Overview
Spare a thought for the St George OpenAir Cinema team, the folks behind one of Sydney's favourite outdoor cinema spots. When picking their summertime lineup each year, they're battling fierce visual competition: Mrs Macquaries Point's spectacular panoramic view of the city. Accordingly, every movie that graces the cinema's big screen has to hold its own against the stunning sights glittering away behind it. Don't worry — boasting everything from Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper in the music biz to an Australian premiere of Margot Robbie's latest transformative effort, their 2019 program achieves that feat. And the whole lineup hasn't even dropped.
Kicking off on January 8 and running until February 16, the outdoor cinema's new season commences with the Australian premiere of Mary Queen of Scots, which sees Australia's own Margot Robbie and Academy Award-nominee Saoirse Ronan join forces for a powerful historical drama. It's just one of the movies making sure it'll be starry not only in the sky above, but on the 350-square-metre screen rising from the harbour. And with lineup featuring the likes of the aforementioned A Star Is Born, box office hit Crazy Rich Asians, Ryan Gosling heading to the moon in First Man, Rami Malek playing legendary frontman Freddie Mercury for Bohemian Rhapsody, the film adaption of Colin Thiele's famed Aussie novel Storm Boy and Bridesmaids' director Paul Feig's savagely entertaining A Simple Favour.
Off-screen, expect culinary stars to join the fold as well, with OpenAir again partnering with Matt Moran's Chiswick. They'll be delivering a signature menu to hungry movie-goers each and every night during the cinema's 2019 run — but with 2000 patrons expected every evening, expect them to be busy. Booze, in the form of beers, wines and cocktails, will be available at the equally busy Kirin Bar.
Speaking of, when tickets become available on Monday, December 10, they're likely to go quick. In 2016, more than 30,000 tickets sold within the first 30 minutes of sale.
St George Openair Cinema 2018 runs from January 8 to February 16, 2019. Tickets are on sale from Monday, December 10. We'll update you when the full lineup drops on December 1.
Image: Fiora Sacco