Starlight Cinema 2011

Yebisu Garden Place's open-air film screenings have become something of a summer institution in Tokyo. Now into its 12th year, Starlight Cinema is still free, and still guilty of some perplexing programming choices. This year's theme is feelgood films, and the lineup features some indisputably fine flicks from the past decade, including Hirokazu Koreeda's Still Walking (on August 7), high-school comedy Swing Girls (July 17) and the meandering, wryly amusing Kamome Diner (July 24). But was anyone really gagging to see the long-forgotten 2003 comedy Pretty Woman (July 30) or Dennis Quaid starrer Frequency (July 23)? Doubtful. Screenings take place on weekends and national holidays, and there's seating for 150 people at each, with tickets available on a first-come, first-served basis from 6.15pm.