Film - 2/4 - The Austinot

Local Austin Film ProGamer Premieres This Week at Austin Film Festival

October 12, 2016 by Bill Tucker 1 Comment

Professional gamer White Ra competes for big cash and glory in ProGamer (Credit: ProGamer)

Imagine an NBA arena packed to the rafters on a Saturday. Stage lights flash across the at-capacity crowd. Monstrous displays broadcast the evening’s match-ups. An exuberant emcee walks onto the stage and announces the first bout. The crowd roars as the combatants go to their respective corners, put on headphones, and man their mouse and keyboard.

Oh, I’m sorry. Did you think I was talking about professional wrestling? A heavyweight bout? I was actually setting the scene for an eSports tournament. Professional gaming has become a worldwide sensation, attracting millions of fans through webcasts and live events. “ProGamer,” directed by Austin native Justin Agnew and premiering at this year’s Austin Film Festival, provides an inside look into this pixelated phenomenon and the personalities that make it tick. [Read more…]

Answers to Common Questions About SXSW Film for Austin Locals

March 11, 2016 by Kelli McDonald Leave a Comment

Sixth Street during SXSW (Credit: Ian Aberle via Flickr CC)

During SXSW, parts of our city seem unrecognizable. And sometimes, the festival itself can be downright confusing. Luckily, Janet Pierson, Head of SXSW Film, provided us with helpful answers to some of the most common SX questions. Below is valuable information from Pierson and the SXSW website. [Read more…]

3 Austin Documentaries You Should See During SXSW Film

March 10, 2016 by Kelli McDonald Leave a Comment

Austinites have to share their city during SXSW, so it only seems fair that a few featured documentary films would highlight Austin’s intriguing history with new information for both natives and newcomers to learn.

“A Song For You: The Austin City Limits Story,” “Honky Tonk Heaven: Legend of the Broken Spoke,” and “Tower” make their debut during the 30th SXSW Music, Film and Interactive Conferences and Festivals. Each film aims to skillfully investigate significant happenings in our city. [Read more…]

Iconic Austinite Richard Linklater Takes SXSW Film By Storm

March 9, 2016 by Kelli McDonald Leave a Comment

Richard Linklater – dream is destiny Still Photo

“Richard Linklater – dream is destiny” features interviews with Matthew McConaughey, Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke, Jack Black, Julie Delpy, Kevin Smith. (Credit: “Richard Linklater – dream is destiny”)

This year, Austin and the 30th annual SXSW are celebrating homegrown filmmaker Richard Linklater with a premiere of his new film, a documentary about his work and even an art show. [Read more…]

Free Summer Flicks Are Back with 101X Summer Cinema Series

June 16, 2015 by Guest Blogger 1 Comment

101X Summer Cinema Series (Credit: 101X.com)

Guest article by Emily Burns

Each year, Austinites eagerly anticipate the return of the 101X Summer Cinema Series where they can escape the crazy day to day routine, relax and enjoy a good movie in good company. Last year’s event included films like Jurassic Park, Independence Day, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, The Goonies and Back to The Future.

It’s finally that time of year again. After much deliberation, the votes are in and 101X has released this year’s feature film schedule. The 10th season kicks off July 1st at Central Market (4001 N Lamar Blvd) with [Read more…]

Butterfly Girl: Remembering Abigail Evans

January 12, 2015 by Bill Tucker 6 Comments

Only Abbie Evans could be so relaxed while drinking from her feeding tube (Credit: butterflygirlmovie.com)

The Alamo Drafthouse on West Anderson was packed on a drizzly Sunday night. The lobby felt like a homecoming. Local Austin musicians chatted amongst pints of beer. Hands were shaken. Hugs were constant and everywhere.

Everyone was there to celebrate the life and legacy of Abigail Evans, a local Austin teenager whose battle with a horrific skin disorder is chronicled in Butterfly Girl. Full of real people and real moments, the documentary chronicles a two year period of Abbie’s battle with EB. Before the screening, I knew very little about Abbie and her disease. By the time it was all over, I felt like a member of the family.

[Read more…]

No Movie Is Sacred at Master Pancake Theater

October 24, 2014 by David Thomas Leave a Comment

John Erler has made a 14 year career out of goofing on movies (Credit: robN8R via Flickr CC)

Alamo Drafthouse hates when people interrupt their movies, unless those people are with Master Pancake Theater (MPT). They can do just about anything they want.

Movie Mockery at Its Best

Master Pancake Theater started in 2000 under the puntiferic name, Mister Sinus Theater 3000. John Erler, Owen Egerton, Jeremy “Jerm” Pollet and their spoof of a spoof charmed Tim League and the crew at Alamo Drafthouse. Soon the show became a popular staple at Austin’s favorite movie theater.

The name changed to the Sinus Show in 2004 at the request of a similarly named and older Mystery Science Theater 3000. The show finally ended in 2006, but John Erler’s adventure was just beginning. He moved forward in 2007, rebranded the show as Master Pancake Theater, and promptly started winning awards [Read more…]

I Luv Video Is Austin’s Oldest and Largest Video Store

September 19, 2014 by Robert Luke Leave a Comment

Before the over abundance of Video on Demand, video stores were almost the only way to find most movies. Having vastly more of a selection than movie theaters, you could always discover older movies you had never heard of, or find goofy-awesome looking movies made for video.

Across the country, video rental is a dying business. But Austin loves its movie rental stores and these local businesses remain strong here. [Read more…]

Fantastic Fest 2014: Keanu Reeves Is Just One Reason to Go

September 12, 2014 by Robert Luke Leave a Comment

FFX Poster by Geof Darrow

September is an exciting month in Austin. The weather starts to cool down, it’s about time to get ready for Halloween, and Fantastic Fest happens.

Running September 18-22, 2014, Fantastic Fest is an annual film festival programmed by the people at Alamo Drafthouse who specialize in science fiction and horror genre films. The event typically brings big movie stars and film premieres to our fair city, and this year looks like it’ll be no exception.

There are a lot of special things happening at this year’s Fantastic Fest. In its tenth year, it’s the first festival to take place at the newly reopened South Lamar Drafthouse. South Lamar and then Highball had hosted Fantastic Fest every year, except for last year when it was held at the most northern location in Lakeline. This year, Fantastic Fest is back where it belongs (even if it’ll still be surrounded by construction).

Having been born here, it’s amazing to watch Austin get bigger around me. I genuinely believe Alamo Drafthouse and Fantastic Fest are partly responsible for that. I’ve talked to multiple people who all say, “I moved to Austin because of Alamo Drafthouse.” Fantastic Fest also brings many celebrities, movie stars and famous directors to Austin, exposing them to the opportunities here. [Read more…]

Blue Starlite Is Austin’s Drive-in Movie Theater

September 4, 2014 by Guest Blogger 3 Comments

Get a taste of the past at Blue Starlite (Credit: Cameron Bergeron)

Guest article by Lisa Taylor

Theaters have come a long way since I was a child. We have so many options open to us these days that it really just depends on what you want your movie watching experience to be.

Do you prefer things to fly out from the screen at you, while you’re wearing funky glasses and screaming in terror? If so, the 3D experience may be the way to go. If you’d rather “feel” the movie, then a trip to the Interactive Theater, replete with moving seats and blasts of air into your face may be more up your alley. Is full bar service brought straight to your recliner more your style? You can get that at a few places around town as well.

But we also have another movie watching choice in Austin. To experience it, we have to jump into our way back machines and head out to Blue Starlite Mini Urban Drive-In. [Read more…]