Summer Film Series Takes Flight in Crystal City

What drive-ins were for suburban young couples and families in the 1950s and 60s, outdoor once-a-week theater experiences with names like screen on the green are for city dwellers of the 21st Century.

For much of the 3 summer months which began this week, open green areas in neighborhoods throughout the DC area are transformed into temporary urban walk-in versions of the now mostly departed drive-ins.

Utilizing giant collapsible screens and state of the art speakers, parks like those next to our Crystal City apartment complex become the place to be for an early evening picnic and a-start-at-dusk feature film.

Most of the neighborhoods show a series of films with a similar theme. This year's theme for Crystal Screen is In-Flight, which is especially appropriate since Crystal City is located just 1 Metro stop from Reagan National Airport and the sight of planes can be seen between the multi-story buildings during film screenings.

The Crystal Screen series began Monday with a showing of the classic 1980 comedy Airplane. It will conclude on August 25 with the showing of Snakes on a Plane with Samuel Jackson and a plane full of slithering costars.

Of course, Crystal City isn't the only neighborhood with a film series. Here is the list of this year's summer in the city weekly neighborhood films, including Screen on the Green on the National Mall.