Mean Creek dir. Estes Opens Fri Sept 17 Fox Tower There’s a course at independent film schools these days called “Ominous Portent 101.” Teaching aspiring filmmakers how to mix a brooding indierock soundtrack with darkly languid cinematography, the class focuses on creating films with an aura of cruel foreboding and oncoming tragedy. Though it’s too […]
Justin W. Sanders
Posted inMovies & TV
Twist-tastic!
Criminal ‘s Ends Justify Its Means
Criminal dir. Jacobs Opens Fri Sept 10 Various Theaters Some films get good use out of a surprise ending, using it as a supplemental device to add depth and poignancy to already interesting themes and characters, like Fight Club or The Sixth Sense. But most films that employ it rely on it completely, and without […]
Posted inMusic
Meet Fogatron and Manic D
Your PIZZAZZ! Talent Show Champs, 2004
By definition, a “talent show” should be–above all else–entertaining. Even so, the Mercury‘s first annual talent show, Pizzazz, exceeded all expectations. Competing for a top prize of $500 and the chance to go on to Seattle for the Northwest Pizzazz finals at Bumbershoot, 14 contestants engaged in a fierce contest of show biz ability at […]
Posted inMovies & TV
Touch of Stink
Touch of Pink is as Dumb as Its Name
Touch of Pink dir. Rashid Opens Fri Aug 20 Fox Tower The “Gay Guy Coming Out to His Family” premise has become a genre unto itself, which means filmmakers working within said genre are going to have to work a bit harder to separate their dogs from the pack. For his new sitcom-quality film Touch […]
Posted inMovies & TV
Fast Food Inundation
Super Sized Gimmick Saves Super Size Me
Super Size Me dir. Spurlock Opens Fri May 14 Fox Tower It’s never a bad idea to bash fast food, but if Morgan Spurlock’s hyper-kinetic documentary Super Size Me had come out six years ago, it would be darn near revolutionary. As it stands, it’s basically a visual/aural rehash of everything Eric Schlosser covered in […]
Posted inMovies & TV
Aging African Ode
Old Documentary Just a Piece of the Pie
Karamoja: The Land of Lost People dir. Treutle Plays Fri May 7-Sun May 9 Clinton Street Theater Follow this if you will: In the early 1950s, a dentist residing in Tacoma, Washington, by the name of William B. Treutle, was told by his doctor he had six months to live. So he flew to Africa, […]
Posted inMovies & TV
Good is Bad
Lost Skeleton; Not Crappy Enough
The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra dir. Blamire Opens Fri April 9 Hollywood Theater If there’s anything the hit show Mystery Science Theater 3000 taught us, it’s how to enjoy a crappy sci-fi movie from the ’50s: you watch them with your buddies and make fun of them. Crappy sci-fi movies from the ’50s are funny […]
Posted inMovies & TV
Need for Speed
The Zombie Resurgence Gains Momentum
Dawn of the Dead dir. Snyder Opens Fri March 19 Various Theaters It’s official. With last year’s extremely successful 28 Days Later in the can, and now this big budget remake of Dawn of the Dead opening this week, we can only conclude that Zombies have kicked their slow, drooling image to become THE monsters […]
Posted inMovies & TV
Rough River
Finnish Film Flails, Drowns
The River dir. Lampela Opens Fri Jan 2 Hollywood Theater Finnish writer/director Jarmo Lampela’s 2001 film The River has the rare distinction of being a labor of love that appears totally neglected. I don’t know for sure that this film is a labor of love, but I’m assuming it is, because I can’t imagine a […]
Posted inUncategorized
Hangover Havens
Hair of the Dog for Body and Mind
Suddenly, bars all over Portland are offering breakfast and brunch as part of their weekend (and in many cases, weekday) lineups. Since Portland is the breakfast/ brunch capital of the world, these drinking establishments are up against some stiff competition. Indeed, in most cases, there’s no reason to forgo your trip to fine bruncheries like, […]