Outdoor Cinema: Dancing with Danger
A high-energy nightly double bill pairing musicals and action blockbusters to celebrate cinema’s most kinetic moments – where choreography, rhythm and adrenaline collide.
In Dancing with Danger we explore the energy that pulses through two seemingly different genres of film – musical and action – revealing how an all-in dance number and an epic car chase can be equally explosive.
From the infectious joy of Mamma Mia! and Grease to the rebellious rhythm of Hairspray and the fantastical beats of Labyrinth, these musicals aren’t just about the melody, but the movement. Dance numbers become set pieces, where characters lay bare their emotions, grapple with conflict and reach climactic resolution, through choreography as well as chorus.
Then come the action films – Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, Mission Impossible: Fallout, Point Break, The Matrix, The Terminator and T2: Judgment Day – where choreography takes the form of combat, chase and stunts.
Together, these selections blur the lines between genres. Tom Cruise hanging off a plane is as meticulously timed as a dance number. Neo dodging bullets is as balletic as Sandy and Danny’s final duet. And just like a musical crescendo, an action climax builds tension, releases emotion, and leaves us breathless.
Dancing with Danger invites you to feel the rhythm in every punch, pirouette and power ballad.
All films will have burnt-in closed captions.
SATURDAY 3 JANUARY
6pm
A spirited celebration of love, family, and ABBA, this sun-drenched musical follows a young bride-to-be who invites three men from her mother’s past to her wedding, hoping to discover her real father – all set to infectious pop hits. Starring Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgård, Julie Walters and Amanda Seyfried.
Dir. Phyllida Lloyd | 2008 | 109 minutes | USA, UK, Germany | English | Classification: PG – Mild sexual references and coarse language
8pm
Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his team go rogue to take down a shadowy organisation known as the Syndicate, in a globe-trotting thriller packed with breathtaking stunts and precision-driven action.
Dir. Christopher McQuarrie | 2015 | 131 minutes | USA, UK, Austria, Morocco | English, German, Arabic | Classification: M – Action violence
SUNDAY 4 JANUARY
6pm
Part sequel, part prequel, this vibrant follow-up dives into Donna’s youthful adventures while her daughter Sophie reopens the family hotel, blending nostalgia and new beginnings with irresistible musical numbers.
Dir. Ol Parker | 2018 | 114 minutes | USA, UK, Greece | English | Classification: PG – Mild sexual references and coarse language
8pm
When a mission goes awry, Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) must race against time to prevent global catastrophe, with kinetic set pieces – from skydives to bathroom brawls – choreographed like dance.
Dir. Christopher McQuarrie | 2018 | 147 minutes | USA, UK, New Zealand, Norway | English, French, Russian | Classification: M – Action violence
MONDAY 5 JANUARY
6pm
A high-octane teen romance set in the 1950s, where summer love between Danny (John Travolta) and Sandy (Olivia Newton-John) is tested by peer pressure, leather jackets, and electrifying dance numbers that defined a generation.
Dir. Randal Kleiser | 1978 | 110 minutes | USA | English | Classification: PG – Mild in impact
8pm
An undercover FBI agent (Keanu Reeves) infiltrates a gang of surfing bank robbers led by a philosophical thrill-seeker (Patrick Swayze), blurring the line between law and freedom in a film that rides the wave of adrenaline.
Dir. Kathryn Bigelow | 1991 | 122 minutes | USA | English | Classification: M – Moderate impact violence
TUESDAY 6 JANUARY
6pm
The tables turn in this sequel as a British exchange student tries to win over the Pink Lady of his dreams (Michelle Pfeiffer) by reinventing himself as a motorcycle-riding rebel – all set to catchy tunes and campy charm.
Dir. Patricia Birch | 1982 | 114 minutes | USA | English | Classification: PG – Mild in impact
8pm
A hacker (Keanu Reeves) discovers reality is a simulation and joins a rebellion against its machine overlords, unleashing gravity-defying martial arts and bullet-time ballet in a genre-defining sci-fi action epic.
Dirs. Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski | 1999 | 136 minutes | USA | English | Classification: M – Medium level violence
WEDNESDAY 7 JANUARY
6pm
Stop Making Sense is a concert film that builds like a story. It starts with David Byrne alone on stage and grows as each band member joins in, creating a powerful, layered performance. With Talking Heads’ biggest hits and unforgettable visuals – including Byrne’s famous oversized suit – the film turns a live show into a cinematic experience full of energy, rhythm, and creativity.
Dir. Johnathan Demme | 1984 | 88 minutes | USA | English | Classification: G – Very mild impact
8pm
A relentless cyborg assassin (Arnold Schwarzenegger) travels from the future to kill Sarah Connor, whose unborn son will lead humanity’s resistance – a gritty, pulse-pounding chase through time.
Dir. James Cameron | 1984 | 107 minutes | USA | English | Classification: M – Violence, coarse language, and a sex scene
THURSDAY 8 JANUARY
6pm
Cult favourite fantasy musical adventure starring David Bowie and Jennifer Connelly. A teenage girl (Connelly) must navigate a surreal maze to rescue her baby brother from the Goblin King (David Bowie) – a journey filled with puppetry, glam-rock and dazzling imagination.
Dir. Jim Henson | 1986 | 101 minutes | Australia, UK | English | Classification: G – Very mild in impact
8pm
A reprogrammed Terminator returns to protect young John Connor from a shape-shifting killer, delivering groundbreaking effects and emotional depth in a sequel that redefined action cinema.
Dir. James Cameron | 1991 | 137 minutes | USA | English | Australian Classification: M – High level violence, medium level coarse language