Take your family to a free outdoor movie

By Elizabeth Marie Himchak

With summer in full swing, local parks are showing some recent and not-so-recent flicks for free under the stars.

Summer Movies in the Park is a countywide event spearheaded by the County of San Diego Parks and Recreation Department. It shows a wide variety of family-friendly movies where attendees can view the offerings for free while sitting on blankets and lawn chairs.

The movies start at dusk, but attendees are advised to arrive early to stake out their preferred spot.

Those who miss this past weekend’s shows of “Despicable Me 2,” in Rancho Bernardo have another opportunity to see it on Saturday, July 19 in 4S Ranch’s Patriot Park, 10502 Paseo de Linda. “Monsters University” is a 2013 Disney Pixar animated film that shows the early relationship between Mike and Sulley before they became best friends as shown in the 2001 “Monsters, Inc.” The G-rated “Monsters University” features the voices of Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Helen Mirren and Sean Hayes.

Those who miss the Poway and Carmel Mountain Ranch showings of “Monsters University” will have another opportunity to see it in Rancho Bernardo Community Park on Friday, Aug. 29.

As for other free movies this summer:

• “The Nut Job” will be shown at Poway Community Park on Saturday, July 26 and at Patriot Park in 4S Ranch on Saturday, Sept. 6.

This year’s PG-rated animated film for mild action and rude humor has the self-serving exiled Surly the Squirrel (voiced by Will Arnett) plotting to raid a nut store after his latest caper led to the destruction of the animal community’s winter food cache. It also features the voices of Brendan Fraser, Liam Neeson and Katherine Heigl.

• “The Lego Movie” will be shown at Rolling Hills Neighborhood Park, 11171 Almazon Street in Rancho Penasquitos on Saturday, Aug. 2; Poway Swim Center on Saturday, Aug. 9; and Patriot Park in 4S Ranch on Saturday, Aug. 16.

This year’s PG-rated animated film for mild action and rude humor has Emmet, an ordinary Lego mini-figure, dubbed the “most extraordinary person” and tasked with saving the Lego universe. It features the voices of Will Arnett, Elizabeth Banks, Will Ferrell, Morgan Freeman and Chris Pratt.

• “Planes” will be shown at Poway Community Park on Saturday, Aug. 23.

The 2013 PG-rated Disney animated film for some mild action and rude humor has a cropdusting plane with a fear of heights filling his dream of competing in an around-the-world aerial race. It features the voices of Dane Cook, Stacy Keach, Brad Garrett, Teri Hatcher and Julia Louis-Dreyfus.

For a complete listing of all 88 free films being shown countywide in the annual series that runs through Sept. 27, go to www.summermoviesinthepark.com.