BY JACK CAMERON for WEEKLY VOLCANO | 7/31/2026
This week, everyone’s favorite web-slinger is swinging back into cinemas. Spider-Man is back. If you still haven’t had a chance to see The Odyssey, the Grand is still playing the unstoppable blockbuster. There are some very interesting new documentaries available, and one of my all-time favorite movies gets a screening. Here’s what’s playing this week at Tacoma’s independent cinemas.
Blue Mouse Theatre, 2611 North Proctor St.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day, July 31-Aug. 2 at 3:15 and 7 p.m.; Aug. 3 at 7 p.m.
It’s been a while since the last Spider-Man movie, but Tom Holland hasn’t lost a step. His portrayal of Spider-Man continues to be one of the best. This time around, he’s got an occasional ally in Jon Bernthal’s Punisher. Don’t worry if you haven’t seen all the shows and movies. You’ll find this one fairly accessible. We’ve been watching Spider-Man on the big screen since the year 2000, and it’s still a lot of fun watching Stan Lee and Steve Ditko’s creation come to life.
Shrek, free family movie, Aug. 1 at 11 a.m.
August starts with the Blue Mouse’s Free Family Movie, the animated classic Shrek. It’s hard to believe it’s been 25 years since the world was introduced to Shrek. But with Shrek 5 on the horizon, why not check out the movie that started it all?
The Grand Cinema, 606 Fawcett Ave.
Hadestown: The Musical, July 30 at 1:25 and 4:20 p.m.; Aug. 1 at 11:45 a.m.; Aug. 2 at 2 p.m.; Aug. 3 at 4:10 p.m.; Aug. 5 at 1:30 p.m.; Aug. 6 at 4:10 p.m.
A live theater recording of the hit musical Hadestown. Hadestown won eight Tony Awards in 2019, including Best Musical. This genre-defying musical blends modern American folk music with New Orleans-inspired jazz, following two intertwining love stories: Orpheus and Eurydice, and King Hades and his wife, Persephone. It’s a musical theater performance you won’t want to miss.
The Odyssey, July 30 at 1:15, 4 and 7 p.m.; July 31 at 11:30 a.m. and 4:30 and 7 p.m.; Aug. 1 at 11:30 a.m. and 3 and 6:30 p.m.; Aug. 2 at noon and 3:30 and 7 p.m.; Aug. 3-6 at 1:15, 4 and 7 p.m.
The biggest blockbuster of the summer of 2026, Christopher Nolan’s latest big-budget epic is an adaptation of one of the first epics ever written down. The Odyssey is the first big-budget Hollywood movie to be filmed entirely with IMAX cameras. Nolan, known for enjoying the use of practical effects, used a 60-foot puppet for the Cyclops sequence rather than resorting to an entirely computer-generated image. Stars Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway and Robert Pattinson have all talked about the challenging work they put into making this film.
The Invite, July 30 at 1:30, 4:40 and 7:20 p.m.; July 31 at 2:20 p.m.; Aug. 1 at 4:50 p.m.
This is likely the last chance to see this in the theater. I’ve been told by friends that if you want to have a very interesting date-night conversation, go see The Invite, a movie in which two couples have a night in, but it is anything but calm. Funny and unlike almost any movie you’ll see this year, The Invite stars Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz, Edward Norton and Olivia Wilde. Wilde also directed this comedy.
Lyle Quasim: Suit Up, Show Up, and Engage!, Aug. 3 at 7:30 p.m.
On Monday, you have an opportunity to see Lyle Quasim: Suit Up, Show Up, and Engage!, a 45-minute documentary about civil rights activist and Tacoman Lyle Quasim. From being a confirmed socialist to serving as president of Bates Technical College, as a founding co-director of Safe Streets and as the first Black director of Washington’s Department of Social and Health Services, his story is remarkable. Through interviews with Tacoma’s Peace Bus operator, Kwabi Amoah-Forson, and other prominent Tacomans, the film uncovers Quasim’s legacy.
Network, July 30 at 7:30 p.m.
Paddy Chayefsky’s paranoid classic Network is one of those movies that feels endlessly relevant. This is Network’s 50th anniversary, and yet it remains one of those films that feels like it could have been made last week. Peter Finch gives the performance of a lifetime, and his last performance. When a veteran newscaster loses it on air, he becomes a media sensation despite his hatred of the very media that is spotlighting him. Network is one of my all-time favorites. If you haven’t seen Network, this is your chance to see it as it was intended.
I Want Your Sex, July 31 at 12:15, 2:30, 4:40 and 8 p.m.; Aug. 1 at 12:15, 2:40, 5 and 7:10 p.m.; Aug. 2 at 12:30, 3, 5:15 and 7:30 p.m.; Aug. 3 at 1:45 and 4:55 p.m.; Aug. 4 at 2:30, 4:45 and 7:45 p.m.; Aug. 5 at 2:30, 5 and 7:30 p.m.
Gregg Araki (Mysterious Skin, The Doom Generation) brings his latest to us. Cooper Hoffman stars as Elliot, who lands a job with renowned artist and provocateur Erika, played by Olivia Wilde. Boundaries, desires and power dynamics are tested and broken in this edgy film that mixes romantic comedy, mystery and satire.
Polyester (in Odorama!), July 31 and Aug. 1 at 10 p.m.
Queer Elephant presents the 1981 John Waters classic Polyester. If you are not familiar with Baltimore’s own John Waters, he is gloriously known as the Pope of Trash. His films are unapologetically queer in all senses of the term. Many think Polyester is his masterpiece. This showing includes an invention of Waters’ own: Odorama, a scratch-and-sniff experience to go along with the movie, assuming you have the courage.
Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World, July 31 at 2:50 and 7:20 p.m.; Aug. 1 at 11:45 a.m. and 7 p.m.; Aug. 2 at 12:10 and 4:45 p.m.; Aug. 3 at 1:40 and 4:45 p.m.; Aug. 4 at 2 and 4:45 p.m.; Aug. 5 at 4:40 and 7:10 p.m.; Aug. 6 at 1:50 and 7:10 p.m.
Poetry doesn’t have pop icons, but if it did, Mary Oliver would be one. A bestselling author and Pulitzer Prize winner who was openly queer and intensely private, Oliver is the subject of this rare look into the life of one of America’s most celebrated poets. The documentary includes never-before-seen personal photos, notebooks and correspondence, along with recitations of her work by Stephen Colbert, Lucy Dacus, Steve Buscemi and Oprah Winfrey. This documentary captures her unique view of the world.
The Kidnapping of Arabella, July 31 at noon and 5 and 7:30 p.m.; Aug. 1 at noon and 2:30 and 7:30 p.m.; Aug. 2 at 11:30 a.m. and 5 and 7:40 p.m.; Aug. 3 at 1:30 and 7:10 p.m.; Aug. 4 at 4:30 and 7:20 p.m.; Aug. 5 at 2, 4:30 and 7:20 p.m.; Aug. 6 at 2, 4:30 and 7:20 p.m.
The Grand is one of the only places you’re going to see Italian films like The Kidnapping of Arabella. When Holly meets a rebellious 8-year-old girl hoping to run away from her self-absorbed father, Holly becomes convinced Arabella is her past self and that she has a chance to change things.
Mockbuster, July 31 at 5:10 and 9:30 p.m.; Aug. 1 at 2 and 9:15 p.m.; Aug. 2 at 2:30 and 7:10 p.m.
When a struggling filmmaker gets the opportunity to make a movie for the Sharknado people, he has six days and a microbudget to make it all happen. This behind-the-scenes documentary gives you a glimpse into the chaos of a tiny-budget movie. Catch it while you can.
Wild Inside, Aug. 4 at 1:45 and 7:30 p.m.
As I’m sure you’re all aware, Aug. 4 is International Owl Awareness Day. If you’re wondering how one might celebrate this holiday, perhaps head down to the Grand and see this documentary about Flaco, a Eurasian eagle-owl who escapes from the Central Park Zoo and sets off to explore Manhattan. This documentary follows the owl as Flaco adjusts to the world outside. You have to admit it’s a better way to celebrate International Owl Awareness Day than whatever your other plans were.
