Wizards and vampires and Muppets, oh my!

An all-star lineup is set for the City of Greer's 2012 Moonlight Movies series, which kicks off in May with the Harry Potter finale and Twilight, Breaking Dawn.

"It's become increasingly difficult to top the previous year's lineup, but we think we've done it again with the addition of several Disney movies. I think families will find the 2012 Moonlight Movies series to be one of the best entertainment options in the Upstate," city events supervisor Laurie Campbell said.

Disney Studios has extended its licensing agreement for public showings into the summer months, allowing the city to expand its offerings this year with such films as The Lion King and Aladdin.

The free outdoor movie series at Greer City Park opens May 24 with part two of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, followed by part one of the final Twilight film.

"We always try to open the series with options for adults and young adults. These have been two of the more popular movie franchises in recent history, so we expect good crowds as the series gets underway," Campbell said.

Once local schools dismiss for the summer break, younger audiences will find a stellar lineup awaiting them every Thursday night in the City Park Amphitheater. It includes Martin Scorsese's film Hugo, which recently earned five Academy Awards.

All films will begin at dusk and seating in the amphitheater is on a first-come, first-served basis. Concessions will be available for purchase from on-site vendors.


The 2012 Moonlight Movies schedule:

May 24

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part Two)

The final chapter begins as Harry, Ron, and Hermione continue their
quest to find and destroy the Dark Lord's three remaining Horcruxes,
the magical items responsible for his immortality. But as the mystical
Deathly Hallows are uncovered and Voldemort  finds out about
their mission, the biggest battle begins and life
as the young wizards know it will never be the same again.


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May 31

Twilight: Breaking Dawn (Part One)

Bella and Edward plan to marry and Jacob becomes upset
when he learns that Bella is planning to consummate the marriage
on her honeymoon. Bella and Edward spend their honeymoon
on the Cullen's idyllic private island but, to their surprise, they discover
that Bella is pregnant. The Quileutes close in as the unborn child poses
a threat to the Wolf Pack and the towns people of Forks.


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June 7

The Lion King

Lion prince Simba is tricked by his Uncle Scar out of becoming
King of the Pride Lands. Simba decides to never return home
and quickly meets his new friends Timone the Meerkat, and Pummba
the Warthog. Simba stays with them well into adulthood when
his childhood friend, Nala, tracks him down and begs him
to return to the Pride Lands, where Scar has reigned
as king for years, and ruined everything.


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June 14

Tangled

The magically long-haired Rapunzel has spent her entire life
in a tower, but now that a runaway thief has stumbled upon her,
she is about to discover the world for the first time, and who she really is.


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June 21

The Muppets

When three Muppet fans learn that Tex Richman wants to drill
under the Muppet Theater for oil Gary, Mary and Walter
set out to find the Muppets (who have been split up for years)
so they can put on one last show and save the theater.


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June 28

Kung Fu Panda 2

In the Valley of Peace, Po Ping is revelling in his fulfilled dreams
as he serves as the fabled Dragon Warrior protecting his home
with his heroes now his closest friends. However, Po and company
learn that the murderous Lord Shen of Gongman City is threatening
the land with a fearsome new weapon that could mean the end
of kung fu. They attempt to stop him, but the panda is burdened
with crippling memory flashbacks linked to this villain.
Now with China in the balance, Po must learn about his past
and find true inner peace against all opposition.


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July 5

The Smurfs

When the evil wizard Gargamel chases the tiny blue Smurfs
out of their village, they tumble from their magical world and into ours.
In fact, they land smack dab in the middle of Central Park.
Just three apples high and stuck in the Big Apple, the Smurfs must find
a way to get back to their village before Gargamel tracks them down.


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July 12

Happy Feet 2

Mumble the penguin has a problem: his son Erik, who is reluctant to dance,
encounters The Mighty Sven, a penguin who can fly! Things get worse
for Mumble when the world is shaken by powerful forces, causing him
to brings together the penguin nations and their allies to set things right.


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July 19

Hugo

Set in 1930s Paris, an orphan who lives in the walls of a train station
is wrapped up in a mystery involving his late father and an automaton.
When he meets a cranky old man who works in the train station
and his adventure-seeking god-daughter, Hugo finds that they
have a surprising connection to his father and the automaton.


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July 26

Aladdin

Aladdin, a street urchin, encounters Princess Jasmine
who has snuck out of the palace to visit the marketplace.
Under the orders of the evil Jafar (the sultan's advisor), Aladdin is thrown
in jail and becomes caught up in Jafar's plot to rule the land
with the aid of a mysterious lamp. Legend has it that only a person
who is a "diamond in the rough" can retrieve the lamp from
the Cave of Wonders. Aladdin might fit that description, but that's
not enough to marry the princess, who must by law marry a prince.


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August 2

Cars 2

Star race car Lightning McQueen and his pal Mater
head overseas to compete in the World Grand Prix race.
But the road to the championship becomes rocky when Mater
gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own: international espionage.


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