To quote Rob Thomas, WUD Film may indeed be keen on a “summer of originals” at the Memorial Union Terrace this summer. But if that’s the case, I haven’t the faintest idea on any theme behind Madison Parks’ Moonlight Movies this year.
Beyond being free, of course. An on-the-nose screening of Caddyshack at the Odana Hills Golf Course informally kicked off the summer series this past April, but Harold Ramis’ offbeat sports comedy seems apart from the rest of the series — both in content and schedule. After all, there’s still a slight chance of blizzards in April.
Warm weather (finally) seems to be on its way though, and Moonlight Movies proper begin this Friday at 8:30p in Peace Park with Richard Donner’s 80’s favorite The Goonies, a summer darling that’s been no stranger to the WUD’s Lakeside series in years past. The following Friday features Steven Spielberg’s Jaws at Olbrich Park. Because summer and Spielberg go together like summer and Spielberg.
An 80’s comedy and two summer throwbacks suggest a “retro” vibe to Madison Parks’ programming, but Sully and Mike Wazowski put that theory to bed. Pixar’s Monsters University, a sequel that colors its characters’ backstories with Animal House shenanigans, plays on June 21 at 7:00p at the Duck Pond. On July 20, the home of the Madison Mallards shows the Pharrell Williams “Happy” vehicle Despicable Me 2, followed by the Brendan Fraser animated dud Escape from Planet Earth on August 2.
The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie, which plays at Hiestand Park on August 29, has a cool 30 years on the Duck Pond’s trio of animated sequels (for those of you still keeping score), and Ron Howard’s Apollo 13 wraps up the series on September 26 at Garner Park — provided there isn’t any snow on the ground yet.
- All screenings are FREE and open to the public. Visit Madison Parks’ website for times and additional information.