BY JACK CAMERON for WEEKLY VOLCANO | 8/21/2026
This week the Blue Mouse welcomes back the ever-popular Toy Story 5, the early days of Anthony Bourdain are explored in Tony, and you have an opportunity to see Jurassic Park on a 30-foot outdoor screen for free. But that’s not all. Friday Night Frights has The Lost Boys, and the Grand is hosting the ultimate screening of The Room with live commentary by its star. This week’s got something for everyone, even if all you want is to know how they make an episode of Wishbone.
The Blue Mouse Theatre
2611 North Proctor
Toy Story 5 – Aug. 21-23 at 4:15 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.; Aug. 24 at 7:00 p.m.
The wait is over. Toy Story 5 is back by popular demand at the Blue Mouse Theatre. Pixar initially didn’t want to make a fifth Toy Story movie, but after the lackluster performance of Lightyear, Disney convinced Pixar that a main Toy Story universe film would be a good idea. And it turns out they were right.
This is the first Toy Story movie to have a PG rating, but that shouldn’t keep you away. It’s only back for one week. So catch it while you can.
The Lost Boys – Aug. 21 at 10:00 p.m.
This month’s Friday Night Frights is the 1980s vampire film The Lost Boys. This was the first of many movies to star “the two Coreys,” Corey Haim and Corey Feldman. Vampires aren’t real, but I guarantee that if they were, they’d be at this screening.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show – Aug. 22 at 11:30 p.m.
It’s time to do the Time Warp again! Every month the Blue Mouse presents the anarchic musical classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Tim Curry absolutely eats the scenery in this fun and ridiculous film. If you’ve never gone to one of these screenings, you’re missing out on a cultural touchstone that has lasted decades. Participation and dressing up are highly encouraged.
Empire of Light – Aug. 27 at 6:00 p.m.
Back in 2022, Empire of Light hit theaters and wasn’t a hit, but it’s a movie worth revisiting. Beautifully shot by cinematographer Roger Deakins and directed by Sam Mendes, Empire of Light tells the story of a cinema manager (Olivia Colman) and her new employee (Micheal Ward). The film is both a celebration of movies and an exploration of social issues of the era. Presented as part of the Blue Mouse’s 2026 Film Series, this screening is hosted by Phil Venditti, Ph.D.
The Grand Cinema
606 Fawcett Avenue
The Rivals of Amziah King – Aug. 21 at 11:40 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 5:20 p.m.; Aug. 22 at 11:20 a.m., 2:10 p.m., 5:00 p.m. and 7:45 p.m.; Aug. 23 at 11:20 a.m., 4:40 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Aug. 24 at 1:40 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.; Aug. 25 at 1:20 p.m. and 4:20 p.m.; Aug. 26 at 1:30 p.m., 4:20 p.m. and 7:10 p.m.; Aug. 27 at 1:30 p.m., 4:10 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Matthew McConaughey plays the title character, Amziah King, a musician and beekeeper in the honey business in Oklahoma. He makes some enemies, including Kurt Russell’s character. But it’s when you take everything from someone that they become the most dangerous.
The Room LIVE with Greg Sestero – Aug. 21 at 7:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.
This may be the best event for the worst movie ever. The Room has become one of those films that somehow transcends itself and has become a cultural artifact. If you’re ever going to see The Room in the theater, I can’t imagine a better way to do that than by seeing it at the Grand with Greg Sestero, the star of The Room, giving live commentary. The 7:30 p.m. showing only had seven tickets left when I wrote this on Monday.
Tony – Aug. 21 at 11:20 a.m., 2:00 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 7:45 p.m.; Aug. 22 at 11:40 a.m., 2:20 p.m., 4:40 p.m. and 7:10 p.m.; Aug. 23 at 11:40 a.m., 2:10 p.m., 4:50 p.m. and 7:10 p.m.; Aug. 24 at 1:50 p.m., 4:10 p.m. and 6:45 p.m.; Aug. 25 at 2:00 p.m., 4:40 p.m. and 7:20 p.m.; Aug. 26 at 2:00 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 7:20 p.m.; Aug. 27 at 2:00 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 7:10 p.m.
Before he was the world-famous, world-traveling chef, Anthony Bourdain was just a 19-year-old kid trying to get by. This is the story that Tony tells us of the early days of Anthony Bourdain’s life. Dominic Sessa (that kid you liked from The Holdovers) stars as Tony. I’m really looking forward to this one.
Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma – Aug. 21 at 11:50 a.m., 2:20 p.m., 4:50 p.m., 7:20 p.m. and 9:45 p.m.; Aug. 22-23 at 11:30 a.m., 2:00 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 7:20 p.m.; Aug. 24 at 1:30 p.m., 4:40 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Aug. 25 at 1:30 p.m., 4:10 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Aug. 26 at 1:40 p.m., 4:40 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Aug. 27 at 1:40 p.m., 4:40 p.m. and 7:20 p.m.
Anyone who watched I Saw the TV Glow knew that writer-director Jane Schoenbrun was a new and interesting voice in film. Their follow-up, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, wins for my favorite title this year and stars Gillian Anderson and Hannah Einbinder in a story about a filmmaker obsessed with getting the original star to reprise her role in the slasher sequel she’s making. But given the creative hands you’re in, I expect this takes more than a couple of wild twists.
Jurassic Park – Aug. 22 at 9:00 p.m. at the Salishan Family Investment Center, 1724 E. 44th St., Tacoma, WA 98404
The summer of free outdoor movies ends with the ultimate dinosaur movie, Jurassic Park. Shown on a 30-foot inflatable screen, you’ve never seen Jurassic Park quite like this. Be part of a community experience and watch a classic movie that’s fun for kids of all ages.
Mysterious Skin (4K Restoration) – Aug. 23 at 2:20 p.m. and Aug. 24 at 7:20 p.m.
When they were eight years old, two boys experienced something. Now it’s ten years later, and they couldn’t be more different. But what happened back then, and how does it impact them now? Gregg Araki’s 2004 UFO movie has never looked better after a careful 4K restoration.
What’s the Story, Wishbone? – Aug. 25 at 1:45 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
If it’s Tuesday, the Grand is playing a documentary, and this coming Tuesday it’s What’s the Story, Wishbone?, a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to put on PBS’s Wishbone television show. This is presented with the Tacoma Humane Society as part of its Dog Days of Summer program.
Next week, The Odyssey comes to the Blue Mouse, and the Grand plays a movie where real people are mauled by lions in the not-quite classic Roar.
