Hope everyone is staying safe and warm this weekend!

Well, the snow did come to the Pacific Northwest earlier this morning, and I've seen posts of people losing power, finding fallen trees across roads.  And I'm sure travel is a bit dicy, especially as the sun has set and all the packed snow is getting a chance to freeze.

Haven't heard of any stray dogs running around.  That's probably for the best.

Another thing I've seen are lots of venues cancelling for the evening.  A few are even warning they might be closed Sunday as well.  If you plan on head out to any event you see on the site over the next few days, use the links provided to make sure you won't be heading back home after you arrive.  And if you do go out, be careful.  I'm sure the roads are getting slick right now.

If you're staying home, you can always check the Horror/Sci Fi/Fantasy Calendar and start making plans for the coming year.  Just remember, I'll be adding more as the weeks go by, so keep checking back!

Well, I've got to get back to the day job.  Stay safe, keep warm, and I'll be back next weekend with another update from The Shadow Over Portland!

Happening This Week

Live Attractions 

FAN EXPO Portland returns to the Portland Convention Center (777 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd in Portland, OR) this weekend.  Peter Weller (RoboCop, Star Trek: Into Darkness), Jon Bernthal (The Walking Dead, Daredevil, The Punisher), Rose McGowan (Scream, Charmed), Mary McDonnell (Battlestar Galactica, Independence Day), Keith David (The Thing, They Live) and many more are scheduled to attend.

UPDATE: Laurie Holden (The Walking Dead, Silent Hill) and Cassandra Peterson (Elvira Mistress of the Dark) are scheduled to attend.

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.

Back in Theaters

CineMagic (2021 SE Hawthorne Blvd in Portland, OR) will show Gamera: The Heisei Trilogy through Sunday, January 14.  Star Ayuako Fujitani (who played Asagi Kusanagi in the series) will be present for a Q and A after the opening show of Gamera: Guardian of the Universe on Friday, and the final show of Gamera: Revenge of Iris on Sunday.  Visit the link for all showtimes. 

If you missed it last month, Godzilla Minus One is playing at McMenamins Kennedy School (5736 NE 33rd Ave in Porland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 18) and the Liberty Theatre (315 NE 4th Ave in Camas, WA; scheduled through Thursday, January 18).

Ack, ack ACK!  Tim Burton's Mars Attacks! is playing at the Academy Theatre (7818 SE Stark St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 18).

Get your ass to Mars! Total Recall is playing at the Academy Theatre (7818 SE Stark St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 18).

The Empirical Theater at OMSI (1945 SE Water Ave in Portland, OR) will host the 2024 Studio Ghibli Film Festival through Sunday, February 25.  You'll find all the details, including the schedule, at the link.

The Reel Oddities series at the Capitol Theater (206 5th Ave SE in Olympia, WA) will screen John Carpenter's Big Trouble in Little China on Wednesday, January 10 and 31, at 7 pm.

The OFS Kids Club series at the Capitol Theater (206 5th Ave SE in Olympia, WA) will show The NeverEnding Story today, and Sunday, January 14 and 21, at 1 pm.  Kids 12 and under are admitted FREE.

The Sprocket Society brings back The Saturday Secret Matinee to The Grand Illusion Cinema (1403 NE 50th St in Seattle, WA) running through Saturday, March 30.  Every show starts with an episode of the serial Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars, followed by a secret classic feature, all in GLORIOUS 16mm.  And yes, you can purchase a series pass.  Check the link for hints of the features to be shown.

First Run Features  

The haunted pool film Night Swim opens tonight at the Tracyton Movie House (1520 NE Riddell Rd in Bremerton, WA; scheduled through Tuesday, January 16), the Sandy Cinema (16605 Champion Way in Sandy, OR; scheduled through Wednesday, January 17), the St Johns Twin Cinema (8704 N Lombard St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 18), Studio One (3945 SE Powell Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 18), the Yelm Cinema (201 Prairie Park St SE in Yelm, WA; scheduled through Thursday, January 18), and the Academy Theatre (7818 SE Stark St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 18).

Poor Things, based on Alasdair Gray's novel about a young woman who is resurrected after her suicide to embark on an odyssey of self-discovery and sexual liberation, is playing at Cinema 21 (616 NW 21st Ave in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 18), the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 18), The Grand Cinema (606 Fawcett Ave in Tacoma, WA; scheduled through Thursday, January 18), the Metro Cinemas (888 Willamette St in Eugene, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 18), the Laurelhurst Theater (2735 E Burnside St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, Thursday, January 18), the Pickford Film Center (1318 Bay St in Bellingham, WA; scheduled through Thursday, January 18), the Living Room Theaters (341 SW 10th Ave in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 18), Studio One (3945 SE Powell Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 18), the SIFF Cinema Uptown (511 Queen Anne Ave N in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Thursday, January 18), and the Salem Cinema (1127 Broadway St NE in Salem, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 18).

The film opens on Thursday, January 18, at the North Bend Theatre (125 Bendigo Blvd N in North Bend, WA; scheduled through Sunday, January 21) and the Ark Lodge Cinema (4816 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Sunday, January 21), on Friday, January 19, at the Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre (508 S Main St in Moscow, ID; scheduled through Sunday, January 28), and on Friday, January 26, at the Roxy Bremerton (270 4th St in Bremerton, WA; scheduled through Thursday, February 1).

Hayao Miyazaki's latest animated feature, The Boy and the Heron, is playing at the Laurelhurst Theater (2735 E Burnside St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, Thursday, January 18), the Darkside Cinema (215 SW 4th St in Corvallis, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 18), and The Grand Cinema (606 Fawcett Ave in Tacoma, WA; scheduled through Thursday, January 18).

The film opens on Thursday, January 18, at the Capitol Theater (206 5th Ave SE in Olympia, WA; scheduled through Friday, January 26), and on Friday, January 19, at the Liberty Theatre (315 NE 4th Ave in Camas, WA; scheduled through Thursday, January 25).

Please check the links to find out if the dubbed or subtitled version is playing at the theater near you.

Film Festival Submission Information 

 

The Northwest Flying Saucer Film Festival returns to McFiler's Chehalis Theater (558 N Market Blvd in Chehalis, WA) this September, and will begin accepting submissions of UFO themed shorts, documentaries, animations or music videos from Northwest filmmakers on January 1.  Deadline is August 18, 2024.

The BoneBat Comedy of Horrors Film Fest 2024, taking place on Saturday, April 13, 2024, at the SIFF Cinema Egyptian (805 E Pine St in Seattle, WA) is now accepting submissions through Friday, March 1.  Visit the link for details.

January, 2024

Saturday, January 13

Get ready for an evening of Bands and Burlesque with Dead Streets and Frankenstein TNT at The Rendezvous (2322 2nd Ave in Seattle, WA) tonight at 10 pm.  Doors open at (;30 pm.

The Admiral Theatre (515 Pacific Ave in Bremerton, WA) is showing family fantasy classic The NeverEnding Story tonight at 7 pm.

Laika Studio's Kubo and the Two Strings is playing today at 2 pm, at the Egyptian Theatre (229 S Broadway in Coos Bay, OR).  The film is presented with Spanish subtitles.

The Family Pictures series at the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) will screen Jurassic Park today and tomorrow at 3 pm.  I'm not sure about the family picture bit, as this film had moments that freaked me out when I first saw it, and I was in my early 30s (yes, I am old).  And sure, it might not have the impact on your big screen TV, but we are talking a theatrical screening.  

The Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) will screen the rather surrealist Italian horror film Cemetery Man tonight at 7 and 9:30 pm, and tomorrow night at 9:30 pm.  

Sunday, January 14

The Rocket Sci-Fi Matinee series at the Pickford Film Center (1318 Bay St in Bellingham, WA) will show Attack of the 50 Foot Woman today at 1:45 pm.

Monday, January 15

CineMagic (2021 SE Hawthorne Blvd in Portland, OR) presents A Mel Brooks Film through Wednesday, January 17, featuring screenings of Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, and Spacebars.  Visit the link for showtimes.

CMNYK SCIENCE FICTION EXTRAVAGANZA brings Roger Corman's comedy monster movie Creature from the Haunted Sea to the Darkside Cinema (215 SW 4th St in Corvallis, OR) tonight at 7 pm.  Preshow starts at 6:15 pm.

Thursday, January 18

PNW horror director Joe Sherlock's Weird House Cast/Crew and Friends Screening takes place at 7 pm tonight at f/stop Fiztgerald's Public House (3356 Grove St NE in Salem, OR).  Get out there, if you can, and support local horror filmmakers!

The sci fi thriller I.S.S. is playing at the Yelm Cinema (201 Prairie Park St SE in Yelm, WA; scheduled through Thursday, January 25) and the Sandy Cinema (16605 Champion Way in Sandy, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 25).

The film opens on Friday, January 19, at the Living Room Theaters (341 SW 10th Ave in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 25).

The "political slasher" Founders Day, about a small town heated mayoral election complicated by a masked killer, is playing at the Grand Illusion Cinema (1403 NE 50th St in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Wednesday, January 24).

The Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) will show Monty Python and the Holy Grail tonight at 6:30 pm.

Friday, January 19

Shot-on-video, and banned in the UK during the Video Nasty era, Suffer, Little Children, plays at 10 pm tonight at The Beacon (4405 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA).  The film is a purported recreation of supernatural events at an orphanage in 1984.

Friday Night Frights brings Bram Stoker's Dracula to the Blue Mouse Theatre (2603 N Proctor St in Tacoma, WA) tonight at 10 pm. 

Ridley Scott's dark fantasy Legend plays at 11:30 pm tonight at the Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC).

The Devil's Advocate is playing at the Tracyton Movie House (1520 NE Riddell Rd in Bremerton, WA) today and Sunday, January 21.

The sci fi/horror classic Alien is playing today at 7 pm, and tomorrow at 2 pm, at the Egyptian Theatre (229 S Broadway in Coos Bay, OR).

John Carpenter's sci fi horror classic The Thing is playing at the Academy Theatre (7818 SE Stark St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 25).

Steven Spielberg's family sci fi classic E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial is playing at the Academy Theatre (7818 SE Stark St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 25).

Takashi Miike's musical horror comedy The Happiness of the Katakuris is playing at Central Cinema (1411 21st Ave in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Wednesday, January 24).

Saturday, January 20

McMenamin Kennedy School (5736 NE 33rd Ave in Portland, OR) is showing The Lord of the Rings trilogy starting today at 11 am.  Be aware, I think they're showing the extended versions, so it will be a long day.  but 50% of ticket revenue will go to the Oregon Food Bank, and you are welcome to bring a canned food donation.

The Admiral Theatre (515 Pacific Ave in Bremerton, WA) is showing the sci fi comedy classic Back to the Future tonight at 7:30 pm.

The 1978 remake Invasion of the Body Snatchers is playing at Cinema 21 (616 NW 21st Ave in Portland, OR) today at 11 am.

The Dress the Part series at the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) presents Tim Burton's romantic Gothic horror film (I stand by that) Edward Scissorhands tonight at 6:30 pm.

Sunday, January 21

The subtitled version of Cowboy Bebop: The Movie is playing at Cinema 21 (616 NW 21st Ave in Portland, OR) today at 4 pm.  It is also showing at the Sandy Cinema (16605 Champion Way in Sandy, OR; scheduled through Tuesday, January 23), and the Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre (508 S Main St in Moscow, ID; scheduled through Monday, January 22).  Visit the links for information on whether the screening is subtitled or dubbed.