I'm back on schedule!

Looks like I'm back on getting the Weekly Update out early on Friday.  Shouldn't get too cocky, though, as I really don't need some karmic payback for boasting.  

See what you did?  Now we have a car from Hell after us!

Let's get to the Update, which is full of great films and live events happening around the Pacific Northwest during the upcoming week.  Of course, if you'd like to see what's happening later in the year, check out the Horror/Sci Fi/Fantasy Calendar, which is full of things happening through December, and a few in 2025.  As always, I'll be adding more every week, so keep checking back!

Well, I still have a few hours at the day job, so I'm signing off.  Stay safe and I'll be back next week with more events happening under The Shadow Over Portland!

Happening This Week

Live Attractions 

Wyrd War Art Gallery (3505 NE Broadway in Portland, OR) is hosting an exhibition of the work of fantasy artist Richard Hescox (above is some of his work for the film The Howling) every weekend through April 28.  The gallery is open from 3 to 7 pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

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

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The OMSI Sci-Fi Film Festival opens today in the OMSI Empirical Theater (1945 SE Water Ave in Portland, OR) and runs through (checks the site) holy Cthulhu, Thursday, May 23!  Nope, not listing everything, but I will say the selections are pretty strong.  '78's Invasion of the Body Snatchers, three films from John Carpenter, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, '53's The War of the Worlds,  and the festival ends with a screening of Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga!  All on the Empirical Theater's four-story screen!!  Visit the link for all the details.

 

By Crom, Conan the Barbarian is playing at the North Bend Theatre (125 Bendigo Blvd N in North Bend, WA; scheduled through Sunday, April 21).

OH MY GOD!  It's an entire week (okay, six days) of the epic bad movie Troll 2 in Hecklevision at Central Cinema (1411 21st Ave in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Wednesday, April 24).

The Olympia Film Society series Reel Oddities Hungarian animator Marcell Jankovic's Son of the White Mare, described on the site as a "swirling, color-mad maelstrom of mythic monsters and Scythian heroes," at the Capitol Theater (206 5th Ave SE in Olympia, WA) at 7 pm on Wednesday, 24.

The OFS Kids Club is screening E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial at the Capitol Theater (206 5th Ave SE in Olympia, WA) at 1 pm, on Sunday, April 21.  Kids 12 and under are admitted FREE.

Hayao Miyazaki's latest animated feature, The Boy and the Heron, is playing at the Ark Lodge Cinemas (4816 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA; scheduled from Thursday, April 18, through Sunday, April 21).  Please check the link to find out when the dubbed or subtitled version is playing.

First Run Features  

A group of crooks kidnap the 12-year-old ballerina daughter of an underworld figure, only to discover the kid's a pissed off vampire, in Abigail, opening tonight at the Metro Cinema (888 Willamette St in Eugene, OR; scheduled through Thursday, April 25), the Sandy Cinema (16605 Champion Way in Sandy, OR; scheduled through Thursday, April 25), the St Johns Twin Cinema (8704 N Lombard St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, April 25), the Tracyton Movie House (1520 NE Riddell Rd in Bremerton, WA; scheduled through Wednesday, April 25), the Yelm Cinemas (201 Prairie Park St SE in Yelm, WA; scheduled through Thursday, April 25),  Studio One (3945 SE Powell Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, April 25), and the Laurelhurst Theater (2735 E Burnside St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, April 25).  And I thought my day job was rough.

Okay, I've stopped mentioning superhero movies on the site, but I'll make an exception for this one.  Vera Drew's parody The People's Joker, featuring a transgender Joker and being somewhat autobiographical of the filmmaker's journey, opens at the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, April 25).  The film faced legal challenges from DC for using characters from the Batman Universe, but seems to be coming to theaters now.  Guess the power of parody compels it... to be released.

The film opens on Friday, April 26, at the Darkside Cinema (216 SW 4th St in Corvallis, OR; scheduled through Thursday, May 2), and on Wednesday, April 24, at The Beacon (4405 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Thursday, May 2).

Sasquatch Sunset, which follow a family of Sasquatches for a year as they struggle with the changing world around them, opens tonight at the Metro Cinema (888 Willamette St in Eugene, OR; scheduled through Thursday, April 25), the Laurelhurst Theater (2735 E Burnside St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, April 25), SIFF Cinema Uptown (511 Queen Anne Ave N in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Thursday, April 25), Cinema 21 (616 NW 21st Ave in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, April 25),  the Living Room Theaters (341 SW 10th Ave in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, April 25), the Darkside Cinema (215 SW 4th St in Corvallis, OR; scheduled through Thursday, April 25), and Studio One (3945 SE Powell Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Wednesday, April 25).

The Beast, a sci fi romantic drama loosely based on Henry James' The Beast in the Jungle, is playing at Cinema 21 (616 NW 21st Ave in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, April 25).

The prequel The First Omen is playing at the Yelm Cinemas (201 Prairie Park St SE in Yelm, WA; scheduled through Thursday, April 25).

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is playing at the Yelm Cinemas (201 Prairie Park St SE in Yelm, WA; scheduled through Thursday, April 25), the Sandy Cinema (16605 Champion Way in Sandy, OR; scheduled through Thursday, April 25), the Granada 3 Theatre (1311 Adams Ave in La Grande, OR; scheduled through Thursday, April 25), the Tracyton Movie House (1520 NE Riddell Rd in Bremerton, WA; scheduled through Wednesday, April 25), McMenamins Olympic Club (122 N Tower Ave in Centralia, WA; scheduled through Thursday, April 25), and the Mt Hood Theatre (401 E Powell Blvd in Gresham, OR; scheduled through Thursday, April 25).

The found footage horror film Late Night with The Devil is playing at the Joy Cinema (11959 SW Pacific Highway in Tigard, OR; schedule TBA), and the Academy Theater (7818 SE Stark St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, April 25).

Film Festival and Stage Performance Submission Information 

 

The third annual Stage Fright Festival, possible the world's only queer horror theatre festival, is accepting applications through April 30 for performers, vendors, volunteers and sponsors.  The show takes place from Thursday, October 3, to Sunday, October 13.

The H. P. Lovecraft Film Festival and CthulhuCon is accepting submissions for the 2024 festival in Portland, OR.  Visit the link above for all the details, as there are multiple deadlines (the final one is on August 1 for limited films).

The 16th Annual Guignolfest 72 Hour Horror Film Contest is taking applications for 2024 now.  You can also watch the trailer on YouTube.

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.

April, 2024

Friday, April 19

Paranormal Cirque II invites you to face your fears as they invade the Lane Events Center (796 W 13th Ave in Eugene, OR) through Monday, April 22.  Please note, no one under 13 years of age will be admitted.  Those 13 to 17 years of age must by accompanied by an adult.

Cinema of Horrors Haunted House (1301 Grade St in Kelso, WA) invites you to battle the undead during the Zombie Outbreak-Live Action Horror Laser Experience.  The event runs from 7 to 10 pm tonight and tomorrow.  Buy advance tickets at the link above.

Friday Night Frights brings the Zombi Holocaust (AKA Dr. Butcher M.D.) in all its uncut, uncensored, gory glory to the Blue Mouse Theatre (2611 N Proctor in Tacoma, WA) tonight at 10 pm.  Be ready with your barf bag, which were handed out in some theaters during the film's initial release.  But not at the Blue Mouse, so you better bring your own!

Jurassic Park is playing at the 99W Drive-In (311 Portland Rd in Newberg, OR; playing through Saturday, April 20 with Kung Fu Panda 4).

The Egyptian Theatre (229 S Broadway in Coos Bay, OR) will show Jurassic Park tonight at 7 pm, and tomorrow at 2 pm.  Bring the kids, depending on how much you want to traumatize them!

Saturday, April 20

The Mid Valley Comic Art Expo takes place this weekend at the Oregon State Fairgrounds (2330 17th St NE in Salem, OR) this weekend.  Stay tuned for updates, or follow the event on Facebook!

The Eighth Annual Magical Labyrinth Masquerade Ball takes place at Old Nick's Pub (211 Washington St in Eugene, OR) today starting at noon.  Dress in your best Labyrinth costume or Masquerade Ball attire and get ready for a day full of great events!  Children are welcome until 8 pm, but the establishment is not responsible if they are snatched by the Goblin King or his minions.

Alfred Hitchcock's silent thriller, The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog, is playing at the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) today at 2 pm, with Dean Lemire performing his original score live on the Mighty Wurlitzer pipe organ.

Slashy Slashy at Ashley's takes place to day from around 1 pm at Ashley's Pub (409 Pacific Ave, suite 105, in Bremerton, WA).  Play some Cursed Lands: Morgulia and maybe win an awesome prized.  Please note, this is a 21 and older event, as the venue is a board gaming pub.

Skinshow, a new perspective on the horrors of being human involving Frankenstein's Monster and the Creature from the Black Lagoon preparing for their entrances in a seedy cabaret (I'm not kidding, that's the plot from the CST website), plays at 7:30 pm tonight at the Clinton Street Theater (2522 SW Clinton St in Portland, OR).

The buddy cop/comedy/zombie flick Dead Heat is playing at The Beacon (4405 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA) tonight at 9:30 pm.

Sunday, April 21

Bone Sorrow, a trio of dark surrealistic dramas by Nina Monique Kelly, takes place tonight on the stage at the Chapel Theater (4107 SE Harrison St in Milwaukie, OR).  Settle in for an evening filled with witches, ghosts and more.  This is part of the Fertile Ground Festival.

On this day, in 1880, the clipper ship Elizabeth Dane crashed off the shores of Antonio Bay.  In honor, the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) is screening a 4K restoration of the John Carpenter/Debra Hill ghost story The Fog tonight at 9:30 pm.  If you haven't seen it, the cast is amazing.  Just beware the fog!

The Mel Brooks classic Young Frankenstein is playing at 5 pm today, at 1:40 pm tomorrow, and 5 pm on Thursday, April 25, at The Grand Cinema (606 Fawcett Ave in Tacoma, WA).

Animayhem brings The Sky Crawlers, a story of private corporations creating the impression of war so people won't understand the idea of peace, and the toll it takes on the fighters participating in the staged battles, to the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) tonight at 7 pm.

The sci fi/comedy With Love and a Major Organ is playing at The Grand Illusion Cinema (1403 NE 50th St in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Saturday, April 27).

Poor Things is playing at the Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) today at 3 pm, on Wednesday, April 24, at 9:30 pm, and on Monday, May 1, at 6:20 pm.

The animated feature Kirikou and the Sorceress is playing at the SIFF Cinema Egyptian (805 E Pine St in Seattle, WA) today at 7 pm.  Part of the Reel Black series.

Studio Ghibli's Princess Mononoke is playing at the Tomorrow Theater (3530 SE Division St in Portland, OR) tonight at 7 pm.  This is the dubbed version.

Monday, April 22

The animated feature Kiki's Delivery Service is playing at the SIFF Cinema Egyptian (805 E Pine St in Seattle, WA) today at 4:30 pm, on Tuesday, April 30, at 7:30 pm, and on Saturday, May 4, at 11:30 am.  Screenings will be shown with English subtitles.

Tuesday, April 23

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

Wednesday, April 24

The Re-Run Theater series brings a Saturday Morning Apocalypse to the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) tonight at 7:30 pm.  It starts out with the pilot episode for the animated series Return to the Planet of the Apes, followed by an episode of the live action series Ark II, and an episode from the animated series Thundarr the Barbarian.  

The Last Straighter is playing at 7 pm tonight at the Admiral Theatre (515 Pacific Ave in Bremerton, WA).

Back to the Future is playing at 7 pm tonight at the Whiteside Theatre (361 SW Madison Ave in Corvallis, OR).

Thursday, April 25

Back to the Future Part II is playing at the Tomorrow Theater (3530 SE Division St in Portland, OR) tonight at 7 pm.

The animated fantasy Ferngully: The Last Rainforest is playing at 7 pm tonight at the Whiteside Theatre (361 SW Madison Ave in Corvallis, OR).

Friday, April 26

Paranormal Cirque II invites you to face your fears as they invade the Deschutes County Fairgrounds (3800 SW Airport Way in Redmond, WA) through Monday, April 29.  Please note, no one under 13 years of age will be admitted.  Those 13 to 17 years of age must by accompanied by an adult.

Weird Elephant at The Grand Cinema (606 Fawcett Ave in Tacoma, WA) will screen George Romero's classic Dawn of the Dead tonight and tomorrow at 10 pm.

The Sense of Wonder series at the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) brings the 1994 film Stargate back to the big screen tonight at 7:30 pm.

David Lynch's Dune is playing at 11 pm tonight at the Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC).

The Liberty Theatre (315 NE 4th Ave in Camas, WA) is showing the sci fi/horror classic Alien through Thursday, May 2.

Saturday, April 27

The indie horror film Black Mold, with writer/director John Pata in attendance for a Q and A after the film, plays at 2 pm today at the Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre (508 S Main St in Moscow, ID).

The Portland Horror Film Festival presents a screening of Return of the Living Dead 3, with a Q and A with screenwriter John Penney.  Before the film, you can check out Zombie Drag-lesque and a preview of short film coming to the festival.  The show starts at 6 pm at the Clinton Street Theater (2522 SE Clinton St in Portland, OR).  Doors open at 5 pm.

Fathom Events Studio Ghibli Fest kicks off today with Spirited Away, playing in both dubbed and subtitled formats through Wednesday, May 1.  Visit the link to find a theater near you.

Sunday, April 28

The Community Benefit Screenings series at the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) brings Guillermo Del Toro's Hellboy back to the big screen today at 3 pm.  Proceeds will go to the Northwest Museum of Cartoon Arts and their mission to build a museum celebrating the art form.  And stay after the film for a panel discussion on the world of Hellboy, featuring moderator Mike Russell, artist/writer Michael Avon Oeming and writer Chris Roberson. 

Caitlin Cronenberg's (David's daughter) first film, Humane, a family drama taking place after a global ecological collapse forces world leader to take drastic action to reduce the world's population, plays at 6:30 pm tonight at the Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC).