What we’re about
It's like book club, but for Movies!
Want to talk about movies with other movie nerds? Saw a great movie you gotta tell others about?
The Portland Movie Club meets regularly to talk about a movie we all watched, recommend great movies to each other, and decide on what to watch for the next discussion. We're open to all fans of film.
Membership is free, just join us for a beer or two and hang out!
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- Portland Movie Club West Meet-Up: FARGOBreakside Brewery, Beaverton, OR
Portland Movie Club West Meet-Up: FARGO
Join Movie Club members Jake Brown and David J. for the next film in the Portland Movie Club Westside Meet-Up series: 1996's cold-weather crime caper, Fargo. Written and directed by the Coen Brothers, Fargo shines brightly with star talent including Frances McDormand, William H. Macy, and Steve Buscemi. When a shady Minnesota car salesman hires two inept criminals from Fargo, North Dakota, to kidnap his wife for a ransom from her wealthy father, the plan soon turns bloody, catching the eye of a persistent local police chief within the bungled crime's jurisdiction.
Please note this will be another meet-up at our new West Side location in Beaverton instead of Central or East Side Portland.Viewing Options for Fargo
Streaming options include Tubi and Pluto, along with additional for-purchase/rental options at Apple TV, Amazon Prime, Flex, and YouTube.Here's how the Portland Movie Club Meet-Ups work
- Just like a book club, we watch the movie before we meet. (Try watching it even if you've already seen it before. You don't have to watch one to join us, but it'll be more fun that way. Also, try taking notes to help remember the most interesting parts, and bring 'em with you if you can!)
- We'll meet at Breakside Brewery in Beaverton at 2pm on the scheduled date. We'll have signs at our tables, but we'll also try to be obvious and identifiable.
- Grab some food, some drinks, and spend time socializing/discussing this movie with us!
Are you on Discord? Join the Portland Movie Club!
- Giallo spotlight: "Opera"Cult Classics, Portland, OR
Opera is a visually striking psychological horror film by Dario Argento, set against the backdrop of a lavish production of Verdi’s Macbeth. When a young soprano unexpectedly lands the lead role, her rise to stardom is shadowed by a series of disturbing events. A mysterious figure begins orchestrating gruesome acts around her, forcing her into a terrifying game of voyeurism and survival. As the tension builds, the opera house becomes a stage not just for music, but for madness—where art, obsession, and trauma collide.
NEW LOCATION: We're going to meet at Cult Classics, 1308 SE Morrison St. They open at 4pm & are pretty empty at that time. We have permission to move tables and take over the front of the bar. They have a full bar, but fairly limited food items.
Tips:
- Haven't seen the movie in a while? You're in for a treat - try to watch the movie sometime before we meet (Streaming Options). Just like a book club we don't watch the movie at our meetup, just discuss it. You don't have to watch the movie to join us, but it'll be more fun if you can.
- I usually take a few notes while I watch to keep from forgetting the most interesting stuff. If you think of some interesting discussion topics while you watch, bring 'em with you!
- We'll decide on our next giallo movie to watch! Come with suggestions.
Are you not that familiar with the giallo genre? Read the Wikipedia entry to learn more. Is there a giallo you'd like to propose the group watch and discuss next? Here's a comprehensive list of Italian giallos along with films influenced by the genre. Maybe there's a film you've heard about but needed an excuse to see--come join us for discussion & make a suggestion!
Coming to the group for the first time, but interested in movies previously watched & discussed? Here's a list of all previous giallos watched and discussed by the group (with group rating)!
On Discord? Join the Portland Movie Club!
- Let's Go to the Movies! WEAPONS @ CinemagicCinemagic, Portland, OR
Join us at Cinemagic on Friday, August 8th, for the 7pm showing of Weapons, the new horror thriller from Barbarian writer/director Zach Cregger. Afterwards, we'll head to Gift Public House right next door. Hope to see you there!
From Letterboxd: "Last night at 2:17 AM, every child from Mrs. Gandy's class woke up, got out of bed, went downstairs, opened the front door, walked into the dark . . . and they never came back." Weapons stars Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, Alden Ehrenreich, and Benedict Wong.
- Cult Films Meet-Up: L'AGE D'OR Meets MONTY PYTHON'S MEANING OF LIFELucky Labrador Brew Pub, Portland, OR
Portland Movie Club Meet-Up - Spotlight on "L'AGE D'OR" and "MONTY PYTHON''S MEANING OF LIFE" - A Bunuel Meets Monty Python Double Feature! (Really!!!)
Let's talk about movies! Join Movie Club Member David J. for the next discussion in our cult film series – a mind-bending double feature suggested by our co-host Kyle C. combining Luis Bunuel’s classic surrealist short film “L’Age D’or” (1930) with “Monty Python’s Meaning of Life” (1983). The final film bringing together the original, full cast of the British comedy series, directed by Terry Jones, and featuring an astonishing introductory short directed by Terry Gilliam (which in many ways is a precursor to “Brazil”).Here's how it works:
1. Just like a book club, we watch the movie before we meet.
2. We'll meet at Lucky Lab at 4pm (map), there will be a sign at our table, or at the least we will make it as obvious as we can who we are (watch for that rowdy bunch waving hands and wearing movie themed T-Shirts) and where we are saving tables and chairs.
3. Grab some food and drinks and spend some enjoyable time discussing this masterpiece (or these masterpieces, in this rare instance) with us.A little about L’AGE D’OR:
Noted surrealists Luis Bunuel and Salvador Dali fashioned a virtually plotless screenplay, crafting vignettes to explore contemporary perspectives concerning sex, religion and liberation, to touch on just a few of the controversial topics the two planned to explore. The collaborators reportedly travelled on opposite sides of the political spectrum, making for an intriguing clash of perspectives, but as director it is likely Bunuel’s hand may be the strongest force at play. Our discussion will likely touch on the collaborators themselves in addition to the artistry behind this remarkable collaboration.A little about MONTY PYTHON’S MEANING OF LIFE:
Like the BBC series which preceded their cinematic output, “Meaning of Life” adopts an episodic approach, featuring satirical segments ranging from an Oliver Twist inspired musical number about religion and childbirth to an eye-popping battle between corporate employees heroically fought between an ancient pirate ship and modern urban skyscrapers. For many of its fans, it’s the dining room sequence featuring the aftermath of a fat-suited Terry Jones receiving one last final “teeny-tiny mint” from John Cleese that is the most famous and frequently referenced of these episodes.Viewing Options
Streaming options are reported to include Amazon Prime and Kanopy for “L’age D’or,” and for the Monty Python epic, the options are reported to include Apple TV, Amazon Prime and Fandango at Home. You might also try Peacock as the film was made and distributed by Universal.
“Meaning of Life” has been released on multiple home video formats over the years, and most recently as a deluxe 4K UHD Blu-Ray edition with extras. There have been numerous DVD releases of the Bunuel film, and apparently a rare OOP foreign release Blu-ray.About Cult Films
Sometimes good, almost always interesting, and only somewhat definable. This very special category of cinema is known for its dedicated fanbases, high-camp kitsch, transgressive ideas, counterculture perspectives, polarized reception, and sometimes for artfulness, but far more often for obscurity. Many cult films exist at the borderline between art and exploitation.While Cult Films typically defy mainstream criticism, they are rich candidates for open-minded entertainment and interpretation, viewed through a lens that emphasizes their unique perspectives regardless of their financial success or failure.
Some of Portland Movie Club Organizer Nick’s favorites are The Rocky Horror Picture Show, The Big Lebowski, Plan 9 From Outer Space, and Office Space. There's a great writeup of the genre on Wikipedia.
Tips
- Haven't seen the movie in a while? You're in for a treat - try to watch the movie sometime before we meet. You don't have to watch the movie to join us, but it'll be more fun if you can
- Many of the regularly attending members casually take a few notes while watching to keep from forgetting the most interesting stuff. If you think of some interesting discussion topics while you watch, bring 'em with you!
Previous films viewed by “Cult Film” Meet-up members for group discussion have included “Barbarella,” “Fantastic Planet,” a double feature of “The Brain That Wouldn’t Die” with “The Man With Two Brains,” Takashi Miike's "Audition," “Daisies,” “Jennifer’s Body,” “The Human Tornado,” David Cronenberg’s “Videodrome” and "The Brood," David Lynch’s “Eraserhead,” “Switchblade Sisters,” “The Love Witch,” Ed Wood's “Plan 9 From Outer Space,” Tim Burton’s “Ed Wood,” and Brian DePalma’s “Phantom of The Paradise.”
The Portland Movie Club is on Discord!
Are you on Discord? Join the Portland Movie Club!
