As longtime readers of the community-centric content we here at Woodland Hills Magazine churn out regularly will know, the Valley Cultural Foundation’s signature events attract thousands each year. As one of the largest non-profit arts organizations in Southern California, the Foundation remains proud of its diverse demographic, which includes community leaders and decision-makers. In fact, during the pandemic, the Foundation pivoted to include online programs for younger audiences, its representatives confirming that it will continue this new tradition in the future in the post-COVID era.
With the concept of going to the cinema as American as apple pie, the Free Movies at Warner Park program is returning to entertain families across Woodland Hills this summer, starting on August 3 with the ultra-popular Barbie and ending on August 31 with Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom. Family-friendly films draw up to 2,500 at Warner Park on Saturday evenings in the summer on average, and there’s quite the exciting lineup for 2024, promising a similar turnout this year.
Presented by Kaiser Permanente and Rosenheim & Associates Inc., Free Movies at Warner Park invites attendees to bring blankets, low chairs under three feet in height, tarps and pillows for their comfort, with canopies, umbrellas or EZ-ups permitted until the event starts. Once announcements begin, these items must be taken down, with any items left unattended to be deemed “abandoned;” further, attendees must remain with their belongings at all times, and stakes cannot be used to keep blankets in place due to safety hazards.
Let’s now take a closer look at the motion picture lineup at Warner Park for summer 2024. All free movies are scheduled from 7 pm to approximately 9 pm, depending on their individual runtimes.
August 3 – Barbie, starring Margot Robbie in the lead role and Ryan Gosling as Ken, brings the legendary Mattel dolls to vivid life, following them on a journey of self-discovery through both Barbieland and the real world following an existential crisis. It is also a commentary regarding patriarchy and the effects of feminism, backed by a supporting cast that includes America Ferrera, Michael Cera, Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae, Rhea Pearlman and Will Ferrell.
August 10 – The Blind Side, starring Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw and Quinton Aaron, is a 2009 sports drama written and directed by John Lee Hancock based on the 2006 book of the same name by Michael Lewis, and tells the story of Michael Oher, a football offensive lineman who overcame impoverished upbringing to play in the NFL with the help of Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy. The film was the subject of controversy in 2023 when Oher alleged the Tuohys tricked him into signing a conservatorship agreement instead of legally adopting him, which reportedly prevented him from receiving royalties.
August 17 – Wish, a 2023 American animated musical fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, stars the voices of Ariana DeBose, Chris Pine, Alan Dudyk, Angelique Cabral, Victor Garber, Natasha Rothwell, Jennifer Kumiyama and others. The story focuses on a 17-year-old girl named Asha (DeBose) in the Kingdom of Rosas, who makes a passionate plea to the stars in a moment of need, leading her to meet a living, magic star that has fallen from the sky; together they face the Kingdom’s dubious ruler, Magnifico (Pine).
August 24 – Elemental, another 2023 American animated romantic comedy-drama produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios, stars the voices of Leah Lewis, Mamoudou Athie, Ronnie del Carmen and others, and is set in a world inhabited by anthropomorphic elements of nature. The story follows fire element Ember Lumen (Lewis) and water element Wade Ripple (Athie), who spend time together in the city while trying to save a convenience store owned by Ember’s father, Bernie (del Carmen).
August 31 – Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom, starring Jason Momoa, Patrick Wilson, Amber Heard, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Randall Park, Dolph Lundgren, Nicole Kidman and others, is a 2023 American superhero film based on DC Comics representing the direct sequel to 2018’s Aquaman, directed once again by James Wan from a screenplay by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick. In the film, Arthur Curry/Aquaman (Momoa) must work with his half-brother Orm (Wilson) to prevent Black Manta (Abdul-Mateen II) from killing his family and using the cursed Black Trident to overheat the world while searching for the lost seventh Kingdom of the seas.
Warner Center Park is located at 5800 Topanga Canyon Boulevard. More information about free movies at Warner Park available here.
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