Living Vicariously

If you gaze out your office window long enough, you can almost see it — the spirit of summer vacation. There it is, dancing in the shimmering heat as it rises from the asphalt. Do you remember how sweet it was, having months of nothing to do but play games, watch cartoons, and see the grass grow? What a little jerk you were, complaining about being bored. We’d give our paychecks to be bored right about now! Wait — is our boss reading this? Uh, just kidding! Summertime, and your kids are living easy. Too easy. It’s high time they got up off the couch and did something productive. We say, if it’s summer, it’s summer camp. And we’ve got some cool suggestions that will leave your memories of macramé and finger paintings in the dust.

The Florida Film Institute is presenting CINEMA, a film education summer camp at Athalie Range Park (525 NW 62nd St., Miami) from June 23 through July 31. Up to 30 middle and high school students can attend free workshops on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays from 1 to 4 p.m., and they’ll get hands-on lessons in commercial film production — cinematography, lighting, sound, directing, acting, the whole shebang — plus a beginners’ yoga class, just because. Call 305-891-3456 to register (deadline is Friday, June 20); auditions take place June 23 and 24 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Visit www.flfilminstitute.org. Although our camp counselor made us hike on summer’s stickiest days, your little ones can chillax in a cool theater during AMC’s Summer MovieCamp — which really doesn’t involve any activities beyond going to the movies and snarfing down a special concession combo of fresh fruit and juice. Specially chosen G- and PG-rated films will be screened every Wednesday morning at 10, beginning June 25 with Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium at the Mall of the Americas (7795 W. Flagler St., Miami) and Aventura Mall (19501 Biscayne Blvd., Aventura). Visit www.amctheatres.com/smc for a rundown of summer fun.
Mon., June 23, 2008