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Film

Yonge and Dundas Square Announces Summer Movies

Posted by Danielle D'Ornellas / May 5, 2008

22 Comments

Yonge and Dundas Square
Exciting news Toronto! Yonge and Dundas Square has just announced the City Cinema flicks for this summer. The City Cinema is a weekly summer program of free films projected amongst the billboards, flashing lights and constant sirens at Yonge and Dundas Square. While many find these distractions unnerving, others (myself included) love the idea of watching movies amongst such an interesting crowd. But whether you're into it for the cheap entertainment or for the films, this weekly series is definitely something you have to do at least once.

This is the Square's third year of the series. They began in 2006 with Creature Features such as Jaws and last year's Science Fiction series with films like 2001: A Space Odyssey. This years theme? Romantic Reels! So be sure to bring your main squeeze with you for the cheapest urban date you could hope for. And while the list definitely crosses the line from cheesy romantic fare to crowd-pleasing classics, there is definitely a film for everybody.

With the exception of Brokeback Mountain, Gone With the Wind Part II all films will be Tuesday evenings starting at sunset, which can vary from day to day. But as somebody who has been attending for two years now, the best suggestion I can give is to have somebody show up around 8pm to get very good seats.

Tuesday June 24 - Gone With the Wind - Part I (1939)
Monday June 30 - Gone With the Wind - Part II (1939)
Tuesday July 8 - Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Tuesday July 15 - Romeo Juliet (1996)
Tuesday July 22 - Annie Hall (1977)
Tuesday July 29 - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
Tuesday August 5 - The Princess Bride (1987)
Tuesday August 12 - Titanic (1997)
Tuesday August 19 - The Notebook (2004)
Tuesday August 26 - Casablanca (1942)

Apparently Casablanca won by a landslide as the most romantic film, to which I have just never understood. Two of my suggestions for this series were My Man Godfrey and Some Like it Hot which both fell on deaf ears. Oh well, maybe next year!

Thanks Mark for spotting my date mix-up!

Photo: Toronto Life by blogTO flickr-pooler wvs

Discussion

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Maria / May 5, 2008 at 11:06 am
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Who decided which films to show? was there like a poll or something?
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Ben / May 5, 2008 at 11:41 am
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This is very exciting. I preferred the sci-fi theme of last year, but these should be fun. There's another Woody Allen this year, although I challenge The Internet to find someone who prefers <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annie_Hall";>Annie Hall</a> to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleeper_(film)">Sleeper</a> (last year's pick).
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Sean Galbraith / May 5, 2008 at 11:47 am
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Too bad all the light pollution from the ads make it more and more difficult to see the screen.
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Eric / May 5, 2008 at 11:47 am
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I saw Sleeper last year, and it was mostly unfunny. I've heard good things about Annie Hall, but I've never seen it.
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Rick / May 5, 2008 at 11:55 am
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Cue the "Dundas Square is a mass of concrete and corporate ads - I HATE IT" comments.

I think the movies are a good idea.
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Sonia / May 5, 2008 at 12:15 pm
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Gone With the Wind is possibly my most favourite movie of all time. I'm really excited now.

This looks like it'll be a good summer for movies. Last year might've been a bit better, but I feel as if some good movies were chosen for this summer.
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Mark / May 5, 2008 at 12:42 pm
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Actually, Brokeback Mountain is on a Tuesday.

GWTW Pt. II is the Monday. (Canada day is the Tuesday of that week.)

I agree, Some Like It Hot should be in there... but it may not be the tear jerker like the others...
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Christine / May 5, 2008 at 12:57 pm
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Yay!! The Princess Bride!! I'm sooo going to get one of those t-shirts with the "Hello my name is: Inigo Montoya, you killed my father" t-shirts. :D
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Danielle / May 5, 2008 at 01:27 pm
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@Mark Thanks for catching that!

@Maria They asked people to submit suggestions last year online I believe. It was awhile back so I can't quite remember. I also suggested Annie Hall so at least ONE of my picks was also popular!
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Ryan L. / May 5, 2008 at 01:28 pm
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I came up with a list last year that I thought would be shown and got 4 of them right. Not impressed with their decision to include the Notebook though.
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Jacques / May 5, 2008 at 04:32 pm
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I wont hate on the light and noise pollution, but I will say that I preferred the summer screenings at Harbour front a few years back. Not only was watching Jaws on the waterfront a great idea, but they really pulled their shit together. They rented portable 35mm projectors and showed the films on 35mm. Its neat to watch a film in Dundas Square, but DVD projections are lame. And indeed all of these films can be found on decent to excellent 35mm prints, even GWTW.
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jack / May 5, 2008 at 09:19 pm
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does anyone know if i want to offer free beverage to the movie attendees, who i can contact?
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aahhrrgg / May 5, 2008 at 09:24 pm
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Being Dundas Square, I suppose there will be commercials before the movie. (subtle, I hate Dundas Square comment)
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Kelvin / May 5, 2008 at 10:24 pm
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I'm pretty impressed they're showing Brokeback on a huge public screen. But who's going to protect the innocent children walking by?!
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jack / May 5, 2008 at 11:32 pm
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yeah, who is going to protect the innocent gay kids when they show Romeo and Juliet on big screen?
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James / May 5, 2008 at 11:32 pm
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What's with the complete absence of Canadian film (or that matter anything not American?)

I can understand more hollywood flims than not. They're popular, well-known and more likely to draw a larger crowd.

But completly ingorning the audience for films that different, orgiginal, tell Canadian stories; or offer a global perspective excludes so many movie-goers, citizens and (for the BIA) potential shoppers. Sigh.

Seems very short-sighted.
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Chris / May 6, 2008 at 12:25 am
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Who's going to protect everyone from Kate Winslet's boobies?!
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matt / May 6, 2008 at 04:04 am
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Great idea - I really envy you :))))
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Ian / May 6, 2008 at 03:54 pm
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"What's with the complete absence of Canadian film (or that matter anything not American?)"

Because nobody wants to see Canadian movies. No really. It would be nothing but crickets chirping in Yonge Dundas Square.
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Ben / May 7, 2008 at 10:12 am
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Ian, Last Night was a good romantic and Canadian movie. We don't just make Phil The Alien, you know.
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Danielle / May 9, 2008 at 03:13 pm
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The absence of Canadian film or foreign for that matter really lies on the audience who VOTED for the films this season. Blame the masses!
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Wooden_Tofu / June 26, 2008 at 09:49 am
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Oh Desree, fill Yonge-Dundas Square with your sweet lamenting vocals.
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