Catch a Movie Under the Stars at Rooftop Cinema Club

Rooftop Cinema Club is bringing its A-game to September, and this lineup is stacked: a pet-friendly Moana screening, new 2026 releases, a Halloween-ready thriller series, and a whole lot more.

All of it comes with sweeping views of San Diego Bay from atop the Porto Vista Hotel in Little Italy. Whether you’re after a laugh, a scare, or a good cry, there’s a night on this calendar with your name on it.

A Tribute to Dolly Parton

Just ahead of Labor Day Weekend, Rooftop Cinema Club is celebrating the life of Dolly Parton with a special screening of Steel Magnolias. Parton passed away recently at 80, and this screening honors her legacy of music, film, laughter, and heart.

A percentage of ticket sales from the screening will go to The Dollywood Foundation in support of Parton’s Imagination Library. It’s a fitting tribute to a woman whose warmth touched generations of fans far beyond country music.

The Lineup Kicking Off the Weekend

Labor Day Weekend brings 11 films to the rooftop, including a “Wooftop” pet-friendly screening of Disney’s Moana, so yes, you can bring your dog.

The weekend lineup also includes How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, There’s Something About Mary, Disclosure Day, Goodfellas, and an open-caption screening of Interstellar.

With that many films packed into four days, it’s basically a mini film festival of its own.

Catch This Year’s Hits Under the Stars

September’s slate also features four films that hit theaters earlier this year, so if you missed them the first time around, the rooftop is your chance to catch up:

Obsession – Curry Barker’s supernatural horror thriller
Project Hail Mary – starring Ryan Gosling
The Devil Wears Prada 2 – with Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, and Stanley Tucci
Michael – starring Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson

From horror to comedy to biopic, this lineup covers a little bit of everything.

Spooky Season Starts Early

With Halloween just around the corner, Rooftop Cinema Club is sprinkling in a themed series of edge-of-your-seat thrillers throughout the month, including Halloween, American Psycho, Scream, The Truman Show, Get Out, Sinners, and Pleasantville.

It’s a solid mix of slasher classics and modern mind-benders, so there’s something for both horror purists and newer fans. Grab a group of friends and settle in, because a few of these are best watched with people who’ll jump right along with you.

Girls Night Out and Family Fun

There’s a fun run of special events on the calendar too.

A Girls Night Out screening of Sandra Bullock’s The Proposal is on the schedule, along with a celebration of the 30th anniversary of The First Wives Club, starring Goldie Hawn, Diane Keaton, Bette Midler, and Sarah Jessica Parker.

Gilmore Girls fans get a “Best and Worst of Rory” mini marathon, and families can enjoy story-time and a meet-and-greet with Cinderella herself, ahead of a matinee screening of Disney’s Cinderella.

What to Know Before You Go

Rooftop Cinema Club sits five stories above Columbia Street at the Porto Vista Hotel, with early doors and first-come seating. Headphones are included. Bring a blanket for the bay breeze and, for matinees, water, sunscreen, and a hat.

Tickets run $11 to $28, with age restrictions that vary by screening, so check before you book. Military and student discounts apply, popcorn’s included, and valet parking is $15 for up to four hours (or take the trolley, rideshare, or grab street parking nearby).