A belated Happy Alien Day to all. And May the Fourth be with you!

I missed out on Alien Day, as I just plain forgot about it.  And honestly, not many events took place during the week to remind me.  May the Fourth, however... 

So much going on, it's hard to keep track of things.

Well, that's a different story.  And this edition of the Weekly Update will help you figure out what's happening in your neck of the galaxy far, far away.

But this week isn't full of just Star Wars events.  You find the first three Indiana Jones films continuing to show up in theaters (and that's all of them, just the three, right?).  Or you can participate in a Witch Dance for Peace in St Helens, OR.  Also, the immersive dark fantasy soiree Sword and Veil premieres in Portland, OR, the Paranormal Cirque II sets up it's tents in Vancouver, WA, and The Traveling Vampire Show makes a stop in Portland, OR.  You'll find details on these events, and so MUCH MORE, by scrolling down.

If you want to see what's coming in the rest of May, or later in the year, head to the Horror/Sci Fi/Fantasy Calendar.  You'll find information on upcoming cons, film festivals and other events happening across the Pacific Northwest in 2023 and beyond!

Well, time to sign off and get back to the day job.  Everyone stay safe and I'll be back next week with more great things to explore under The Shadow Over Portland!

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

Happening This Week 

Live Attractions 

The Wyrd War Gallery (3505 NE Broadway in Portland, OR) spring exhibition, Murder in the Front Room: The Art, Insanity, Scrawlings and Sketches of of Mark DeVito is open every Saturday and Sunday from 3 to 7 pm through June 3.  Check out the fan banners, original sketch designs and posters for bands like Metallica, Motorhead, Slayer, The Cult, Twisted Sister, and much more! 

The Western Washington Center for the Arts (521 Bay St in Port Orchard, WA) closes its 2022-2023 season with Monty Python's Spamalot.  The show runs through Sunday, May 21.

Hidden Worlds: The Films of LAIKA is open at the Museum of Pop Culture (located in the Seattle Center; 325 5th Ave N in Seattle, WA).  The exhibit features never-before-seen artifacts from the Laika production studios, immersive set displays, character interactive and a sneak peek at the studio's next feature, Wildwood.  The exhibit will be open through Summer 2024.

 

The Museum of Pop Culture (325 5th Ave N in Seattle, WA) has Jim Henson puppets and set pieces from the 2019 Netflix series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance on display now.  You can read about the display, and the work the museum put into displaying the artifacts, at the link.

Back in Theaters

The Indy goodness keeps coming at the Kiggins Theatre (1011 Main St in Vancouver, WA) with screenings of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade through Sunday, April 30.

Studio Ghibli's animated classic Spirited Away is playing at the Academy Theater (7818 SE Stark St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, May 4).

Wes Craven's 1977 classic The Hills Have Eyes is playing at the Academy Theater (7818 SE Stark St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, May 4).

Get ready for the new Indy movie with screenings of Raider of the Lost Ark at Central Cinema (1411 21st Ave in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Wednesday, May 3).  The late screening on Monday night is in Hecklevision.

The 5th Avenue Cinema (510 SW Hall St in Portland, OR) will show 1990's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (along with After Hours in GLORIOUS 35mm; TMNT is digital) through Sunday, April 30.

First Run Features  

The newest movie in the Evil Dead series, Evil Dead Rise is playing at CineMagic (2021 SE Hawthorne Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, May 4), the Tracyton Movie House (1520 NE Riddell Rd in Bremerton, WA; scheduled through Wednesday, May 3), the Broadway Metro (888 Willamette St in Eugene, OR; scheduled through Thursday, May 4), Studio One Theaters (3945 SE Powell Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Wednesday, May 3), the Yelm Cinemas (201 Prairie Park St SE in Yelm, WA; scheduled through Thursday, May 4), and the St Johns Twin Cinema (8704 N Lombard St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, May 4).

Ari Aster's black comedy/surrealistic horror film Beau is Afraid is playing at the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, May 11), SIFF Cinema Uptown (511 Queen Anne Ave N in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Thursday, May 4), Cinema 21 (616 NW 21st Ave in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, May 4), the Broadway Metro (888 Willamette St in Eugene, OR; scheduled through Thursday, May 4), The Grand Cinema (606 Fawcett Ave in Tacoma, WA; schedule through Thursday, May 4), the Laurelhurst Theater (2735 E Burnside St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, May 4), the Salem Cinema (1127 Broadway St NE in Salem, OR; scheduled through Thursday, May 4), the Yelm Cinemas (201 Prairie Park St SE in Yelm, WA; scheduled through Thursday, May 4), the Living Room Theaters (341 SW 10th Ave in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, May 4), the Sandy Cinema (16605 Champion Way in Sandy, OR; scheduled through Thursday, May 4), the Darkside Cinema (215 SW 4th St in Corvallis, OR; scheduled through Thursday, May 4), the Academy Theater (7818 SE Stark St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, May 4), the Ark Lodge Cinemas (4816 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Sunday, April 30), and the Kiggins Theatre (1011 Main St in Vancouver, WA; scheduled through Tuesday, May 2).

The horror comedy Renfield, starring Nicholas Hoult and Nicolas Cage, is playing at the Broadway Metro (888 Willamette St in Eugene, OR; scheduled through Thursday, May 4), the Sandy Cinema (16605 Champion Way in Sandy, OR; scheduled through Wednesday, May 3), the Living Room Theaters (341 SW 10th Ave in Portland, OR; scheduled through Wednesday, May 3), the Ark Lodge Cinemas (4816 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Sunday, April 30), and the Laurelhurst Theater (2735 E Burnside St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Wednesday, May 3).

Dungeons and Dragons: Honor among Thieves is playing at Studio One Theaters (3945 SE Powell Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Wednesday, May 3), the Yelm Cinemas (201 Prairie Park St SE in Yelm, WA; scheduled through Thursday, May 4), the Living Room Theaters (341 SW 10th Ave in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, May 4), the Tracyton Movie House (1520 NE Riddell Rd in Bremerton, WA; scheduled through Wednesday, May 3), the Ark Lodge Cinemas (4816 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Sunday, April 30), the 99W Drive-In (3110 Portland Rd in Newberg, OR; scheduled through Sunday, April 29 with The Super Mario Bros. Movie and the Blue Mouse Theatre (2611 N Proctor St in Tacoma, WA; scheduled through Monday, May 1).

Film Festival Submission Information 

 

Sign of the Beast Burlesque is now taking applications to be part of Metalesque Fest 2023, taking place on October 6 and 7 in Portland, OR.  Applications are open through June 1.

The Northwest Flying Saucer Film Festival is accepting UFO/Alien themed short films, documentaries, animation or music videos for the festival, which takes place on September 22 at McFiler's Chehalis Theater (558 N Market Blvd in Chehalis, WA). Submissions are accepted on FilmFreeway through July 15.

April, 2023

Friday, April 28

Antonín Dvořák Rusalka (The Mermaid Opera), performed by the Portland Opera, takes the stage at Keller Auditorium (222 SW Clay St in Portland, OR) tonight. 

Weird Elephant at The Grand Cinema (606 Fawcett Ave in Tacoma, WA) will show Stanley Kubrick's sci fi masterpiece 2001: A Space Odyssey tonight and tomorrow night at 10 pm.  If you haven't seen this film on the big screen, don't miss this chance!

The Mondo Trasho series at the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) presents the gore cut of Tammy and the T-Rex tonight at 7:30 pm.

Pink Floyd-The Wall plays at 7 pm tonight at the Egyptian Theatre (229 S Broadway in Coos Bay, OR).

Ruh Roh!  The Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) is showing the 2002 live action Scooby-Doo tonight at 11:30 pm.

Saturday, April 29

The 1956 classic Invasion of the Body Snatchers is playing at 11 am today at Cinema 21 (616 NW 21st Ave in Portland, OR).

The Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) will show the sci fi comedy Back to the Future today and tomorrow at 3 pm.

Sunday, April 30

The St Helens Witch Dance 2023 is participating in a Global Witch Dance for Peace today at Columbia View Park (3 Strand St in St Helens, OR).  Learn the dance at 11 am, with video taping starting at noon.  A release for video taping and uploading will be provided, and a parent or guardian must accompany children under 18 years of age.

Antonín Dvořák Rusalka (The Mermaid Opera), performed by the Portland Opera, takes the stage at Keller Auditorium (222 SW Clay St in Portland, OR) tonight. 

Wyrd War Presents! a screening of the epic Japanese folk horror anthology Kwaidan, in GLORIOUS 35mm, at 7:30 pm tonight at the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR).

 

May, 2023

Tuesday, May 2

Sword and Veil, an immersive dark fantasy soiree, premieres today at the Victorian Belle (1441 N McClellan St in Portland, OR) at 6 pm.  The event will take place every first Tuesday of the month.  This is a 21 and older event.  Tonight's event is Beltane at the Belle.

A VHS Swap and Double Feature Screening of The Predator and Dead Heat takes place at 4 pm today at 2 Fingers Social (9211 Delridge Way SW in Seattle, WA).  Special guests Brian Prince (The Predator himself!) and Nick Benson (SFX artist on Dead Heat). The two will be at Scarecrow Video (5030 Roosevelt Way NE in Seattle, WA) from noon to 4 pm.  The swap starts at 4 pm, with the double feature starting at 7 pm.

The CMNYK Sci-Fi Extravaganza at the Darkside Cinema (215 SW 4th St in Corvallis, OR) brings back the big turtle for a screening of Camera vs Barugon tonight at 7 pm.  Preshow starts at 6:15 pm.

The Olympia Film Society's Reel Oddities series will show Abel Ferrara's classic Ms .45 at 7 pm every Wednesday in May at the Capitol Theater (206 5th Ave SE in Olympia, WA).

Wednesday, May 3

Listen up, you primitive screwheads!  The Tracyton Movie House (1520 NE Riddell Rd in Bremerton, WA) will screen Army of Darkness tonight at 6 pm.  YOU GOT THAT?!

Thursday, May the 4th

Paranormal Cirque II, an R-rated horror circus with a haunted attraction reshow raises its black and red big top tent at the Vancouver Mall (8700 NE Vancouver Mall Dr in Vancouver, WA), through Monday, May 8.  Be aware, no one under 13 years of age will be admitted, and guests 13 to 17 years old must be accompanied by an adult.  Use the promo code FACE5OFF to save $5 on each ticket at any seating level.

The Geekenders brings The Naboo Review, a burlesque tribute to all things Star Wars, to the Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) tonight, tomorrow night and Saturday night at 7 pm.  Doors open at 6 pm.

Many Bathans Died: A One-Act Space Comedy Show, a staged reading with props to celebrate Star Wars Day, takes place at the Clinton Street Theater (2522 SE Clinton St in Portland, OR) tonight at 7 pm.  Special prizes from Books with Pictures and Rose City Comic Con, and other surprises are planned.

The Grand Cinema (606 Fawcett Ave in Tacoma, WA) will screen the documentary Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror today at 2:30 pm and 7 pm.

In a bit of May the Fourth counter-programing, The Grand Illusion Cinema (1403 NE 50th St in Seattle, WA) will screen Message from Space, Kinji Fukasaku's (The Green Slime, Battle Royale) take on Lucas' sci fi blockbuster, starring Vic Marrow, Sonny Chiba and Sue Shiomi, tonight at 9:15 pm.

The Kiggins Theatre (1011 Main St in Vancouver, WA) will show Star Wars: A New Hope tonight at 6:30 pm.

The film is also playing at the Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) tonight at 10:30 pm.

The Whiteside Theatre (361 SW Madison Ave in Corvallis, OR) is showing The Empire Strikes Back tonight at 7 pm.

Friday, May 5

CineMagic (2021 SE Hawthorne Blvd in Portland, OR) presents The Point, an Arrow Video showcase featuring Re-Animator in GLORIOUS 35mm, 12 Monkeys, Horror Express with Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, Girls Nite Out (AKA The Scaremaker), and non-genre fare such as the original Django and Millionaires' Express, directed by and starring Sammy Hung, with Richard Ng, Cynthia Rothrock and Yasuaki Kurata.  The festival runs through Thursday, May 11.  Click the link for showtimes.

The VHS Night series at CineMagic (2021 SE Hawthorne Blvd in Portland, OR) brings Jackie Hong's campy cult horror classic Blood Diner (original set to be a sequel to H. G. Lewis' Blood Feast) to the big screen in GLORIOUS VHS.  The show starts at 9:30 pm with VHS trailers, and the film starts at 10 pm.

The House of Psychotic Women series at The Beacon (4405 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA) starts tonight with a screening of The Mafu Cage, starring Lee Grant and Carol Kane, tonight at 10 pm. Author Kier-La Janisse (House of Psychotic Women) will be in attendance.

The Egyptian Theatre (229 S Broadway in Coos Bay, OR) will screen The Dark Knight tonight and tomorrow at 7 pm.

The Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) will show The Empire Strikes Back tonight at 10:30 pm.

Satoshi Kon's animated horror film Perfect Blue is playing at Central Cinema (1411 21st Ave in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Wednesday, May 3).

The Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) will show The Secret Life of Plants (a meditation on life, the universe and everything, through the lens of a documentary on the history of plants on Earth and in space) and Repo Man (in GLORIOUS 35mm) tonight at 7:30 pm.

Saturday, May 6

The Traveling Vampire Show stops at Dante's (350 W Burnside St in Portland, OR) for another night of unforgettable mysticism and madness.  The show starts at 9 pm.

The Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) ends its May the Fourth celebration with a 40th Anniversary screening of Return of the Jedi tonight at 10:30 pm.

Sunday, May 7

Fathom Events brings Studio Ghibli's Ponyo back to theaters for a 15th Anniversary screening tonight, tomorrow and on Wednesday, May 10.  Click on the link to find a theater near you.