Butch Cassidy & Sundance Screen Big at Union Square

It's one of my favorite films by one of Hollywood's better screenwriters (William Goldman) -- and it's free, outside at Union Square this weekend. The Film Night in the Park series is featuring Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid on Saturday at 8p.

This 1969 classic and Oscar winner makes you almost cry for the dearth of modern Butch Cassidys. It's a story so well crafted, with an ending that defies happy. It's full of subtext and arcs and all of those cinematic tools that value subtlety over on-the-nose characterization. It's from an era of filmmaking deified by some, for good reason. And, it's just a darned good film.

Even if you've seen it, outdoor film nights infuse an element of nostalgia and community. The San Francisco Neighborhood Theater Foundation screens free films throughout the summer in San Francisco and Marin. After this weekend, the next San Francisco showing is in September. But you can catch films in San Anselmo, Fairfax and Mill Valley in the weeks between.

See the Film Night in the Park website for more details.