Happy Holidays to All!

I hope everyone is having a merry holiday season.  I know, things can get stressful, so I'm here with another edition of the Weekly Update, should you need to find some Horror/Sci Fi/Fantasy event to get away from all the holiday hassles.

I want to apologize for missing last week's update, but it wasn't the merriest week at work, and the stress really drained me last Friday and Saturday.  Not to mention I developed a case of vertigo that lasted several hours earlier in the week.  I couldn't get out of bed without feeling like I was spinning, and had to lean against the walls just to make a trip to the bathroom.  That was not fun, but it appears I was lucky, as most cases linger for days or longer.  And believe me, that would have sucked!

Yeah, it was kind of like what Richard Dreyfuss is experiencing on his boat.

Anyway, I'm back, and this edition of the Weekly Update takes us to the end of 2023.  As for 2024, I've already started working upcoming events and cons taking place throughout the Pacific Northwest, and you'll find all the details at the Horror/Sci Fi/Fantasy Calendar.

Just to give a preview of what you'll find, I've got information on Wyrd War's multi-day March into Fantasy, featuring movies, music and an art show at three different venues in mid-March.  I've got guest updates for Crypticon Seattle, Emerald City Comic Con, and the Washington State Summer Con.  And you'll find a link to next month's 2024 Studio Ghibli Film Fest at OMSI.  I'm sure I'll find even more to include in the coming weeks, so keep checking back!

Oh great, just about time to get back to the day job.  I just have to get through the next few hours, then I can settle in for three days off.  

Again, happy holidays to all, and I'll be back next week with a look at the start of 2024!

Happening This Week

Live Attractions 

Strangest Things Haunted Farm (8917 Sprague Rd in Eugene, OR) opens its 2023 Christmas Haunt tonight.  The attraction is open Friday and Saturday, December 15, 16, 22 and 23, with a final chance to get scared on Saturday, December 30.

Kate Hamill's adaptation of Bram Stoker's novel, Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really, will be at the U.S. Bank Main Stage at the Portland Center Stage at the Armory (128 NW 11th Ave in Portland, OR) through Sunday, December 24.  Sounds like a great way to spend Christmas Eve!  The show is in previews from Sunday, November 26 to Thursday, November 30, with the opening on Friday, December 1.  

The Halloween Cultural Preservation Museum closes for good after Sunday, December 31.  The museum is located in Lloyd Center (2201 Lloyd Center in Portland, OR), on the second floor inside the former Spenser's, next to Brickdeculous.  Admission is $5 to $8.

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.

 

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

Joe Dante's holiday horror classic Gremlins is playing at McMenamins Kennedy School  (5736 NE 33rd Ave in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 28).

Frank Capra's holiday fantasy classic, It's a Wonderful Life, is playing at The Grand Illusion Cinema (1403 NE 50th St in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Thursday, December 28 in GLORIOUS 35mm) the Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre (508 S Main St in Moscow, ID); scheduled through Saturday, December 23), the Kiggins Theatre (1011 Main St in Vancouver, WA; scheduled through Monday, December 25), and the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Sunday, December 24, but all showings except on December 23 are SOLD OUT).

The Olympia Film Society Kids Club is showing The Nightmare Before Christmas every Sunday at 1 pm through December 24 at the Capitol Theater (206 5th Ave SE in Olympia, WA).  Kids 12 and under are admitted FREE.

First Run Features  

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, December 28), the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 28), The Grand Cinema (606 Fawcett Ave in Tacoma, WA; scheduled through Thursday, December 28), SIFF Cinema Egyptian (805 E Pine St in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Thursday, December 28), the Metro Cinemas (888 Willamette St in Eugene, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 28), the Laurelhurst Theater (2735 E Burnside St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 28), the Pickford Film Center (1318 Bay St in Bellingham, WA; scheduled through Thursday, December 28),  the Living Room Theaters (341 SW 10th Ave in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 28), and the Salem Cinema (1127 Broadway St NE in Salem, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 28).

Godzilla Minus One is playing at the Yelm Cinema (201 Prairie Park St SE in Yelm, WA; scheduled through Sunday, December 24), the Ark Lodge Cinemas (4816 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Sunday, December 24).

Hayao Miyazaki's latest animated feature, The Boy and the Heron, is playing at Cinema 21 (616 NW 21st Ave in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 28), the Laurelhurst Theater (2735 E Burnside St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 28), SIFF Cinema Uptown (511 Queen Anne Ave N in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Thursday, December 28), the Living Room Theaters (341 SW 10th Ave in Portland, OR; scheduled through Sunday, December 24), the Hollywood Theater (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Wednesday, January 3), the Pickford Film Center (1318 Bay St in Bellingham, WA; scheduled through Sunday, December 24), the Ark Lodge Cinemas (4816 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Sunday, December 24), and the Academy Theatre (7818 SE Stark St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 28).  

It opens on Thursday, December 28, at the North Bend Theatre (125 Bendigo Blvd N in North Bend, WA; scheduled through Saturday, December 30).

Okay, I've edited this to make it easier to read.  Please check the links to find out if the dubbed or subtitled version is playing at the theater near you.

The dark comedy fantasy Dream Scenario, starring Nicolas Cage, is playing at the Metro Cinemas (888 Willamette St in Eugene, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 28), and the Darkside Cinema (215 SW 4th St in Corvallis, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 28).

The film opens on Thursday, December 28, at the Capitol Theater (206 5th Ave SE in Olympia, WA; scheduled through Thursday, January 4), and opens on Tuesday, December 26, at the Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC; scheduled through Friday, December 29).

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.

December, 2023  

Friday, December 22

Yippee ki-yay, motherf*er!  Weird Elephant at The Grand Cinema (606 Fawcett Ave in Tacoma, WA) will screen the Christmas classic Die Hard tonight and tomorrow.

The film is also playing at the Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) tonight at 11:30 pm. and the Tracyton Movie House (1520 NE Riddell Rd in Bremerton, WA; scheduled through Sunday, December 24).

The Finnish Christmas horror film Rare Exports plays through Monday, December 24, at the Darkside Cinema (215 SW 4th St in Corvallis, OR).

The Night of a Thousand Pee-Wees at the PAM CUT Tomorrow Theater (3530 SE Division St in Portland, OR) concludes with a screening of the feature film Buffy the Vampire Slayer (remember, he was a vampire) tonight 9 pm.  The link has all the other Pee Wee goodness being shown.

The Nightmare Before Christmas is playing today at 7 pm, and tomorrow at 2 pm, at the Egyptian Theatre (229 S Broadway in Coos Bay, OR).

Saturday, December 23

Yippee Ki Yay, Mother F*er!  The Centralia Ballet brings the Christmas action classic Die Hard to the McFiler's Chehalis Theater (558 N Market Blvd in Chehalis, WA) tonight at 8:45 pm.  No ballet will be done during the film, which is too bad.  That would have been fun.

The film is also playing at the Deeply Rooted Bar (4765 NE Fremont St in Portland, OR) tonight at 7 pm, with De'voreaux Sefas White (who played Argyle in the film) in attendance.  Tickets are still available.

The Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) is screening Frank Capra's holiday classic It's a Wonderful Life tonight at 7 pm.

The Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) will show Tyler MacIntyre's slasher take on the Frank Capra classic, It's a Wonderful Knife, tonight at 10 pm.  Oh, I didn't know the Rio is in the film, and the filmmakers will be in attendance.  You can read my review of the film here.

The Beacon (4405 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA) is showing the Bob Clark Christmas classic (no, the other one!) Black Christmas tonight at 7 pm.  You can read my review of the film here.

The Beacon (4405 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA) will show Baivi Hartzell's The Snow Queen tonight at 9:30 pm.

The Finnish Christmas horror film Rare Exports plays tonight and tomorrow at the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR).

Sunday, December 24

The Muppet Christmas Carol is playing at the Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) today at 10:45 am.

The Finnish Christmas horror film Rare Exports is playing at the Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) tonight at 8 pm.

The Beacon (4405 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA) will screen two episodes from the BBC's A Ghost Story for Christmas tonight at 5 pm.  The episodes are an adaptation of Charles Dickens' The Signalman and the adaptation of M.R. James' Whistle and I'll Come to You.

The North Bend Theatre (125 Bendigo Blvd N in North Bend, WA) is screening Frank Capra's holiday classic It's a Wonderful Life today at 11 am.

Tuesday, December 26

The mini-Carpenter Fest at Central Cinema (1411 21st Ave in Seattle, WA) opens tonight with two screenings of his first movie, Dark Star, at 7 and 9:30 pm.

The Lord of the Rings Week at the Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre (508 S Main St in Moscow, ID) is showing the extended versions of each film through Friday, December 29, with a full day marathon on Thursday, December 28.  Visit the link for details and showtimes.

The Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) will show Stanley Kubrick's sci fi classic 2001: A Space Odyssey in GLORIOUS 70mm through Saturday, December 30.  Look, if you haven't see the film is this format, do not miss this opportunity if you can see it.  It's just hypnotic.  

Wednesday, December 27

Church of Film brings the Finnish version off The Snow Queen will play at the Clinton Street Theater (2522 SE Clinton St in Portland, OR) tonight at 7 pm.

The mini-Carpenter Fest at Central Cinema (1411 21st Ave in Seattle, WA) continues tonight with two screenings of his Satanic classic, Prince of Darkness, at 7 and 9:30 pm.

If you're still in the mood for some cheesy Christmas films, check out Santa Claus vs. The Devil at 7 pm tonight at the Whiteside Theatre (361 SW Madison Ave in Corvallis, OR).

Thursday, December 28

The mini-Carpenter Fest at Central Cinema (1411 21st Ave in Seattle, WA) continues tonight with a Hecklevision screening of Escape from L.A. at 8 pm.

Friday, December 29

The mini-Carpenter Fest at Central Cinema (1411 21st Ave in Seattle, WA) concludes with his sci fi/horror classic, The Thing, with screenings tonight and tomorrow at 7 and 9:30 pm.

Maleficent - Mistress of Evil is playing today at 7 pm, and tomorrow at 2 pm, at the Egyptian Theatre (229 S Broadway in Coos Bay, OR).

Saturday, December 30

The last screening for 2023 at the Clinton Street Theater (2522 SE Clinton St in Portland, OR) is the Swedish vampire film Let the Right One In, presented by Queer Screams Film Festival, tonight at 7 pm.  Tickets are on sale now.

The Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) is showing The Dark Crystal today at 11:45 pm, and on Monday, January 1, at 1:45 pm.

Neil Breen's sci fi film Cade: The Tortured Crossing is playing at The Grand Illusion Cinema (1403 NE 50th St in Seattle, WA) tonight at 9:15 pm.

Sunday, December 31

The Social Cinema series at the PAM CUT Tomorrow Theater (3530 SE Division St in Portland, OR) brings Ghostbusters II back to the big screen tonight at 6 pm.  It seems fitting, as the film takes place on New Years Eve.  The Portland Ghostbusters will kick off the evening with some pre-show fun.  Doors open at 5 pm.