Portland at the Movies

It's a classic who-done-it, but also a "wait, what did they do?" and a "how would that even work" and a "I can't tell these Abercrombie model actors apart," and "how does a local winery have it's own IPO and stock?" and "HE'S IN THE SHOWER WITH WHO?!?!"  So, like it's a lot of things. But is one of those things "good"? Find out on this month's episode.

We're a lot more split on our opinions of this mid 2010's comedy filmed almost entirely in Lake Oswego High School. It's sort of a weird hybrid of Disney Channel movie and Ryan Murphy project -- which, if you're familiar with the old 2000s television show "Popular," makes sense -- but is it able to pull off such a weird tone mixed with a preposterous plot conceit? Find out this month.

This month we set our sights on the 2011 indie film "Rid of Me," by the director of the finest documentary about video stores ever made called "At The Video Store." This movie also has one of our favorite people, Storm Large, in a supporting role. So everything is aces, right? An instant classic? Or do we need to get rid of this film? Find out in this month's episode.

This month we settle in for one of our more confusing movies -- a full length motion picture porn-parody (?) of "I Am Legend," but with vampire strippers and Ron Jeremy. While on the face of it this movie may be easy to write off , there's way more effort and successful filmmaking that the premise demands. Does that save the film? Find out this week. (Note: Our main audio board went out at about t...

If you're looking to re-experience the Portland of 2010, here's the movie for you. What it often lacks in forward momentum, it makes up for with locations and vibes that not even the mystery of a missing girl and a mysterious man in a cowboy hat gets in the way too much. So grab a bag of ice, put on a cozy sweater, and enjoy the Cold Weather.

We end the year with a listener-submitted movie pick, which he described as the intersection of "What the Bleep Do We Know," "The Legend of Tillamook's Gold," and "A Walk In Her Shoes," which was a pretty apt description of this movie about the supposedly true-life phenomenon of kids born with special abilities, none of which are actually defined or explicated. Are we glad this movie manifested it...

This month we have a refreshing change of pace: a good movie! In fact, we recommend watching this before we dig in to the various twists and turns of this movie starring Teen Wolf's Dylan O'Brien and James Sweeney (who also wrote, directed, and produced the film). It's a great movie to go in blind to, but even if you end up skipping it, our episode is well worth listening to. Enjoy!

We missed releasing this episode before Halloween in the same way this movie missed being, well, really anything. Although there is some good lighting and camera work, this shot-on-video, low-budget movie struggles to provide any tension or scares to make it memorable. But is there anything worth celebrating? We find out on this month's episode.

This month we discuss the 2012 thriller "Gone," starring Amanda Seyfried, about a woman intent on hunting down the serial killer who kidnapped her sister. Oh and also she herself was kidnapped by the same person the year before, or at least she's pretty sure she was. Or was she kidnapped at all? Find out on this month's episode!

The Unipiper noted that this movie begins like "Stand by Me," but ends up like "Reservoir Dogs." While not exactly right, he's not far off describing this 2000 movie with some legitimately shocking twists and compelling turns. But because this is a movie made around Portland (Vernonia, to be exact), it falls short of being an actual good movie. Find out why on this month's episode.

"This month we head out to the Oregon countryside (and St. Helens!) for this family comedy (?) drama (?) about a cantankerous old man (Alan Arkin) healing the relationships (?) between him and his many, many children. Also, there's a lawsuit about sheep piss. Can Glenne Headly or Lauren Holly save this? Cook yourself some organic, fertilized eggs and pull out that rocking chair to find out."

Off Bigfoot hunting we go once again, this time with Justin Long and a gang of geeks, and the creative team behind Napoleon Dynamite. Does this movie stand up tall next to its creative heritage, or does it splat in the woods like a big pile of poo? Find out in this month's episode. The post “The Sasquatch Gang” (2006) appeared first on Portland at the Movies .

Hayden Panettiere ("Heroes") and Ryan Kelley ("Teen Wolf") star in this existential family film that runs somewhere between "What Dreams May Come" and "Jacob's Ladder." Throw in some irritating mouth noises from Armin Mueller-Stahl and you've got yourself....well, something. Find out more on this month's episode. The post “The Dust Factory” (2004) appeared first on Portland at the Movies .

This month we revisit PatM legend Phillip J. Roth, who brought us Total Reality and Fatal Revenge, for his 1990 movie "Red Snow." Shot at Timberline and Ski Bowl, this film takes the classic trope of skiers vs. snowboarders and amps it up with Uzis and murder. We're then joined by our friend Mark Landers, who was a production assistant for this movie, who dishes on the behind-the-scenes goings on....

You know you're heading into trauma when Michelle Williams shows up in a pixie cut. A story about several days in the life of a woman making her way across country with her dog, this movie is sparse, dialogue-light, and takes its time. But is that a good thing, or a bad thing? Let's head to a Walgreen's parking lot to find out. The post Wendy and Lucy (2008) appeared first on Portland at the Movie...

With an all-star cast including Tilda Swinton, Keanu Reeves, Vince Vaughn, Vincent D'onofrio, and Benjamin Bratt, and music by Elliot Smith and The Polyphonic Spree, this mid-2000s coming-of-age movie is brimming with promise. Does it deliver, or does it, well, suck? The post “Thumbsucker” (2005) appeared first on Portland at the Movies .

It's beginning to look a lot like...we're losing our minds. Much like celebrating Christmas with a hyperactive child cracked out on pixie sticks, "Christmas Freak" asks the bold question: "Can someone love Christmas too much?" and "Is there any way to stop this from happening to me?" Find out where your holiday spirit turns from "Goodwill to all people" to "For the love of Santa please make this s...

Definitely the most current movie we've ever covered...and maybe one of the best? If you haven't seen it, we recommend going in blind, but either way, it's a big recommend from us - it's available on Netflix. This episode is formatted a bit differently than normal, so if you want to follow how we did it, you can stop and listen at around the 25 minute mark, and the 1:04:00 mark. Enjoy! The post “I...

A group of people wake up in an experimental facility hoping for a cure to a disease that is ravaging the world - but is that cure worse than the disease? And does this low-budget indie movie make the best out of what it has to work with? The hosts are split, much like the dog in this movie. The post “Cell Count” (2012) appeared first on Portland at the Movies .

Would you believe me if I told you there was a TV movie filmed in Portland about the attack on the World Trade Center starring George Clooney and Fran Drescher? Of course you would - this is Portland at the Movies, after all (and it's the 1993 WTC bombing). It's also got the dad from "Fresh Price of Bel Air," so there's that too. And Andre Braugher. And the brother from "Blossom." The post “Withou...

A movie so baffling that even after discussing it for an hour we're at a loss. So we'll just post Roger Ebert's review here: "Here is a movie that looks like a parody, sounds like a parody and plays like a parody, but isn't a parody -- because the genre it's making fun of doesn't exist. Maybe "Love at Large" is a satire on satire itself. It feels like a movie from another time-space continuum, ano...

Like a moth to the flame, we're back with another 90s made-for-TV legal thriller starring Annette O'Toole, Michael McKean, and CCH Pounder. Kidnapping, murder, dubious legal work, and the continual highlighting of the gay community and those who love them as dangerous monsters is really only table setting for what are two of the most egregious miscarriages of justice we've ever seen on film. Press...

Summer is just beginning, so let's head to the Oregon coast for this family/adventure film about a teenager's search for the legendary Tillamook gold left by Spanish sailors. Is it a jaunty kids action movie, or a frigid, bitter look at the disintegration of an American marriage? Find out on this month's episode! The post “The Legend of Tillamook’s Gold” aka “Treasure Hunt” aka “Tillamook Treasure...

Is there anything more early-2000s than Ryan Philippe and Rachel Leigh Cook? This month we travel back to the Big Tech of 2000s for this thriller about a mega tech company who will stop at nothing in their pursuit of code with the perfect structure. Or something. The tech is a bit hazy. Does this movie get anything else right? Find out on this month's episode. The post “Antitrust” (2001) appeared...

Well, we're finally reviewing the movie that spawned this whole podcast: Madonna's 1993 throwback/thriller/noir/erotic courtroom drama that dares to ask the question: "Can you screw someone to death?" We dare to ask the question: "Is this movie as bad as its reputation holds? Is it that bad in comparison to the other Portland films we've been subjected to in the past?" Light your candles, bust out...