Outdoor Summer Cinema

With such nice weather, many people don’t want to be shut inside watching a movie. Allied Art’s Outdoor Summer Cinema, sponsored by Yakima Parks and Rec, brings two elements of summer fun together: nice weather and fun flicks. Get ready to cuddle up with your family to enjoy these titles on the giant inflatable screen.

While each program is free, your family’s ticket to admission is a non-perishable food donation for Northwest Harvest. Each movie begins at sunset, usually at 8:30 p.m. Allied Arts of Yakima Valley, 5000 W. Lincoln Ave., Yakima; 509-966-0930.

Here’s the lineup for 2011:

July 17: Yogi Bear (PG) at Gilbert Park, 5000 W. Lincoln Ave., Yakima.

July 22: Shrek Forever After (PG) at Randall Park, between 44^th and 48^th avenues, south of Nob Hill Blvd., Yakima.

July 24: Megamind (PG) at Gilbert Park.

July 29: Jumanji (PG) at Randall Park.

July 31: Twilight – Eclipse (PG-13) at Gilbert Park.

Aug. 6: The Karate Kid (PG) at Sarg Hubbard Park, Yakima Greenway. Martial arts demo takes place before the movie starts.

Aug. 7: The Last Song (PG) at Gilbert Park.

Aug. 12: Secretariat (PG) at Randall Park.

Aug. 13: Dive’n Movie: Finding Nemo (G) at Franklin Pool, 2101 Tieton Drive, Yakima. Free movie with pool admission price.

Aug. 14: Toy Story 3 (G) at Gilbert Park.

The Seattle Shakespeare Company will perform the 90-minute presentation, and a student-directed Q&A session will follow the show. You don’t have to be a drama aficionado, a bookworm or history buff to enjoy this tale; Romeo & Juliet is one of the greatest examples of Shakespeare’s universal appeal.

The cost of the event might be another universal appeal, because tickets cost just $7 for students and adults. Call or email Christina at 509-853-8000 or christina@capitoltheatre.org to reserve tickets. The Capitol Theatre, 19 S. Third St., Yakima.

Books

Sure, there’s always What to Expect When You’re Expecting and the other titles in the series, but you might want to check out these reads for ideas, inspiration and a variety of perspectives (sometimes controversial) on topics from pregnancy to parenting.

Origins: How the Nine Months Before Birth Shape the Rest of Our Lives by Annie Murphy Paul.

Paul examines (mostly from a scientific perspective) just how important these early stages of life are and how they can affect many areas of development, from diet and nutrition to stress and other environmental factors.

Pregnancy Haiku: Three Short Lines for Your Nine Long Months by Eugenie Olson.

In honor of the haiku form (three lines with five syllables in the first, seven syllables in the second and five syllables in the third), here’s a haiku to describe the book:

Fun and creative,

Poetry allows a voice

For expecting moms.

NurtureShock: New Thinking About Children by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman.

Oh, what a tangled web we weave when we consider contemporary parenting styles, and maybe we weave a greater web when we share our ideas with others. Bronson and Merryman aren’t shy about this topic, though, and in their book they argue that most of the techniques and beliefs that guide us as parents might be ineffective, misguided and even dangerous.

Hatched!: The Big Push from Pregnancy to Motherhood by Sloane Tanen.

A humorous take on pregnancy and parenting, as chickens take on such subjects as gestation, epidurals, labor, stretch marks and being a parent.

There’s Going to Be a Baby by John Burningham and Helen Oxenbury.

A great story by the acclaimed writing and illustrating married couple, and a great story to share with your children to help them get ready for a new sibling.

Indestructibles (series). These are for the little ones, not for you, Mom or Dad! (Unless your stress levels get too high …) For ages 0 and older, these amazing, inexpensive creations are waterproof, bite-proof, tear-proof and economic recession-proof (OK, just kidding on that last one).

Films

Babies (2010).

This documentary follows four families in different parts of the world as they raise their babies.

The Business of Being Born (2008).

The filmmakers of this documentary explore the possibilities that birthing is a profit-motive business, and explore alternative methods, such as home pregnancies.

Happiest Baby on the Block (2003).

This film (see also the book with the same title) features Dr. Harvey Karp’s techniques on calming babies, reducing crying and helping them sleep better and longer.

The Capitol Theatre’s Capitol Kids series continues in February and March.

Next is “Barrio Grrrl!” at 10 a.m. and noon Feb. 11. Ana, a 9-year-old girl who also has the alterego Barrio Grrrl, wrestles with how to balance fighting for justice while keeping a foot in the real world. Grades 4-8.

The final performance is “Berenstain Bears in Family Matters” at 10 a.m. and noon March 16 and March 17. Join the Bear family as each bear deals with his or her troubles and presents life lessons along the way. Grades pre-K through 4th.

Tickets are $5 per show and are open to school groups and parents with children. To purchase tickets, contact Christina at 509-853-8000.

The Twelve Films of Christmas

For the Family:

1.  A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965), 25 min, unrated (for all ages). This short but sweet Christmas classic, featuring all of your favorite Peanuts characters, sets the bar for other Christmas movies to match, and it even drives home the true Christmas message, thanks to Linus.

2.  A Christmas Story (1983), 94 min, rated PG. You can’t turn on TV on Christmas Eve without catching the 24-hour marathon run of this funny film.   Through  the likable protagonist, Ralphie, viewers can relive the nostalgia of Christmas as a youth. Many quotable lines and images linger because this movie, including “Fragile! Must be Italian.”

3.  It’s a Wonderful Life (1946), 130 min., no rating. With Jimmy Stewart in the lead role and a powerful story to back him up, it’s no wonder some have argued this film is not just one of the best Christmas films ever made, but one of the best all-around movies of all time.

4.  White Christmas (1954), 120 min., no rating. Many memorable Christmas tunes came from this film, which nicely blends flavorful characters, funny scenes and dialogue, and a touching tribute to the fellowship of humankind.

5.  Miracle on 34^th St. (1947), 96 min., no rating. The miracle stays alive and well with this original, heartwarming production about believing in magic and Santa Claus.

6.  Elf (2003), 97 min., rated PG. Will Ferrell left his mark on the Christmas film genre with this movie as the fun-loving, sometimes pesky elf, Buddy. Ferrell’s character can toss snowballs at lightning speed, perhaps because he was on a sugar high after downing a plate of spaghetti topped with M&Ms and chocolate syrup.

7.  Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964), 47 min., unrated. Who can forget Burl Ives’ unique voice as the narrator of this beloved story? Rudolph’s tale is brought to life with this milestone of stop-motion animation, which proved popular with other famous Christmas productions around this time.

8.  Muppet Christmas Carol (1992), 85 min., rated G. Who knows what Charles Dickens would have thought of this retelling of his famous novel. In any case, Michael Caine plays the perfect Scrooge to offset the Muppet characters, who step in to complete much of the rest of the cast.

9.  Home Alone (1990), 103 min., rated PG. A different Christmas film, brought by the creative forces of John Hughes and Chris Columbus, which combines family values, slapstick comedy, and other stylized antics. Now, if only Macaulay Culkin could have remained as the 8-year old Kevin McAllister.

10.  The Polar Express (2004), 100 min., rated PG. The children’s classic book is brought to CG life. Some might not favor the direction the filmmakers took to expand the story for cinematic purposes, but others may delight in the visual feast offered here. The smartest decision was casting Tom Hanks as several characters, including the train conductor and Santa Claus.

11.  The Santa Clause (1994), 97 min., rated PG. This one still marks the best of Tim Allen’s Christmas movie endeavors. While that might not be saying much by itself, his portrayal of a fill-in Santa Claus pleased moviegoers to make the movie a classic in its own right.

12.  How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966), 26 min., unrated. We’re not docking Jim Carrey’s unforgettable performance in the live action version of Dr. Seuss’ Christmas tale, but sometimes sticking closely to the original source, as with this animated retelling, proves to be a wiser choice.

For Grownups’ Eyes:

1.  National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989), 97 min., rated PG-13. There’s nothing like Christmas with the Griswold family, and it would be hard to find a funnier, timeless Christmas story to highlight dysfunctional families and holiday stress.

2.  Love, Actually (2003), 135 min., rated R. An all-star British cast leads viewers through an intersecting narrative that is sure to hit home with adult audiences, but be sure the kids are in bed when you view this one.

3.  Bad Santa (2003), 91 min., rated R. Yeah, we know; how could we recommend this? You might justify “Love, Actually,” but this title is an antidote to all of those saccharine, mind-numbing Christmas titles. This one is also rated R for a reason, and not all adults will find much merit here, so be warned!

4.  Scrooged (1988), 101 min., rated PG-13. Bill Murray offers a gem of a performance in this revisionist update of the Scrooge character.

5.  Die Hard (1988), 131 min., rated R. You might think we’re stretching for titles here, but this blockbuster film not only rejuvenated the action genre, but also it offers an alternative to the typical Christmas movie, you know, complete with German terrorists, broken glass, and quotable dialogue unfit for print.

6.  Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (1987), 93 min., rated R. This comedy, featuring Steve Martin and John Candy, might be a good kick-off to the holiday film season, since the plot takes place around Thanksgiving.

7.  Home for the Holidays (1995), 103 min., PG-13. OK, OK, this is another Thanksgiving movie. Don’t blame us; Christmas shopping starts earlier each year, so you might as well enjoy this comedy about dysfunctional families, featuring Holly Hunter and directed by Jodie Foster.

“Ferdinand the Bull” will grace the stage at 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. on Oct. 25. Meet the young bull Ferdinand, who would much rather relax and smell the flowers instead of being mean and dangerous. Ferdinand and his friend Danilo figure out what it means to be true to themselves and what they believe in. Grades K-5.

Next is “Barrio Grrrl!” at 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. on Feb. 11. Ana, a 9-year-old girl who also has the alter-ego Barrio Grrrl, wrestles how to balance with fighting for justice and keeping a foot in the real world. Grades 4-8.

The final performance is “Berenstain Bears in Family Matters” at 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. on Mar. 17. Join the Bear family as each bear deals with his or her troubles and presents life lessons along the way. Grades pre-K-4.

Tickets are $5 per show. All performances are at The Capitol Theatre, 19 S. Third St, Yakima, and are open to school groups and parents with children. To purchase tickets, contact Christina McCarthy at 853-8000.

First up is Cirque le Masque’s “Carnival,” a colorful performance by acrobats and trapeze artists that pushes the envelope of human athleticism. Performances at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 5; 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Nov. 6.

The second installment is surely the “one that you want,” the infamous “Grease.” All ages are sure to enjoy this hit musical based on the popular movie. Be prepared to sing and dance along with the cast; those catchy tunes will keep you movin’ the whole night! Performances at 7:30 p.m., Jan. 4-6.

The third offering is “The 39 Steps,” a comical retelling of one of Hitchock’s films, and set in the 1930s. Get ready to be surprised and laugh, since this musical is said to be a hybrid of Hitchcock’s style, spy novel intrigue, and Monty Python with a caffeine boost. Performances at 7:30 p.m. April 26-29, and 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. April 30.

Photo courtesy of the Yakima Greenway

We all know about having popcorn with a movie, but what about a little bit of karate first?

Pro-Action Family Martial Arts is offering just that Aug. 7, as it hosts its “Martial Arts Night & Movie” at Sarg Hubbard Park in partnership with Yakima Parks & Recreation and the Yakima Greenway’s “Kiddin’ Around” program.

The free event begins at 7:30 p.m. with a demonstration and brief class, and at sunset a family-friendly martial arts movie will be shown.

“Our involvement in the Kid Fit programming at the Greenway has been fun and exciting for both our school, the staff at the Greenway, and most importantly, the kids of Yakima,” said Ernie Brennecke, senior instructor – or sensei – at Pro-Action. “Last time we did something like this, the attendance was significant, and I play best with and to large audiences.”

Last year, more than 100 kids participated in the event. The opening demonstration is aimed at giving the public a peek at what karate is all about.

“So we don’t just do something, but we talk about what we’re doing, too,” said Erik Brennecke, Ernie’s son and a sensei with Pro-Action. 

Following the demo, the Brenneckes, along with other instructors and students, will hold a 10-minute class for kids. While last year’s class was aerobic-based, this year’s will focus on self-defense.

“We’re going to keep it basic. We like to teach basic risk escape, and maybe some palm strikes,” said Brennecke, who noted punching with a fist takes conditioning. “This is for the kids to get excited about karate.”

All ages are welcome. For more information, contact the Yakima Greenway at 509-453-8280, or visit yakimagreenway.org.

Before we walk the plank for burying their press release with our treasure, there’s still time to catch the show: Remaining performances will be at 7 p.m. May 13, 14 and 15. A matinee at 1:30 p.m. May 15 will be followed by a free ice cream social where audience members can meet the cast and have pictures taken with their favorite pirate. Arg!

Tickets are $5 for standard sections and $7.50 for the premium seats. Purchase tickets online at zcenterstage.com or call 509-829-5565.

This pirate tale sets sail in the Performing Arts Center at Zillah High School, 1602 Second Ave., Zillah.

Now, be off with you!

The two movies for May will be “Babies” and “Furry Vengeance.” The final movie of the program’s 2010-11 season will be “Shrek Forever After.”

“Babies,” rated G, is a documentary that chronicles the lives of four newborns from different corners of the world — Mongolia, Namibia, San Francisco and Tokyo — from their first breath to their first steps. The Cinema Circle screening will be at 11 a.m. May 13 at Yakima Cinema, 1305 N. 16th Ave.

In “Furry Vengeance,” rated PG, a developer and his family move into a new subdivision carved in the middle of a pristine forest. Starring Brendan Fraser and Brooke Shields, this funny film will show at 11 a.m. May 27 at The Majestic, located at 1919 S. 14th St. in Union Gap.

Admission is $6 adults, $5 children ages 4-6; one child 3 and younger is free with each paying adult; concessions are available for purchase. For reasons of safety and supervision, only preschool and younger children with their parents or guardians are admitted. Parents with older children are asked to choose a regular matinee time.

Cinema Circle’s final film of the season will be “Shrek Forever After” at 11 a.m. June 10.  This fourth movie in the Shrek fairy tale series is rated PG.

Cinema Circle presents special matinees on second and fourth Thursdays during the school year (except holidays) especially for adults accompanied by preschool-aged children. The program is sponsored by Yakima Theatres and Circle of Success, an early-learning program.

For more information, contact Circle of Success at 509-965-7100 ext.1019.