Austin360 blogs > Austin Movie Blog > Archives > 2006 > July
July 2006
Rebuttal to ‘All’s well …’
This regards the link down below to filmcritic.com’s list of The Top 50 Movie Endings of All Time.
It’s a weak, sometimes embarrassing list, clearly written by twentysomethings whose touchstone life movies are “Blade Runner” and “Lord of the Rings.” The list favors recent movies, with the occasional sop to film-school movies that might make them appear legit.
They apologize for not including “Jaws,” “Carrie,” “The Sixth Sense” and “Seven.” They have a lot more apologizing to do, not only for excluding several no-brainers (which these “critics” have likely never seen — you know, black and white being all old and stuff), but for including some OK endings they mistake for great.
Should not be on their list but are:
“The Blair Witch Project,” “Batman Begins,” “A History of Violence,” “Dead Again,” “All That Jazz,” “8 1/2” (did they actually watch a black and white foreign film?), “Back to the Future,” “Jacob’s Ladder,” “Magnolia” (!!), “Boogie Nights” (!!!), “Wait Until Dark,” “Rushmore,” “Real Genius,” “House of Games,” “The Empire Strikes Back,” “Citizen Kane” (sop!), “Big Night,” “Fight Club.”
Just a few, off the top of my head, that should be on the list but aren’t:
“City Lights,” “The Swimmer,” “The Hustler,” “The Killing,” “White Heat,” “L’enfant,” “The Sting,” “The Wild Bunch,” “400 Blows,” “Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry,” “Lonely Are the Brave,” “Grand Illusion,” “A Star is Born” (1954), “The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover,” “The Dead Zone,” “The Vanishing” (Dutch version, 1988), “Harold and Maude,” “Bridge on the River Kwai,” “Roman Holiday.”
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Taxing questions
The New York Times has a piece slamming the anti-tax documentary “America: From Freedom to Fascism,” which is playing at Barton Creek Square. Haven’t seen the movie, and so can’t comment on it, but the Austinist account of seeing it is definitely entertaining.
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All’s well…
Richard Linklater’s “Before Sunset” makes the list of the “Top 50 Movie Endings of All Time” at filmcritic.com. Needless to say, spoilers galore await those who click.
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Bollywood, by golly
Two Bollywood films are coming to Tinseltown South, which over the years has become an ad hoc home for Hindi flicks.
“Anthony Kaun Hai”, a comedy-thriller in Hindi, plays Aug. 4-7 and “Godavari, a romantic-drama in Telugu, runs Aug. 5-6.
Read about “Anthony Kaun Hai” here.
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Brokeback pirateship
— Jane magazine dares to ask the important questions, like what guys readers would want to see in a “Brokeback Mountain” sequel. The answer tells me that Jane readers see a subtext in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies that I have clearly missed.
— Whoo-hoo! Our Dave Thomas is on Defamer. And thankfully not for getting into a fight with Lindsay Lohan at a nightclub.
— Out & About previews “The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life of Ethan Green,” set to open in Austin next Friday (Aug. 4).
— “Little Miss Sunshine”, coming to Austin on Aug, 11, is getting good notices.
— And while we’re talking about coming attractions, there are two new films on the Arbor schedule. “Shadowboxer” with Cuba Gooding Jr. and Helen Mirren is set to open Aug. 4.
“Once in a Lifetime”, a documentary about the New York Cosmos soccer team in the ’70s, opens Aug. 11.
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Talking sex with Wiley
Austin’s Wiley Wiggins is one of the ’90s icons giving advice on bedroom matters at nerve.com.
I think Wooderson and Randall “Pink” Floyd would be proud of how little Mitch grew up.
You can read the Wiggins’ blog here.
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So long, Harry Potter
— DVDs of the Harry Potter movies are going off the market beginning late this year. All the better to drum up publicity for re-releases.
— Chris Cornell is doing the theme song for the upcoming James Bond film “Casino Royale.”
— The Venice Film Festival lineup. I’ll be interested to see what’s said about “The Fountain” before it comes to Austin’s Fantastic Fest.
— Club DeVille is having its own film festival.
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More locals hit the big screen
The Austin-made film “For Love & Stacie” will screen Aug. 29 at the Alamo South. It’s a boy meets girl, girl dumps boy, boy makes movie to win girl back story.
You can see a trailer on the film’s Web site And you can watch a music video from the movie here.
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A freshly oiled ‘Chainsaw’
Tobe Hooper’s seminal slasher flick (made in Austin, of course) “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” is being spruced up and remastered for a two-disc “ultimate edition” DVD, coming Sept. 26.
Remixed in Dolby 5.1 surround and all that, the DVD’s three hours of bonus features include commentary by Hooper and the actors — including Leatherface, aka Gunnar Hansen — a tour of the “Massacre” house, deleted scenes, outtakes and even a blooper reel. More details at Dark Sky Films.
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Chicks who make flicks at the Austin Film Festival
This just in from the Austin Film Festival and Screenwriters Conference, which throws its annual star-packed bash Oct. 19-26:
“Want to know a woman’s perspective on ‘making it’ in the film industry? Want to hear from the writer of ‘Erin Brockovich’ and ‘Ever After,’ a ‘Sex and the City’ scribe, the producer/writer of ‘The Bernie Mac Show,’ or a Disney Writing Fellow? The Austin Film Festival is proud to present this year’s lineup of talented women panelists, who have succeeded in the highly competitive film industry.”
Panelists include Susannah Grant, Karen Bernstein, Jessica Bendinger, Shannon Jimenez, Kriss Turner, Anne Rapp and others.
Go to www.austinfilmfestival.com for more.
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Green green-lit
Director David Gordon Green, a professed Austinphile whose last movie, “Undertow,” was written by former Austin high school teacher Joe Conway, is busy-busy. His high-concept family comedy “Mr. Machine,â€? a tale about nerdy teens who build a robot, co-written by Danny McBride, has been snatched by Universal, says The Hollywood Reporter.
The film might be executive-produced by Napoleon Dynamite himself, Jon Heder, and his brothers Dan and Doug. Green and McBride also co-wrote the Universal comedy “Nerd Camp,” the magazine reports. Green is not directing either movie.
Meanwhile, Green has wrapped his teen family drama “Snow Angels,â€? starring Kate Beckinsale. His next feature is an adaptation of the fratboy memoir “Goat.”
See here just how busy the guy is.
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Documentary features Austin school
Here’s a doc that looks that to have tons have potential. “Keep Your Ear on the Ball” follows the 2005-06 school year for some students at the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired.
The filmmakers are in the process of cutting down 200-plus hours of footage to a feature-length film. The project has been accepted into the Independent Feature Project Market in New York in September.
At the film’s Web site, you can watch a trailer and make a tax-deductible contribution toward the film’s financing.
Keith Maitland is the film’s producer, editor and director.
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The eyes have it
Did you know that you can search on amazon.com for movies in which someone gets shot in the eye? Bottlecaps & Wingnuts has uncovered this important information, and for that we salute Mr. Dave Thomas.
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I’m gonna need you to go ahead and take this quiz, mmmkay?
— I got 61 out of 100 on the “Office Space” quiz. I bet you can beat me.
— And, in the spirit of “Office Space,” you should really go look at this instead of doing your TPS reports. Zahara is going to be soooo cute!
— Hey, we’ve got another local filmmaker — Hammond Hendrix featured in our “See My Film!” section. His “Lasting Images” plays the Alamo Downtown on Aug. 27, and sounds like it would appeal to fans of “Six Feet Under” and the book “Stiff.”
So why don’t you send us info about your film? C’mon, it’s easy.
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A new film fest for Austin
Look for a new film festival to begin in Austin next month.
We have only preliminary info right now, but look for the first Black Tejano Cine Fest to happen Aug. 31 at the Convention Center and the Travis County Expo Center. The event is presented by Con Drama Inc.
The group is seeking submissions of “positive and inspirational films” and is seeking workers to help with the planning of the festival.
Deadline for submissions is Aug. 15.
For more information, contact Tomas Elijio Ybarra at toejamandmojam@yahoo.com.
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Great expectations for Austinites’ idea
Some Austin filmmakers are attracting attention with the “concept film” for an epic movie they want to make.
“Blade of the King,” which retells the legend of Beowulf, won second place in the trailer category at the Indie Gathering Film Festival in Cleveland . Austinite William Blesch is director and co-producer and his wife, Robin, is producer.
The filmmakers hope the trailer leads to the funding needed to turn “Blade” into a feature film. The trailer — which you can watch here — was shot in Austin, Waco and San Antonio in May and June 2005.
An accompanying music video, starring Austin singer Leandro Fossi and some cast members from “Blade,” is in final stages of production.
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Locals land stars for animated film
The animated film “Flatland” has a big-name voice cast — Martin Sheen, Kristen Bell (“Veronica Mars”) and Tony Hale (“Arrested Development”). No big deal, right? What ‘toon these days isn’t star-studded?
But “Flatland” is different. Instead of a big studio, it’s being made by Austin filmmakers.
The 30-minute film, set to be completed this fall, will be part of an educational DVD. “Flatland” is based on Edwin A. Abbott’s classic novel Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions.” Besides telling a story, the film also teaches geometry lessons.
The film is being produced by Flat World Productions, LLC. It is a partnership among Jeffrey Travis (director), Dano Johnson (director of animation) and Seth Caplan (producer).
“All of the filmmakers are from Austin,” Caplan wrote to us in an e-mail. “We have over 10 crew members that are all donating their time to the project. Most are longtime fans of the book who are excited to help bring it to the screen.”
Caplan says the project’s executive producer, Will Wallace, first approached Sheen about the project, in which the former “West Wing” star plays an animated square.
“I think that he was interested because he has a great appreciation for math and great admiration for teachers,” Caplan writes. “Also, he is inclined to root for the underdog and I hope was charmed by our bootstrap approach to making this project happen.”
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‘Electric Car’ warm-up
Local fans of electric cars are not only environmentally conscious, they’re very nice. Ahead of the opening of “Who Killed the Electric Car?” this weekend and the electric vehicle rally at the Arbor this weekend, we’ve been getting schooled on the topic by some Austin experts.
Here’s our e-mail Q&A with Aaron Choate, the vice president of PR for the Austin Area Electric Vehicle Association. (That’s his car pictured above):
Can you tell me a little more about the cars that will be on display at the Arbor?
We don’t have the final list yet and some will come and go, but over the course of the two days we will be out there you can expect to see; an MR-2 conversion (Saturday only), a Kharman Ghia, a Geo Metro, a Toyota Prius with a modification installed that enables its EV only mode, an Escape Hybrid, an electric Ford Ranger, a GEM electric Neighborhood Electric Vehicle, a 1961 Henney Kilowatt and an electric scooter or two. There may be other vehicles that come and go as members have the time to bring them up as well.
How many electric cars would you estimate there are in Austin? And how many people do you get at your club meetings?
Honestly. I am not sure. The above are the ones that are owned by active members of the group that we see coming to events and to the open garages. A good deal of discussion about projects happens via an internet list which has over 100 members.
How can someone get involved in your group? When is your next meeting?
The easiest way is for somebody to join our email discussion list. They can find information about it here.
The next membership meeting will be Sept. 9. We also have something we call an open garage, which is an opportunity to go to a member’s house and help out on a vehicle conversion. That is often a weekly event. We also try and do a fair amount of showing the cars. The next event we are trying to be at will be the Renewable Energy Roundup in Fredericksburg in late September. We post information about all of this on our site and to the list.
Getting involved is easy and costs nothing. If somebody wants to support our group, they can do so by joining the national Electric Automobile Association and listing us as their local chapter. We receive funds back from that as part of our affiliation. In return, the person will also get a quarterly publication, Current EVents.
If someone wants to buy an electric vehicle or convert a vehicle to electric, what should be there first step?
Neighborhood Electric Vehicles and scooters are available pretty widely and can be purchased at places like Electric Cars of Austin, Alien Scooters and Texas E-Rider as well as many other environmental supply stores and elsewhere.
Unfortunately, the major car manufacturers have ceased the production of the electric cars that they had developed and that were available in California and nationwide even just a couple years ago. That is what the movie “Who Killed the Electric Car?” is all about. What is odd to us in the EV community is that we know these vehicles are possible, that people were enthusiastic about them and that the technology to be producing them exists today.
We are striving to form a support network for those people who want an electric car so much that they are willing to convert it themselves. Many of us have done so and we will continue to do so because we enjoy the process and the teaching experience. If people want to go that route, they need only join our group and start learning, helping out on open garages and eventually they will be able to do their own conversion. However, there are those who don’t want to build their own car.
To fill that niche, a couple of small car companies have stepped forward and are working to produce electric cars. Two examples are Commuter Cars with their all-electric Tango and Tesla Motors with their recently released Roadster. At this point, both of these companies have limited production capacity and cater to a market that can afford to pay a substantial amount for a vehicle.
For those who cannot, a group of our members is working to start an EV buyers club for the Austin area. The idea is that a well-performing vehicle that would please a good number of people should be possible for around $35,000-$45,000. The car would be comfortable, have factory level appointments and be able to reach well over freeway speeds while achieving over 100-mile range per charge. They are talking about this group working together to make a specification that some small car manufacturer would then be asked to build on contract. Their goal is to sign up 100 people who are interested in such a vehicle who are willing to contribute funding to an escrow account in order to prove that the market exists.
You might notice this as a similar approach to that being following in the Plug In Partners campaign for plug-in hybrid technology, which originated right here in Austin. That would be the final option. If we can’t buy an all-electric vehicle, we want to ask the auto manufacturers to make it so that we can plug in and charge the hybrids they are producing so that they will run off of all electric power for short trips around town without burning gasoline.
What misconceptions do people have about electric vehicles?
People seem to feel that electric cars are low-performing vehicles and that you have to give up the comfort that you would otherwise have in order to drive one. That is what we in the EV community are seeing is becoming less and less true. So much so that we see that with each advance in battery or power control technology, the percentage of the people in our communities that would be served by an all-electric vehicle is ever increasing. The components to build well performing vehicles are being developed and will be available. We just need to make sure companies realize there is a market for the end product.
We also talked with Dan Vogler, an electrical engineer and entrepreneur. He writes in a news release: “I quit my job, got a Ford Escape Hybrid, and started a new company to make EV’s in Austin, all because of this movie.”
Which is all the more striking when you consider that Vogler had not even seen “Who Killed the Electric Car?” in its entirety before Tuesday night.
Vogler is in the process of converting his Escape hybrid into a completely electric car as a prototype for his company, WireHead. The company is working on creating an off-peak charger, which would allow electric-car owners to charge their vehicles overnight, when demand for electricity is low. He’s hoping the big automakers will license the technology he’s developing.
And why should you even want an electric car? Vogler says the electricity costs are one-fifth those of running a car on gasoline. In other words, he said, it’s like getting 165 mpg.
Whew. I know all that’s a little out of our element in the movie blog, but I thought you crazy, doc-loving kids would be interested. And besides, I had to do something to atone for all the McConaughey posts.
Catch ‘Chair,’ ‘Game’ soon
A couple of acclaimed films are wrapping up their runs at the Arbor on Thursday. Basketball documentary “The Heart of the Game” and road movie “The Puffy Chair” will soon clear out to make way for “Who Killed the Electric Car?” and “Scoop.”
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Speeches and slams
— Movie producer Jon Landau, whose credits include “Titanic” and “Solaris,” will deliver the keynote address at the Austin Game Conference in September.
— Next Thursday (Aug. 3), Alamo South is showing the documentary “Slam Planet” at 10:15 p.m. Here’s what I wrote about the film when it showed at South by Southwest back in March.
“This locally made doc was nearly lost in the Guadalupe Arts Center fire in January 2005. Let’s be happy it survived. The film follows two poetry slam teams — Austin’s and a New York City team — as they prepare for the 2004 national competition in St. Louis (this year’s is in Austin). There’s plenty of performance footage, but the filmmakers also have an eye for behind-the-scenes detail and don’t flinch from difficult moments. But through conflicts with teammates and domestic dramas, the poets are constantly driven by the passion to create, and that’s inspiring to watch.”
— Nicolas Cage may play Liberace.
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Get the ‘Dirt’
— A highly recommended event for Thursday: The Austin Film Festival will be showing the racing documentary “Dirt” at the Alamo Lake Creek at 7:30 p.m.
“Dirt” won the best documentary award at last year’s fest, and with good reason. It follows a season of racing at the Devils Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, focusing on rookie driver Gayla Jones — the first female racer at Devils Bowl. Even if you’re not a racing fan — and heck, I didn’t even like “Cars” — this is a compelling, entertaining film. Jones and the filmmakers will be on hand for a Q&A.
Thursday’s screening is free for AFF members and $6 for everyone else. It’s the first in a series of screenings at Alamo Lake Creek featuring highlights from the film festival.
— Can we ever thank Matthew McConaughey enough for the happiness he brings? No, friends. No, we can’t.
— More on “Grind House.”
— Ideas on improving the Alamo’s Web site.
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Jake as Lance?
— Jake Gyllenhaal might play Lance Armstrong in a film bio, which may be behind their sudden, intense friendship.
Meanwhile, fellow Armstrong BFF Matthew McConaughey would rather you not take his picture, thank you.
Both items via Best Week Ever.
— Luke Wilson: wuss.
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A showcase in Seguin
— Aug. 18-19, Cinema for Everyone presents a film showcase at Seguin’s historic Palace Theatre. The event is sponsored by the Texas Association for the Deaf and features films such as the documentaries * “Lives of Deaf Mexicans”* and “Touch the Sound.”
— Acclaimed documentary “Favela Rising” comes to the Alamo Downtown next week.
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Catch ‘Cavite’ soon
— The indie thriller “Cavite” wraps up its run at the Dobie on Thursday. Friday, “Free Zone” with Natalie Portman takes its place.
— Steely Dan urges Luke Wilson to get Owen back on track. The Butterscotch Stallion is doing just fine, if you ask us.
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Stars in the ‘House’
— During the weekend at Comic Con, Quentin Tarantino announced the cast for his part of “Grind House,” his project with Robert Rodriguez.
Here’s the rundown: Kurt Russell, Zoe Bell (“Kill Billâ€?), Rosario Dawson, Vanessa Ferlito (“24,â€? “CSI: NYâ€?), Jordan Ladd (“Cabin Feverâ€?), Rose McGowan, Sydney Tamiia Poitier (“Veronica Marsâ€?), Marley Shelton (“Sin Cityâ€?), Tracie Thoms (“Rentâ€?) and Mary Elizabeth Winstead (“Final Destination 3â€?).
Tarantino’s segment, “Death Proof,” is a slasher film. He’s set to start shooting in Austin next month.
— Women & Their Work has a video/film exhibition about marriage coming up. Opening Aug. 3, “All Dressed in White” is curated by filmmaker Diane Zander Mason.
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‘Electric Car’ revs up
The documentary “Who Killed the Electric Car?” opens Friday at the Arbor, and the AustinEV Electric Vehicle Club is having an “Electric Car Rally” at the theater this weekend. You can see the cars from 5 to 10 p.m. Friday and from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday.
‘Raiders’ boys return
The fabled shot-for-shot remake of “Raiders of the Lost Ark” — “Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation” — is coming back to the Alamo Downtown, where it played to much commotion in 2002. There’s a lot of incredible backstory here, which you can read at the Alamo site. You can also grab your tickets for the screenings there.
The adaptation is playing with the real “Raiders” July 28 and 29. And the three adaptation filmmakers, who were teens when they shot it, will be there, too.
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‘Scanner’ score played live
After selling out the Alamo earlier this month, Graham Reynolds and his musical cohorts are doing an encore performance of their “A Scanner Darkly” score at 7 p.m. Aug. 3 at the Alamo South.
Reynolds will play excerpts from his haunting score for 30 minutes before a screening of Richard Linklater’s sci-fi meditation “A Scanner Darkly,” peppering each piece with remarks about their creation.
Reynolds’ “Scanner” soundtrack is available in stores and at iTunes. Get tickets for the show at the Alamo Drafthouse site.
The previous show looked like this:
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Goodnight, M. Night
You don’t have to settle with my take on the new M. Night Shyamalan fiasco. For some fun slammin’, check out the critical round-ups for “Lady in the Water” at Rotten Tomatoes, where the turgid fantasy earns an average 24-percent “rotten” rating, and Metacritic, where the fatuous movie earns a lamentable 34-percent rating.
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Just keep givin’
After all the good-natured (really!) fun poked at Matthew McConaughey this week, we would be remiss — and not very nice — if we failed to laud him for selling his car for hurricane relief.
McConaughey has been helping with this cause since soon after Katrina hit, and gone about it without an ounce of smugness or self-promotion. Nice job, our margarita-loving, Og Mandino-quoting, shirt-eschewing friend.
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Del Toro raises ‘Deadman’
Austin lost fantasy-horror genius Guillermo del Toro a few years back when he returned to his native Mexico. That, of course, hasn’t slowed down the director of “Cronos,” “Hellboy” and “Blade.” The Hollywood Reporter says he’s bringing cult DC Comics superhero “Deadman” to the screen.
The full report is here.
Del Toro’s fantasy “Pan’s Labyrinth” opens Dec. 29, and he’s signed to direct “Hellboy 2” and “Killing on Carnival Row,” the story says.
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McConaughey + Photoshop = Fun
— Best Week Ever is having a Matthew McConaughey Photoshopping contest.
— More on Kevin Smith’s recent Austin visit: “Coming back here is like going to Mecca to some degree.”
While Smith loves Austin, he is less fond of Joel Siegel.
— The Beastie Boys’ concert film “Awesome: I … Shot That” is out on DVD Tuesday.
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The rehab makeover
— Best Week Ever shows why Jason Mewes of “Clerks II” is the world’s best argument for rehab.
— We don’t have enough dog news on this blog. Let’s try to fix that.
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‘Nobelity’ returns, nobly
Austin Renaissance man Turk Pipkin’s enlightening doc “Nobelity” gets an encore run July 29 and 30 at the Arbor. Pipkin will be at the shows to discuss his journey around the world chatting with various Nobel Prize winners, which the film chronicles. The doc opens on Sept. 8 in Boston and Washington, D.C.
Tickets are $10 and benefit the Nobelity Project, a children’s charity.
Learn more about the movie right here.
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Songs in the key of ‘Quiet’
The psychological domestic thriller “The Quiet,” produced last year in Austin by Burnt Orange Productions and the UT Film Institute, hits theaters in September. Trite, soggy and sometimes laughable, the small film stars Elisha Cuthbert, Camilla Belle and Edie Falco (who has an alarming nude scene).
Belle and Cuthbert play bits of Beethoven on the piano in the movie, and they learned their tinklings from Austin pianist Tony Tobin, who spent three weeks coaching the actresses and made the music you hear on the soundtrack. (Here’s Tobin’s Web site.)
We interviewed Cuthbert today about “The Quiet” and asked about her lessons with Tobin.
“He said I needed finger extenders, because my fingers are too short,” Cuthbert told us with a laugh. “He said if I wanted a career as a pianist that it probably wouldn’t happen. It didn’t break my heart because I realized how bad I was.”
She laughed some more.
Cuthbert
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The man behind the movie
In Will Smith’s upcoming movie “The Pursuit of Happyness” (due out Dec. 15), the actor plays Christopher Gardner, who went from being homeless to being head of his own multimillion-dollar brokerage firm.
On Friday, the real Gardner will be in Austin. He’ll be signing copies of his book (which became the movie of the same title) from 11:30 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Austin Hilton Hotel and Convention Center.
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Candler’s taking the jump
Austin filmmaking dynamo Kat Candler showed her latest bittersweet teen drama “jumping off bridges” to huge receptive crowds during this year’s SXSW.
Now Candler tells us that she and her Storie Productions are “doing a self-distributed fall tour of (the film) that starts in Seattle on Sept. 13. We’re playing a bunch of festivals, universities, art houses. Some are in partnerships with suicide prevention groups, some with psychology and women’s studies departments. It’s a hodge-podge of screenings to get it out there.”
And this good news: “Right now we’re in talks with some folks about the next film.”
Go here for info about Kat, Storie Productions and their films.
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Another big casting call
Want to co-star with Ryan Phillippe? There’s an open casting call next Saturday for the “Crash” actor’s new film, which is being directed by Kimberly Peirce (“Boys Don’t Cry”).
The movie is shooting in Austin, San Antonio and Lockhart. The plot is about a war hero who returns home to his small Texas hometown only to find out he’s being sent back to Iraq.
Third Coast Extras will hold the casting call from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. July 29 at the Austin Film Society, 1901 E. 51st St. Bring a nonreturnable photo with you.
According to a news release on the casting call, “there is a specific need for male extras between the ages of 18-25 years of age with a military background and military look, specifically with an Army background.”
For more information, call 472-5385, Ext. 1 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday or email info@bethsepkocasting.com.
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McConaughey: ‘Margarita!’
— It’s a bonanza of news about actor/philosopher/man-about-town Matthew McConaughey over at Us Weekly, including this indelible image:
“Mateo,� as he called himself, partied in true bachelor style, dancing and drinking until early morning. At the end of the first day, the $11-million-per-picture actor was spotted sitting Indian-style atop the bar at La Lora Amarilla, shouting, “Margarita!� Bartender Dasha Valakhanovitch tells Us, “It was not a beautiful sight.�
— As Roger Ebert recovers from cancer surgery, other critics will fill in for him on his TV show.
— Tom Waits’ concert doc “Big Time” is at Alamo Downtown tonight.
— Movie critics are martyring themselves for you, or so says the New York Times’ A.O. Scott.
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No ‘Snakes’ for critics
“Snakes on a Plane” will not screen in advance for critics.
I have to go cry now.
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‘Freedom’ arrives July 28
The documentary “America: Freedom to Fascism” is coming to Austin. The film is set to open July 28 at Barton Creek Square. According to a news release, the doc “takes on the IRS, the Federal Reserve and other organizations and entities that have abridged the freedoms of U.S. citizens.”
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Talk with Samuel Almighty
TagWorld is giving away the chance to have a video chat with “Snakes on a Plane” star Samuel L. Jackson. The only problem with this is the rest of your life would be all downhill.
Plus, here’s a preview of the “Snakes” booth at Comic-Con.
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‘Lights’ casting call correction
Just got some revised info on the upcoming “Friday Night Lights” casting calls. Our last post on the casting calls is corrected, but I wanted to make double sure you had the correct info on the two items that changed. Those are:
— 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Barton Creek Square, center court.
— Noon to 6 p.m. Sunday. Lakeline Mall, center court.
For more information, call 707-7934 or e-mail fnl_extras@yahoo.com.
Casting call for film fans
Are you a film fanatic? Then you could be part of the new season of “SXSW Presents”.
The series, which airs on KLRU, showcases small, independent films. The show’s makers are setting up panel discussions that will air after each film. The discussions will include film-industry types, but the show is also looking for anyone who loves talking about film to join the panels.
If that sounds like you, there’s a casting session from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Thursday at 905 W. 28 1/2 St. If you’d like to book a specific time — or if you can’t make it on Thursday and need to set up another appointment — call Katherine Wells at (214) 505-0354.
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3D ‘Superman Returns’ opens Aug. 4
“Superman Returns: An IMAX 3D Experience” is opening Aug. 4 at the Bullock museum’s IMAX theater. To coincide with the opening, Austin Books and Comics will be on hand at the museum to show Superman memorabilia and give out prizes. There will also be costume contests for kids and adults.
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Reel ‘Runway’
— You can see Robert Best, an early standout this season on “Project Runway” (you know I love gratuitous “Runway” references”) in the Isaac Mizrahi doc “Unzipped.”
— Out & About returns to the “Valley of the Dolls.”
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Samuel almighty
— And the Lord said, “Verily, I am weary of these #$%@$% snakes on a #$%@$% plane.” Samuel L. Jackson to voice God. Via Best Week Ever.
— Al Gore was a film star before “An Inconvenient Truth.”
— Owen Wilson and Wes Anderson in India?
— “Little Man” may not be the work of breathtaking creativity and originality we all believed.
— Magicians are having a moment.
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And the winners are …
Here are the winners of the 48 Hour Film Project in Austin, as announced by local sponsor Reel Women.
TOP 10 FILMS:
“Arrivals”
Team: Gateway Productions
Producer: Matt Patterson
“Ben and Sam”
Team: Malachi and the Good Shepherd
Producers: Randi Nguyen & J. Dillon Flanagan
“Breakin’ Hearts”
Team: Incognito
Producer: Heather Iarusso
“Charlie’s Will”
Team: Metropolis Films
Producer: Justin Kirchhoff
“Doomsday at J. Lorraine”
Team: Alameda Oaks Assisted Living Center
Producer: Will Gordon
“Hidden Places”
Team: Big Plume Productions
Producer: Angela Lee
“How You Always Are”
Team: Girls and Boys Umbrella
Producer: Alison O’Daniel
“Latino Road Show”
Team: NALIP Austin
Producer: Manuel Ray Garcia
“‘N Audible”
Team: 40 Eight is Enough Productions
Producer: James Dodson
“Out of the Frying Pan and Into the Fire”
Team: Broken Glass Productions
Producer: Fernando Ulloa
AUDIENCE FAVORITE GROUP A
“Hidden Places”
AUDIENCE FAVORITE GROUP B
“Breakin’ Hearts”
BEST USE OF CHARACTER
“Hidden Places”
BEST USE OF LINE OF DIALOGUE
“Ben and Sam”
“Breakin’ Hearts”
BEST USE OF PROP
“You Bleed You Buy”
“Breakin’ Hearts”
BEST GRAPHICS
“Latino Road Show “
BEST SPECIAL EFFECTS
“Charlie’s Will”
“How You Always Are”
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
“Breakin’ Hearts”
BEST MUSIC
“Breakin’ Hearts”
BEST COSTUMES
“Breakin’ Hearts”
BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE
“Hidden Places”
BEST SOUND DESIGN
“Charlie’s Will”
BEST EDITING
“‘N Audible”
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
“Breakin’ Hearts”
“Hidden Places”
BEST DIRECTION
“Latino Road Show,”
Lupe Valdez
BEST FILM
“Breakin’ Hearts”
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‘Prairie,’ ‘Rockers’ on the way out
If you’ve been meaning to check out “A Prairie Home Companion” and “Wassup Rockers,” you’d better do so before Friday. Robert Altman’s “Companion” is wrapping up its run at the Dobie, with it last shows on Thursday. Meanwhile, Thursday is the last day at the Arbor for Larry Clark’s “Rockers.”
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‘Shortbus’ to steam up the fall
One of the most attention-getting movies at the recent Cannes Film Festival now has an Austin opening date. The sex-filled “Shortbus” is scheduled to open at the Dobie on Oct. 20. The film is John Cameron Mitchell’s follow-up to “Hedwig and the Angry Inch.” And Cinematical, at least, likes it a lot.
Save money at the movies
Just ran across this post over at Get Rich Slowly about how to save a few pennies when you go to the movies.
Some tips are obvious: Go to matinees instead of evening shows, bring your own food (against the rules, of course). One commenter encourages doing something that’s just wrong and not classy, and that I won’t repeat.
But there are some good ideas. Like using the Entertainment Book for discounted tickets. Or going through Costco.
Of course, Austin has an above-average number of free or dirt-cheap film events:
Check out Alamo South’s Summer Movie Camp.
You can buy 10 admissions to the Paramount Summer Classic Film Series for $45.
Movies in the Park and Deep Eddy’s Splash Party Movie Nights screen family films outdoors.
Austin Film Society members get discounted admission to AFS@Dobie films.
AFS members get in free to events like the group’s 20th anniversary screenings and Essential Cinema series. And nonmembers pay only $4.
Jo’s Hot Coffee on South Congress has free movies on Thursdays.
Nueva Onda also has free movie nights.
I know I’m leaving something out, so please remind me of the cool events I’ve forgotten.
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‘Friday Night Lights’ casting call
OK, so this is actually for TV, but film types will also be interested. The new NBC series “Friday Night Lights” is shooting locally and seeking extras at several casting calls. Here’s the schedule:
— 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday. Crockett High School Performing Arts Center.
— 2 to 8 p.m. Friday. Pflugerville High School cafeteria.
— 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Barton Creek Square, center court
— Noon to 6 p.m. Sunday. Lakeline Mall, center court.
— 3 to 8 p.m. July 25, Del Valle Junior High School cafeteria.
If you can’t make the casting calls, call 707-7934 or e-mail fnl_extras@yahoo.com to learn how to submit your information.
‘Grind House’ gossip
— Mickey Rourke out of “Grind House”? Quentin Tarantino as “the rapist”? Cinematical is getting worried about the whole film.
— Free films to watch. Thanks, Canada!
— Salon ponders “Snakes on a Plane”: “People are fascinated with the idea of the film precisely because of the title’s lack of artifice.”
— The Jeff Beckham Web log tells how to see the first 24 minutes of “A Scanner Darkly” online. A good thing — I happen to know that his date got the time of the screening wrong and made them late when they saw it in the theater.
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Fantastic Fest lands Aronofsky
“The Fountain,” a sci-fi epic from Darren Aronofsky, will be the closing night film for Fantastic Fest this fall. Aronofsky, known for the films “Pi” and “Requiem for a Dream,” will introduce the flm and conduct a Q&A afterward.
Starring Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz, “The Fountain” is about a man’s 1,000-year quest to save the woman he loves. Its theatrical release is set for Oct. 13.
Fantastic Fest runs Sept. 21-28. The showcase of sci-fi, horror and fantasy films is in its second year.
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Southern hospitality
Austin Outsider links to a cool short film about South Austin on the Web site turnhere.com, which features “short films, cool places.” You’ll probably find lots of other cities you’ll want to take video visits to. I just clicked on Vancouver.
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Matt-Lance watch ‘06
Defamer feeds our interest in the the Lance Armstrong-Matthew McConaughey friendship. (Scroll down to the second item.) Don Rickles takes over the Jake Gyllenhaal spot for the night.
Los Lonely Boys movie coming in August
— “Los Lonely Boys: Cottonfields and Crossroads,” Hector Galan’s documentary about Central Texas’ favorite band of brothers, opens Aug. 11 in Austin. It’ll be playing at the Tinseltown theaters in Austin and Pflugerville as well as Cinemark Barton Creek.
— As part of its 20th Anniversary Screenings series, the Austin Film Society presents Erich Rohmer’s “Summer” at 7 p.m. July 26. The screening is at the Alamo Downtown and is free for AFS members and $4 for everyone else. For tickets and more info, visit the AFS Web site.
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UT-tied film gets release date
— Burnt Orange Productions’ “The Quiet” now has an Austin release date: Sept. 1. It stars The film stars Elisha Cuthbert (“24”). Burnt Orange works in partnership with the University of Texas Film Institute.
— Check it out, “Office” fans: John Krasinski, who plays lovelorn Jim, will voice the character of Lancelot in “Shrek the Third,” due out May 18. All the familiar voices — Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Antonio Banderas — are back, plus Cheri Oteri, Maya Rudolph, Amy Sedaris and *Amy Poehler as a fightin’ princess brigade.
— Saudi Arabia’s first film fest. Sort of.
— Breaking news: Owen Wilson acts high.
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Buddies, bad news and ‘Babysitting’
— “Clerks II” star Rosario Dawson talks about her upcoming roles in “Grind House” and the “Sin City” sequel.
— Want more of new BFFs Matthew McConaughey and Lance Armstrong? And more still? And maybe just a little bit extra?
— The Dallas Observer’s Unfair Park blog reports on rumors that the Dallas Morning News may cut “most, if not all” of its movie and television critics for GuideLive. Blogger Robert Wilonsky writes: “Unfair Park understands a large part of that meeting (by management and GuideLive staff) dealt with how to make the section more local in coverage–which suggests that those writers who handle movies and TV shows could go, because the paper could simply pick up reviews from wire services.”
— A Richard Linklater interview.
— Nice knowing you, Brandon Routh.
— “Adventures in Babysitting” is getting remade. You mark my words, though: They will never, ever find a sidekick as good as Penelope Ann Miller.
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Kevin Smith always has time for one more question
— Matt Dentler has the lowdown on the “Clerks II” Austin premiere. A two-hour Q&A!
— All 10 of the auditoriums at Galaxy’s Highland 10 theater are now fully digital, the company announced Thursday.
— Apple and Amazon talk movie downloads.
— The good folks at Austinist review “Cavite,” which opens today.
— “Quinceanera,” set to open in Austin on Sept. 1, won the Audience Award at the Atlanta Film Festival.
— News on Spike Lee’s Hurricane Katrina doc.
— Wouldn’t it be great if you opened this book and it started playing Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy”?
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The many loves of Johnny Depp
— Us Weekly performs the invaluable public service of documenting Johnny Depp’s past fiancées.
— See, it’s not true that people on the coasts don’t care about those of us here in the “flyover states.” Who else would be there human punch lines?
— There’s more to YouTube than video of kitty cats. Not like that isn’t plenty.
— Salon looks at “Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man,” opening Friday in Austin.
— No Natalie Portman nudity after all.
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Super ex-wife
— Uma Thurman keeps it classy by refusing to say anything bad about her ex, Ethan Hawke. A nice change from all the oversharing about breakups lately.
— If you don’t keep an eye on Toni Collette, she will totally shave her head.
— GM will not be seeing “Who Killed the Electric Car?”, thank you very much.
— Out & About sees “Wordplay’, generally approves.
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Graham and a groupie
— Two things you don’t want to forget about the Alamo theaters this weekend. First, Graham Reynolds and his ensemble will perform selections from his score for “A Scanner Darkly” at the 7:15 and 10:30 p.m. shows this Saturday at Alamo South. Then on Sunday, super-groupie Pamela Des Barres will be at the Alamo Downtown.
— The Austin Film Society gives us a look ahead to programming in the coming year. Though the schedule is still taking shape, you can look for the Essential Cinema Series to feature blacklisted filmmaker Joseph Losey from Sept. 5 to Oct. 10. AFS joins in the Dmitri Shostakovich celebration with two films, “Testimony” (Sept. 27) and “The War Symphonies: Shostakovich against Stalin” (Oct. 4). Oct. 17 through Nov. 14, AFS features films with the great Gene Tierney. An essential film series on anime is planned Nov. 21 through Dec. 19. Whew!
— Man, and I thought I didn’t like “Superman Returns.”
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A big ‘Snakes’ prize
The grand prize in the Alamo’s “Blanks on a Blank” filmmaking contest has just been announced, and it’s a good one: The winning filmmaker gets two tickets to the world premiere of “Snakes on a Plane” in Los Angeles, plus airfare and hotel. Second prize is $500.
Filmmakers receive a random pairing of animal and vehicle (like “ostriches on a motor scooter”) and must create a movie based on that pairing. Visitors to the Blanks on a Blank Web site then vote for their favorite films.
Win ‘Scanner’ stuff
— On Friday night at the Arbor, if you donate to the Stars of Hope charity drive, you’ll be registered to win merch from “A Scanner Darkly” as well as movie passes, Best Buy gift certificates and Cap City Comedy Club passes.
— Tonight at the Ransom Center, film artist Luke Savisky presents “D/x.” It’s at 7 p.m., and it’s free. More info here.
— The Discovery Channel’s completely awesome series “Mythbusters” starts a new season tonight at 8 by taking on great movie heists. Next week, maybe Jamie and Adam can finally settle once and for all whether Suri Cruise exists.
— Cinematical looks ahead to “World Trade Center” (opening Aug. 9) and “Little Miss Sunshine’ (in Austin on Aug. 11).
— Heh! CNBC gets fooled by a pretend movie.
— I doubt an “Arrested Development” movie will happen, and it shouldn’t. I know this is blasphemy in some quarters, but the show was going downhill. Don’t sully it more. Although the prospect of the Alamo doing some kind of promotion with frozen bananas is pretty sweet …
— Wow.. Captain Jack can only do so much. The prospect of Disney films along the lines of “Chicken Little” and “Cars” not getting made is … well, wonderful.
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See local films, then make your own
— We have some new local filmmaker profiles up. Why not send us your info, too?
— And if you want some tips on getting your film project off the ground, Sidney Brammer is teaching a course on storyboarding from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 5 at the Bastrop Chamber of Commerce. For more information, call 303-1531 or visit Upstart’s Web site.
Catch them while you can
— “The Proposition” and “Friends With Money” are leaving the Arbor after Thursday, while “The Death of Mr. Lazarescu” and Austin-shot “The King” are pulling out from the Dobie.
— Meanwhile, Richard Linklater’s “A Scanner Darkly” is going into wider release around Austin. Currently just at the Arbor, the film expands to the Dobie, Westgate 11, Alamo South and Tinseltown South theaters starting Friday. You may see it pop up at other venues as well when theaters finalize their bookings on Wednesday.
— “Secondhand Lions” is next week’s Free Summer Kids Camp at the Alamo South. “Wallace & Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit” shows the rest of this week. Screenings are at 1 p.m. weekdays.
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‘Cavite’ Q&A
— Author and film professor John Pierson will be at the Dobie Theatre this weekend to talk about the film “Cavite.” Pierson’s advanced producing class at the University of Texas secured the distibution deal for the indie thriller. Pierson will answer audience questions after the 7:30 and 9:50 screenings of “Cavite” on Friday and Saturday. His appearance is part of the AFS@Dobie film series.
— Tonight at the Arthouse at the Jones Center, you can catch a screening of “A Blinding Flash of the Obvious,” a 30-minute film about the campaign to remove an anti-gay amendment from the Cincinnati City Charter. A panel discussion follows the film. Reception at 5:30, film at Sixth. The Jones Center is at Seventh Street and Congress Avenue.
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Bikini thrill
— Wired looks at the continuing fascination with Princess Leia’s metal bikini from “Return of the Jedi”: “There’s no doubt that the sight of Carrie Fisher in the gold sci-fi swimsuit was burned into the sweaty subconscious of a generation of fanboys hitting puberty in the spring of 1983. But, remarkably, it’s women for whom the costume holds the most enduring meaning today.”
— VH1 uses the looming arrival of “Little Man” to reflect on the history of high-concept movies.
— Take a look ahead to “Who Killed the Electric Car?”, set to open July 28 in Austin.
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The gross post
— You know, desecrate the image of Lightning McQueen however you want. But that “Omen” poster with Kermit? Messed. Up. (Via Boingboing)
— OK, let’s just go with a disturbing theme here: Toddlers love Leatherface!
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Put down the beer, Matthew
This is just tacky and tawdry, and we love it. Check out the pictures at - and roll in the dirt of - Matthew McConaughey’s Lost Weekend.
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Another outlet for movie news
Pretty cool: South by Southwest dishes out news, links, trailers and Austin movie stuff on its newish site The News Reel, making it worth bookmarking.
My favorite link now at News Reel is the one for Slate’s roundup of filmmakers and critics discussing the movies they watch over and over. (Neil LaBute includes Pasolini’s sadistic “Salo.” What a surprise!)
The site also features a list of relevant movie and media blogs, but – huh-hum — has rudely left off yours truly, the Austin Movie Blog. A harmless oversight, we assume.
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Austin films get thumbs-up
We’ve mentioned how well-received the Austin films “Gretchen” and “Chalk” were at the Los Angeles Film Festival — both took big awards — and now the country’s major trade rags, Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, weigh in with upbeat reviews, which we’ve excerpted.
Here’s Variety on “Chalk”:
“A class act among mockumentaries, ‘Chalk’ takes a lovingly exaggerated look at the frustrations and rewards of being a high school teacher. Filtering one school year through the eyes of three young instructors and a rookie administrator, this loosely scripted satire mostly steers clear of cheap shots and over-the-top gags, balancing its comic observations with a real measure of affection for teachers and students alike. Fests and arthouse distribs will certainly want a piece of ‘Chalk,’ whose pencil-sharp ensemble took top acting honors at the Los Angeles Film Festival.
“Though clearly influenced by the faux-verite comedies of Christopher Guest, ‘Chalk’ looks and plays more like an actual documentary, not the least because of it was shot on digital video at an Austin, Texas, high school and features a supporting cast of real-life students and teachers. And where Guest’s films have tended to skewer eccentric performers and prima donnas — the theater company in ‘Waiting for Guffman,’ the folk musicians in ‘A Mighty Wind’ — scribe-helmer Mike Akel and co-writer Chris Mass draw on their own teaching experience to essentially poke fun at themselves.”
This is The Hollywood Reporter on “Chalk”:
“Like sitcom dads, high school teachers in big-screen comedies are more often than not the object of ridicule. What’s most refreshing about the genial and well-observed ‘Chalk’ is that it describes the high school experience from the of teachers’ point of view. Some of them are goofy, to be sure, but rather than two-dimensional representatives of the clueless adult class, they’re also earnest, devoted working people.
“Writer-director Mike Akel and writer-actor Chris Mass have experience in the classroom, and that shows in the film’s attention to detail and milieu: between-class decompression and drama in the teachers’ lunchroom, the whir of the malfunctioning copier, the antique machinery of paper cutters and overhead projectors. More a series of loose-limbed vignettes than a sculpted narrative, ‘Chalk’ lacks a compelling dramatic drive. But the cast creates a fine, improvisatory interplay, captured with verite-style camerawork, and the unforced humor and insights go a long way in this first feature.”
And here’s Variety’s Peter DeBruge — a former film critic at The Daily Texan — on “Gretchen,” which was shot by superstar cinematographer and UT grad PJ Raval and scored by Austin musical genius Graham Reynolds, who also scored “A Scanner Darkly”:
“Could Gretchen Finkle be the female Napoleon Dynamite? Instead of moon boots and unicorn T-shirts, her high school awkwardness manifests itself through a wardrobe of old-lady sweaters and pink ponytail holders. But “Gretchen,” while eccentric in its own right, strikes a more melancholy tone. Where Dynamite’s oblivious outcast status was a source for offbeat laughs, sad-sack Finkle’s near-clinical lack of self-worth sparks a recognition that borders on depressing. With the right indie distrib, first-time director Steve Collins’ cynical, though not unaffectionate, take on stunted adolescence could find a small but dedicated hipster following, especially after winning the Los Angeles Film Festival’s Target Filmmaker Award.
Less caustic than Todd Solondz and more restrained than Terry Zwigoff, Collins’ uneasy satire serves as a last laugh for those who regard high school as anything but the best years of their lives, reenacted by actors who look a decade older than the characters they play. As Gretchen, newcomer Courtney Davis bridges the age difference by channeling the body language of an insecure wallflower, although her obsessive relationship with rebel Ricky (John Merriman) seems highly unlikely. Tortured pacing takes patience as Collins milks protracted silences for maximum discomfort, but pic looks polished enough for the arthouse circuit.”
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Calling all filmmakers
We want to feature you. Be the subject of a “See My Film” profile by filling out this form. And send us clips of your movies here.
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‘Clerks II’ premiere tickets on sale
Tickets went on sale today for the “Clerks II” Austin premiere at 7 p.m. July 13 at the Paramount. Writer-director Kevin Smith will be on hand for a Q&A.
Tickets are $30 and available through GetTix (www.gettix.net, 866-443-8849) or at the Paramount box office (472-2901). Austin Film Society members get a special price of $25, but the discount is only available at the Paramount box office.
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Zupan the Zombie
Mark Zupan, Austin-based star of the hit doc about wheelchair rugby “Murderball,” shot his cameo in the local zombie comedy “Z: A Zombie Musical” the other (rainy) day. Here are a couple shots, in character and getting green for the role:
Just keep bikin’
If you’ve ever dreamed of seeing Matthew McConaughey, Jake Gyllenhaal and Lance Armstrong on a bike ride together, but your dream is really grainy like you’re watching it on TMZ, then, my dear friend, dreams do come true.
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‘Slacker’ at 15
— Salon has a great oral history of “Slacker” on the occasion of its 15th birthday. Lots of insight into the film — not to mention Austin and the ’90s.
— Ahead of the opening of “A Scanner Darkly,” take a look back at other movie adaptations of Philip K. Dick’s works, from “Blade Runner” to “Minority Report.”
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Call it the Austin issue
Not only is Richard Linklater on the cover of the new Moviemaker magazine (issue No. 63), there are Austinites throughout.
SXSW’s Matt Dentler makes The “I” List of “the 25 coolest people to know in indie film.”
Austin’s Art Attack Productions and VariZoom are listed among the most indie-friendly businesses.
Finally, Robert Rodriguez weighs in on “Things I’ve Learned.” One piece of advice: “I tell people making DV movies at home, use it for practice. Don’t even try to get it distributed unless it’s (expletive) fantastic. If not, just keep cranking them out.”
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Annnouncing the SXSWclick finalists
Just got the news release in:
Austin, TX – July 5th, 2006 – The South by Southwest (SXSW) Conferences and Festivals is happy to announce the finalists for the 2006 SXSWclick online media festival. Culled from hundreds of entries, the 15 finalists are divided into five different categories. Online users are invited to view the finalists and submit their votes for the “Popularity Contest� portion of SXSWclick. A panel of jurors will also select their picks for the “Jury Contest.� Finalists can now be viewed and voted on, via www.sxswclick.com.
“Interestingly, there’s a theme of deconstructing the filmmaking process in many of the finalists audiences will see,� says SXSW Film Festival Producer Matt Dentler, adding, “We’re really happy with the finalists and the fest. This is really a great chance to watch exciting new short filmmaking on your computer or mobile device.�
The winners of both the “Popularity Contest� and the “Jury Contest� will be announced on July 28, 2006. Both winners will receive various prize packages, as well as be automatically accepted into the next SXSW Film Festival, March 9-17, 2007, in Austin, TX. The finalists in each category are:
OLD SCHOOL SHORTS “Embedded� by Greg O’Bryant, “Following Abraham� by Jacob Waxler, “Playing Chicken: The Movie� by Bradley Jackson
REALLY REAL SHORTS “Art/Work� by Avram Dodson, “Cherchez La Femme� by Anna Cherkashina, “Some Analog Lines� by David Lowery
ANIMATE-IT “Animation vs. Animator� by Alan Becker, “Time Birthed Spilled Blood,� by James Sumner, “Two Guys and A Battle-ax� by David Marchesani
SOUND CHECKS “Clinically Dead� by Chad Van Gaalen, “Foothills� by Robert Becraft, “Resurrection� by Tiller Russell
WHAT THE F*#!? “Moving Picture Makers� by Andy Fisher, “Radiation in Moderation� by Sarah Lipstate, “Snail� by Sharad Patel
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Swank spills on divorce
— It’s celebrity disclosure day. Would have never guessed that the Hilary Swank-Chad Lowe divorce was partially caused by his substance abuse, but that’s what she says in the new Vanity Fair.
— Maybe I’m not the only one who thinks that remaking “Grease 2” is a good idea. The kids today and their “High School Musical” … they’ll love it!
— Us Weekly is going to get to the bottom of why we haven’t seen Suri Cruise.
— Ain’t It Cool marks its anniversary with “Monster House” screenings.
— Defamer mulls a Ken Lay movie.
— In comments, Rose McGowan has ugly dogs.
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Judd opens up
In the August issue of Glamour magazine, actress Ashley Judd talks about the 47 days she spent in at Shades of Hope Treatment Center in Buffalo Gap receiving treatment for emotional issues. She hits on themes (“codependence in my relationships; depression; blaming, raging, numbing, denying and minimizing my feelings”). that will resonate with a lot of women.
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‘Pirates’ feast
The Alamo theaters are rolling out another of their famous feasts for the “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest.” The Caribbean-themed meal will be served Sunday at Alamo Village and July 12 at Alamo South.
Also at Alamo South next week: Free showings of “Wallace & Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit” at 1 p.m. weekdays.
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‘Superman Returns’ a disaster. Or not.
— So, “Superman Returns” flop or studio savior?
— The change in rules for the foreign-language film Oscars is a good thing.
— Slackerwood on the best film competition ever.
The scoop on ‘Scoop’
— Woody Allen’s “Scoop” is set to open July 28, according to the Arbor’s latest bookings. Something to look forward to this fall: MPAA-bashing doc “This Film Is Not Yet Rated” is scheduled for Sept. 22.
— A little joke you’ll enjoy if you saw “Drawing Restraint 9” this weekend.
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