The best movies for outdoor screenings are familiar films you can dip in and out of, wandering away from a conversation or a $1 slice of Strega pizza with hot honey. You can drop into any part of The Birdcage and immediately start laughing. The 1996 film was written by Elaine May, was directed by Mike Nichols and starred … oh, just about everyone. Deserved praise goes to Robin Williams and Nathan Lane as gay drag club owners pretending to be straight — not to mention Hank Azaria and Christine Baranski. But let’s note, in contrast, Gene Hackman and Dianne Wiest’s brilliantly subtle performances as the conservative in-laws. Hackman’s never been funnier, especially when this performance is viewed as a send-up of the authority figures (lawyers, cops, politicians) he spent decades perfecting. There’s also production designer Bo Welch’s candy-colored South Beach sets for our eyes to feast upon. Look at how much care and craft we used to put into mainstream box office comedies. We used to be a proper country!
7 p.m. at Strega
1405 Gallatin Ave.
