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. We're also on Discord and Instagram.
Membership is free, join us for a beer or two and hang out!
Upcoming events
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GLOBAL HORROR: MACARIO
Lucky Labrador Brew Pub, 915 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR, USPortland Movie Club Global Horror Meet-Up - Spotlight on: MACARIO (1960)
Let's talk about movies! Join Movie Club member Victoria for the next installment of our exploration of Latin American horror with Macario (1960).
Here's how it works:
1. Just like a book club, we watch the movie before we meet.
2. We'll meet at The Lucky Lab - Hawthorne OR at 4pm. Unless there's a competing reservation, we can be found in the side room. If we're not there, check out back on the patio.
3. Grab some food and drinks and spend some enjoyable time discussing this masterpiece with us!A little about Macario (1960):
Macario (1960) is a cinematic fairytale about death, family, and fate. The film takes place on the Day of the Dead, and features luminous subterranean landscapes and legendary marionette work by Juventino Castelán Arroyo of Compañía Rosete Aranda.
Though supernatural and deeply fantastical, this film is much less frightening and disturbing than our ususal fare.
Macario is based on the novel The Third Guest by B. Traven (author of The Treasure of the Sierra Madre), which is itself based on "Grandfather Death" by the Brothers Grimm. Directed by Roberto Gavaldón, Macario was the first Mexican film nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
Trigger Notes: Macario is not gory or graphic. It does, however, include material about mortality and the threat of starvation to both adults and children. If that is going to be rough viewing for you, please take care of yourself! Find out more about whether the film contains elements you'd rather avoid at DoesTheDogDie.com.
Viewing Options
Viewing options for this one are a bit more limited than usual.The film has had a couple of DVD releases, the most recent of which appears to have been in 2008. Movie Madness does have something in its catalog called Macario, but the date listed is 1957, so I cannot be sure that it is the right film.
It is available to stream on YouTube, Amazon Prime (with a free subscription to VixGratis), and the Internet Archive.
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.
- If you come up with any discussion topics you'd like to explore with the group, bring them with you! We love fresh eyes and new voices!
The Portland Movie Club is on Discord!
Are you on Discord? Join the PMC Discord!17 attendees
First Roles: "Death Wish" featuring Jeff Goldblum (Rescheduled to Sept. 27!)
Lucky Labrador Brew Pub, 915 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR, USUPDATE: Due to schedule conflicts, the discussion of Michael Winner's 1974 film "Death Wish" featuring Jeff Goldblum in his big-screen debut has been rescheduled to Sept. 27th. I apologize for the inconvenience!
Join Portland Movie Club members Kyle C. for the next First Roles group discussion! This group focuses on the initial on-screen appearances of celebrated Hollywood icons. For this meeting we will discuss 1974's vigilante action-thriller "Death Wish" that not only features a career defining performance from lead actor Charles Bronson, but also features the debut big-screen performance from Jeff Goldbum who is billed as "Freak #1"
Here's how it works:
- Watch the movie on your own (or with friends!) Steeaming options include Amazon Prime and AppleTV.
- We'll meet at Lucky Lab at 4pm (map) There will be a Portland Movie Club sign at our table.
- Grab some food and drinks and we'll spend some time discussing this masterpiece.
Movie Spotlight: "Death Wish"
In 1970s New York City, architect Paul Kersey (Bronson) returns home from vacation to a city struggling with rising crime. His sense of safety is shattered when his family becomes the target of a violent home invasion, an event that leaves him grieving and unmoored. As he confronts the limits of the justice system and the emotional fallout of the attack, Paul is drawn into a moral crossroads that forces him to reconsider what justice means in a city where danger feels ever‑present. The film follows his transformation as he navigates grief, fear, and the growing tension between lawful order and personal retribution, all against the backdrop of a gritty, uneasy New York.
Early in the film, Paul’s family encounters a trio of young street thugs—one of whom is played by Jeff Goldblum in his first big‑screen speaking role. His appearance is brief but memorable, marking the moment Goldblum first appears in a theatrical feature with dialogue.
In the decades since, Death Wish has remained one of the most debated crime films of its era, both for its gritty portrait of 1970s New York and for the cultural conversations it sparked around fear, justice, and vigilantism. Its influence can be felt in the many films that echoed its themes, and it continues to be revisited as a touchstone of urban‑crime cinema. The movie also holds a special place in film history for marking Jeff Goldblum’s big‑screen debut, offering an early glimpse of an actor who would go on to become one of Hollywood’s most distinctive screen presences.
On Discord? Join the Portland Movie Club!
35 attendees
The Camera Eye discussion: STALKER (1979)
Breakside Brewery, 12675 SW 1st Street Beaverton OR 97005, Beaverton, OR, USThe Camera Eye discussion: Stalker (1979)
Join Movie Club member Jake Brown for the next film in his series highlighting great cinematography in motion pictures: 1979's treacherous journey to gifts of greatest desires, Stalker (Сталкер). Directed by master dreamweaver Andrei Tarkovsky, the film is based on the 1972 novel Roadside Picnic (Пикник на обочине) by writing duo Arkady and Boris Stragatsy. It stars Aleksandr Kaydanovskiy, Anatoliy Solonitsyn, and Nikolay Grinko, incorporating the earthy visual tones of Aleksandr Knyazhinskiy, who re-captured every hypnotic moment (after most of the film had already been shot by another cinematographer and then ruined) on Traditional 35mm in a 1.37:1 aspect ratio.About Stalker
From Letterboxd: "Near a gray and unnamed city is the Zone, a place guarded by barbed wire and soldiers, and where the normal laws of physics are victim to frequent anomalies. A stalker guides two men into the Zone, specifically to an area in which deep-seated desires are granted."Viewing Options for Stalker
Streaming options include HBO MAX, with additional for-purchase/rental options through Apple TV and Amazon Prime. Physical copies can be rented from Movie Madness, including the Criterion Blu-ray.“The Camera Eye” Portland Movie Club Meet-Up Series
Whether 35mm film, 70mm, 16, Super 8, or digital, we want to celebrate the greatest shots in cinema history. This isn’t just about cameras and lenses, though. It’s framing, lighting, blocking, acting, makeup, costumes, location, set design, and so much more. Of course, cinematography is just a jumping-off point. What about editing, sound design, characters, and most important of all, the story? Let’s discuss!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! We'll begin by going around and introducing ourselves, I'll give a quick summary of the film's history, and we'll dive into the group discussion from there.
Are you on Discord? Join the Portland Movie Club!
40 attendees
Political Films Meet-Up: GET OUT (2017)
Lucky Labrador Brew Pub, 915 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR, USPolitical Films Meet-Up: Get Out (2017)
Let’s talk about movies! While we would normally be doing a documentary after Parasite, I decided we should start October off with a political horror movie, and the group chose Jordan Peele's Get Out (2017), one of the most acclaimed horror films of all time.
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:
While director Jordan Peele is still well known for his comedy work (Key & Peele), this film launched his second career as a bankable horror auteur. Get Out was selected in 2021 by the Writers Guild of America West as the greatest screenplay of the 21st century so far.Viewing Options for the film:
The film is available to stream via Peacock, Hulu, Youtube, and others. There are also discs available to rent at Movie Madness and the Multnomah County Library.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 and vote on a slate of options for the next discussion. We typically alternate between 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
The Portland Movie Club is on Discord!
Are you on Discord? Join the Portland Movie Club!35 attendees
Past events
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