Brew Views: Beer and Movie Fest

Some things are just better with a beer or six. Take, for example, the sight of a shirtless Patrick Swayze ripping out a dude's throat. Or a gigantic bug sucking out a man's brain with what appears to be a mega-schlong. When then-WW film editor and current news reporter Aaron Mesh (who's no longer associated with it) and movie nut Jacques Boyreau launched the Beer and Movie Fest three years ago, the idea was simple: combine the joys of suds and cinema, then screen some weird shit (highlights of year one included The Human Centipede and Hausu). But the beauty of BAM lies in a trend that's been percolating 'round these parts for years. Movies—particularly old-school revivals like the ones BAM embraces—are becoming an increasingly social medium. Sure, you could down a sixer and watch Roadhouse as it runs endlessly on TBS, but it's not the same as the roar you'll hear in the theater when that throat goes "pop." Likewise, your neighbors aren't going to want to debate fascist imagery after you've watched Starship Troopers alone. BAM allows us these social experiences. While it can be argued BAM has lost some of its luster as a revival fest, it's still a great excuse to gather with a group of friends, the Swayze and some giant bugs for a beer—or six.

1. Playing at: Academy and Laurelhurst.
2. Best paired with: Ninkasi Allies Win the War Ale.
3. Also showing: Sunset Boulevard (Hollywood).

WWeek 2015