The Sunset Drive-In Cinema

Overview

Long before movie fans had ever even heard of social distancing — before we all failed to notice the term when it was uttered in Contagion, too — drive-in cinemas had perfected the concept. So, it should come as zero surprise that these outdoor picture palaces are popping up with frequency in 2020.

The latest: The Sunset Drive-In Cinema, from the folks usually behind Sydney's Sunset Cinema. Running from Thursday, October 1–Saturday, October 31 at the St Ives Showground, it'll screen both new release and retro titles on the north shore. It'll also serve up movie snacks, naturally, plus a range of other bites to eat from onsite food trucks. If you'd prefer to BYO food, however, that's completely okay.

As for what you'll be watching, it's a varied lineup. Get extra comfy in your car to check out Christopher Nolan's 150-minute-long mind-bender Tenet, see if The New Mutants manages to combine horror with superheroes, or watch a particularly beardy Seth Rogen in An American Pickle. If you're more in the mood for nostalgia, you can opt for a Mean Girls and Clueless double, do the Time Warp with The Rocky Horror Picture Show, revisit Pulp Fiction's various intertwined tales (and Quentin Tarantino's memorable dialogue) or have the time of your life with Dirty Dancing. And, on Halloween, you can also indulge in some old-school bumps and jumps with Scream and The Blair Witch Project.

Tickets cost $50 per car, which is particularly good news if your wheels (or your mates') has plenty of seats. That price covers up to eight people in one vehicle, if that's how many folks your car can fit legally. Plus, pooches are allowed, but they must stay on a leash at all times.

The Sunset Drive-In Cinema runs from Thursday, October 1–Saturday, October 31 at the St Ives Showground.