- LGBTQ+ Cinema Discussion: Paris is burningLucky Labrador Brew Pub, Portland, OR
Join Movie Club Member Elliot for the next movie in their series highlighting LGBTQ films, "Paris is Burning", directed by Jennie Livingston! Here's how it works:
- We'll meet at Lucky Lab at 4pm (map), there will be a sign at our table
- Grab some food and drinks and we'll spend some time discussing this masterpiece with us (NOTE: Just like a book club, we watch the movie before we meet, streaming links below).
Organizers note: Last time it was kinda hard to hear folks, if we have a larger group again (especially if the inside meeting room isn't available), we'll split up into groups.
Movie Spotlight: Paris is Burning
"Paris Is Burning" is a 1990 documentary film directed by Jennie Livingston. The film explores the drag ball culture of New York City in the late 1980s, focusing on the African-American, Latino, gay, and transgender communities involved in the underground scene. It provides an intimate look into the lives of individuals who find refuge and a chosen family within the ball culture, competing in various categories and creating their own unique identities and personas.The documentary received widespread critical acclaim and is considered a landmark film in LGBTQ+ cinema. It won the Grand Prize for Documentary at the Sundance Film Festival in 1991 and was nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Documentary. The film's impact and cultural significance have been widely recognized, with its inclusion in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress in 2016 for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
LGBTQ+ Cinema Series
LGBTQ+ characters and themes have been present throughout film history dating back to pre-Hays Code era. The relationship between film and the LGBTQ+ community has had its ups and downs over the years and has been consistently changing. This discussion group will highlight some key films that mark these changes and shed light upon the vast selection of LGBTQ+ films that cinema has to offer.Tips:
- Haven't seen the movie in a while? You're in for a treat - try to watch the movie sometime before we meet (The full movie is free on YouTube). 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!
Resources
- Letterboxd Page
- Full movie on YouTube (It's also on Max, Apple, and Criterion)
- Cult Films: Eraserhead DiscussionLucky Labrador Brew Pub, Portland, OR
Let's talk about movies! Join Movie Club Members David for the next discussion in our cult film series with the 1977 film "Eraserhead" directed by David Lynch. Here's how it works:
- Watch the movies on your own before we discuss, streaming links below.
- Then, we'll all meet at Lucky Lab on SE Hawthorne at 4pm (map), there will be a sign at our table.
- Grab some food and drinks and we'll spend some time discussing this masterpiece.
Movie Spotlight: Eraserhead
Eraserhead is a 1977 American surrealist body horror film written, produced, and directed by David Lynch. It depicts an industrial worker living in a decaying city who becomes trapped in a bizarre nexus of sexual anxiety and parental trauma after his girlfriend unexpectedly becomes pregnant.The film initially struggled to find an audience upon its initial release but
has since become a celebrated cult classic and earned numerous accolades over the years. It was named one of the "20 Greatest Cult Movies of All Time" by Rolling Stone magazine and was inducted into the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress in 2004 for being "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant." Eraserhead also won the Avoriaz Fantastic Film Festival Award and the Boston Society of Film Critics Award in 1977. It has gained a reputation as one of the most influential avant-garde films ever made.About Cult Films
Sometimes good, always interesting, and only somewhat definable - this very special genre of film can be known for its camp, dedicated fanbases, kitsch, transgression, counterculture attitude, polarized reception, and obscurity. While Cult Films defy criticism, they are amazing candidates for analysis and interpretation. They are shown through a lens that usually denies their financial success but allows for their unique perspective. They are each one of a kind.There are many sub genres of Cult Films including Midnight Movies, Z Movies, exploitation cinema, and camp. Some of my favorites are The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Big Lebowski, Plan 9 From Outer Space, Birdemic, 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 (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!
Resources:
- Political Film Spotlight: The Act of KillingLucky Labrador Brew Pub, Portland, OR
Join movie club member Rob for the next film in our Political Films series with "The Act of Killing" by Joshua Oppenheimer. Here's how it works:
- We'll meet at Lucky Lab in SE at 4pm (map), we'll have a sign at our table (be sure to check outside just in case the weather is nice).
- Grab a drink and we'll spend some time discussing the film with us (NOTE: Just like a book club, we watch the movie before we meet, streaming links below).
Movie Spotlight: The Act of Killing
"The Act of Killing" is a 2012 documentary film directed by Joshua Oppenheimer. The film explores the Indonesian mass killings of 1965–66, in which over a million people were murdered by the military and paramilitary groups. The unique aspect of this documentary is that it involves the perpetrators of the killings reenacting their real-life mass-killings in whichever way they chose.The film received widespread critical acclaim and won numerous awards, including the BAFTA Award for Best Documentary, the European Film Award for Best Documentary, and the Asia Pacific Screen Award for Best Documentary Feature Film. It was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. The Act of Killing was praised for its innovative approach and unflinching portrayal of the perpetrators' perspectives on the mass killings. It sparked conversations about historical revisionism, moral responsibility, and the lingering effects of violence on individuals and societies.
About Political Films
This series is based on the New Republic article, "The 100 Most Significant Political Films of All Time" published in June 2023 and is a comprehensive list of films that speak to our relationships with government, war, bureaucracy, politics and politicians, crime, propaganda, classism, and more. The list is not intended to be a collection of the 'best' films, but the most significant (although many of them are also very good). Some of these films can be a challenging watch, I'd suggest www.doesthedogdie.com for content warnings.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 political film to watch! Take a look at the list linked below for options on the next film.
Movie Resources:
- Samurai Cinema: Lady SnowbloodLucky Labrador Brew Pub, Portland, OR
Let's talk about movies! Join Movie Club Member Jennifer K for the next movie in her Samauri Cinema Series, "Lady Snowblood" by Toshiya Fujita. Here's how it works:
- Watch the movie on your own before we discuss, streaming links below.
- Then, we'll all meet at Lucky Lab on SE Hawthorne at 4pm (map), there will be a sign at our table.
- Grab some food and drinks and we'll spend some time discussing this masterpiece.
Movie Spotlight: Lady Snowblood
Lady Snowblood is a 1973 Japanese revenge action film directed by Toshiya Fujita. The story follows Yuki, a woman born to seek vengeance against the people who betrayed and murdered her family when she was a child. Raised by a martial arts monk to be a skilled assassin, Yuki embarks on a merciless quest to track down and eliminate the criminals responsible for her parents' death, using her sword skills and cunning to methodically take them down one by one.The film is known for its stylized violence and striking visuals, with scenes portrayed through a distinctive washed-out color palette and artistic framing. Lady Snowblood is considered a pioneering work in the Japanese exploitation genre and has been highly influential in both Japanese and Western cinema, inspiring works such as Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill films. It received critical acclaim upon its release and has since been regarded as a cult classic and one of the most important films in Japanese cinema.
About Samurai Cinema
Samurai cinema, also known as chanbara, is a Japanese film genre that is roughly equivalent to Western swashbuckler films. It is a sub-category of jidaigeki, which equates to period drama. This genre is usually set during the Tokugawa era (1600–1868) and often focuses on the end of an entire way of life for the samurai. Many of the films deal with masterless rōnin, or samurai dealing with changes to their status resulting from a changing society.Samurai films were highly influential in Western cinema including films like A Fistful of Dollars, The Magnificent Seven, Six-String Samurai, Last Man Standing, and Star Wars. They were also a significant influence on Hong Kong Action Cinema and many visual elements appear in movies like Lord of the Rings, The Matrix, and Mad Max: Fury Road.
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!
Resources:
Other films discussed
Coming to the Samurai Cinema group for the first time, but interested in movies previously watched & discussed? Here's the list:- Yojimbo 1961
- Sanjuro 1962
- The Sword of Doom 1966
- Kill! 1968
- Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai 1999
