As several of our artist friends returned from the largest Comic-Con ever, already excited about the next big thing, we started asking ourselves—what is it about science fiction that gets us as a society so excited? Is it the promise of a perfect Futureworld full of jet packs and flying cars, of slinky-armed robots that do our bidding? The idea that we will finally figure out this “peace on earth” thing? The whole “life on other planets” mystery? Whatever it is, it seems society has been obsessed with the future and what magical wonders it might hold since…well, since the discovery of time.

This week, the Paramount Theater (a classic theater almost as old as time itself) is bringing back the future. Or, the old versions of the future…from the past. (We should stop—this is getting confusing.) Ahem. This week, the Paramount continues its Summer Film Series with some old school Sci-Fi from way back—in double feature mode, no less, so you really can feel like you’re back in the Day.

If you missed Wednesday’s Village of the Damned and Invasion of the Body Snatchers double bill, don’t despair—there’s still plenty more Technicolor fun. Thursday, Chuck Heston yells a lot at actors in monkey suits in Planet of the Apes. There’s no Marky Mark here, but NRA Prez Heston is shirtless enough—and much younger, as the film was shot forty years ago—to more than make up for it. Surely we don’t need to mention the whole “intelligent apes” premise—you know all about this seminal film, and want to see it again (or perhaps for the first time, if you’ve never seen it…aw, we just made ourselves sad) on the big screen.

If you can take some more, stick around for The Time Machine, the 1960 film based on H.G. Wells’ novel, starring Rod Taylor (no Brenden Fraser, natch) as a man who invents a machine that will transport him to anywhere in time. He just happens to keep picking times of war until he gets so far into the future (October 12, of the year 802,701, to be unnecessarily exact) that there’s nothing left but weird semi-primitive people left. It’s a morality tale wrapped up in what was back then considered incredible special effects. You’ll walk out talking about what three books you would use to save the world—that is, if you’re not just quoting Mr. Heston’s classic lines from the previous flick.

What, you say you have plans on Thursday? Well, it’s like you have a time machine too, because you can still see them…though there’s no actual time travel involved, they’re just playing again on Friday. In fact, they’re even showing again Saturday afternoon if you’re one of those workaholics that can’t go out on weeknights.

But that’s not all. All weekend, and on into Monday, the Paramount will also be showing Journey to the Center of the Earth starring James Mason and crooner Pat Boone (once again, no Brendan Fraser—how does he get cast in all these remakes?!) as scientists trying to find…well, the center of the earth. Strange and fantastic terrain, underground oceans, volcanoes, and dinosaurs make for an exciting adventure so fun, you won’t even miss the Encino Man.

Still not enough? Want something a little more…challenging? How about Andrei Tartovsky’s Solaris, a Russian psychological mystery/thriller set on a space station about a psychologist (played by Donatas Banionis [we don’t have to tell you that it’s the original, do we? Surely you get it by now]) investigating the strange appearance of some mysterious visitors—are they ghosts? Hallucinations? Aliens? This haunting film will certainly give your brain a bit of a workout.

All these movies are playing at different times on different days, so be sure to check out the schedule to figure out what’s playing when. And if you didn’t get to go to Comic-Con and want to wear your Boba Fett costume, we’re sure that won’t be a problem. This is Austin, after all. We like to keep it weird.