Summer is on the wane and we’ve got a long weekend ahead, so why not catch up on some content filmed in Washington State? The following viewing suggestions include everything from zombie thrillers, rom-coms, noir detective series and reality television, so you’ll probably be able to find something worth watching in the mix. And you may even recognize a corner of your state!
Automata the Series
PAX West is coming to Seattle this weekend, in all of its gaming and cosplay glory, and if you plan on attending the convention this weekend (along with thousands of others), check out a sneak preview of Automata the Series, a live-action web series based on Penny Arcade’s latest noir detective comic and a Washington Filmworks Innovation Lab recipient for 2015. There will be a Q & A with cast and crew after the screening. Here’s the schedule.
Captain Fantastic
Captain Fantastic, a Washington Filmworks incentive recipient and winner of the Golden Space Needle Award, is still playing in theaters this weekend! Starring Viggo Mortensen and directed by Matt Ross, Captain Fantastic tells the story of a very unusual family and their journey back to civilization, with all of the awkwardness and life-lessons it entails. Catch this charming, offbeat film at theaters in Seattle, Vashon, Tacoma, Bainbridge Island, Bellingham, and Anacortes. Check IMDb to see if it is playing at a theater near you!
Lucky Them
Seattle filmmaker and local treasure Megan Griffiths directed the endearing rom-com incentive film Lucky Them in 2013, and it is now streaming on Netflix. Featuring Toni Collette as a disenchanted rock journalist who teams up with an eccentric documentary filmmaker to search for her former rock-star boyfriend, Lucky Them was shot entirely in and around Seattle, gives a great glimpse of the Seattle music scene, and employed a healthy dose of local cast and crew members.
Z Nation
Why not fill your Labor Day weekend with some zombie binge-watching? Catch up on film incentive series Seasons 1 & 2 of Z Nation on Netflix before the premiere of Season 3 on September 16! Shot in Spokane, Z Nation fuses horror, drama, and comedy as it tells the apocalyptic tale of a group of survivors seeking a cure for a zombie virus. Turn off the lights, make some popcorn, and get ready to Netflix and thrill!
American Grit
If fierce, reality-driven shows are more your thing, American Grit is still available on Hulu. This intense, nonfiction competition show where contestants compete in physically demanding military-style exercises for riches and glory was shot near Mt. Rainier in Pack Forest of Eatonville, Washington.
Reel One Festival at Bumbershoot
If you’re going to Bumbershoot this weekend, take a break from Macklemore and see some compelling documentary shorts produced in and around Washington State. The 1 Reel Film Festival showcases the best shorts curated by SIFF from around the world. ‘Northwestern Stories’ features short documentaries that show the history and culture of Washington State. Included in the lineup is Superfan, which tells the story of a dedicated fan trying to keep the spirit of the Seattle Sonics basketball team alive, and The Saint of Dry Creek, about a man who comes out to his father in rural Dry Creek, Washington in the 1950’s. Check out the full schedule here.
Have a great Labor Day weekend, and happy watching!