Here's some more great ways for Horror/Sci Fi/Fantasy Fans to stay cool during the early summer weather

Yes, it looks like the unseasonably warm temperatures will be with us through next week.  And while I know people who don't mind the heat, I just want to crawl into a cool, dark theater and watch a good genre film when weather gets too hot.  

Comfy clothes and popcorn are a must. 

And this edition of the Weekly Update has a great collection of film to chose from, should you feel like me.  Of course, you'll also find some fun live events if heading out to the cinema doesn't appeal to you.  Just remember, no one says you can't attend more than one!

And you'll find even more events taking place through the rest of the year over at the Horror/Sci Fi/Fantasy Calendar.  I have to be honest, I have some work to do on the page, but as my hours at the day job are getting trimmed starting next week, I should have everything ready by next Friday.  Fingers and tentacles crossed!

Speaking of the day job, it's almost time to head back.  Take care, stay hydrated and I'll be back in about seven days 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 

Live Attractions 

Crypticon Seattle takes place this weekend at the Doubletree Seatac (18740 International Blvd in Seattle, WA).  Henry Thomas (ET, Midnight Mass), Dee Wallace (ET, The Howling, Cujo), and Denis O'Hare (True Blood, American Horror Story), the team behind the film Hellbender, Toby Poser, John Adams and Lulu Adams, Kelly Jo Minter (Summer School, A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child, The People Under the Stairs, Popcorn and Bex Taylor-Klaus (Scream: The TV Series, The Last Witch Hunter, Voltron: Legendary Defender), Catherine Mary Stewart and Kelli Maroney (Night of the Comet), Joh Kassir (Tales from the Crypt) and Milly Shapiro (Hereditary) and Dean Cameron (Chainsaw in Summer School, Rockula, Bad Dreams), Matthew Patrick Davis (The Mother from Barbarian) and author Matt Shaw (who's novel, "Crypticon Seattle: One Hell of a Show," can be purchased at the con, and allows you to participate in a Scavenger Hunt) are scheduled to attend.  Be aware, Professional Photo Ops have been cancelled and refunds for those who purchased them are being processed through Fear Ticket.  Visit the link above for more details.

UPDATE:  Pacific Northwest horror filmmaker Joe Sherlock will premiere his latest film, Odder Noggins, at Crypticon Seattle on Saturday, May 20, at 11 pm.

The 23rd Annual McMenamins UFO Fest takes place today and tomorrow within walking distance of McMenamins Hotel Oregon (310 NE Evans St in McMinnville, OR).  Visit the link above for all the details.

Paranormal Cirque II, an R-rated horror circus with a haunted attraction preshow, raises its black and red big top tent at Clackamas Town Center (12000 SE 82nd Ave in Happy Valley, OR), through Monday, May 22.  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 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 Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) is showing John Carpenter's sci fi/political critique classic They Live through Thursday, May 25.

The Academy Theater (7818 SE Stark St in Portland, OR) will show David Lynch's Mulholland Drive through Thursday, 25.

The 1999 Wachowskis' sci fi classic, The Matrix , is playing at The Grand Cinema (606 Fawcett Ave in Tacoma, WA; scheduled through Thursday, May 25).

The House of Psychotic Women series at The Beacon (4405 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA) will screen Andrzej Zulawski's Possession, starring Sam Neill and Isabelle Adjani, through Saturday, May 27.

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).

First Run Features  

The newest movie in the Evil Dead series, Evil Dead Rise is playing at the Broadway Metro (888 Willamette St in Eugene, OR; scheduled through Thursday, May 25), the Ark Lodge Cinemas (4816 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Sunday, May 21), and the 99W Drive-In (3110 Portland Rd in Newberg, OR) through Sunday, May 21, after Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3.  This has my vote for strangest double feature in 2023.

Ari Aster's black comedy/surrealistic horror film Beau is Afraid is playing at the Broadway Metro (888 Willamette St in Eugene, OR; scheduled through Thursday, May 25), and the Roxy Bremerton (270 4th St in Bremerton, WA; scheduled through Thursday, May 24).

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 25), and the Pickford Film Center (1318 Bay St in Bellingham, WA; scheduled through Thursday, May 25).

Film Festival Submission Information 

 

Time to start assembling your filmmaking friends for The 15th Annual Guignolfest: 3-Day Horror Film Contest.  For more details, visit the event's Facebook page or website.

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.

 

May, 2023

Saturday, May 20

The Moscow Film Society Euro Horror series brings the folk horror classic The Wicker Man (no, not the Nicolas Cage one) to the Kenworthy Performing Arts Center (508 S Main St in Moscow, ID) tonight at 7 pm.

It's another Hagsploitation Brunch screening at the Clinton Street Theater (2522 SE Clinton St in Portland, OR), as they show Dead Ringer, starring Bette Davis in a duel role, today at 11 am.

Toei filmmaker Norifumi Suzuki's outrageous nunsploitation film School of the Holy Beast plays at the Clinton Street Theater (2522 SE Clinton St in Portland, OR) tonight at 7 pm.

The House of Psychotic Women series at The Beacon (4405 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA) continues with a screening of The Witch Who Came from the Sea tonight at 10:15 pm.

Sunday, May 21

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back will screen at the Roxy Bremerton (270 4th St in Bremerton, WA) tonight at 6 pm.

Pick your sides (even though the outcome is pretty assured) and get ready for an evening of sparkling vampires and hunky werewolves, as the Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) screens Twilight at 5:45 pm, Twilight: New Moon at 8:15 pm, and Twilight: Eclipse at 10:50 pm.  You can buy tickets for a single film, or all three at a discount.

The Tracyton Movie House (1520 NE Riddell Rd in Bremerton, WA) scores a flawless victory with a screening of the original Mortal Kombat today at 2 pm.

AniMayhem presents the OVA Festival at the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) tonight starting at 6:30 pm.  If, like me, you didn't know, OVA stands for Original Video Animation, anime films and series made for release to the home video market without screening on television or in theaters.  The festival features four of the best cult-classic OVA titles released through the 80s and 90s.  An hour and a half before the features start, the Hollywood Theatre will turn into a mini anime convention, with local artists and vendors selling merchandise.

Monday, May 22

The Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) will show Mad Max: Fury Road tonight at 6:45 pm.

The Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) will screen Renfield tonight at 9:30 pm, and tomorrow night at 6:30 pm.

The TGIQ series at the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) brings the biography Gods and Monsters, starring Sir Ian McKellen, Brendan Fraser and Lynn Redgrave, back to the big screen tonight at 7:30 pm.

Tuesday, May 23

The Grindhouse Film Festival at the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) brings the underrated sci fi/horror flick The Hidden, starring Kyle MacLachlan and Michael Nouri, back to the screen in GLORIOUS 35mm tonight at 7:30 pm.

Wednesday, May 24

The Moscow Film Society Euro Horror series brings Dario Argento's classic Suspiria  to the Kenworthy Performing Arts Center (508 S Main St in Moscow, ID) tonight at 7 pm.

The Tracyton Movie House (1520 NE Riddell Rd in Bremerton, WA) will show Sam Raimi's first superhero film, Darkman, tonight at 6 pm.

David Lynch's creepy crime drama Blue Velvet will play at 7 pm tonight at the Whiteside Theatre (361 SW Madison Ave in Corvallis, OR).

Thursday, May 25

The House of Psychotic Women series at The Beacon (4405 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA) continues with a screening of the 1975 giallo Footprints on the Moon tonight at 7:30 pm.

Friday, May 26

Stranger Things: The Experience comes to a capacious warehouse at 1750 Occidental Ave S in Seattle, WA, through Sunday, August 6.  Children under 5 years of age will not be admitted due to content, and anyone under 14 years old must be accompanied by an adult.  You have to expect some real scares when you enter the Upside Down.

The Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) will show Lucky McKee's horror film May, starring Angela Bettis, tonight at 11:30 pm.

The Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) is showing Studio Ghibli's fantasy Spirited Away through Thursday, June 1.

The Wrath of Becky, the follow up to a film I'd never heard of, but Rue Morgue has some nice things to say about it, is playing at The Grand Illusion Cinema (1403 NE 50th St in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Thursday, June 1).  Come on, a revenge flick where a young woman, Becky (Lulu Wilson), takes on a bunch of extremists known as the "Noble Men."  What's not to love?

Weird Elephant at The Grand Cinema (606 Fawcett Ave in Tacoma, WA) will show Satoshi Kon's animated horror film Perfect Blue tonight and tomorrow at 10 pm.

The House of Psychotic Women series at The Beacon (4405 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA) continues with screenings of Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me tonight at 7 pm, and Sunday, May 28, at 5 pm.

The House of Psychotic Women series at The Beacon (4405 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA) concludes (almost) with a bang with a screening of Abel Ferrara's Ms .45 tonight at 10 pm.

Saturday, May 27

The Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) brings more Studio Ghibli goodness to the big screen with screenings of My Neighbor Totoro through Wednesday May 31.

The Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) is screening the Back to the Future trilogy today starting at 6:15 pm.  You can buy a ticket for your favorite film in the series, or check them all out at a discount.

A giddy mix of Hong Kong action and horror, complete with a flying guillotine, The Heroic Trio is presented in a 4K restoration at The Grand Illusion Cinema (1403 NE 50th St in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Monday, May 29).

Cinema 21 (616 NW 21st Ave in Portland, OR) will screen Steven Speilberg's made-for-TV classic Duel today at 11 am.

The Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) is pulling out their GLORIOUS 70mm copy of 2001: A Space Odyssey for screenings today at 1:30 pm, and on Monday, May 29, at 7 pm.  I caught this a few years ago and it is HYPNOTIC in 70mm.  Don't miss it!

UPDATE: The Saturday screening is SOLD OUT, but an additional screening is scheduled for Monday, May 29, at 2:30 pm.

On the other end of the space spectrum, the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) is showing Tobe Hooper's space vampire classic Lifeforce in GLORIOUS 70mm today and tomorrow at 9:30 pm.  Sure, it's a bit campy, but it looks amazing in 70mm, better than the DVD version I owned (I now have Scream Factory's Blu-Ray edition, so you know I'm a bit bias).  If you've only seen this film on cable or streaming, you need to check it out in a 70mm presentation.  It looks AMAZING!

The Denton Delinquents celebrate 10 Years of The Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Kiggins Theatre  (1011 Main St in Vancouver, WA) tonight.  Doors open at 9 pm.

Sunday, May 28

The Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) finishes up the saga with Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part I and II starting tonight at 6:30 pm.  Look, if you're going to the theater, you know you'll see them both, so buy the double feature discount ticket.

The Rocket Sci-Fi Matinee series at the Pickford Film Center (1318 Bay St in Bellingham, WA) presents the classic The Incredible Shrinking Man today and tomorrow at 1:45 pm.