This Weekly Update has more than just great movies!

Sorry to be a bit late with this edition of the Weekly Update, but life just got in the way of getting this out yesterday.  But I think you'll find it worth the wait, as this week I've found more than just movies to share with Pacific Northwest Horror/Sci Fi/Fantasy Fans.

 

 I know you're shivering with anticipation.  Or it could be the rain.  It's pretty soggy this weekend.

This week sees Lloyd Kaufman stopping in Portland for a screening of his latest film, Shakespeare's Shitstorm, at the Hollywood Theatre.  Brian Trenchard-Smith will be in Seattle for screenings of his films at The Grand Illusion and The Beacon.  Also, the West Coast Halloween Convention will haunt Portland next weekend, while McMenamins 22nd Annual UFO Fest lands in McMinnville. 

Of course, if all you want to do is check out a movie, I've got details on everything from blockbuster to indie and arthouse offerings.  And you'll find even more over at the Horror/Sci Fi/Fantasy Calendar, with listings and links for this year's film festivals, conventions and more!  Be sure to keep checking, as I post new items every few days.

That's all for this week.  Take care and I'll be back next Friday with more great events happening under The Shadow Over Portland!

If you'd like to support the site, please visit my Ko-fi page.  Thank you!

 

Happening This Week   

 

It's Mother's Day weekend, and just in time, Central Cinema (1411 21st Ave in Seattle, WA) is screening Psycho through Thursday, May 12.  So treat your mom to this classic film.  After all, she is your best friend...

 

Michelle Yeoh fighting to save the multiverse?  I'm SOLD!  Also starring the amazing James Hong and Jamie Lee Curtis, Everything Everywhere All At Once continues this week at the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR), the Darkside Cinema (215 SW 4th St in Corvallis, OR), the Kiggins Theatre (1011 Main St in Vancouver, WA), The Grand Cinema (606 Fawcett Ave in Tacoma, WA), the Broadway Metro (888 Willamette St in Eugene, OR), the Salem Cinema (1127 Broadway NE in Salem, OR), Cinema 21 (616 NW 21st Ave in Portland, OR), the Academy Theater (7818 SE Stark St in Portland, OR), the Pickford Film Center (1318 Bay St in Bellingham, WA), the Laurelhurst Theater (2735 E Burnside St in Portland, OR), Studio One Theaters (3945 SE Powell Blvd in Portland, OR), . 

 

"If Boogie Nights and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre had a baby, X would be their demonic love-child!"  Well, just shut up and take my money!!  The latest from director Ti West (The House of the Devil, The Innkeepers), X continues at the Broadway Metro (888 Willamette St in Eugene, OR) through Thursday, May 12.

 

Artist Repertory Theatre brings The Children, a look at climate change and what, if anything, one generation owes the next, to the Portland Center Stage: Ellyn Bye Studio (128 NW 11th Ave in Portland, OR) through May 15.

 

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is playing at Studio One Theaters (3945 SE Powell Blvd in Portland, OR), the St Johns Twin Cinema (8704 N Lombard St in Portland, OR), the Cameo Theatre (304 E 1st St in Newberg, OR), the Liberty Theatre (315 NW 4th Ave in Camas, WA), the Granada 3 Theatre (1311 Adams Ave in La Grande, OR), the Mt Hood Theatre (401 E Powell Blvd in Gresham, OR), the Columbia Theatre-Saint Helens (212 S 1st St in Saint Helens, OR), the Yelm Cinemas (201 Prairie Park Ln SE in Yelm, WA), the Joy Cinema and Pub (11959 SW Pacific Highway in Tigard, OR), the Broadway Metro (888 Willamette St in Eugene, OR), CineMagic (2021 SE Hawthorne Blvd in Portland, OR), the 99W Drive-In (3110 Portland Rd in Newberg, OR; plays with Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings), the Academy Theater (7818 SE Stark St in Portland, OR), the Kelso Theater Pub (214 S Pacific Ave in Kelso, WA), the Laurelhurst Theater (2735 E Burnside St in Portland, OR), the Blue Mouse Theatre (2611 N Proctor St in Tacoma, WA), and the following McMenamins locations: Anderson School (18607 Bothell Way NE in Bothell, WA), the Bagdad Theater (3702 SE Hawthrone Blvd in Portland, OR), Grand Lodge (3505 Pacific Ave in Forest Grove, OR), Old St. Francis School (700 NW Bond St in Bend, OR), the Olympic Club (112 N Tower Ave in Centralia, WA), the Edgefield Power Station Theater (2126 SW Halsey St in Troutdale, OR), and the St Johns Theatre (8203 N Ivanhoe St in Portland, OR).

 

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore opens at the M-F Drive-In (84322 Oregon-Washington Highway in Milton Freewater, OR), and continues at both Studio One Theaters (3945 SE Powell Blvd in Portland, OR) and the Yelm Cinemas (201 Prairie Park Ln SE in Yelm, WA). 

McMenamins Kennedy School (5736 NE 33rd Ave in Portland, OR) will screen The Batman through Tuesday, May 10.

 

The Bleedingham Horror Film Festival is taking submissions through September 1, 2022.  The event takes place on Saturday and Sunday, October 22 and 23, in Bellingham, WA.

 

Metalesque Fest will be taking performer applications through June 18.  The festival takes place from September 30 to October 2 at locations in Portland, OR.

 

May, 2022

Saturday, May 7

It's Star Wars Day, and the Rio Theatre (1600 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) is celebrating with Too Hoth to Handle, a new Star Wars burlesque revue from the Geekenders.  Showtime is 9 pm.  Doors open one hour before showtime and advance tickets are available now.

 

Weird Elephant at The Grand Cinema (606 Fawcett Ave in Tacoma, WA) brings the creepy Finnish body horror film Hatching to the big screen tonight  at 10 pm.  

Pagan May continues at the Clinton Street Theater (2522 SE Clinton St in Portland, OR) with a screening of the folk horror classic The Wicker Man: Final Cut.  Don't worry, it's not the one with THE BEES!  The film starts at 7 pm.

If you're a movie studio that lost the rights to make a Doctor Strange movie before production started, you could just move on to another property.  But Full Moon Features decided to rewrite the script, get rid of any connections to the Marvel comic and release the film as Doctor Mordrid: Master of the Unknown, starring Jeffrey Combs as the definately not Sorcerer Supreme.  You can check it out at midnight tonight, when CineMagic (2021 SE Hawthorne Blvd in Portland, OR) brings it to the big screen as part of the VHS Night program.  The show starts at midnight.

The Bonebat Comedy of Horrors Film Fest takes place today from 1 pm to midnight at SIFF Cinema Uptown (511 Queen Anne Ave N in Seattle, WA).

The Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) will screen int groundbreaking 1988 anime Akira tonight at 9:30 pm.  It's going to look AWESOME on the big screen!

 

The Clinton Street Theater (2522 SE Clinton St in Portland, OR) will host a screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show with the Clinton Street Cabaret tonight at midnight.  Doors open at 11 pm. 

Sunday, May 8

The Beacon (4405 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA) will show David Lynch's last film to date, Inland Empire, at 3 pm today, at 7:30 pm on Monday, May 9, and at 7:30 pm on Thursday, May 12.

Monday, May 9

Pagan May continues at the Clinton Street Theater (2522 SE Clinton St in Portland, OR) with Martina Kudlacek's In the Mirror of Maya Deren,  who is considered on of the most importand and innovative avant-garde filmmakers in American cinema.  The film starts at 7 pm.

Killer Klowns from Outer Space invade the Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) tonight at 9:30 pm.  Aside from the blood thirsty, interstellar clowns, the show is hosted by Buttercup Von Dingus, and features trivia, prizes and a burlesque performance by Melody Mangler!  That should take care of your Monday blues!!

Tuesday, May 10

The Portland Horror Trivia Massacre takes place at 7:30 pm tonight at Home, A Bar (719 SE Morrison St in Portland, OR).

"If Boogie Nights and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre had a baby, X would be their demonic love-child!"  Well, just shut up and take my money!!  The latest from director Ti West (The House of the Devil, The Innkeepers), X plays at the Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) tonight at 9 pm.

Wednesday, May 11

Ana Lily Amirpour's vampire film, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, screens at the Whiteside Theatre (361 SW Madison Ave in Corvallis, OR) tonight at 7 pm.

Thursday, May 12

The Beacon (4405 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA) will show David Lynch's last film to date, Inland Empire, at 7:30 pm today.  The film is also being shown by the Olympia Film Society at 7pm tonight at the Capitol Theater (206 5th Ave SE in Olympia, WA)

Norwegian filmmaker Eskil Volgt's supernatural thriller The Innocents will screen at the Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) tonight at 6:45 pm and Wednesday, May 18, at 9:15 pm.

Pagan May continues at the Clinton Street Theater (2522 SE Clinton St in Portland, OR) with Czech animator Jan Svankmajer's Alice, tonight at 7 pm.

Besides having a catchy title song and some amazing effects work for the budget, Killer Klowns from Outer Space is one of the funniest horror comedies EVER!  And you can catch it on the big screen tonight, as Baron Von Terror hosts a screening at Central Cinema (1411 21st Ave in Seattle, WA).  The show starts at 8 pm.

Friday, May 13

Wyrd War brings the sci fi classic Soylent Green to the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) tonight at 7:30 pm.  And, to celebrate the 49th anniversary of the film Wyrd War will be serving delicious "Soylent Green" in the lobby before the film while supplies last.  As for the movie, you all know the plot, it's 2022 and...  Wait a minute...

Pagan May continues at the Clinton Street Theater (2522 SE Clinton St in Portland, OR) with Jaromil Jires' Valerie and Her Week of Wonders tonight at 7 pm.

More Pagan May goodness at the Clinton Street Theater (2522 SE Clinton St in Portland, OR) tonight at 10 pm, with the cult film Simon, King of the Witches.

Jason heads to the final frontier tonight at the Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC), as the theater brings Jason X to the big screen tonight at 10:30 pm.

PAM CUT brings the sci fi film Strawberry Mansion, where people are taxed for their dreams, to the Portland Art Museum Whitsell Hall (1219 SW Park Ave in Portland, OR) tonight at 6 pm. 

Brian Trenchard-Smith heads over to The Beacon (4405 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA) for a screening of two of his films, Stunt Rock at 7 pm, and Turkey Shoot at 10 pm.

The West Coast Halloween Convention takes place this weekend at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Portland (1000 NE Multnomah St in Portland, OR).  Click on the link for tickets and a list of events.

McMenamins 22nd Annual UFO Fest takes place today and tomorrow at McMenamins Hotel Oregon (310 Evans St in McMinnville, OR).  You can find more details on the Facebook Event Page.

 

Saturday, May 14

 

The Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) will screen Troma's latest film, Shakespeare's Shitstorm, tonight at 7 pm.  A demented adaptation of The Tempest, director and star Lloyd Kaufman will be in attendance for a Q and A after the film.   Kaufman will also be at Movie Madness (4320 SE Belmont St in Portland, OR) from 3 to 5 pm today for a signing/meet and greet.

 

The Grand Illusion (1403 NE 50th St in Seattle, WA) presents Frog Dreaming (AKA The Quest), directed by Ozploitation auteur Brian Trenchard-Smith (who will be in attendance) tonight at 6:30 pm. 

 

The Inland NW Toy Show Classic takes place from 10 am to 4 pm today at the Spokane County Fair and Expo Center (404 N Havana St in Spokane Valley, WA).  Admission is $5, with kids 12 and under admitted free.  Early Bird tickets are available for $10, and get you in an hour early.

 

Tacoma Hip Hop presents A Journey to Oz, a dance recital, at 7 pm tonight at Edison Square (5415 S Tacoma Way in Tacoma, WA).  Follow the link for tickets.

The Blue Mouse Theatre (2611 N Proctor St in Tacoma, WA) presents The Rocky Horror Picture Show tonight at midnight.  The Blue Mouseketeers will provide a live shadowcast, with any donations going to the production of Little Shop of Horrors in July, in collaberation with Friday Night Frights.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show will be shown tonight at the Clinton Street Theater (2522 SE Clinton St in Portland, OR).  This screening is designed for virgins curious about checking out why this film plays every Saturday at the theater.  Doors open at 11 pm, movie starts at midnight.

Sunday, May 15

The Church of Film presents the North Korean monster movie Pulgasari at 8 pm tonight at the Red Fox (5128 N Albina Ave in Portland, OR).  The film's director, Sang-ok Shin, and his wife were supposedly kidnapped by DPRK dictator Kim Il Sung and forced to make films, including this one.  The screening is outdoors in a covered and heated area and admission is FREE.

Fathom Event's Studio Ghibli Fest 2022 brings Ponyo back to the big screen on Sunday, Monday and Wednesday, May 15, 16 and 18.  Monday's screening is subtitled, the others are dubbed.  Visit the link to find a theater near you.

 

Halloween Kills (2021)

 

I watched the "official" second film in the new Halloween series on DVD, and came away with a solid meh about the new attempt to reboot the franchise.  Sure, I was fine with the filmmakers ignoring the entire curse of Thorn story line, as well as Laurie having a daughter at some point (no offense to Danielle Harris, who did a GREAT job in the fourth film).  But I suspected part of my problem with this film is that I really enjoyed Jamie Lee Curtis as a PTSD suffering Laurie in Halloween H2O.  But, the more I thought about the film, the more it felt like a filler episode in a TV series, designed to fill the needed episode count before getting to the season finale.

But, as it seems current studio mandates for any horror movie is that you plan for a trilogy, we have Halloween Kills.  And again, I hate to say it, but the film just didn't justify its existance.  Sure, it's well done, with terrific performances, some well shot sequences, and some amazingly bloody deaths.  But this edition left me feeling that John Carpenter and Debra Hill were right in trying to take the franchise in an anthology direction with Halloween 3: Season of the Witch.

Besides, it gave us this catchy earwig song.  And everyone is thankful for that!

Okay, I know I've sounded overly negative so far, but I knew I'd be watching Halloween Kills, given how well made the first (second?) film was made. And that's despite some problems I had, especially concerning the podcast duo.  And again, I hate being negative on a film so well made.  But I just couldn't get invested in the story or the characters, no matter how they brought back to Haddonfield.

The film picks up after Laurie (Curtis) her daughter Karen and granddaughter Allyson imprisoned Michael in Laurie's home and set it on fire.  But a fire truck is on the way to put out the blaze, and Michael pops out from behind a rolling steel door to emerge from the basement and kill the entire battalion trying to fight the blaze.

And that's a major face palm moment in the film.  Because, let's be honest, that steel door wouldn't have protected him from smoke inhalation, but also had amplified the heat of the fire.  Hey, metal is a good conductor of thermal energy, and can be transferred heat rapidly enough that Michael would have been cooked by the time the fire fighters arrived.

And let's not even get into the fact that he was engulfed in flames at the end of Halloween.

Damn, this dude should be well done and ready for a bottle of ketchup at this point. 

After Micheal escapes, and a group of people at a bar find out about his latest killing spree.  Among them are Tommy Doyle (Anthony Michael Hall ) and Lindsey Wallace (Kyle Richards), who Laurie protected from Michael in the first film, as well as Marion Chambers (Nancy Stephens), the nurse who accompanied Dr. Loomis to the sanitarium in the original.  Though why she's there, I have no idea.  Oh wait, it's fan service, as both actors reprise their roles from the original!

Anyway, Tommy whips everyone at the bar to hunt down Michael, who's busy doing what he does best.  Meanwhile, Laurie is hospitalized for the injuries she received in the first film, while Allyson takes off to take Michael down with Cameron (Dylan Arnold), her scummy boyfriend from the first film.

Meanwhile, Officer Frank Hawkins (Will Patton), whose encounter with Micheal in 1978 ended tragically, ends up in the same room with Laurie, and we get some bonding for Part Three.  Meanwhile, on the streets of Haddonfield, mayhem ensues. 

I'm not saying the film is terrible.  It's well shot by by director David Gordon Green, the cast gives great performance, the Easter eggs are nice and, I have to say, the mayhem is bloody.  Though sometimes, it feels like the filmmakers decided to add some moments that feel unrealistic.  I mean, who brings a battery operated circular saw to a lynch mob?  Is there a more inappropriate weapon to bring to a Michael Myers fight?

Oh yeah.  We get Laurie strolling out of the hospital with a knife, threatening to take down Michael. 

Girl, get yourself a shotgun!

I did like what the film had to say about mob mentality, but overall, I was underwhelmed.  As I mentioned earlier in the review, the film feels like a filler episode, designed to pad out the running time before the final episode.  Again, I hate saying that about a film so well made, but it feels like that could have cut the movie in half and added it to the third one. 

Of course, I'll catch the third one at some point, 'cause that's who I am.  But I suspect that, no matter how good it is, I won't feel that Carpenter and Hill were right to leave Michael as the boogeyman that survived six round to the chest and walked away, while Laurie's cries and the soundtrack plays over Michael's previous haunts, with his breathing coming across the audio.  Despite liking H2O, that's how I want to remember Michael.  Always lurking in the shadows, waiting to get you.  Not someone killing a bunch of people just to drive a final episode that should have been the second film in a very limited series.

 If Deputy Dewy, sorry, Officer Hawkins takes out Michael before Laurie, I'm gonna be really angry.  Just saying.

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