The new year will be here soon, and I'm planning make a few changes on the site. I'm not going to stop posting the live events, markets and cons taking place around the Pacific Northwest, but I will adjust the type of movies I post about on the the site, as I feel things are getting a bit cluttered.
So much stuff to see, it's driving me INSANE!
As you know, I added to the types of movies I post about, as many local second run theaters switched to showing first run movies. It was a move these theaters had to make, since the much of the audience for older features were now watching them at home. I want to support these theaters, but I think The Shadow Over Portland has moved away from the original intent I had for starting it.
I'm not going to stop listing all first run features. Indie Horror/Sci Fi/Fantasy films are still making it into theaters, such as films from A24, Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio, The Menu and Violent Night, fit what I intended for the site.
But superhero movies, while fantasies, aren't films I intended to put on the site when I started. Now, if one plays after its initial run (like Batman Returns showing up this holiday season), I'll post about it. During their first run, however, I will stop listing them as of 2023. I'll admit, adding them to the site has put a bit of strain on me, but I also feel these features will draw your attention regardless of whether they're on the site or not.
The same with massive blockbusters like Avatar: The Way of Water. Again, I feel you don't need me telling you where such films are playing. Instead, you need to know what VHS Uber Alles is showing at The Grand Illusion, what 70mm film is at the Hollywood Theatre, what is the Rio Theatre has playing, and the crazy stuff showing at The Beacon.
I expect this will make the site easier to read, and it will free up some time for me, which I plan to use on getting caught up on some personal projects (more on that later), and launching The Shadow Over Portland Podcast in early 2023.
Now, this will not be me reading the Weekly Update every week. That would be boring. Instead, I plan to interview the people creating the great Horror/Sci Fi/Fantasy films and events in the Pacific Northwest that you read about here. I want to give them a space to talk about their projects, their inspirations, and give you a chance to support their efforts. It's going to be interesting, so I hope you tune in.
This won't affect either Weekly Update or the Horror/Sci Fi/Fantasy Calendar. You'll still find the updates every Friday, and the calendar will be updated a bit more frequently. And, once the podcast comes out, you can hear from all the creative people putting on the events you read about on the site.
That said, let's get to the Weekly Update. And be sure to check out the Horror/Sci Fi/Fantasy Calendar, to start your 2023 planning
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
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.
Krampus Bremerton
has a full December, with various events taking place through December
16. Visit the link for all the details of events happening in
Bremerton, WA.
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 The holiday horror film
Krampus comes to the
Joy Cinema (11959 SW Pacific Highway in Tigard, OR; showtimes to be announced).
The animated film
Rise of the Guardians opens today at the
Academy Theater (7818 SE Stark St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 15).
The Jim Carrey film
How The Grinch Stole Christmas is playing at the
Cameo Theatre (304 E 1st St in Newberg, OR; scheduled through Sunday, December 11).
McMenamin
Kennedy School (5736 NE 33rd Ave in Portland, OR) will show the Bill Murray holiday comedy
Scrooged through Thursday, December 15.
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
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 Thursday, December 15),
Sandy Cinema (16605 Champion Way in Sandy, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 15),
Studio One Theaters (3945 SE Powell Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Wednesday, December 14), the
Yelm Cinemas (201 Prairie Park St SE in Yelm, WA; scheduled through Thursday, December 15), the
Tracyton Movie House (1520 NE Riddell Rd in Bremerton, WA; scheduled through Wednesday, December 14),
Laurelhurst Theater (2735 E Burnside St in Portland, OR; ends on Wednesday, December 14) the
Granada 3 Theatre (1311 Adams Ave in La Grande, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 15), and the following McMenamin locations:
Anderson School (18607 Bothell Way NE in Bothell, WA; scheduled through Wednesday, December 14), and the
Bagdad Theater and Pub (3702 SE Hawthorne Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Wednesday, December 14), and the
St Johns Theater (8203 N Ivanhoe St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Wednesday, December 14). You can read my review of the movie
here.
This might become another Holiday Horror classic!
The Grand Illusion Cinema (1403 NE 50th St in Seattle, WA) is showing
Christmas Bloody Christmas,
where a record store owner must stop a homicidal ROBOTIC Santa Claus
from slashing up the town, through Thursday, December 15.
The apocalyptic black comedy
White Noise opens today at the
Laurelhurst Theater (2735 E Burnside St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 15), the
Darkside Cinema (215 SW 4th St in Corvallis, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 15), and the
Hollywood Theatre
(4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 15).
Writer/director Joanna Hogg's ghost story
The Eternal Daughter, starring Tilda Swinton, opens tonight at
Studio One Theaters (3945 SE Powell Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Wednesday, December 14),
The Grand Cinema (606 Fawcett Ave in Tacoma, WA; scheduled through Thursday, December 15), the
Darkside Cinema (215 SW 4th St in Corvallis, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 15), and the
Pickford Film Center (1318 Bay St in Bellingham, WA; scheduled through Thursday, December 15).
Guillermo del Toro's stop-motion
Pinocchio is showing at
CineMagic (2021 SE Hawthorne Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 15), the
Joy Cinema (11959 SW Pacific Highway in Tigard, OR; showtimes to be announced), and the
Hollywood Theatre
(4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday,
December 15). 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), starts tonight at
Cinema 21 (616 NW 21st Ave in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 15), the
Broadway Metro (888 Willamette St in Eugene, OR; plays through Thursday, December 15),
Studio One Theaters (3945 SE Powell Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Wednesday, December 14), and
SIFF Cinema Uptown (511 Queen Anne Ave N in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Thursday, December 15).
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 14), the
Tracyton Movie House (1520 NE Riddell Rd in Bremerton, WA; scheduled through Wednesday, December 14),
Studio One Theaters (3945 SE Powell Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Wednesday, December 14), the
Blue Mouse Theatre (2611 N Proctor St in Tacoma, WA; scheduled through Monday, December 12), and the
Sandy Cinema (16605 Champion Way in Sandy, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 15).
The black comedy/horror film
The Menu is playing at
SIFF Cinema Egyptian (805 E Pine St in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Thursday, December 15), the
Laurelhurst Theater (2735 E Burnside St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 15),
Sandy Cinema (16605 Champion Way in Sandy, OR; scheduled through Wednesday, December 14), the
Broadway Metro (888 Willamette St in Eugene, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 15),
Studio One Theaters (3945 SE Powell Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Wednesday, December 14),
Living Room Theaters (341 SW 10th Ave in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 15), the
Darkside Cinema (215 SW 4th St in Corvallis, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 15), the
Granada 3 Theatre (1311 Adams Ave in La Grande, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 15)
St Johns Twin Cinema (8704 N Lombard St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Wednesday, December 15), the
Academy Theater (7818 SE Stark St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 15), the
Liberty Theatre (315 NE 4th Ave in Camas, WA; scheduled through Thursday, December 15), and
Cinema 21
(616 NW 21st Ave in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December
15). 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 15), the
Laurelhurst Theater (2735 E Burnside St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 15), the
Yelm Cinemas (201 Prairie Park St SE in Yelm, WA; scheduled through Wednesday, December 14), the
Sandy Cinema (16605 Champion Way in Sandy, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 15), the
Tracyton Movie House (1520 NE Riddell Rd in Bremerton, WA; scheduled through Wednesday, December 14), and
Studio One Theaters (3945 SE Powell Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Wednesday, December 14).
Black Adam is playing at the
Sandy Cinema (16605 Champion Way in Sandy, OR; scheduled through Wednesday, December 14).
Film Festival Submission Information
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 9
Torchsong Theater Company brings the parody show
Villains and Vixens: Holiday Edition to the
Samaritan Odd Fellows Lodge (10282 SE Main St in Milwaukie, OR) this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Suggest for ages 8 and up.
The
Spirits of Christmas Ghost Tours takes place on Friday and Satuday, December 9, 10, 16 and 17. The tours start proptly at 7 pm at
Haunted Oregon City
(816 Main St in Oregon City, OR). Visit the link to purchase advance
tickets and get more details. Please not, this tour is not recommended
for those who can't easily walk 1.25 miles. If you can not use stairs,
contact Haunted Oregon City prior to the event, so an alternative route
or solution can be found.
Strange Fellows Brewing (1345 Clark Dr in Vancouver, BC) is hosting
Krampusmarkt,
an old-world inspired Winter Market hosted by Krampus. Hours at 6 to
10 pm today, 11 am to 6 pm tomorrow, and 11 am to 4 pm on Sunday.
The 1979 sci fi/horror epic
The Visitor,
about an intergalactic warrior joining a cosmic Christ figure to battle
a demonic eight-year-old girl and her pet hawk, will be at
The Beacon (4405 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA) tonight at 9:30 pm.
The
Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) will screen a 30th anniversary celebration of
Batman Returns tonight at 11:30 pm.
The
Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) will show Disney's
Tron in GLORIOUS 70mm tonight at 7:30 pm. Yeah, you need to check it out if you can. It will look AMAZING!
Saturday, December 10
December Trade Night and Gift Party takes place from 5 to 7 pm at
Rogue Toys Portland
(10414 SE 82 Ave in Portland, OR). The raffle prizes will be festively
wrapped, and there will be a white elephant style gift exchange (bring a
new wrapped toy under $30 to participate).
Please note, this is an old poster and still lists the late Jim Winburn as attending.
And we have the first announced screening of the classic holiday film,
Die Hard, taking place at the
Hollywood Theatre
(4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) tonight and tomorrow at 7 pm.
Argue with me all you want, I will forever believe this is the greatest
Christmas movie ever made.
Another Christmas classic,
Black Christmas, is at the
Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) tonight at 9 pm and tomorrow at 8:30 pm.
The
Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) is showing
2001: A Space Odyssey
in GLORIOUS 70mm today at 2 pm. I assume this is the version they
purchased years ago, and when I saw it, I was BLOWN OUT OF THE BACK OF
THE THEATER! It's gorgeous and you need to see it if you can!!
The Muppet Christmas Carol is showing today and tomorrow at 11 am, and at 7 pm Wednesday, December 14, at
SIFF Cinema Uptown (511 Queen Anne Ave N in Seattle, WA).
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.
The film is also being show at the
Blue Mouse Theatre (2611 N Proctor St in Tacoma, WA). Doors open at 11 pm.
Sunday, December 11
The
Market of Mysteries, a realm of oddities, mystical treasures and magical creatures, is open from 11 am to 5 pm at
John Fluevog Portland (1224 SW Stark St in Portland, OR). Admission is FREE.
The
Olympia Film Society will screen the Brendan Fraser comedy
Monkeybone in GLORIOUS 35mm at the
Capitol Theater (206 5th Ave SE in Olympia, WA) today at 4 pm.
The
Liberty Theatre (1203 Commercial St in Astoria, OR) will show
The Muppet Christmas Carol
today at 2 pm. Admission is FREE, so use the money you saved on the
new concessions area for holiday goodies that are fun for all ages.
Fathom Events brings
Evangelion: 3.0+1.01 Thrice Upon a Time to theaters tonight. Check the link to find a theater near you.
Monday, December 12
Bob Clark's holiday classic (not that one!)
Black Christmas plays at 7 pm tonight at
SIFF Cinema Uptown (511 Queen Anne Ave N in Seattle, WA).
What, James Nguyen was able to made a THIRD film in the series?
Birdemic 3: Sea Eagle comes to the
Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) tonight at 7:30 pm.
By Crom,
Fathom Events brings
Conan the Barbarian to theaters tonight and tomorrow. Check the link to find a theater near you.
Tuesday, December 13
The final
Burlynomicon
of 2022 takes place tonight at The Coffin Club (421 SE Grand in
Portland, OR) at 8 pm. The performance will be in the BRAND NEW crypt
showroom, with vendors selling dark and decadent wares. Doors open at 7
pm, and advance tickets are highly recommended.
Raven's Manor (235 SW 1st Ave in Portland, OR) will host the
Traveling Vampire Show, which plans to help you find your shadow self by engaging with the secret society of
Descente.
Visit the link to request an invitation, which is required for
admission. The society meeting starts at 8 pm. This event is for those
21 or older.
The
Moscow Film Society will screen Joe Dante's holiday horror/comedy classic
Gremlins at the
Kenworthy Performing Arts Center (508 S Main St in Moscow, ID) tonight at 7 pm.
Wednesday, December 14
Church of Film brings
Russian Fairy Tale Animation, a collection of short fairy tale films from Soyuzmultfilm, the Soviet Union's best animation studio, to the
Clinton Street Theater (2522 SE Clinton St in Portland, OR) tonight at 8 pm.
The
Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) will show
Star Trek Generations tonight at 7:30 pm.
Thursday, December 15
Night Flight Aerial and Circus Arts brings
The Night Circus to
Raven's Manor (235 SW 1st Ave in Portland, OR) for three showings tonight only. VIP seating will be available late in November.
The Beacon
(4405 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA) will show the 1937 Yiddish-language
Polish film about death, possession and unfulfilled passions,
The Dybbuk, tonight at 7:30 pm.
Central Cinema (1411 21st Ave in Seattle, WA) will screen the holiday Horror classic
Gremlins, hosted by Baron Von Terror, tonight at 8 pm.
The (maybe) long awaited sequel to James Cameron's 2009 blockbuster,
Avatar: The Way of Water, opens tonight 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), 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).
It opens on Friday, December 16, at
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), and the
Palace Theater (200N Water St in Silverton, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 22).
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.
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!
The
Kiggins Theatre (1101 Main St in Vancouver, WA) will show
The Muppet Christmas Carol through Tuesday, December 20
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.
Central Cinema (1411 21st Ave in Seattle, WA) will screen the holiday classic
Die Hard through Wednesday, December 21.
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
Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) will show
The Muppet Christmas Carol today at 1:30 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.
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.
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.