About us
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
Political Films Meet-Up: HyperNormalisation
Lucky Labrador Brew Pub, 915 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR, USPolitical Films Meet-Up: HyperNormalisation (2016)
Let’s talk about movies! Join movie club member Clay Vaughn for the next film in our Political Films series with Adam Curtis' documentary HyperNormalisation (2016). In Curtis' signature style, the film touches upon many subjects in an attempt to determine how we came to live in a "post-truth world."
Here’s how The Portland Movie Club meet-ups work:
- Just like a book club, we watch the movie on our own time before we meet.
- We'll meet at Lucky Lab on SE Hawthorne at 4pm on the scheduled date.
- We'll typically have a sign at our table(s) but at least we'll try to be obvious and identifiable.
- Grab some food and drinks to support our generous hosts and spend some time socializing and discussing this movie with us.
A Few Notes about the film:
This film is 2.75 hours and touches on many topics, if you're like me you'll want to pause and skim Wikipedia at points throughout. So if you're the same way leave yourself plenty of time to watch. The film consists primarily of archival news footage, some of which is graphic.Viewing Options for the film:
The film is available to stream for free on YouTube.About Political Films:
This series started out focusing on the New Republic article "The 100 Most Significant Political Films of All Time" published in June 2023, but we've since expanded well beyond the list. Both the documentaries and narrative fiction films we discuss tend to include difficult imagery and subject matter, we suggest the website "Does the Dog Die?" for content warnings.Tips:
Once again, we do not watch the movie at the meet-up. All members watch the movie on their own time before we meet to discuss it. You don't have to watch the movie to join us, but it'll make more sense if you do. Feel free to bring along any notes, books, or articles you'd like to share with the group.At the end of the discussion we'll pass around a ballot where we can vote on a slate of options for the next discussion. Lately we've been alternating documentaries and fiction films. So if you come to a meet-up to discuss a documentary, you'll vote on a ballot of fiction films for next time, and vice versa.
Films previously discussed in the political group:
Judgment at Nuremberg, The Gleaners and I, The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, I Am Not Your Negro, It's a Wonderful Life, Reds, Soundtrack to a Coup D'État, The Conformist, The Fog of War, The Zone of Interest, Harlan County USA, Judas And The Black Messiah, Medium Cool, The President’s Analyst, Marat/Sade, On The Waterfront, The Great McGinty, Seven Days In May, The Candidate, The Act of Killing, The Battle Of Algiers, All The President’s Men, How To Blow Up A Pipeline, Do The Right Thing, Malcolm X, A Face In The Crowd, and Dr. Strangelove.The Portland Movie Club is on Discord!
Are you on Discord? Join the Portland Movie Club!24 attendees
Noirtini Hour: Kiss Me Deadly
Lucky Labrador Brew Pub, 915 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR, USFilm Noir Meet-Up: Kiss Me Deadly (1955)
Let’s talk about movies! Join movie club member Jenna M. for Kiss Me Deadly, starring Ralph Meeker, Albert Dekker, Paul Stewart, Juano Hernandez, and Wesley Addy. It also features Maxine Cooper and Cloris Leachman appearing in their feature film debuts. The film follows a private detective in Los Angeles who becomes embroiled in a complex mystery after picking up a female hitchhiker.
Here’s how The Portland Movie Club meet-ups work:
Just like a book club, we watch the movie on our own time before we meet. We'll meet at Lucky Lab on SE Hawthorne at 4pm on the scheduled date. We'll typically have a sign at our table(s) and try to be obvious and identifiable.
Grab some food and drinks to support our generous hosts and spend some time socializing and discussing this movie with us.A Few Notes about the film:
Kiss Me Deadly was directed by Robert Aldrich and released in 1955. The screenplay by A. I. Bezzerides was based on the novel by Mickey Spillane featuring hard-boiled detective Mike Hammer. Filmed in stark black & white, the movie pushed film noir into darker, more violent territory, blending classic detective fiction with Cold War paranoia and apocalyptic themes. Its jagged editing, nightmarish atmosphere, and famous glowing suitcase mystery made it one of the most unconventional noirs of the 1950s. Though controversial upon release for its brutality and cynicism, the film has since become recognized as one of the most influential and daring entries in the genre.Viewing Options for the film:
This film is a little harder to find, with Movie Madness having three copies available for rent, one copy at MultCo. public library, and on Archive.org: Kiss Me Deadly (1955) : Internet Archive. If anyone knows of any other streaming/viewing options, please comment on the event.About the Film Noir group:
This meetup explores classic and neo-noir films, focusing on shadowy visuals, morally gray characters, doomed romances, and crime stories where nobody’s hands are clean. We’ll watch a mix of essential noirs and modern films inspired by the genre, paying attention to themes like fate, corruption, obsession, and alienation. These films often deal with violence, crime, and heavy subject matter, so content can be intense at times; checking a site like www.doesthedogdie.com is encouraged if you prefer content warnings.Tips:
Once again, we do not watch the movie at the meet-up. All members watch the movie on their own time before we meet to discuss it. You don't have to watch the movie to join us, but it'll be more fun if you do.
Some people like to take notes or find books and articles related to the film and its subject matter, feel free to bring those things along if there's something you'd like to share with the group.
At the end of the discussion we'll pass around a ballot where we can vote on a slate of options for the next discussion.Films previously discussed in the Film Noir group:
Gun Crazy, Dial M for Murder, Sudden Fear, The Maltese Falcon.The Portland Movie Club is on Discord!
Are you on Discord? Join the Portland Movie Club!35 attendees
Giallo spotlight: "The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh"
Lucky Labrador Brew Pub, 915 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR, USMovie Spotlight:
Sergio Martino’s The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh follows Julie Wardh, the elegant but emotionally fragile wife of a diplomat, as she returns to Vienna—a city unsettled by a string of razor‑slashing murders. Julie is already burdened by the lingering psychological scars of a past relationship with a dangerously obsessive former lover, and being back in Vienna brings that trauma uncomfortably close.
Trying to navigate her strained marriage and the unsettling sense that she’s being watched, Julie becomes entangled with new acquaintances who offer both comfort and complication. As the murders continue and threatening messages begin to reach her, she’s drawn into a tightening web of suspicion, desire, and fear. The film builds tension around whether Julie is being targeted, manipulated, or haunted by the shadows of her past—all while danger closes in around her.
Tips:
- Haven't seen the movie before? You're in for a treat - try to watch the movie sometime before we meet (Streaming Options include Amazon Prime and AppleTV.) 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 watch--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!
18 attendees
Cult Films Meet-Up: "Samurai Cop" (1991)
BREAKSIDE BREWERY - BEAVERTON, 12680 SW Farmington Road,, Beaverton, OR, USCult Films Meet-Up - Spotlight on: “SAMURAI COP" (1991)
Let's talk movies! Join Movie Club Members and Co-Hosts David J, Crystal H and Victoria G. for what promises to be a wild and raucous Meet-Up to discuss and savor “Samurai Cop.”
“You have the right to remain silent. Dead silent."
Great movie tag lines are hard to come by. And this one might be right up there with: "Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water."
For those of us of a certain generation, we have fond memories of walking the aisles of the local video rental store for hours looking for that undiscovered gem we’d never even imagine existed. We wanted our minds blown. Part of the video store phenomenon was the prevalence of direct-to-video titles with box art that fired our imaginations but often contained low-quality VHS tapes that probably cost more for the distributor to replicate and distribute than it did to make the movies they contained.
Sadly, this movie – clearly intended for the 90’s DTV market – didn’t even make it to video in the US until 2004, when the days of the video store experience were numbered. Though it apparently was released in Poland a few years earlier on VHS. And only in Poland. Rumor had it the one surviving print was discovered in a castle, but actually it was buried deep in a vault where the elements of other forgotten films had been retired. The persistent legends and rumors make “Samurai Cop” even more memorable.
Here's how a Portland Movie Club Meet-Up works:
1. Just like a book club, we watch the movie before we meet**.**2. We'll meet at the Breakside Brewery in Beaverton, OR at 2 pm on a Saturday. We'll try to be obvious and identifiable. We typically have signs or relevant books or memorabilia at our table(s), and sometimes we even wear colorful antennae if the movie we are celebrating demands it (e.g. “Real Genius” or “Robot Monster”). Please note that this is a change in venue from many of our scheduled Sunday Meet-Up events.
3. Grab some food and drinks and spend some enjoyable time socializing and discussing these fondly recalled masterpieces with us. (The Breakside in Beaverton has a full-service bar and a quality assortment of food carts in the outdoor patio area.)
A little about Amir Shirvan’s “Samurai Cop.”
Reportedly made on a budget of only around $9.000 and actually shot on film (a miracle itself at that budget level). Director Shirvan quickly cast in the lead an ex-bodyguard of Sylvester Stallone’s who’d never before swung a samurai sword, Matt Hannon, and the “Maniac Cop” himself, Robert Z’Dar. Unable to shoot at night due to technical limitations, Shirvan had to plan only day shoots. And when his lead actor was called back to film additional scenes after the initial shooting had ended, it was quickly noticed he’d had a pretty severe haircut in the meantime, and the director’s solution was to buy him a badly mismatched lady’s wig. During AVR Shirvan found that many of his actors were unavailable for dubbing so he dubbed the voices of all the missing actors himself. One challenge after another, confronted by the director, resulted in one inspired – but perhaps not particularly sane – solution after another.Trigger Notes:
We tend to watch edgier stuff in the Cult Films Meet-Up than in other Meet-Up Events. Please view this site if you think there may be any concerning elements portrayed in this film: https://www.doesthedogdie.com/media/112990.Viewing Options
Are all over the place. From Amazon to Fawesome to Plex to Pluto TV. It has also been released on Blu-ray and the aforementioned DVD.About Cult Films
"Cult Films" typically defy mainstream criticism and are noted for their obscurity and dedicated fan bases. Many cult films exist at the borderline between art and exploitation and are rich candidates for open-minded entertainment and interpretation. They often don't adhere to our expectations for the same shared cinematic language of major studio "product." Some consider Cult Cinema to be Oppositional Cinema, always inhabiting a space outside of mainstream trends and popularity.We recommend viewing these classics and curiosities regardless of whether they were considered successful or not, and quite often because of both their financial failure, and the contemporary critical snubbing they usually incurred.
Tips
- Haven't seen the movie in a while? You're in for a treat - try to watch the movie sometime before we meet. As with a book club, we don't watch the movie at our meetup, we just discuss it. You don't have to watch the movie to join us, but it'll be more fun if you do.
- Some members enjoy researching the films and sharing what they find with the group. Others prefer to engage with the films in a more casual way. Both approaches are absolutely fine! Most PMC members land somewhere in the middle.
- You may find it useful to take notes as you watch but definitely don't feel obligated. At the end of the day, we're here to socialize and have fun.
Previous titles viewed by our Cult Film Meet-up members for group discussion have included: Real Genius, Possession (1981), Born In Flames, Titane, Barbarella, Fantastic Planet, Eraserhead, Daisies (aka, Sedmikrásky), Jennifer’s Body, Another Day Another Man, The Human Tornado, The Love Witch, Plan 9 From Outer Space, Phantom of The Paradise, Takashi Miike's Audition, and David Cronenberg’s Videodrome and Rabid.
* Jaws 2
Are you on Discord? Join the PMC Discord!
18 attendees
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