Haine"

Hudson River Park's RiverFlicks Big Hit Wednesdays

Pier 63, on the Hudson River at 24th Street

Bring a blanket for the outdoor, waterfront movies, which start at sundown.

July 9: "Iron Man 3"
July 16: "American Hustle"
July 23: "This Is the End"
July 30: "The Lego Movie"
Aug. 6: "Lone Survivor"
Aug. 13: "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire"
Aug. 20: "Captain Phillips"

Hudson River Park's RiverFlicks Family Fridays on Pier 46

Pier 46, on the Hudson River at Charles Street                                                 

The free movies start at sunset. Bring something to sit on.

July 11: "Despicable Me 2"       
July 18: "Ghostbusters"    
July 25: "Ghostbusters II"        
Aug. 1: "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2"
Aug. 8: "Groundhog Day"         
Aug. 15: "The Smurfs 2"    
Aug. 22: "The Wizard of Oz"