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Blobfest, Hitchcock, Star Wars prequels, and more
The BSR July 2023 repertory movie roundup
Stephen Silver
July has arrived and, well, we can’t be outside all the time. For those times when you need a break from the heat, there’s a huge lineup of older movies around town this month, from a pair of Will Smith’s 1990s hits, to seminars on Alfred Hitchcock and Wes Anderson, and the annual celebration of The Blob.
The highlights
Welcome to Earth
July 1, 2, and 20
Philadelphia Film Center, 1412 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia
Will Smith may be banned from the Oscars, but the biggest hits by Overbrook’s favorite son are still welcome in his hometown. The Philadelphia Film Society is hosting a Saturday, July 1 “Welcome to Earth” double feature of Smith’s two alien blockbusters, with 1997’s Men in Black at 4pm and 1996’s Independence Day at 7:30pm. Independence Day shows again on Sunday, July 2, at 4pm, while Men in Black gets a Quizzo & a Movie showing on Thursday, July 20, at 7:30pm.
Hitchcock seminars
Thursdays, July 6, 13, and 20
Bryn Mawr Film Institute, 824 Lancaster Avenue, Bryn Mawr
It’s a big month for education offerings at Bryn Mawr Film Institute, especially focused on the work of Alfred Hitchcock. There will be three Hitchcock Cinema Classics seminars on consecutive Thursdays: Rope (with Amy Corbin) on July 6, Strangers on a Train (with Andrew J. Douglas) on July 13, and Dial M for Murder (with Jacob Mazer) on July 20.
Blobfest
July 14-July 16, 2023
Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge Street, Phoenixville
The annual Blobfest weekend is set to return to Phoenixville, with a series of events connected to the 1958 schlock classic The Blob. This year’s event features the annual Run Out Scene and Mx. Blobfest Universe 2023 on Friday, July 14, a street fair and costume contest on Saturday, July 15, and the Blobfest will welcome the Mystery Science Theater 3000 crew on Sunday, July 16, for MST3Kon. And of course, The Blob itself will show twice on July 15 along with a showing of the 1988 remake.
Star Wars prequels
Saturday, July 15
Philadelphia Film Center, 1412 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia
They were long reviled, and then they were, to some degree, redeemed. And yes, the three Star Wars prequels are coming to the Film Center, all in one day—Jar-Jar included. The Phantom Menace shows at noon, followed by 2002’s Attack of the Clones at 3:15pm and 2005’s Revenge of the Sith at 7pm. It’s part of the July portion of the Film Society’s returning Summer of Trilogies, which also features Baz Luhrmann’s Red Curtain trilogy, the Clint Eastwood Dollars films, and all three Infernal Affairs movies.
More cinema screenings
Blow Out
Sunday, July 2
Wednesday, July 12
Philadelphia Film Center
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
Monday, July 3
Monday, July 17
Bryn Mawr Film Institute
Fantasia
Wednesday, July 5
Saturday, July 15
Bryn Mawr Film Institute
The Matrix
Thursday, July 6
Ambler Theater
Killer Klowns From Outer Space
Friday, July 7
Colonial Theatre
The Spirit of ’45
Friday, July 7
Lightbox Film Center
North by Northwest
Friday, July 7
Sunday, July 9
Philadelphia Film Center
Sleepaway Camp
Friday, July 7
Hiway Theater
Ziggy Stardust & the Spiders From Mars: The Motion Picture
Sunday, July 9
Colonial Theatre
Monday, July 11
Bryn Mawr Film Institute
Jaws
Tuesday, July 11
Ritz Five
The Batman
Wednesday, July 12
Sunset Social
Neige
Wednesday, July 12
Lightbox Film Center
Barry Lyndon
Thursday, July 13
Philadelphia Film Center
Monday, July 24
PFS at the Bourse
Batman and Batman Returns
Friday, July 14
Philadelphia Film Center
The Royal Tenenbaums with Cinema Classics seminar
Wednesday, July 26
Bryn Mawr Film Institute
National Lampoon’s Vacation 40th anniversary
Sunday, July 16
Wednesday, July 19
Fathom Events (various theaters)
Bruce Lee double feature: The Big Boss and Fist of Fury
Thursday, July 20
PhilaMOCA
The Empire Strikes Back
Friday, July 21, and Saturday, July 22
Ritz Five
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Friday, July 21
Ritz Five
RRR
Friday, July 21
PFS at the Bourse
The Room
Saturday, July 22
Ritz Five
Jurassic Park with Philadelphia Orchestra
Saturday, July 22
Mann Music Center
Top Gun in 4K
Tuesday, July 25
Ritz Five
Frantz Fanon: Black Skin, White Mask
Thursday, July 27
Free Library of Philadelphia (Parkway Central Library)
Ed Wood
Sunday, July 30
The Colonial Theatre
Bicycle Thieves
Sunday, July 30
PFS at the Bourse
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Monday, July 31
Ambler Theater (Hollywood Summer Nights)
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