Thank you, James Cameron!

Yep, I'm giving my thanks to Cameron for making this edition of the Weekly Update a lot easier.  With so many independent theaters starting show first run movies, it seems all of them are jumping at the chance to screen Avatar: The Way of Water.  While that does narrow down the non-blockbuster Horror/Sci Fi/Fantasy films to a few select theaters, it did allow me to get done updating the site late Thursday afternoon, rather than rushing to finish everything on Friday.

Now I have some time to ride my flying barracuda down the Willamette.  

Though it will be a colder, drabber ride than this one.

 

But if you don't want to see this sequel, or plan to wait for the lines to shorten, this edition of the Weekly Update has plenty of options.  I've got more Krampus sightings, some great movies (both holiday and non-holiday themed), stage events and more!

I'm including everything happening in the rest of December (that I know of at this time) in this post, so you can plan out the rest of your holiday season.  But I will be back next Friday with another update, to catch you up on events that I either missed, or were just announced.

Of course, you can always just check the Horror/Sci Fi/Fantasy Calendar anytime for the most up-to-date listings for this month, and 2023.  I've found some great cons coming to the Pacific Northwest next year, and you know I'll be adding more as soon as events are announced!

That's all I have for this week.  Happy Holidays, stay safe and warm, and I'll be back next Friday with more great things 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 

 

Johnson Farms (89719 Sprague Rd in Eugene, OR) presents Strangest Things Haunted Farm, with 14 mazes/attractions to give your holidays a fright!  The Haunted Farm is open Fridays and Saturdays in December.  Follow the attraction on Facebook.

 

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! 

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

 

Well, it's Christmas time in the Pacific Northwest, and of course, you can catch Stanley Kubrick's The Shining at the Academy Theater (7818 SE Stark St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 22).

The Kiggins Theatre (1101 Main St in Vancouver, WA) will show The Muppet Christmas Carol through Tuesday, December 20.

 

Joe Dante's holiday horror classic Gremlins is showing at McMenamin Kennedy School (5736 NE 33rd Ave in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 22). 

You can watch the 1938 version of A Christmas Carol at The Grand Cinema (606 Fawcett Ave in Tacoma, WA; scheduled through Wednesday, December 21). 

 

Central Cinema (1411 21st Ave in Seattle, WA) will screen the holiday classic Die Hard through Wednesday, December 21.

The Grand Illusion Cinema (1403 NE 50th St in Seattle, WA) will show the holiday fantasy classic It's a Wonderful Life tonight at 7:30 pm, with additional screenings through Thursday, December 29.

First Run Features 

 

The (maybe) long awaited sequel to James Cameron's 2009 blockbuster, Avatar: The Way of Water, is playing at the St Johns Twin Cinema (8704 N Lombard St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Tuesday, December 22), the Broadway Metro (888 Willamette St in Eugene, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 22), the Mount Hood Theatre (401 E Powell Blvd in Gresham, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 22), Studio One Theaters (3945 SE Powell Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 22), the Laurelhurst Theater (2735 E Burnside St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 22), the Columbia Theatre - Saint Helens (212 S 1st St in St Helens, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 22), the Mount Hood Theatre (401 E Powell Blvd in Gresham, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 22), The Grand Cinema (606 Fawcett Ave in Tacoma, WA; scheduled through Thursday, December 22), the Broadway Metro (888 Willamette St in Eugene, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 22), the Pickford Film Center (1318 Bay St in Bellingham, WA; scheduled through Thursday, December 22), Living Room Theaters (341 SW 10th Ave in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 22), the Tracyton Movie House (1520 NE Riddell Rd in Bremerton, WA; scheduled through Thursday, December 22), the Cameo Theatre (304 E 1st St in Newberg, OR; scheduled through Monday, December 19), the Granada 3 Theatre (1311 Adams Ave in La Grande, OR; scheduled through Tuesday, December 22), the Yelm Cinemas (201 Prairie Park St SE in Yelm, WA; scheduled through Thursday, December 22), the Sandy Cinema (16605 Champion Way in Sandy, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 22), the Granada 3 Theatre (1311 Adams Ave in La Grande, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 22), the Joy Cinema (11959 SW Pacific Highway in Tigard, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 22), the Kelso Theater Pub (214 S Pacific in Kelso, WA; scheduled through Thursday, December 22), the Academy Theater (7818 SE Stark St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 22), the Palace Theater (200N Water St in Silverton, OR; scheduled through Monday, December 19), and the following McMenamin locations: Anderson School (18607 Bothell Way NE in Bothell, WA; scheduled through Thursday, December 22), Bagdad Theater and Pub (3702 SE Hawthorne Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 29), Grand Lodge (3505 Pacific Ave in Forest Grove, OR; scheduled to Wednesday, January 4), Old St. Francis School (700 NW Bond St in Bend, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 29), Power Station Theater (2126 SW Halsey St in Troutdale, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 5), Olympic Club (112 N Tower Ave in Centrailia, WA; scheduled through Thursday, January 5), and the St Johns Theater (8203 N Ivanhoe St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 29).

 

Please check the link to find out if the theater you want to see this feature at is showing it in 2D or 3D.  Some are doing both. 

 

Violent Night, featuring Santa Claus taking down a bunch of mercenaries, opens tonight at the Yelm Cinemas (201 Prairie Park St SE in Yelm, WA; scheduled through Wednesday, December 21), Sandy Cinema (16605 Champion Way in Sandy, OR; scheduled through Wednesday, December 21), Studio One Theaters (3945 SE Powell Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Tuesday, December 20), the Tracyton Movie House (1520 NE Riddell Rd in Bremerton, WA; scheduled through Wednesday, December 21), and the Granada 3 Theatre (1311 Adams Ave in La Grande, OR; scheduled through Tuesday, December 20).   You can read my review of the movie here.

The apocalyptic black comedy White Noise is playing at the Darkside Cinema (215 SW 4th St in Corvallis, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 22), the Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre (508 S Main St in Moscow, ID; scheduled through Sunday, December 18), and the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Wednesday, December 21). 

 

Writer/director Joanna Hogg's ghost story The Eternal Daughter, starring Tilda Swinton, is playing at the Darkside Cinema (215 SW 4th St in Corvallis, OR; scheduled through Wednesday, December 21).

 

Guillermo del Toro's stop-motion Pinocchio is showing at the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Monday, December 19).  This should be AWESOME!  Forget Netflix, check this out on the big screen, where it belongs!! 

 

 

Bones and All, a coming of age romantic cannibal road film (another film description I never expected to write), is playing at Cinema 21 (616 NW 21st Ave in Portland, OR; scheduled through Monday, December 19), and the Broadway Metro (888 Willamette St in Eugene, OR; plays through Thursday, December 22).

Strange World, the Disney animated feature about a family putting aside their issues to explore a new planet, is playing at the Yelm Cinemas (201 Prairie Park St SE in Yelm, WA; scheduled through Wednesday, December 21), and the Sandy Cinema (16605 Champion Way in Sandy, OR; scheduled through Tuesday, December 20). 

The black comedy/horror film The Menu is playing at SIFF Cinema Egyptian (805 E Pine St in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Sunday, December 18), the Laurelhurst Theater (2735 E Burnside St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 22), Studio One Theaters (3945 SE Powell Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Wednesday, December 21), Living Room Theaters (341 SW 10th Ave in Portland, OR; scheduled through Tuesday, December 20), the Darkside Cinema (215 SW 4th St in Corvallis, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 22), and Cinema 21 (616 NW 21st Ave in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 22).  Sounds like a perfect movie for Thanksgiving, if you're sick in the head like me!

The MCU's latest film, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, is playing at  the Broadway Metro (888 Willamette St in Eugene, OR; plays through Thursday, December 22), the Laurelhurst Theater (2735 E Burnside St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 22), the Yelm Cinemas (201 Prairie Park St SE in Yelm, WA; scheduled through Wednesday, December 21), the Sandy Cinema (16605 Champion Way in Sandy, OR; scheduled through Wednesday, December 21), the Tracyton Movie House (1520 NE Riddell Rd in Bremerton, WA; scheduled through Tuesday, December 20), and Studio One Theaters (3945 SE Powell Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 22). 

Black Adam is playing at the Sandy Cinema (16605 Champion Way in Sandy, OR; scheduled through Tuesday, December 20).

 

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.

Auditions

The Majestic Theatre (155 SW 2nd St in Corvallis, OR) is holding auditions for its production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street on Monday and Tuesday January 9 and 10, 2023, from 6 to 9 pm, by appointment only.  Click on the link for details.

 

December, 2022

 

Friday, December 16

 

The Fear PDX Haunted House (12219 NE Glisan St in Portland, OR) presents a holiday FEAR event, as Krampus has returned for two nights, tonight and tomorrow, from 7 to 9:30 pm.  Visit the link to purchase advance tickets (strongly recommended). 

Cinema of Horrors brings A Christmas Horror Story to the Three Rivers Mall (351 Three Rivers Dr in Kelso, WA) tonight and tomorrow.  Tickets are limited to 1000 visitors, so click the link before the event sells out.

Krampus Bremerton will be at Bremerton's newest wine bar, Grumble and Wine (322 Pacific Ave in Bremerton, WA) from 5 to 7 pm.

 

Friday Night Frights is showing the holiday classic Gremlins at the Blue Mouse Theatre (2611 N Proctor St in Tacoma, WA) tonight only at 10 pm.  Beats the hell out of anything on the Hallmark Channel!  And you can bring a new, unwrapped toy to be donated to Toys for Tots!!  Let's show Tacoma that Horror fans really do have the holiday spirit and flood the Blue Mouse with toys!

 

The Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) will also show this holiday classic tonight at 7:30 pm.

 

The Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) will screen the Horror holiday classic Krampus tonight at 11:30 pm.  It's Late Night Date Night, so bring a friend, elf or reindeer for a Two-for-One entry!

 

Violet Hex presents a queer holiday celebration and screening of Tim Burton's Batman Returns at the Clinton Street Theater (2522 SE Clinton St in Portland, OR) tonight at 8 pm.  The show includes three drag performers and a costume/best look contest.  Doors open at 7 pm.

Saturday, December 17

Experience Theatre Project presents A Drunk Christmas Carol Volume II tonight at the Beaverton Masonic Lodge (4690 SW Watson ave in Beaverton, OR).  A classically-trained theater troupe dive into the classic tale, while two of the actors will take five shots of whiskey and do their best during the reaiding.  To no one's surpirse, this is a 21 and older event.

 

CineMagic (2021 SE Hawthorne Blvd in Portland, OR) will screen the depraved and very violent 3615 Pere Noel, AKA Dial Code Santa Claus (AKA Deadly Games) tonight and tomorrow at 7 pm.  You can read my review of the film (which sounds like a gory knock-off of Home Alone, but came out a year earlier) at this link. 

 

The Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) will show Bob Clark's least family friendly holiday classic, Black Christmas tonight at 9 pm, and tomorrow at 8:30 pm. 

The 7th St Theatre (313 7th St in Hoquiam, WA) will show the 1947 Christmas fantasy Miracle on 34th Street tonight at 7:30 pm.

 

The Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) will show The Muppet Christmas Carol today at 1:30 pm, and on Wednesday, December 21, at 4:30 pm..

 

The Beacon (4405 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA) will show the Japanese animated sci fi feature Space Adventure Cobra today at 4 pm. 

The Grand Cinema (606 Fawcett Ave in Tacoma, WA) will show the Jim Carrey version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas today at 5 pm, on Monday, December 19 at 3 pm, Wednesday, December 21, at 12:45 pm.

On a less family-friendy note, The Grand Cinema (606 Fawcett Ave in Tacoma, WA) will show the Christmas horror classic Rare Exports tonight at 7 and 9 pm.

 

CineMagic (2021 SE Hawthorne Blvd in Portland, OR) will screen Batman Returns tonight at 9 pm, and on Wednesday, December 21, at 7 pm.

 

VHS Uber Alles presents a Christmas treat for you at The Grand Illusion Cinema (1403 NE 50th St in Seattle, WA) in GLORIOUS VHS tonight at 9:30 pm.  The plot involves three witchy 80s teen girls botching an anti-Christmas ritual, which awakens a very evil elf, who starts a murderous rampage while heading to the local mall the kill Santa.  Kick in a sexy sleepover party and Nazis planning to breed the elf with humans and you've got the best WTF Christmas Horror EVER! 

The Clinton Street Theater (2522 SE Clinton St in Portland, OR) is showing The Rocky Horror Picture Show without a shadowcast tonight at midnight.  Doors open at 11:30 pm. 

Sunday, December 18

Crypticon Seattle brings the depraved and very violent 3615 Pere Noel, AKA Dial Code Santa Claus (AKA Deadly Games) to the Renton Civic Theatre (507 S 3rd St in Renton, WA) as the holiday screening of Flicks from the Crypt tonight at 7 pm.  You can read my review of the film (which sounds like a gory knock-off of Home Alone, but came out a year earlier) at this link.

UPDATE:  The feature will be preceded by three Northwest short films: Art House, The Cookie Crumbles and Night of the Living Trees.

 

Church of Film brings Juraj Jukubisko's The Feather Fairy, adapted from the Brother's Grimm tale Mother Hulda, to the Red Fox (5128 N Albina Ave in Portland, OR) tonight at 7 pm.  The screening is outdoors in a covered, heated area.

 

The Egyptian Theatre (229 S Broadway in Coos Bay, OR) will host a FREE screening of Jim Carrey's How the Grinch Stole Christmas, in conjunction with the Every Child Coos pajama drive for local youth in care.

 

The Grand Cinema (606 Fawcett Ave in Tacoma, WA) will show Joe Dante's horror Christmas classic Gremlins tonight at 4 pm, and Thursday, December 22, at 3 pm..

The Tracyton Movie House (1520 NE Riddell Rd in Bremerton, WA) will show the Jim Carrey holiday comedy How the Grinch Stole Christmas today at 2 pm.

It wouldn't be December without a screening of It's a Wonderful Life.  Fathom Events brings the film back to theaters nationwide today and on Wednesday, December 21.  Click on the link to find a theater near you.

 

Tuesday, December 20

 

Krampus Seattle and Krampus Bremerton will be at Kringle's Filling Station (8211 Aurora Ave N in Seattle, WA) from 6 to 10 pm tonight.  Get your tickets at the link.

 

It's a holiday tradition for the Grindhouse Film Festival to screen the killer Santa film Silent Night, Deadly Night in GLORIOUS 35mm.  Check it out on the big screen at 7:30 pm tonight at the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR).  I suggest buying advance tickets, as these screenings sell out.  

 

CMNYK and the Darkside Cinema (215 SW 4th St in Corvallis, OR) brings The Astral Factor to the Sci Fi Extravaganza series tonight at 7 pm.  Preshow starts at 6:15 pm.

The Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) will show The Nightmare Before Christmas at 6 pm, Edward Scissorhands at 7:45 pm, and Batman Returns at 10 pm.  You can watch just one, or make it a Tim Burton triple feature for one low price.

The Moscow Film Society presents Edward Scissorhands at 7 pm tonight at the Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre (508 S Main St in Moscow, ID).

Wednesday, December 21

Re-Imagined Radio will perform A Radio Christmas Carol live at the Kiggins Theatre (1101 Main St in Vancouver, WA) tonight at 7 pm.

The Wyrd Winter Solstice 2022 takes place for 5 to 10 pm tonight at Wyrd Leather and Mead (4515 SE 41st Ave in Portland, OR).  There will be mulled mead, fireside tales, ambiance music, solstice food exclusives and MORE!

 

The Darkside Cinema (215 SW 4th St in Corvallis, OR) will show the Christmas slasher Don't Open till Christmas (from the producers of Pieces, so you know what you're getting into) tonight at 7 pm. 

 

 

The Tracyton Movie House (1520 NE Riddell Rd in Bremerton, WA) will show the holiday horror film Krampus tonight at 9 pm.

Don't tell George, but Re-Run Theater will show the Star Wars Holiday Special after the Black Adder Christmas Carol at the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) tonight starting at 7:30 pm.

 

The Whiteside Theatre (361 SW Madison Ave in Corvallis, OR) is showing the Fantasy holiday classic It's a Wonderful Life tonight at 7 pm.

 

It is also showing at the Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre (508 S Main St in Moscow, ID; scheduled through Friday, December 23).

 

Thursday, December 22 

The Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) will show the creepy holiday classic Rare Exports tonight at 7:30 and 9:30 pm.

 

UPDATE: The 7:30 pm showing is SOLD OUT.

 

The Beacon (4405 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA) will show Finnish filmmaker Paivi Hartzell's adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, The Snow Queen, tonight at 7:30 pm.

 

The Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) will show The Nightmare Before Christmas today at 4:15 pm.

 

The Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) will show the holdiay fantasy It's a Wonderful Life tonight at 6 pm, and on Saturday, December 24, at 6 pm. 

Friday, December 23

The Krampus Ball takes place at 7 pm tonight at The BAD Space (2572 19th St in Southeast Salem, OR).  Dress in standard holiday fare, or Krampus grab, and bring the kids, as this event is all ages.  Just make sure they haven't been naughty this year.

The Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) will show Guillermo Del Toro's stop motion classic (yeah, I'm calling it that) Pinocchio today at 6 pm.

The Rio Theatre (1660  East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) will show the Christmas action classic Die Hard tonight at 11:30 pm.

I've read a few articles on adding this film to the holiday action flick catagory, and I can agree with them. Weird Elephant at The Grand Cinema (606 Fawcett Ave in Tacoma, WA) will show The Long Kiss Goodnight tonight and tomorrow at 10 pm.  Seriously, it's a Lifetime Christmas movie with F-bombs and terrorists, and Geena Davis as a kick-ass action hero.

Saturday, December 24

 

The Beacon (4405 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA) will show the slasher Christmas Evil, about a Santa-obsessed man who begins killing people he considers bad, tonight at 8 pm.  Just so you know, this film came out four years before Silent Night, Deadly Night.

Spend Christmas (early) morning at the Clinton Street Theater (2522 SE Clinton St in Portland, OR) watching The Rocky Horror Picture Show without a shadowcast tonight at midnight.  Doors open at 11:30 pm. 

 

Wednesday, December 28

 

The Whiteside Theatre (361 SW Madison Ave in Corvallis, OR) is showing the George Lucas Sci Fi classic Star Wars, with the local 501st Cloud City Garrison (501st Legion) and Kashyyyk Base (Rebel Legion) today at 7 pm.

 

Friday, December 30

 

 

Writer/director Joanna Hogg's ghost story The Eternal Daughter, starring Tilda Swinton, opens tonight at The Grand Illusion Cinema (1403 NE 50th St in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Thursday, January 5).

 

Looks like you have another place to do the Time Warp again!  The Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) is showing The Rocky Horror Picture Show, hosted by the Geekenders, tonight at 11:45 pm.  Doors open at 11 pm.

Saturday, December 31

Kathryn Bigelow's underseen sci fi noir film Strange Days is being showing in GLORIOUS 35mm at The Grand Illusion Cinema (1403 NE 50th St in Seattle, WA) through Monday, January 2.

Kick in the New Year doing the Time Warp again at the Clinton Street Theater (2522 SE Clinton St in Portland, OR) as they show The Rocky Horror Picture Show without a shadowcast tonight at midnight.  Doors open at 11 pm.