Happy Alien Day!

I forgot this was happening today, but I should have guessed, as Alien is playing in several theaters.   

A day celebrating me?  You probably can't tell, but I'm smiling right now!

Of course, this edition of the Weekly Update has plenty of other events, including news on May the Fourth, more screenings of Dawn of the Dead, the Paranormal Cirque II stop in Redmond, WA, and much more!

If you want to know were else the Paranormal Cirque is pitching its big top, or look at events coming later in the year, head over to the Horror/Sci Fi/Fantasy Calendar and check out all the great things happening in the Pacific Northwest for the rest of the year and beyond!  Remember, I keep adding to the site every few days, so keep checking back.

While I do my best to find and list events, it's easy to miss a few, especially with Facebook algorithms determining what they think I want to see.  So, if you want to make sure your event shows up on the site (or just want to let me know of something happening in your area), email me at shadowoverportland@live.com with all the details and promotional artwork.  I'll take care of the rest.

Well, got to get back to the day job.  Stay safe, have a great week, and I'll be back next Friday with another update from The Shadow Over Portland.

Happening This Week

Live Attractions 

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.

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

.

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.

The 1985 series at CineMagic (2021 SE Hawthorne Blvd in Portland, OR) includes screenings of Re-Animator (in GLORIOUS 35mm), Fright Night, and The Stuff.  The series runs through Monday, May 6.  Visit the link for showtimes.

The 99W Drive-In (3110 Portland Rd in Newberg, OR) celebrates the 25th anniversary of the 1999 Universal remake of The Mummy with screenings of it and The Mummy Returns Friday and Saturday, April 26 and 27.

The Cameo Theatre (304 E 1st St in Newberg, OR) is screening The Mummy through Monday, April 29.

The sci fi/horror classic Alien is playing at the Ark Lodge Cinemas (4816 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Sunday, April 28), the Yelm Cinema (201 Prairie Park St SE in Yelm, WA; scheduled through Thursday, May 2), the Sandy Cinema (16605 Champion Way in Sandy, OR; scheduled through Thursday, May 2), the Academy Theater (7818 SE Stark St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, May 2), and the Liberty Theatre (315 NE 4th Ave in Camas, WA; scheduled through Thursday, May 2).

The Mel Brooks classic Young Frankenstein is playing at the Kiggins Theatre (1011 Main St in Vancouver, WA; scheduled through Monday, April 29).

Hundreds of Beavers invade The Grand Cinema (606 Fawcett Ave in Tacoma, WA; scheduled through Thursday, May 2).

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 25, through Sunday, April 28).  Please check the link to find out when the dubbed or subtitled version is playing.

First Run Features  

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).

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, May 2), the Sandy Cinema (16605 Champion Way in Sandy, OR; scheduled through Wednesday, May 1), the St Johns Twin Cinema (8704 N Lombard St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Wednesday, May 1), the Tracyton Movie House (1520 NE Riddell Rd in Bremerton, WA; scheduled through Wednesday, May 1), the Yelm Cinemas (201 Prairie Park St SE in Yelm, WA; scheduled through Thursday, May 2),  Studio One (3945 SE Powell Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Wednesday, May 1), and the Laurelhurst Theater (2735 E Burnside St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, May 2).  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, May 2), the Darkside Cinema (216 SW 4th St in Corvallis, OR; scheduled through Thursday, May 2) and The Grand Cinema (606 Fawcett Ave in Tacoma, WA; scheduled through Thursday, May 2), and The Beacon (4405 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Thursday, May 2).  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.

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, May 2), the Laurelhurst Theater (2735 E Burnside St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, May 2), SIFF Cinema Uptown (511 Queen Anne Ave N in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Wednesday, May 1), Cinema 21 (616 NW 21st Ave in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, May 2),  the Living Room Theaters (341 SW 10th Ave in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, May 2), and the Darkside Cinema (215 SW 4th St in Corvallis, OR; scheduled through Thursday, May 2).

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 Wednesday, May 1).

The film opens on Saturday, May 4, at The Grand Illusion Cinema (1403 NE 50th St in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Thursday, May 16).

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is playing at the Yelm Cinemas (201 Prairie Park St SE in Yelm, WA; scheduled through Thursday, May 2), the Sandy Cinema (16605 Champion Way in Sandy, OR; scheduled through Wednesday, May 1), McMenamins Olympic Club (122 N Tower Ave in Centralia, WA; scheduled through Thursday, May 2) and Grand Lodge Theater (3505 Pacific Ave in Forest Grove, OR; scheduled from Friday, April 26, to Monday, April 29), the Kelso Theater Pub (214 S Pacific Ave in Kelso, WA; scheduled through Thursday, May 2), and the Mt Hood Theatre (401 E Powell Blvd in Gresham, OR; scheduled through Wednesday, May 1).

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 26

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).

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.

Poor Things is playing at the Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) today at 2:30 pm, and on Monday, May 1, at 6:20 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).

The sci fi comedy Paul, with Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Seth Rogan, is playing at the Tracyton Movie House (1520 NE Riddell Rd in Bremerton, WA) today at 1:30 pm and Wednesday, May 1, at 6 pm.

The Roxy Bremerton (270 4th St in Bremerton, WA) will screen the fantasy classic The Princess Bride tonight at 6 pm.

Tuesday, April 30

The Blaxploitation Horror classic Blacula, starring the AMAZING William Marshall, plays at 7 pm tonight at the Clinton Street Theater (2522 SE Clinton St in Portland, OR).

Wyrd War's Ninth Annual Walpurgisnacht Film Festival brings the folk horror film Alison's Birthday to the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) tonight at 7:30 pm.  Oh, and there will be cake.

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

May, 2024

Thursday, May 2

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is playing at the North Bend Theatre (125 Bendigo Blvd in North Bend, WA; scheduled through Sunday, May 5).  Your ticket will also get you into a screening of the documentary William Shatner: You Can Call Me Bill, scheduled from Friday, May 3, to Sunday, May 5.

The conclusion to George Romero's original zombie trilogy, Day of the Dead, is playing at the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) tonight at 7:30 pm.  Adam Charles Hart, author of Raising the Dead: The Work of George A. Romero will be in attendance, and copies of his book will be for sale in the lobby.  And Tom Savini's FX will look AMAZING on the big screen.

Friday, May 3

Crypticon Seattle takes place this weekend at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Seattle Airport (18740 International Blvd in Seattle, WA).  Director Joe Dante (The Howling, Piranha, Gremlins, Billy Zane (Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight, The Phantom, Dead Calm), Stephen McHattie (Pontypool, Orphan Black, The Strain), Robert Brian Wilson  (Silent Night, Deadly Night), Bonnie Aarons (The Nun), Ken Force ('78 Dawn of the Dead), Jeffrey Combs (Re-Animator, From Beyond), Barbara Crampton (Re-Animator, Suitable Flesh), Heather Matarazzo (Scream 3, Scream 5, Hostel Part II), Zach Galligan (the Gremlins and Waxworks series), and Quinn Lord (Sam in Trick 'r Treat), William Butler (many credits, including appearances in the Friday the 13th, Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Nightmare on Elm Street series), are scheduled to appear.   You can get updated details by following the con's Facebook page.

UPDATE: Julie Brown (Earth Girls Are Easy) is scheduled to appear.

Saw the Musical, an unauthorized parody of the film, is coming from New York to the Alberta Abbey (126 NE Alberta St in Portland, OR) through June 9.  As you might guess, the Abbey is issuing a parental advisory for explicit content.  Oh, and there is a "splash zone!"  Visit the link above for tickets.

Paranormal Cirque II invites you to face your fears as they invade the Clackamas Town Center (12000 SE 82nd Ave in Happy Valley, OR; maybe it'll become Unhappy Valley during the event) through Monday, May 6.  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.

VHS Night at CineMagic (2021 SE Hawthorne Blvd in Portland, OR) will show Trancers II: The Return of Jack Deth tonight at 10 pm in GLORIOUS VHS.  VHS trailers start at 9:30 pm.

Animay at the Academy Theater (7818 SE Stark St in Portland, OR) kicks off tonight with the dubbed version of Cowboy Bebop: The Movie, playing through Thursday, May 9.

PAMCUT presents The People's Joker, featuring live stand-up before the film, at the Tomorrow Theater (3530 SE Division St in Portland, OR) tonight at 7:30 pm.

The Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) will show Star Wars: A New Hope tonight at 11 pm.

Saturday, May the Fourth (be with you)

The Admiral Theatre (515 Pacific Ave in Bremerton, WA) celebrates May the Fourth by screening the original Star Wars Trilogy today starting at 2 pm.

The original Star Wars Trilogy is also playing at the Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) starting at 5:15 pm.

The Egyptian Theatre (229 S Broadway in Coos Bay, OR) celebrates May the Fourth by screening the movie that started it all, Star Wars: A New Hope tonight at 7 pm.

The filmed-in-Oregon horror film New Life, about a young woman fleeing a mysterious facility while evading an agent tasked to capture her, has its official Oregon premiere at the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) tonight at 7:30 pm.  Filmmakers will be in attendance.

According to the Clinton Street Theater (2522 SE Clinton St in Portland, OR), Portland can't get enough of beavers (they said it, not me).  So Hundreds of Beavers will re-invade the theater today at 3 pm.

The film is also playing tonight at 8 pm tonight at The Grand Illusion Cinema (1403 NE 50th St in Seattle, WA).

It may not be from a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, but E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is playing at Cinema 21 (616 NW 21st Ave in Portland, OR) today at 11 am.

Sunday, May 5

PAMCUT celebrates the 70th anniversary of 1954's Godzilla with a screening of the film at the Tomorrow Theater (3530 SE Division St in Portland, OR) today at 4 pm.

The celebration of Godzilla's 70th anniversary continues at the Tomorrow Theater (3530 SE Division St in Portland, OR) with a screening of Destroy All Monsters tonight at 7 pm.

George Romero's The Crazies is playing tonight at 7 pm tonight at The Grand Illusion Cinema (1403 NE 50th St in Seattle, WA).  Romero scholar Adam Hart will be in attendance to introduce the film and for a Q and A after.

The Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) is showing Late Night with the Devil tonight at 9 pm.

Robert Egger's The VVitch is playing at the Clinton Street Theater (2522 SE Clinton St in Portland, OR) tonight at 7 pm.