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Portland Mercury
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News. Culture. Trouble. Established 2000.
A new must-see film to start the new year in Portland: Resurrection.

In the near-future, humans no longer dream, because they’ve figured out that dreaming is what prevents us from being immortal. “People not dreaming is like [sic] candles that do not burn—they can exist forever!”
Movie Review: Resurrection Revives 100 Years of Movie-Making for One Long Dream
Chinese writer-director Bi Gan believes that filmmaking can capture his wildest dreams. Resurrection is his attempt to convince you that it can capture yours too. It’s ambitious to make a movie about ...
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January 2, 2026 at 5:39 PM
Reposted by Portland Mercury
On the off chance you're New Year's Day-ing at the movies, consider this great recommendation / review from @sinacolad.bsky.social of Bi Gan’s 'Resurrection.' Portlanders be warned; it's a pretty limited engagement for this sci-fi existential banger.
Movie Review: Resurrection Revives 100 Years of Movie-Making for One Long Dream
Chinese writer-director Bi Gan believes that filmmaking can capture his wildest dreams. Resurrection is his attempt to convince you that it can capture yours too. It’s ambitious to make a movie about ...
www.portlandmercury.com
January 1, 2026 at 9:38 PM
In 2025, new elected leadership in Portland presented a change of course in the city’s approach to housing and homelessness. At times, the mayor’s vision clashed with that of city councilors, with the mayor focused on expanding shelters and the Council focused on reshaping housing policy.
Mercury 2025 Recap: Housing and Homelessness
In 2025, new elected leadership in Portland presented a change of course in the city’s approach to housing and homelessness. At times, the mayor’s vision clashed with that of city councilors, with the...
www.portlandmercury.com
January 1, 2026 at 5:23 PM
A drone light show over The Square in downtown Portland is helping ring in the New Year. The first show was held at 9pm, and a final one will be held around midnight.
January 1, 2026 at 6:41 AM
A year in Portland in photos.

Portlanders showed up this year, and they showed up in costume. Mercury reporters, photographers, and contributors were there in person to capture moments and bring readers the story.
The Mercury's Best Photos of 2025: Portland Protests, River Swims, and Costumes Across All Occasions
Portlanders showed up this year, and they showed up in costume. Mercury reporters, photographers, and contributors were there in person to capture moments and bring readers the story—be it a show you ...
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January 1, 2026 at 12:11 AM
Mercury Food Critic Andrea Damewood breaks down the 10 best things she tasted this year in Portland (and beyond).
Best Bites of 2025: The Savory, the Sweet, and the Road Trips
I’m always conflicted about how to feel at the end of the year. Like, things were shitty (and for, like, at least the sixth year running). But within that, there are also moments of sweetness. I think...
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December 31, 2025 at 5:35 PM
This year marked a new beginning for Portlanders after 100 years of local government operating at a glacial pace. It was the first under Portland’s new form of government.

We asked councilors to reflect on their achievements and give us a sneak peek at what's to come in 2026.
Mercury 2025 Recap: Portland City Council's First Year
This year marked a new beginning for Portlanders after 100 years of local government operating at a glacial pace. It was the first under Portland’s new form of government. A series of voter-enacted ch...
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December 30, 2025 at 10:48 PM
In November, a grand jury declined to indict the Portland Police officers responsible for the death of Damon Lamarr Johnson, who died in June while in their custody.
Despite DOJ Intervention, Portland Police are Still Killing People in Mental Health Crisis
Teri Johnson never expected justice. Her brother Damon Lamarr Johnson died in June after being restrained by Portland police for several minutes as they tried to take him into custody for behavioral h...
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December 30, 2025 at 8:32 PM
The Heights owner claims predatory lease terms left him in default. His landlord says payments were missed even after a rent reduction.
One of Portland’s Few Black-Owned Music Venues is Facing Eviction
One of Portland’s few Black-owned music venues is facing eviction from its location in Southeast Portland. The Heights lounge and event space was founded in 2024 by local musician Jermaine Malone. Sin...
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December 30, 2025 at 6:04 PM
More than 10 of the top events this week in Portland (December 29-January 4) 👇
The Mercury’s Do This, Do That: Your Top Events for December 29-January 4
It's the last week of 2025, and all those other Do This, Do That events are so last year. Here's a fresh roundup to round out your week, including events featuring complicated comedians, hot vampires,...
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December 30, 2025 at 1:13 AM
Take a trip down garbage memory lane with this holiday edition of THE TRASH REPORT—in which @elinorjoneser.bsky.social picks out the best gossip of 2025!
The Trash Report: Clip Show!
Happy holidays, Trash Pandas! 'Tis I, Elinor Jones, coming to you live from the weird vortex between Christmas and New Year's Day. In the spirit of this being the laziest, dirt-baggiest week of the ye...
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December 29, 2025 at 11:45 PM
Reposted by Portland Mercury
Favorite thing I wrote this year just dropped on @portlandmercury.com and holy shit Harrison Freeman's illo is a goddamn visual poem www.portlandmercury.com/mercury-2025...
A Moment in a Coffee Shop
This time last year I was sitting in a quiet cafe trying to decide if Portland was any different from anywhere else. This was one of those eclectic, slightly hippie-ish coffee shops that used to be mo...
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December 26, 2025 at 10:44 PM
Reposted by Portland Mercury
A lovely reflection from @ohcoleman.bsky.social
The one thing Portland has are the people who live here. Creative, eclectic, fiercely independent people who came out west to get away from the pomp and pretense of older, better run places. The people of this city make what they want to make, and help each other where they can.
A Moment in a Coffee Shop
This time last year I was sitting in a quiet cafe trying to decide if Portland was any different from anywhere else. This was one of those eclectic, slightly hippie-ish coffee shops that used to be mo...
www.portlandmercury.com
December 28, 2025 at 10:39 PM
Reposted by Portland Mercury
Here’s my Top 10 Moments from 2025 in Portland — a wild ass year in the city — Read that ⬇️
"Portland, in addition to being my hometown, is many things. “War-ravaged” is not one of them. 2025 brought us a slate of memorable, profound, troubling, and laugh-to-stop-from-crying moments: ramped up terrorism from ICE, and groundbreaking reclamation efforts from Black Portland."
THE BLACK BYLINE: Top 10 Takeaways from 2025, A Wild Year in Portland
Portland, in addition to being my hometown, is many things. “War-ravaged” is not one of them. 2025 brought us a slate of memorable, profound, troubling, and laugh-to-stop-from-crying moments: ramped u...
www.portlandmercury.com
December 29, 2025 at 6:56 PM
"Portland, in addition to being my hometown, is many things. “War-ravaged” is not one of them. 2025 brought us a slate of memorable, profound, troubling, and laugh-to-stop-from-crying moments: ramped up terrorism from ICE, and groundbreaking reclamation efforts from Black Portland."
THE BLACK BYLINE: Top 10 Takeaways from 2025, A Wild Year in Portland
Portland, in addition to being my hometown, is many things. “War-ravaged” is not one of them. 2025 brought us a slate of memorable, profound, troubling, and laugh-to-stop-from-crying moments: ramped u...
www.portlandmercury.com
December 29, 2025 at 5:36 PM
The one thing Portland has are the people who live here. Creative, eclectic, fiercely independent people who came out west to get away from the pomp and pretense of older, better run places. The people of this city make what they want to make, and help each other where they can.
A Moment in a Coffee Shop
This time last year I was sitting in a quiet cafe trying to decide if Portland was any different from anywhere else. This was one of those eclectic, slightly hippie-ish coffee shops that used to be mo...
www.portlandmercury.com
December 28, 2025 at 9:46 PM
The Mercury's top 10 most read stories of the year:
- Portland's Emergency Naked Bike Ride in Photos
- Satyricon: An Oral History
- Mayor Wilson Puts Portland Housing Bureau Director On Leave
The full list of must-read articles 👇
Mercury 2025 Recap: The Top 10 Most Read Stories of the Year!
It's been a huge, busy 2025 for Portland, with a brand new 12-person City Council settling (and occasionally stumbling) into their new roles, important elections, Trump's failed efforts to embed the N...
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December 27, 2025 at 6:44 PM
A curated guide to 20 New Year's Eve events happening around Portland!
Happy New Year's Eve! What to Do on December 31
Nolan Parker, Lindsay Costello, Suzette Smith, Shannon Lubetich, Wm. Steven Humphrey, Janey Wong, Bri Brey, Jenni Moore, Julianne Bell
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December 26, 2025 at 9:03 PM
"Marty Supreme is, very self-consciously, A LOT. Your enjoyment of that A LOT will be directly predicated on your capacity to ride the rollercoaster of yet another film about one dude’s quest for the trappings of success."
With Marty Supreme Josh Safdie Gives Us Another Movie by and for Insecure Men
This one goes out to all my insecure little dudes.
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December 26, 2025 at 5:24 PM
The Portland Mercury is currently looking for a full time Managing Editor to join our fun ‘n’ smart editorial team. Are YOU the perfect person for this job? Let’s find out…. 🧵
Cool Job Alert: The Mercury Is Hiring a Managing Editor!
Whoopee-doo, great news: The Portland Mercury continues to grow like gang-busters, and we're hiring a MANAGING EDITOR to join our smart, scrappy, kick-ass editorial team. Are YOU an organized person, ...
www.portlandmercury.com
December 26, 2025 at 5:12 PM
The final moments of 2025 provide us with a new banger from Portland's Rachel Wong in the form of "Lit 4 the Holidays," while 2026 promises that local hip-hop showcase The Thesis keeps it 100 well into the new year. And don't forget Brandi Carlile at Moda in March!
Hear In Portland: Getting "Lit 4 the Holidays" with Rachel Wong, and 2026 with The Thesis and Brandi Carlile
Jenni Moore
www.portlandmercury.com
December 24, 2025 at 11:41 PM
The hottest list of the holiday season is here: The Mercury's 10 favorite romance (and romantasy) books of 2025. See the full list by Melissa Locker and start adding to your TBR pile 👇
Escape into Airplane Lust with the Mercury's Favorite Romance Novels of 2025
Between the meet-cutes and the enemies-to-lovers tropes and the sweet feeling of new crushes and the spicy oh-god-don’t-let-my-parents-walk-in moments, there is no better form of escapism than romance...
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December 24, 2025 at 10:32 PM
The 1999-2000 Portland Trail Blazers squad was an excellent basketball team. On December 22, members of the team finally got their roses at the Moda Center.

Corbin Smith was BTS and courtside to capture the celebrations. Story >> www.portlandmercury.com/the-trail-bl...
December 24, 2025 at 2:21 AM
The Mercury's 10 favorite films of 2025.

It includes propulsive Oscar contenders like Marty Supreme and One Battle After Another, and quiet, moving films like Train Dreams and Eephus.

See Dom Sinacola's full list 👇
Film Critic Dom Sinacola on His 10 Favorite Features of 2025, and Where You Can Watch Them
Of the many exceptional movies I saw in 2025—10 of which I have listed below—the majority of them were available to catch in a Portland theater. The thriving ecosystem of independently-owned cinemas s...
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December 23, 2025 at 11:20 PM