The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension
Try to keep in mind, as you watch this ungainly testament to '80s ridiculiciousness, that no matter what podcaster and jorts-addict Kevin Smith may do when adapting Buckaroo Banzai to TV later this year, his sticky-icky stained fingers can't change the frantically haphazard glory (barely) contained within this film. Smith is guaranteed to fuck his show up, but don't be a pissy little Ghostbusters fan about it. Just sit back and enjoy Peter Weller, John Lithgow, and Jeff Goldblum—who's rocking the best pair of chaps you've ever seen, on the big screen where they belong. BOBBY ROBERTS Hollywood Theatre.
Back to the Future
Once upon the 1980s, a young Republican in a life-vest, with the help of his science friend, traveled back in time, where he had to prevent his mother's sexual advances and instead steer her towards Crispin Glover's dick. He succeeded, but accidentally transformed the future into Planet Las Vegas, which sounds cool, but was actually kinda shitty. So he went all the way back to the Wild West, where Mary Steenburgen lives, and managed to set the timeline back on track and everyone learned that it's never really a good idea to steal plutonium from angry Libyans. Costarring Huey Lewis and Flea. BOBBY ROBERTS Academy Theater.
Central Intelligence
See review this issue. Various Theaters.
The Devils
A screening of the only known 35mm print of Ken Russell's X-rated thriller starring Vanessa Redgrave and Oliver Reed as a hunchbacked nun and a priest accused of witchcraft. Naturally, a lot of sex and violence occurs, which shocked the shit out of 1971 audiences, who absolutely were not ready for it. Hell, 2016 audiences might not be able to hang, either. Hollywood Theatre.
The Fast and the Furious 15th Anniversary
"Every generation has a legend. Every journey has a first step. Every saga has a beginning." Aristotle chiseled those words about Star Wars: Episode I—The Phantom Menace—but he might as well have been pondering The Fast and the Furious, 2001's Point Break ripoff that would go on to spawn six sequels (and counting) and an indelibly exquisite fuck-awesome cinematic universe. For its 15th anniversary, this very first F&F returns to multiplexes, reminding us all of a time before the saga welcomed in the Rock, Ludacris, Sung Kang, Tyrese, and Kurt Russell—a simpler time, when Vin Diesel, Jordana Brewster, Michelle Rodriguez, and Paul Walker (RIP) were the only bold, beautiful, adrenaline-charged speed junkies we needed to know. We still know them, and forever we shall. ERIK HENRIKSEN Various Theaters.
Finding Dory
See review, this issue. Various Theaters.
Genius
Thomas Wolfe! Ernest Hemingway! F. Scott Fitzgerald! This movie isn't about them! Well, not directly. They're in it, but this movie is instead about their editor, a guy named Max Perkins, played by Colin Firth, which means there will be some adorable muttering and stammering. But can he make this movie interesting? We have no clue, because we never got a screener, but: It's a movie about a book editor played by Colin Firth, so either that premise alone inspired you to pop a giant Anglophile boner, or stare blankly for a second before moving along to the next short. Various Theaters.
Honeyglue
A film-festival darling from director James Bird about a girl three months from her own death, meeting a boy and enjoying as many gender-bent adventures as they can fit into what little time they have left. Director in attendance on Sat June 18th. Clinton Street Theater.
Iggy Pop: Live in Basel 2015
A concert film capturing the punk legend's performance in Switzerland after being honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Clinton Street Theater.
Internet Cat Video Festival
It can be quite challenging to keep pace with the global production of cat videos. Luckily the annual Internet Cat Video Festival collects the most important submissions of the year, so you can be at the vanguard of the genre. MARJORIE SKINNER Hollywood Theatre.
Looking, Really Looking! The Films of Chantal Akerman 1968-2015
NW Film showcases a selection of works from the adventurous director's 40-plus films. NW Film Center's Whitsell Auditorium.
Match Cut Movie Club
A mystery screening series: Buy a ticket, be surprised. Past selections have included Mamet's The Spanish Prisoner and Coppola's The Conversation. More at matchcutmovieclub.com. Living Room Theaters.
Matt Shepard Is a Friend of Mine
A documentary examining the life of Matthew Shepard through the eyes of those who knew him. Hollywood Theatre.
Portland Jewish Film Festival
There are infinite ways in which to reshuffle categories of film, and the world puts out so much that the sheer quantity begs for organization. And so we have strange, simultaneous exercises in homogeny and disparity like the NW Film Center's annual Jewish Film Festival. Come for the annual compendium of culturally specific accomplishments; stay for a series that covers a massive amount of ground in theme, geography, and style. MARJORIE SKINNER NW Film Center's Whitsell Auditorium.
Raiders!: The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made
A documentary about the numerous trials and tribulations that occurred behind the scenes of Chris Strompolos' and Eric Zala's shot-for-shot remake of Raiders of the Lost Ark, a filmmaking journey that started when they were 11 and continued for the next 30 years. Hollywood Theatre.
Vaxxed: From Cover-Up to Catastrophe
See review, this issue. Cinema 21.
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
"You take the trouble to construct a civilization, to build a society based on the principles of... of principle! You make government and art and realize that they are—must be—both the same. You bring things to the saddest of all points, to the point where there is something to lose. Then all at once, through all the music, through all the sensible sounds of men building, attempting, comes the Dies Irae. And what is it? What does the trumpet sound? 'Up yours.'" Laurelhurst Theater.
MEANS WE RECOMMEND IT. Theater locations are accurate Friday, June 17-Thursday, June 23, unless otherwise noted. Movie times are updated daily and are available here.
