Classic horrors, kaiju mayhem and more great things happening under The Shadow Over Portland!

The third week in January is almost over, but I'm still finding some great stuff for Pacific Northwest Horror/Sci Fi/Fantasy Fans.  It's not October level by any means, but take a look below at some of the great movies you'll find in local theaters.  You'll be surprise how much cool stuff is happening.

Not saying your eyes will pop out of your head when you read the update, but you never know...

As always, you can also check out the Horror/Sci Fi/Fantasy Calendar, which I've updated to include more guest coming to Fan Expo Portland and the Emerald City Comic Con.  I'll be updating it throughout the week, so don't forget the visit the page when making plans for the rest of the year!

As always, have to get back to the day job, so I'm signing off.  Stay safe and I'll be back next week 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 

  

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.

 

 

The Marvel Universe of Super Heroes makes a stop at OMSI (1945 SE Water Ave in Portland, OR) through April 9, 2023.  Marvel (see what I did there) at the hundred of artifacts, from original comic book pages, interactive displays, life-size statues of Marvel heroes, costumes and props from films and TV programs, and MUCH MORE.  Excelsior! 

Back in Theaters

The Academy Theater (7818 SE Stark St in Portland, OR) continues the January Revival Series: Sci Fi with the classic 1978 remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers through Thursday, January 26.  DO NOT spoil the ending to first-timers (if that's possible).

 

The Academy Theater (7818 SE Stark St in Portland, OR) keeps the Potter-verse rolling with screenings of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire through Thursday, January 26. 

Guillermo del Toro's fantasy The Shape of Water, is showing at Central Cinema (1411 21st Ave in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Wednesday, January 25).

 

The 50s monster movie that inspired del Toro, Creature from the Black Lagoon, is showing at Central Cinema (1411 21st Ave in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Wednesday, January 25). 

John Carpenter's sci fi/horror classic The Thing is playing at the Yelm Cinemas (201 Prairie Park St SE in Yelm, WA; scheduled through Thursday, January 26).

First Run Features  

The sci fi/horror film Kids vs. Aliens opens at the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 26).  I think the poster says it all.

 

I hadn't heard about this one until today, but the buzz surrounding the film is pretty intense and I'm sold!  The micro-budget Canadian horror film Skinamarink is playing at the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 26), the Pickford Film Center (1318 Bay St in Bellingham, WA; scheduled through Thursday, January 26), CineMagic (2021 SE Hawthorne Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 26), The Grand Illusion Cinema (1403 NE 50th St in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Wednesday, January 25), the Sandy Cinema (16605 Champion Way in Sandy, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 26), and at the Salem Cinema (1127 Broadway St NE in Salem, OR) Friday and Saturday, January 20 and 21.

The Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) will show the film on Sunday, January 22, at 9:30 pm, Tuesday, January 24, at 9 pm, and Thursday, January 26, at 8:45 pm. 

 

The killer doll genre gets an upgrade, as M3GAN is playing at the Laurelhurst Theater (2735 E Burnside St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 26), the Sandy Cinema (16605 Champion Way in Sandy, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 26),  Living Room Theaters (341 SW 10th Ave in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 26),  the St Johns Twin Cinema (8704 N Lombard St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 26), the Tracyton Movie House (1520 NE Riddell Rd in Bremerton, WA; scheduled through Wednesday, January 26), Studio One Theaters (3945 SE Powell Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 26), the Granada 3 Theatre (1311 Adams Ave in La Grande, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 26), the Yelm Cinemas (201 Prairie Park St SE in Yelm, WA; scheduled through Thursday, January 26), the Academy Theater (7818 SE Stark St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 26), the Cameo Theatre (304 E 1st St in Newberg, OR; scheduled through Sunday, January 22) and The Joy Cinema (11959 SW Pacific Highway in Tigard, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 26).

Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio is playing at McMenamins Kennedy School (5736 NE 33rd Ave in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 26) and the Liberty Theatre (315 NE 4th Ave in Camas, WA; scheduled through Thursday, January 26).

The Chinese animated fantasy New Gods: Yang Jian is showing in a both subtitled and dubbed versions at the Broadway Metro (888 Willamette St in Eugene, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 26).

The black comedy/horror film The Menu is playing at the Living Room Theaters (341 SW 10th Ave in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 26).

  

Film Festival Submission Information 

 

The Crypticon Seattle Film Festival is now open for submissions.  The Late Deadline is April 4, 2023.  Visit the link for all the details.

 

January, 2023

Friday, January 20

Friday Night Frights is showing Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter at the Blue Mouse Theatre (2611 N Proctor St in Tacoma, WA) tonight only at 10 pm.  It's your chance to see the final Jason film (*snicker*, yeah, right), and some great Tom Savini effects, on the big screen, so don't miss out!

 

I hadn't heard about this one until a few weeks ago, but the buzz surrounding the film is pretty intense and I'm sold!  The micro-budget Canadian horror film Skinamarink is being presented by Weird Elephant at The Grand Cinema (606 S Fawcett Ave in Tacoma, WA) tonight and tomorrow night at 10 pm.

Saturday, January 21

Arguably the best giant monster movie ever made, 1933's King Kong is playing at 3:30 pm today and tomorrow at the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) in GLORIOUS 35mm.  If you haven't seen it on the big screen, you NEED to check it out!

More giant monsters invade the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) with a restoration of the 1974 classic Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla screening tonight at 7 pm.

Ferngully: The Last Rainforest returns to the Kiggins Theatre (1011 Main St in Vancouver, WA) today at 3 pm, and tomorrow at 4 pm.

The Olympia Film Society will host a special screening of Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me at the Capitol Theater (206 5th Ave SE in Olympia, WA).  Sheryl Lee (Laura Palmer) will be in attendance for a post-film Q and A.  Doors open at 6 pm, the film starts at 7 pm.

 

The Free Family Flick at The Grand Cinema (606 S Fawcett Ave in Tacoma, WA) is My Neighbor Totoro today at 10 am.  The film will be presented in both subtitled and dubbed versions.  Doors open at 9:30 am and seating is first-come, first-served.  Children under 14 years of age must be accompanied by an adult.

The Sprocket Society presents Saturday Secret Matinees 2023 every Saturday through March 25 at 1 pm, in GLORIOUS 16mm, at The Grand Illusion Cinema (1403 NE 50th St in Seattle, WA).  Each Saturday starts with a new episode from the classic serial King of the Rocket Men, followed by a secret film.  The clue for today and next week's film is Swashbuckling Generations. 

 

The Moscow Film Society presents the animated sci fi thriller Paprika at 7 pm tonight at the Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre (508 S Main St in Moscow, ID).

 

Sunday, January 22

 

Church of Film returns to the Red Fox (5128 N Albina Ave in Portland, OR) with a screening of Jean-Pierre Mocky's Litan, a blend of surrealism, camp and horror.  The screening takes place at 7 pm in an outdoor, heated area. 

CineMagic (2021 SE Hawthorne Blvd in Portland, OR) is showing the sci fi romance (sort of) film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind today at 4:30 pm, and on Tuesday, January 24, at 7 pm.

The Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) keeps the kiaju classics coming this weekend, with a screening of Mothra in GLORIOUS 35mm tonight at 7 pm. 

Monday, January 23

Bones and All, a coming of age romantic cannibal road film (another film description I never expected to write), is playing at the Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) tonight at 9:30 pm.

Wednesday, January 25

The Moscow Film Society brings the anime Perfect Blue to the Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre (508 S Main St in Moscow, ID) tonight at 7 pm.

It's a John Carpenter Double Feature at the Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) with a restored version of Assault on Precinct 13 at 6:45 pm, and The Thing at 8:45 pm.  You can catch either show alone, or make it a double bill!

Re-Run Theater at the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) presents a Saturday Morning Celebration tonight at 7:30 pm.  The program includes an episode of The Roman Holidays (think Flintstones in Roman times), the pilot episode of the Sid and Marty Krofft classic Land of the Lost, and an episode of Thundarr the Barbarian.  It's presented with vintage kid-centric commercial breaks from the era of each show.

Thursday, January 26

Brandon Cronenberg's latest film, Infinity Pool (starring Mia Goth and Alexander Skarsgård), opens tonight at the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, February 2), the Laurelhurst Theater (2735 E Burnside St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, February 2), the Sandy Cinema (16605 Champion Way in Sandy, OR; scheduled through Thursday, February 2), and Cinema 21 (616 NW 21st Ave in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, February 2).

It opens on Friday, January 27, at the Darkside Cinema (215 SW 4th St in Corvallis, OR; showtimes and details TBA).

Friday, January 27

The Beacon (4405 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA) will show the 4K restoration of John Carpenter's Assault on Precinct 13 tonight and tomorrow at 7 pm, and on Sunday, January 29, at 2 pm.

The Academy Theater (7818 SE Stark St in Portland, OR) concludes the January Revival Series: Sci Fi with the original Rollerball through Thursday, February 2.

 

The Academy Theater (7818 SE Stark St in Portland, OR) keeps the Potter-verse rolling with screenings of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix through Thursday, February 2. 

Travel the multiverse again as Everything Everywhere All at Once is playing at Central Cinema (1411 21st Ave in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Wednesday, February 1).

 

If you've seen the above movie, you'll know why Pixar's Ratatouille is playing at Central Cinema (1411 21st Ave in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Wednesday, February 1).

Get ready to head down the Yellow Brick Road, as The Wizard of Oz plays at the Yelm Cinemas (201 Prairie Park St SE in Yelm, WA; scheduled through Thursday, February 2).

Saturday, January 28

The Geekenders brings Into the Stripper-Verse, a burlesque show celebrating every version of Spider-Man, to the Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) tonight at 9 pm.  Doors open at 8 pm, but advance tickets are recommended.

Cinema 21 (616 NW 21st Ave in Portland, OR) will show Alfred Hitchcock's classic Psycho today at 11 am. 

The Tracyton Movie House (1520 NE Riddell Rd in Bremerton, WA) will show The Rocky Horror Picture Show tonight at 9:30 pm.

Sunday, January 29

Barbarella, psychedelia... The Hollywood Theatre (41223 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) will show the camp classic Barbarella in GLORIOUS 35mm tonight at 7 pm.

Alligator 2: The Mutation (1991)

B-Movie monster movie sequels are usually a case of diminishing returns.  The first one works, despite the budget, and studio figures it can replicate the success with less money, often resulting in a disaster.  But Alligator 2: The Mutation bucks that trend.  The script is pretty good, the cast does a fine job and, with a few minor issues, the film is more enjoyable than you'd expect.

The film takes place, I think, in Florida.  The state is never mentioned, but it doesn't matter.  The Hispanic population is being forced to sell their homes to a sleazy realtor, Vincent Brown (Steve Railsback; Lifeforce), so he can proceed with his gentrification scheme.  And his chemical company has been dumping toxic waste into the sewer, resulting in an alligator of unusual size starting to chomp on the local population.  

Detective David Hodges (Joseph Bologna; Transylvania 6-5000) becomes involved in the case of missing locals.  He's having a rough time in his domestic life, as he works nights and his wife, Christine (Dee Wallace, The Howling, Cujo) works days.  And he can't break away from his investigation of several missing people, one possible connected to a leg found floating in the local lake, to make it home in time to celebrate his birthday.

David has the respect of the Hispanic residents, called "Solo Lobo."  This includes the local gang, who are united against Brown's attempts to buy up their home to create a high priced paradise.  David doesn't like Brown either, but is unable to move against him, as he hasn't broken any laws.  But as he investigates the missing persons, he suspects Brown is involved.

Yes, it's the White Savior trope with a healthy dose of 80s action hero bits.   And it shouldn't work, as Bologna is not 80s action hero material.  His single fight scene is pitifully choreographed, and he lacks the gritty swagger of someone like Chuck Norris.  Guess it's lucky this film was made in the early 90s.

Look, I'm the white hero.  I got this.

But Bologna sells it by playing an ordinary guy just trying to do his job.  Though the script has characters hint at his over-ability to get things done, his performance works better than you'd expect.

Teaming up with his wife, rookie cop Rich Harmon (Woody Brown) and the mayor's daughter, Sheri Anderson (Holly Gagnier) David proves an abnormally large gator is in the lake and attempt to take the critter out.  This puts Brown's lakeside party, designed to buy up their local's homes, in jeopardy.  But he has the mayor (Bill Daily, I Dream of Jeannie) in his pocket, so he's able to hire a group of gator hunters, lead by Hawk Hawkins (Richard Lynch, Bad Dreams, Invasion U.S.A.) to kill the gator.  

No one succeeds, and, as expected, gator mayhem ensues during Brown's party.

 It's the third act.  Time for me to crash the party!

Look, this film isn't great and has quite a few flaws.  David and Christine's son appears early in the movie, but is conveniently removed after that.  Time passage is pretty wonky, as the time of day are dependent on the needs of the effects to be hidden by darkness.  Brown and Gagnier, while fine, fall short compared to the more veteran actors, we have a third act murder that would NEVER work in real life, and it's obvious the film reuses scenes from the original.  And the damn gator swims without moving it's tail! Come on, how hard would it have been to add a small motor to the fake gator you're pulling on a string?

Come on, you had a tail swatting people at the party.  You could have had the tail while the gator was swimming.

But despite its flaws, Alligator 2 works as a fun flick to watch on a rainy Pacific Northwest afternoon.  The script, by Curt Allen (the last film of his six credits, which is too bad, though he ended on a high note) delivers some great, realistic dialog you'd expect from people dealing with a giant mutant gator.  And his dialog between David and Christine allows the actors to feel like a real couple.  

Director Jon Hess (Watchers) keeps the story moving fast enough that the silliness of the plot doesn't get in the way.  And as an added bonus, we get that classic 80s stereotype, the gruff police chief riding David's ass (Brock Peters, Soylent Green, Star Trek IV and Star Trek VI).

While the chief's interactions with David are great, the chemistry between Bologna and Wallace, as a couple struggling through a rough spot in their relationship, is even better.  It helps that Christine is a chemist who identifies the chemical Brown's company has dumped into the sewage system, but also knows enough about predatory animals to help in the investigation.  Yeah, she's the old 50s scientist who has a vast knowledge of SCIENCE!, allowing her to know about everything.  Hey, it worked back in the old black and white films, why not now. 

 You know I know SCIENCE!, I'm looking into a microscope.

As I mentioned, the more seasoned actors play it straight, though it's obvious they know what type of movie they're in.  It makes the film work, like some of the 50s creature features such as The Giant Claw.  Sure, you may laugh at the effects and the wonky SCIENCE!, but the actors sell it.  And what more can you ask for.

It's a rarity, but Alligator 2: The Mutation is a decent follow up to a classic B-Movie.  You might not have wanted a sequel to the classic Robert Foster original, but that doesn't mean it's not fun to watch.  You can find it on Shudder, or buy it on Blu-Ray from Shout Factory.  And no, I won't get anything from however you check it out.  I just enjoyed it, and think you will too.

Look, I know we're expendable.  Just don't act like it.