A+E

The Arcata Theatre Lounge is showing a couple of movies this week you'll want to clear your schedule for.

First up is Army of Darkness, playing Friday, Aug. 12 at 8 p.m. ($5). The third movie in Sam Raimi's The Evil Dead franchise stars Bruce Campbell as long-suffering, wisecracking protagonist Ash Williams. Trapped in the Middle Ages with his "boomstick" and square jaw, Ash has to find the Necronomicon, a magical book and his ticket home. The film features a lot of slapstick (which you either love or hate in a horror movie), classic one-liners and a nod to stop-motion special effects granddaddy Ray Harryhausen, with fantastic skeleton army battle sequences. Campbell's movie star good looks and goofball portrayal of Ash make him a charming antihero and one of the most quotable characters in the genre. Hail to the king of comedy-horror, baby.

And for the kiddos, blast off on an adventure with Astro Boy, the 2009 animated film loosely based on the original Japanese manga series from the '50s and '60s, playing Sunday, Aug. 14 at 6 p.m. ($5). As in other stories where grieving fathers create replicas of their sons, Astro shows us that he's more boy than bot. As he's flying around saving the world, he learns he's doing it for the ones he loves. Robots have feelings, too.