Film

Derived from the best-selling Audible audiobook “Midnight Son,” by James Dommek Jr., a new documentary on Hulu, “Blood & Myth,” follows Dommek’s investigation into a series of shocking violent crimes that shatter a remote Native village in Northern Alaska. (Courtesy of Disney/via Alaska Beacon)

Film explores clash of Native culture, Western justice

New documentary, “Blood & Myth,” relates to 2012 shootings and woman’s death that convicted Iñupiaq man blamed on encounter with “little people”

 

Rumi, Zoey and Mira, of Huntr/x, perform in "KPop Demon Hunters." (Promotional photo courtesy Sony Pictures Animation)

On the Screen: ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ deserves a spot on the big screen

It’s a film that was made to be experienced with theater-quality sound and alongside a group of strangers

 

Promotional image courtesy Warner Bros. Discovery A child races into the night in “Weapons.”

On the Screen: ‘Weapons’ a thoughtful horror set to American tragedy

Wrapped in a supernatural horror story is a distinctly human narrative

 

Liam Neeson is Lt. Frank Drebin Jr. in “The Naked Gun.” (Promotional image courtesy Paramount Pictures)

On the Screen: Profoundly dumb, deeply hilarious

‘Naked Gun’ brings back the goofball comedy

Liam Neeson is Lt. Frank Drebin Jr. in “The Naked Gun.” (Promotional image courtesy Paramount Pictures)
Vanessa Kirby is Sue Storm, Pedro Pascal is Reed Richards, Joseph Quinn is Johnny Storm and Ebon Moss-Bachrach is Ben Grimm in “Fantastic Four: First Steps.” (Promotional image courtesy Marvel Studios)

On the Screen: New ‘Fantastic Four’ falls short of superb

This new take on “Fantastic Four” is totally fine.

Vanessa Kirby is Sue Storm, Pedro Pascal is Reed Richards, Joseph Quinn is Johnny Storm and Ebon Moss-Bachrach is Ben Grimm in “Fantastic Four: First Steps.” (Promotional image courtesy Marvel Studios)
David Corenswet is Superman in "Superman." (Promotional image courtesy DC Studios)

On the Screen: ‘Superman’ a bold vision of hope, kindness

The film dares to say that kindness is “punk rock.”

David Corenswet is Superman in "Superman." (Promotional image courtesy DC Studios)
Axel Baumann films and Max Osadchenko captures sounds of Juneau Alaska Music Matters students performing a “Gratitude” concert at the Sealaska Heritage Institute Clan House on Thursday, May 8, 2025. The event was a wrapup performance after the film crew followed JAMM participants for two weeks as part of a feature-length documentary. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Filmmakers seek to share cultural lessons of Juneau Alaska Music Matters with a wider audience

Crew spends two weeks with students after following similar program in Texas for full-length documentary.

Axel Baumann films and Max Osadchenko captures sounds of Juneau Alaska Music Matters students performing a “Gratitude” concert at the Sealaska Heritage Institute Clan House on Thursday, May 8, 2025. The event was a wrapup performance after the film crew followed JAMM participants for two weeks as part of a feature-length documentary. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
St. Joseph’s Mission Indian Residential School, a site featured in a scene from the new documentary Sugarcane. (Sugarcane Film LLC)

A new film highlights the traumas inflicted on Indigenous children by residential schools

This story contains difficult subject matter relating to Canada’s and America’s history of operating residential schools for Indigenous people. The National Native American Boarding School… Continue reading

St. Joseph’s Mission Indian Residential School, a site featured in a scene from the new documentary Sugarcane. (Sugarcane Film LLC)
“The Phantom of the Opera” is screened with a live musical soundtrack at the Gold Town Theater in April. Three of the musicians are scheduled to perform Sunday during two screenings of the 1928 silent film “The Wind.” (Courtesy of Gold Town Theater)

This weekend’s lineup at the Gold Town Theater really blows

Xmas Bazaar Xtravaganza nearly sold out already, but seeing “The Wind” to live music a breeze.

“The Phantom of the Opera” is screened with a live musical soundtrack at the Gold Town Theater in April. Three of the musicians are scheduled to perform Sunday during two screenings of the 1928 silent film “The Wind.” (Courtesy of Gold Town Theater)
A still frame from a production of Tlingit “Macbeth” at the National Museum of the American Indian in 2007. (Photo provided by Sealaska Heritage Institute)

Neighbors: SHI to sponsor its first-ever juried film festival

Event to be held during Celebration 2024

A still frame from a production of Tlingit “Macbeth” at the National Museum of the American Indian in 2007. (Photo provided by Sealaska Heritage Institute)
Tourists explore downtown Sitka in the documentary “Cruise Boom,” which is screening Friday at the University of Alaska Southeast and Saturday at the Gold Town Theater. (Courtesy of Artchange Inc.)

‘Cruise Boom’ showing in Juneau before sailing back to Sitka screen

Documentary and talk slated for Friday at UAS; Saturday afternoon screening at Gold Town Theater.

Tourists explore downtown Sitka in the documentary “Cruise Boom,” which is screening Friday at the University of Alaska Southeast and Saturday at the Gold Town Theater. (Courtesy of Artchange Inc.)
A screenshot from “Juneau Thug Life” by Last Frontier Aerial LLC, which is among the films scheduled to be screened during the Juneau Underground Motion Picture Society’s Winter Film Festival at the Gold Town Theater starting Thursday. (Courtesy of the Juneau Underground Motion Picture Society)

Locals again get their moment on the quicksilver screen

“A real cross-section of the community” shown in 10 minutes or less at JUMP Society’s Film Festival.

A screenshot from “Juneau Thug Life” by Last Frontier Aerial LLC, which is among the films scheduled to be screened during the Juneau Underground Motion Picture Society’s Winter Film Festival at the Gold Town Theater starting Thursday. (Courtesy of the Juneau Underground Motion Picture Society)
A paranormal filing cabinet plays a key role in the surrealistic office caper “All Sorts,” which is scheduled to screen at the Gold Town Theater at 7 p.m. Sept. 8. (Vibrant Penguin publicity photo)

‘All Sorts’ a film for those feeling out of sorts

Microbudget movie about a surreal commune of cubical drones screens at Gold Town Theater on Sept. 8

A paranormal filing cabinet plays a key role in the surrealistic office caper “All Sorts,” which is scheduled to screen at the Gold Town Theater at 7 p.m. Sept. 8. (Vibrant Penguin publicity photo)
A new course through the University of Alaska Fairbanks hopes to train new crops of Alaska Native filmmakers in a drive toward greater narrative soverignty. (Jakob Owens / Unsplash)

Filmmaking course hopes to create ‘narrative sovereignty’ for Alaska Natives

‘Our stories from our own perspective.’

A new course through the University of Alaska Fairbanks hopes to train new crops of Alaska Native filmmakers in a drive toward greater narrative soverignty. (Jakob Owens / Unsplash)
‘Sudsy Slim Rides Again’ bubbles up in Juneau
Video

‘Sudsy Slim Rides Again’ bubbles up in Juneau

It’s pretty clean humor.

‘Sudsy Slim Rides Again’ bubbles up in Juneau
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Filmmaker talks digging into proposed Chilkat Valley mining project
Video

Filmmaker talks digging into proposed Chilkat Valley mining project

‘Rock, Paper, Fish’ takes a skeptical, nuanced look at proposed Palmer Project.

Filmmaker talks digging into proposed Chilkat Valley mining project
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Gwaii Edenshaw, co-director and co-writer of the Haida-language film “SG̲aawaay Ḵ’uuna (Edge of the Knife )” said the efforts of language preservationists and the knowledge of fluent speakers were indispensable when making his movie. ( Courtesy Photo | Niijang Xyaalas Productions. Copyright Isuma Distribution International)

Endangered language: Director talks about bringing first feature-length Haida-language film to screen

Endangered language gets its close up.

Gwaii Edenshaw, co-director and co-writer of the Haida-language film “SG̲aawaay Ḵ’uuna (Edge of the Knife )” said the efforts of language preservationists and the knowledge of fluent speakers were indispensable when making his movie. ( Courtesy Photo | Niijang Xyaalas Productions. Copyright Isuma Distribution International)
Hooked on salmon: Southeast and its fish keep filmmaker coming back
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Hooked on salmon: Southeast and its fish keep filmmaker coming back

Coming back to where he began, like a certain kind of fish.

Hooked on salmon: Southeast and its fish keep filmmaker coming back
Video
Film experiment could only happen here

Film experiment could only happen here

Hey, wanna be in a movie?

Film experiment could only happen here
What we’re listening to, watching and reading this month

What we’re listening to, watching and reading this month

Staff picks for January 2019.

What we’re listening to, watching and reading this month