Watch Miyazaki Movies on the Biggest Screen in Portland and a Fly-On-The-Wall Documentary About Classism at a Ski Resort

"Some claim that January is a cultural dead zone for events, and on days when the sun seems to clock out at noon, it's hard to argue. But while much of the city hibernates, one institution keeps the lights on. Thanks, independent movie theaters!! This month's screenings come through with interesting takes on class critique and iconic Miyazaki films; read on for the scoop on those, plus six other films that feel anything but sleepy."

"Asking someone whether they like Studio Ghibli films is a bit like asking whether they like cinema at all. Over the past four decades, the Japanese animation studio has become synonymous with emotionally resonant storytelling and poetic, intelligent engagement with nature and the more-than-human world. These aren't just "kids' movies" by any stretch-although your kid is certain to love them, if they don't already."

"Ghibli co-founder Isao Takahata was responsible for the studio's gentlest and most lyrical work-films like the delicate, textural growing-up story Only Yesterday and the airy, folkloric film The Tale of the Princess Kaguya. Those screen in early February, but this month, OMSI's Reel Eats showing of Hayao Miyazaki's Shinto-influenced 2001 film Spirited Away (January 14-15) sounds like the most fun. Your ticket comes with a tasting menu of "6-12 bites" that correlate with on-screen scenes."

January often feels like a cultural dead zone, but independent movie theaters keep programming active. OMSI's annual Studio Ghibli Film Festival opens with a 4K restoration of Princess Mononoke and includes crowd-pleasers such as My Neighbor Totoro and Kiki's Delivery Service. A few lesser-screened entries by co-founder Isao Takahata, including Only Yesterday and The Tale of the Princess Kaguya, screen in early February. OMSI's Reel Eats presentation of Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away in mid-January pairs the film with a tasting menu of six to twelve bites timed to on-screen scenes. Ticket prices range roughly from $9 to $36.

Read at Portland Mercury