Current conditions unavailable
When good-hearted enthusiasm, an embrace of delightful quirkiness and a contagious stick-to-it-iveness come together, you might just end up with something memorable and fun. That certainly seems to be the case for a brand new feature movie that will debut next month in Centralia, the product of a happy couple who like to make enjoyable things and share them.
Henry and Katie Wegener have just released a trailer and premier date for a movie they’ve put together on a shoestring budget over the past two years.
Careful observers of local life through the eyes of this newspaper might remember Henry from a few years ago, when during a December 2023 rain squall he donned bright yellow fishing gear and a long fake gray beard to “catch” a plastic fish in a giant puddle along South Pearl Street.
His love of silly fun and fake fish soon took a deeper turn.
After two years, the Wegeners and friends have finished a film called “Hunt for the Bubble Bopper Shark.”
They describe it as “a comedy/road trip adventure movie appropriate for all ages” and offer this synopsis: "While on a cross-country road trip with his wife, Henry — a lifelong collector of singing fish wall plaques — discovers a lead on the alleged whereabouts of the Bubble Bopper Shark, the holy grail of singing fish. With the vacation now disrupted and the stakes rising higher every moment, Henry must decide just how far he will go for his ultimate trophy."
The film’s grand premier will be on Saturday, Sept. 12, with showings at 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. at the Evergreen Playhouse (226 W. Center St., Centralia). Admission is free and is open to the public, with first-come, first-served seating that is somewhat limited.
No word yet on whether there will be a red carpet, but you can watch the video trailer at Henry’s YouTube channel @TheHonmeister.
Much of the movie was filmed while the couple were on an actual cross-country road trip. They shot footage in 14 states and four countries.
“My wife, Katie, is also a talented storyteller and artist,” Henry Wegener told me by email. “So with our combined strengths and an entire city of dedicated volunteers helping bring our vision to life, we now have a final product, two years in the making. It's a testimony to the power of community, friends, and the importance of having a good laugh.”
The opening sequence, which parodies Indiana Jones, takes place in one location within the film, but was filmed in various parts of New York, New Mexico and Washington over a two-year span, Wegener said. They began shooting the four-minute sequence in New York in 2024, and only finished the sequence here in Centralia last month.
Friends filled roles in the all-volunteer production, and actual wall-mounted fish enthusiasts (there is apparently a vibrant community of these folks) had “celebrity” cameos in the picture. Henry traveled the globe to visit with them in person.
That’s dedication.
There are plenty of local spots that Lewis County folks will recognize, including shooting locations in historic downtown Centralia at the Centerville Café, Good Fortune and the Shady Lady.
“Don't expect a Hollywood-grade production, just a ton of heart and a fun time," Wegener said.
That actually sounds picture-perfect.
Brian Mittge is a community enthusiast who has written for The Chronicle since 2000 as a reporter, editor and columnist. He can be reached at brianmittge@hotmail.com.
