Looks like temperatures are going to be dropping across the Pacific Northwest next weekend, and while the potential for snow seems to be confined to mountain ranges right now, that could easily change. Which is fine with me, as long as I'm home this time, and not stuck at work when the buses stopped running.
Snow or not, I have the feeling this might be me after bicycling to work one morning.
If you see something you want to attend in this edition of the Weekly Update, be sure to take the weather into account. If snowy or icy roads exist in your area, use the links provided to see if the venue has closed due to the conditions. You don't want to be driving in hazardous conditions only to find out you have to head home after you arrive.
As for the Horror/Sci Fi/Fantasy Calendar, I've added more to the page, including an event taking place in October. You can start planning out your year, but be sure to keep checking back. As always, I'll be adding more in the coming months.
Well, I have to get back to the day job. Stay safe, keep warm, and I'll be back next weekend with another Weekly Update from The Shadow Over Portland.
Happening This Week
Live Attractions
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
The French adult sci fi animated classic Fantastic Planet is playing at the Academy Theatre (7818 SE Stark St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 11).
The sci fi classic Forbidden Planet is playing at the Academy Theatre (7818 SE Stark St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 11).
The Empirical Theater at OMSI (1945 SE Water Ave in Portland, OR) will show The Lord of the Rings trilogy, screening one film a day from Friday, January 5, until Sunday, January 7. This is an encore screening, as the December screenings were SOLD OUT.
The rom/com sci fi musical Earth Girls are Easy is playing at Central Cinema (1411 21st Ave in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Tuesday, January 9).
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.
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 Thursday, January 11), the Sandy Cinema (16605 Champion Way in Sandy, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 11), the St Johns Twin Cinema (8704 N Lombard St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 11), Studio One (3945 SE Powell Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 11), the Yelm Cinema (201 Prairie Park St SE in Yelm, WA; scheduled through Thursday, January 11), and the Academy Theatre (7818 SE Stark St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 11).
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 11), the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 11), The Grand Cinema (606 Fawcett Ave in Tacoma, WA; scheduled through Thursday, January 11), the Metro Cinemas (888 Willamette St in Eugene, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 11), the Laurelhurst Theater (2735 E Burnside St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, Thursday, January 11), the Pickford Film Center (1318 Bay St in Bellingham, WA; scheduled through Thursday, January 11), the Living Room Theaters (341 SW 10th Ave in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 11), Studio One (3945 SE Powell Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 11), the SIFF Cinema Uptown (511 Queen Anne Ave N in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Thursday, January 11), and the Salem Cinema (1127 Broadway St NE in Salem, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 11).
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).
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, January 11), the Laurelhurst Theater (2735 E Burnside St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, Thursday, January 11), the Hollywood Theater (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Sunday, January 7), the Darkside Cinema (215 SW 4th St in Corvallis, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 11), the Academy Theatre (7818 SE Stark St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 11), The Grand Cinema (606 Fawcett Ave in Tacoma, WA; scheduled through Thursday, January 11), the St Johns Twin Cinema (8704 N Lombard St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 11), and the Living Room Theaters (341 SW 10th Ave in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, January 11).
The film opens on Thursday, January 18, at the Capitol Theater (206 5th Ave SE in Olympia, 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.
The dark comedy fantasy Dream Scenario, starring Nicolas Cage, is playing at the Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) will show the film at 4:45pm on Friday, January 5, and at 9:15 pm on Tuesday, January 9.
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
Friday, January 5
The sci fi/horror classic Alien plays at The Grand Cinema (606 Fawcett Ave in Tacoma, WA) tonight and tomorrow night at 10 pm.
VHS Night at CineMagic (2021 SE Hawthorne Blvd in Portland, OR) will show Larry Cohen's Q - The Winged Serpent tonight at 10 pm in GLORIOUS VHS. VHS trailers start at 9:30 pm.
The Wizard of Oz is playing today at 7 pm, and tomorrow at 2 pm, at the Egyptian Theatre (229 S Broadway in Coos Bay, OR).
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Grab your multipass and head to the Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) for a screening of the sci fi cult classic The Fifth Element tonight at 11:30 pm.
Saturday, January 6
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.
The Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) will show the entire extended versions of The Lord of the Rings trilogy today starting at 11 am. You can come in costume, or in comfy PJs, and be prepared for trivia, games prizes and MORE!
The 4K restoration of James Cameron's The Abyss: Special Edition is playing at The Grand Illusion Cinema (1403 NE 50th St in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Wednesday, January 10).
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The Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) will show John Carpenter's sci fi/horror classic The Thing in GLORIOUS 35mm tonight at 9:30 pm.
The Beacon (4405 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA) will screen the shot-on-video horror film from Mark and John Polonia, Hallucinations tonight at 9:30 pm. Be prepared for a wild night, as the film contains a slasher, severed limbs and, well, a giant penis monster lurking in the shower.
As part of the monthly Studio Ghibli series, the Pickford Film Center (1318 Bay St in Bellingham, WA) will screen Princess Mononoke through Wednesday, January 10.
Steven Spielberg's classic Jaws is playing at Cinema 21 (616 NW 21st Ave in Portland, OR) today at 11 am.
The Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) is screening the cannibalistic black comedy Delicatessen tonight and tomorrow night at 7 pm.
Sunday, January 7
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 Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) will show The Abyss: Special Edition tonight at 8:45 pm.
Monday, January 8
The Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) will screen Labyrinth, to celebrate David Bowie's 76th birthday, tonight at 7:30 pm. The film is also screening at the Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) tonight at 8:20 pm.
Tuesday, January 9
Burlynomicon - A Darkly Decadent Review kicks off 2024 tonight at The Coffin Club (421 SE Grand Ave in Portland, OR). Doors open at 7 pm, the show starts at 8 pm, and there is a two drink minimum. Advance tickets are available. This is a 21 and older event.
The Kung Fu Theater series at the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) will screen the gory Shogun Assassin in GLORIOUS 35mm tonight at 7:30 pm. This is the American cut of the first two Lone Wolf and Cub movies, focusing more on the bloody battles than following the plot of the films. But the battles are AWESOME.
Wednesday, January 10
The Moscow Film Society brings American Psycho to the Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre (508 S Main St in Moscow, ID) tonight at 7 pm.
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The Admiral Theatre (515 Pacific Ave in Bremerton, WA) is showing Steven Spielberg's sci fi classic Close Encounters of the Third Kind tonight at 7 pm.
Thursday, January 11
The Science and a Movie series at Central Cinema (1411 21st Ave in Seattle, WA) presents Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, with scientist Cate-Chaos Sanders discussing the scientific facts about cannibalism, tonight at 8 pm.
Friday, January 12
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.
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.
The Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) will show John Carpenter's sci fi/horror classic The Thing tonight at 11:30 pm.
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).
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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.
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.