The Prides Corner Drive-In in Westbrook. Photo by Ben McCanna/Staff Photographer
The drive-in experience is a little different this year.
Most indoor movie theaters are still closed so about the only place you can see a film on the big screen is at a drive-in. Also, Hollywood is not releasing many new films until the majority of theaters are open, so drive-ins are offering an eclectic range of movies that include those released earlier this year or last year, hits from the ’80s or ’90s and even older classics.
Here is a sampling of what’s playing at southern Maine drive-ins in this strange year. It’s a good idea to check the Facebook pages or websites of each for specific social distancing rules in place, and how those affect parking, opening times, ticket purchases, concessions and restrooms.
BRIDGTON TWIN DRIVE-IN, BRIDGTON
The science fiction horror film “The Invisible Man” is playing Monday through Thursday, June 11. Released in February, it’s based on the H.G. Wells 1897 book of the same name and stars Elisabeth Moss, known as a star of the dramatic TV series “Mad Men” and “The Handmaid’s Tale.” Tuesday through Thursday, June 9 to 11, is the Disney animated film “Trolls World Tour,” which was released to a limited number of theaters in April and stars the voices of Portland native Anna Kendrick and pop singer Justin Timberlake. On the Friday and Saturday the theater will feature the 2019 thriller “Joker” starring Joaquin Phoenix and “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil.” The latter is based on the villain of Disney’s “Sleeping Beauty” starring Angelina Jolie and released last October. Then on June 19 and 20 the drive-in plans to show the summer classic “Jaws” from 1975. It stars a very big shark.
PRIDES CORNER DRIVE-IN, WESTBROOK
The recent World War I epic “1917” is playing Wednesday and Thursday, June 10 and 11. The 2019 British adventure film, starring a cast relatively-unknown in America, got 10 Oscar nominations and won for cinematography, visual effects and sound mixing. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Prides Corner is planning to show “E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial” from 1982. The Steven Spielberg-directed film is a heart-warming story of a lost alien and the kids who help him.
Cue the heroic music, because the Saco Drive-In is playing the adventure classic “Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark” on Friday and Saturday. The 1981 film about a globe-trotting archeologist stars Harrison Ford, was directed by Steven Spielberg, and kicked off a very successful franchise. On June 19, Saco is showing the action comedy “Bad Boys for Life” starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, as Miami police officers. The film came out in January and is the third in the “Bad Boys” franchise. On June 20 the theater is showing “The Goonies,” a 1985 family-friendly adventure comedy starring Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Corey Feldman and a treasure map. But it’s already sold out.
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