In the words of contemplative poet Mary Oliver, "August of another summer, and once again/I am drinking the sun." Are you drinking the sun yet? There are a number of methods with which to achieve this, but all of them require going outside. Luckily for you, there are many reasons to leave home this week, from the opening of a Japanese film festival to a Black Belt Eagle Scout set and Portland’s own Rose City Rollers whipping ass. Here we go again!
Monday, August 18
Hanabi Film Festival
For a third year, Hanabi Film Festival celebrates summer and venerates Japanese cinema with a tight schedule of award-winning classics, weird-yet-perfect cult favorites, and mind-bending anime on the screen of Clinton Street’s community-focused indie-plex. New this year, Clinton Street will host the US premiere of rock drama Bold as You, and the Portland premiere of Kazuya Shiraishi’s Bushido, a 2024 samurai film that Japan Times called a “meticulously executed throwback that revitalizes the genre.” (Clinton Street Theater, 2522 SE Clinton, various times, $10 per film, more info, all ages) SUZETTE SMITH
Highest 2 Lowest
In 1963, the already globally-recognized Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa released High and Low. It starred his long-time collaborator, the actor Toshiro Mifune, and is arguably one of the greatest movies made by anybody. Spike Lee's Highest 2 Lowest is the acclaimed contemporary director's fanboy homage to this film, starring Lee's long-time collaborator Denzel Washington. It is not one of the greatest movies ever made by anybody, but it is a perfectly good summer film. And if you have the foresight to watch High and Low before checking out Highest 2 Lowest, there's real delight to be found watching the characters and plot lines in each film converge and diverge. Read the Mercury’s full review here. (various theaters, 133 minutes, rated R) HR SMITH
Tuesday, August 19
Josh Johnson: The Flowers Tour
Sometimes I think comedian Josh Johnson is not real. One of The Daily Show’s best correspondents, Johnson is unbelievably capable of changing up his standup set on a dime, instantly improvising gut-busting takes on stuff that happened… earlier that afternoon. And even more shocking, he does it with the sharpest of timing and a brilliant comedic structure that verges on calculus in its complexity. Every time I swipe up on TikTok, there he is again with a brand new video, saying something about an event that happened that day, which I probably knew nothing about. That’s all to say, even if you’ve seen Johnson a billion times, get ready for a brand-new set full of surprises. (Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway, 7 pm, $50–$74, more info, all ages) WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY
Wednesday, August 20
PDX Hip-Hop Week
Let’s celebrate—it’s the 10th anniversary of Portland Hip-Hop Week, designed to “celebrate the culture the way it was intended,” and what a week it will be! Kicking off Wednesday at Director’s Park, the opening ceremonies will feature DJs, dancers, emcees, art, and more, though the fun continues into the night with a “Skate & Shake” roller skating jam at Oaks Park, as well as a panel discussion around Portland’s deep hip-hop history at Holocene. The later half of the week brings a hip-hop/bingo mixer, a “Late Night Lyrics” open mic, and a back-to-school supplies drive for kids from Laced Up. It all culminates in Saturday’s “Slammin’ Steps Dance Fest,” featuring live hip-hop dance performances, lessons, and (as you might expect) fun galore! (Various locations/times/prices, more info) WSH
Reel Eats: School of Rock
I love a number of things about the 2003 comedy School of Rock. Principally, it was my introduction to the genius that is Mike White's comedy writing. There's also the fact that the child actors who played Frankie and Marta GOT MARRIED IRL. And who could forget the band's catchy as hell song with the lyrics, "you're not hardcore unless you live hardcore"? Two-plus decades on, the feel-good film holds up; no doubt one of the reasons OMSI is screening it on the biggest screen in town as part of its Reel Eats series. Moviegoers get a tray of themed bites that pair with moments in the film. Who else is hoping for some shredded ingredients while Jack Black shreds on the guitar? (Empirical Theater at OMSI, 1945 SE Water, August 20–21, 7 pm, $35, more info, PG-13) JANEY WONG
Thursday, August 21
Holly Osborne: Garden Party and Benny Fountain: Consolation: Paintings from the Hill
As a steadfast devotee of the fluid compositions on Holly Osborne's Instagram page, I'm stoked to see the Oregon-born artist continue to draw from the natural world as inspiration. In Osborne’s ethereal third solo exhibition with Froelick, she shares lush, candy-colored vistas drawn from a diversity of landscapes—France, Sicily, and North Portland among them. Benny Fountain’s exhibition is a smart pairing. His paintings always feel blissful and meditative, tracing the rolling dunes of his hilly Palouse hometown with a muted, subtle color palette. Both artists emphasize light and form just enough to transport the viewer, but still leave a little room for ambiguity. (Froelick Gallery, 714 NW Davis, Tues-Sat through Sep 13, free, more info, all ages) LINDSAY COSTELLO
Also worth it:
CITY POP!! Japanese Boogie, J-jazz, & New Wave Night, Holocene, more info
Friday, August 22
Black Belt Eagle Scout
Katherine Paul’s haunting melodies and soft howl can fill up a large room, so it’s a bit of a treat to be able to catch her at an intimate venue like the Aladdin Theater. Paul (who performs as Black Belt Eagle Scout) grew up in the Pacific Northwest. Her Swinomish tribal ancestry inspires and permeates her music, which delivers a mix of ethereal vocals layered over indie rock. The guitarist and singer also manages to churn out lush soundscapes on heavier tracks. Her 2023 album The Land, The Water, The Sky sounds like wandering through the forests and rivers of the Northwest at dusk, while searching for truth and love. (Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie, 7 pm, $32, more info, all ages) COURTNEY VAUGHN
Taylor Tomlinson
Zooming up the ranks of comedy royalty is Taylor Tomlinson, who not only can brag about being the only female network late-night talk show host (After Midnight) but has racked up an impressive three Netflix specials (Quarter-Life Crisis, Look At You, and Have It All). Plus, she’s got all you need for a sparkling night of comedy: a brash, relatable style; sharp, incisive takes on everything from religion to her queer siblings; and the kind of crowd work any standup would sell their soul for. On her “Save Me” tour, Tomlinson goes the extra mile with a set-ending segment called “Crowd Confessions,” in which she and her openers take on questions and confessions from the audience. Prepare for an evening of devastatingly funny comedy. (Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway, Fri 7 pm, Sat 4 and 7 pm, Sun 7 pm, $55–$173, more info, all ages) WSH
Terrain: A Land Art Experience
With a stated goal of “fostering environmental awareness” and a stacked roster of exhibiting artists (Intisar Abioto, Daniela Naomi Molnar, Amanda Triplett, and many others), Terrain: A Land Art Experience pays homage to the ground on which it stands in the Industrial Northwest district, the former home of Guild's Lake and Willamette River wetlands. New artworks ponder Building 5’s environmental history through a variety of materials and mediums, from photography to willow stems. Proceeds from your sliding scale ticket go directly to artists, or you can pay $75 for the “golden hour experience” on August 14 to rub elbows with the show’s creators and curators. (Building 5, 2516 NW 29th, Fri-Sun through Aug 24, $0–$75, more info, all ages) LC
Saturday, August 23
Comix Thing
By now, it should come as no surprise that something cool is happening at Lloyd Center this weekend. This time it’s a comics event assembling over 80 underground and small press cartoonists like Liz Yerby, Mara Ramirez, and Sean Christensen in the mall’s hallowed halls. Comix Thing bills itself as a “public display of comix and cartoonists for the expansion of human consciousness and creativity,” which is the sort of grandiose mission statement we should all get behind. Go feast your eyes, then grab a pretzel. (Lloyd Center, 2201 Lloyd Center, 12–6 pm, free, more info, all ages) LC
Wheels of Justice vs. Arch Rival
Portlanders rarely get to root for a local sports team that actually wins championships—but here’s our chance! This is one of the can't-miss games in this year’s Hometown Throwdown tournament, hosted by our own Rose City Rollers. It presents a rare opportunity to see Portland’s own Rose City Rollers Wheels of Justice (ranked number one in North America’s western division, as well as global rankings) face one of their top opponents, St. Louis, Missouri’s Arch Rival Roller Derby All Stars (number one ranked in the North American eastern division and second globally). Put that all together, and you’ve got two of the world’s top-ranked roller derby teams going head-to-head for a thrilling faceoff. (The Hangar at Oaks Park, 7805 SE Oaks Park, 6 pm, $0–$25, more info, all ages) CV
Also worth it:
Drive-In Horror Market, 99W Drive-In, more info
Sunday, August 24
First Reformed
Director Paul Schrader’s legendary 2016 Facebook status update, “I enter unwashed into a world that disrespects me and despises my values,” could double as a tagline for many of his films. First Reformed (2017) is a prescient example of his spiritual weight. It’s about G-O-D, climate change, capitalism, and mortality, among other fundamental crises of modern human experience. (Schrader argues that it’s actually about none of these things, but rather an “evolution of the soul,” which… fine.) Ethan Hawke stars as Ernst, an upstate New York pastor in an existential spiral triggered by a pregnant churchgoer (Amanda Seyfried) and a radical environmentalist. The answer? Violence, maybe—or maybe not! You’ll see why. (Hollywood Theatre, 4122 NE Sandy, 7 pm, $5–$12, more info, R) LC
One Table, Many Roots: African & Vietnamese Culinary Traditions Shared Across the Table
Does a seven-course, al fresco meal prepared by two of Portland's most exciting chefs sound like a phenomenal summer dinner to you? Of course it does. One Table, Many Roots, the first farm-to-table experience hosted by Happiness Family Farm, brings together Fatou Ouattara of Akadi and Thuy Pham of Mama Đút for a taste of the "intersection between African and Vietnamese culinary traditions." Although the menu won't be shared in advance, the family-style dinner promises to be rich in flavor and identity, taking place right where the ingredients are grown. The evening will also feature live music and a self-guided farm tour, with a portion of proceeds going toward food equity nonprofit Growing Gardens. (13901 NW Howell Park, 4–7 pm, $150, more info, 18+) JW
Also worth it:
Hawthorne Street Fair, SE Hawthorne Blvd, more info
Hyun Jung Jung: The Way Home (집으로 가는 길), Well Well Projects, more info
Looking for even more events happening this week? Head on over to EverOut!
