Metro kicks off "War!" film series

The Metro kicks off a new Metro Classics series called simply "War!" on Wednesday nights through September. It will feature six foreign films (three from the Axis powers; three from Allies), followed by three Lee Marvin war films. An evening of German Expressionism begins the series Wednesday, with a double feature of "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" (at 6:30 and 9:40 p.m.) and F.W. Murnau's 1924 "The Last Laugh" (8 p.m.). One admission ($10 general; $8.25 students; $7 children/seniors) gets you into both films, which will be digitally projected. Metro, 4500 Ninth Ave. N.E., Seattle; 206-781-5755 or www.landmarktheatres.com.

This weekend Northwest Film Forum presents "No Borders, No Limits," a four-day series of 1960s films from the Japanese studio Nikkatsu. Three of the four films shown are not currently available on DVD: the experimental 1960 Beat film "The Warped Ones," and two noirish 1967 tales of hit men: "Velvet Hustler" and "A Colt Is My Passport." Also screening is Koreyoshi Kurahara's 1962 drama "Glass Johnny," inspired by Fellini's "La Strada." All four films show multiple times through Monday; a series pass is $20 ($15 NWFF members). 1515 12th Ave., Seattle; 206-267-5380 or www.nwfilmforum.org.

The RAWSTOCK Film Festival returns to ACT tonight with "Light and Dark," a selection of 20 new short films, including many from local filmmakers. The show is separated into two halves — one light, one dark — and will feature a musical intermission. World premieres include Shawn Telford's "A Night in the Sunlight," Jason Reid's "Waiting in Line to Die" and Darrius Schieder's "Rinse Cycle"; Seattle premieres include Calvin Lee Reeder's "Rambler," ES Wochinskey's "Shiner," Steve Fogell's "Engagement" and more. 8:45 p.m. at ACT Theatre (700 Union St., Seattle); tickets are $15 and available at the door or through www.acttheatre.org. (Warning: Some of the films in the "Dark" section contain graphic violence.)

Another busy weekend of outdoor movies includes "Bring It On" (South Lake Union Cinema on the Lawn, www.cinemaonthelawn.com or 206-343-1543) and "Bee Movie" (Everett Cinema under the Stars, www.everettwa.org or 425-257-7101) tonight; "An Inconvenient Truth" (Fremont Outdoor Movies, www.fremontoutdoormovies.com or 206-781-4230), "The Goonies" (West Seattle Sidewalk Cinema, www.sidewalkcinema.com or 206-276-8001) and "Wallace & Gromit" (Carillon Point Outdoor Movie Nights, www.carillon-point.com or 425-822-1700) tonight; and many more.

For more information, see www.seattletimes.com and search for "outdoor movies perfect."

SIFF Cinema continues its Films4Families Saturday-morning series with "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" — the 1971 Gene Wilder version, not the more recent Johnny Depp one — at 10 a.m. tomorrow. Tickets are $7 adult/ $2 for a child/youth under 18 accompanied by an adult. Family packs for the series are still a good value: $50 for four tickets for each of the five remaining films in the series (which include "The Secret Garden," "The Neverending Story," "The Secret of Roan Inish" and "The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T"). SIFF Cinema, 321 Mercer St. at McCaw Hall, Seattle; 206-633-7151 or www.siff.net.

The Grand Illusion concludes its two-week Charlton Heston tribute with "The Omega Man," the 1971 futuristic thriller based on Richard Matheson's "I Am Legend." It plays through Thursday: 1403 N.E. 50th, Seattle; 206-523-3935 or www.grandillusioncinema.org. (If you miss it, it also screens at Fremont Outdoor Movies on Aug. 2.)

And finally, stay up late and get scared with "The Shining," Stanley Kubrick's 1980 chillfest featuring Jack Nicholson as a writer going mad in a haunted, remote hotel. Midnight tonight and Saturday at the Egyptian, 805 E. Pine St., Seattle; 206-781-5755 or www.landmarktheatres.com. Say it with me: "Danny doesn't live here anymore, Mrs. Torrence ... "

Moira Macdonald: 206-464-2725

or mmacdonald@seattletimes.com