In an announcement sure to make everyone from Circle C to Oak Hill grin, the Alamo Drafthouse finally affixed an opening date to the eight-screen Slaughter Lane location that has been in the works for over two years. Dubbed simply (and cheekily) Alamo Slaughter, the cinema will open on Thursday, March 22nd - just around the time that most of you emerge from post-SXSW hibernation. The theater will fill a longstanding movie (and bar) void in Southwest Austin, and will anchor a new shopping area at MoPac and Slaughter that looks likely to include more restaurants and shops in the future. more ›

The Alamo Drafthouse and Lights. Camera. Help. have announced the winners of this weekend's nonprofit-oriented film competition, in which ten teams were given 48 hours to create cause-driven films in honor of The National Day of Service and MLK Day. more ›

ABJ is reporting that Alamo Drafthouse will open its 12th location in 2013 in Washington, D.C. The 34,000 square foot cinema will be at One Loudoun, in Loudoun County Virginia. Construction begins this week, and is set to open in the spring of 2013. "The Best Theater Ever" (Time) and "coolest theater in the world" (Wired, source) seems to be on a recession-proof roll: they increased box office sales in 2011 by 2.6%, making the national industry's 3.4% drop the same year feel pathetic. Certainly their unique take on movie going (restaurant and alcohol service, legendary (enforced) rules about respecting the platform, pre-show trailers designed to engage and inspire customers to arrive early) has contributed to their success. Undoubtedly, their unwavering dedication to the art form and its community hasn't hurt either. more ›

Remember that text messaging moviegoer that got her ass kicked out of the Alamo a few months back? Well who knows where she is now, but her legacy lives on. more ›

Inni is the second Sigur Ros film, following 2007’s Heima, released in conjunction with a double live album of the same name. Where Heima gave context and background to the band and their musical collaborators, Inni aims only to convey the otherworldly majesty of seeing the band live. more ›

If you want to support Austin's African American community, and if you would like your support to be accompanied by one of the best film soundtracks ever created, check out the Austin Alpha Foundation's presentation of Purple Rain tonight at the Alamo South Lamar. more ›

Tegan and Sara Quin brought the DVD portion of Get Along, their career-spanning live CD/DVD set that releases today, to Austin for three sold out screenings at the Alamo Drafthouse last weekend. Trademark charisma and comedic prowess were in full force as the twins took the stage for a lengthy and hilarious Q&A that even dropped some tantalizing hints for their next album. When asked the obligatory OMG-I-love-you-what-are-you-listening-to-right-now question, Tegan was kind enough to go beyond her original answer of M83 and twist it into a tell-all of influences for the sound of their next album: Tom Petty, Cyndi Lauper, Kate Bush and Ace of Base (Swedish pop - believe it, respect it). more ›

When the Alamo Drafthouse announced that noted mixologist Bill Norris had joined their team as beverage director this summer, it seemed obvious that he'd take the cocktail menus at Alamo Ritz and The Highball to a new level. What was less certain was how the Alamo would employ Norris' knowledge in their many venues without a hard liquor license. This week brings us a perfect example of what Norris and Chef John Bullington have been concocting. more ›

We know that many of you will be spending the weekend at Auditorium Shores for the annual Fun Fun Fun fest, but if you aren't going to be rocking out in a park for the next few days there is plenty to see on area screens. more ›

This is how the Alamo Drafthouse says 'Happy Halloween'. On Saturday night, Mondo Mystery Movie participants (around 700 movie fans) were loaded onto buses, taken to the creepily deserted Highland Mall, and treated to a screening of the zombie classic Dawn of the Dead that was attended by director George Romero himself (as well as about 200 lurching, awesome zombies). more ›

It's a story that sounds straight out of the movies -- twin brothers living in one of the most politically unstable regions in the world strive to become filmmakers (never mind the fact they've never even seen a film at a theater), catch the attention of a few of the right people, and end up being brought to our very own Alamo Drafthouse for a screening/event unlike any other. more ›

In order to celebrate the DVD release of seasons 1-3 of this most truly outrageous of shows, the Alamo Drafthouse, along with local sponsor Toy Joy, have teamed up for this Saturday's Cartoon Cereal Party. Go see a live show Friday night, then shake off that party the next morning with some more animated rock at the best movie theater in the world. C'mon, what's a more Austin weekend? more ›

A few of the movies opening this week are more notable for how long they've been unreleased. Throw in a few microscopic releases and what may be the most disgusting film of all time and you have more than enough choices to get you through the next couple of days, especially if you're lucky enough for Columbus Day to actually bring you a day off on Monday. more ›

The Alamo Drafthouse is expanding into all new territory next year, as they've announced they'll be opening a theater in the Denver, CO area. The specs for Alamo Aspen Grove sound very similar to the new Austin location set to open in early 2012, Alamo Slaughter Lane. These theaters will have top-of-the-line AV equipment, "microcinemas" and all the excellent food and drink options Alamo lovers have come to anticipate. more ›

With 75,000 people expected to fill Zilker Park this weekend for the 10th Annual Austin City Limits Music Festival, there's a lot of interesting counterprogramming going on at local theaters. Drive is actually one of the widest releases of the weekend, but don't let the screen count fool you. This is not your average action film, rather it's a noir-inspired tale filled with lots of double crossing and bad decisions. We imagine most mainstream audiences will be left puzzled, but for adventurous film lovers, it's easily your best choice for a trip to the theater more ›

There are plenty of films opening in town this weekend, but nothing much to get excited about. The highest profile film on area screens is Steven Soderbergh's Contagion. With an all-star cast and the backing of Warner Bros., this is the kind of film that consistently alternates within Soderbergh's filmograhphy. He does a studio picture and follows it up with an indie picture. Rinse. Wash. Repeat. more ›

Point Blank (Regal Arbor, Violet Crown Cinema) This relentless thriller from French director Fred Cavaye wastes no time throwing you into the action. The movie begins with a chase scene and barely stops to let you catch your breath over the course of its 84-minute running time. more ›

It's not too late to attend tonight's premiere of Slacker 2011, the re-imagining of Richard Linklater's homage to Austin as it existed 20 years ago. You don't have to love the original film to appreciate the significance of this project -- whether you were born in the skyscraperless hippie town Austin once was or recently moved here from California to start your new tech job, consider it your civic duty see and think about what this updated snapshot represents. more ›

It may be stretching the definition of "indie" to include our main pick this week, but Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark is our favorite film in release this weekend and it's a castaway from the now-defunct Miramax library being released by upstart company FilmDistrict. Ultimately, it's a high quality, low budget flick that just happens to be getting a wide release. more ›

The most wonderful time of the year for genre film fans is fast approaching, and today Fantastic Fest upped the excitement level by releasing another round of films. more ›

We caught this terrific documentary from Errol Morris when it screened during SXSW earlier this year. It takes a Rashomon-style approach to unraveling the story of Joyce McKinney, a former Miss Wyoming winner who was accused of abducting a man she had been dating to bring him back to the United States from a missionary trip overseas. Long before the News Of The World scandal, this story exploded in the British tabloids and made Joyce a sensation. Tabloid is genuinely outrageous and unexpected. more ›

The directorial debut of Joe Cornish, this British sci-fi flick already stirred up audiences at South By Southwest earlier this year. In recent weeks, it's seen a series of free promotional screenings in town as well to gauge audience reaction beyond the initial cult fans. It seems as though things are going outrageously well in terms of word of mouth, but Sony's Screen Gems division is also testing the waters very slowly, opening the picture in a mere seven U.S. markets this weekend. more ›

When Bill Norris announced on Twitter that he was moving on from Haddington's and had an "exciting new opportunity" ahead, cocktail-o-philes were abuzz with where he would land next. more ›

Fantastic Fest, which will take place Sept. 22-29, has made its first programming announcement. The 20 films that have been revealed come from around the world and include digital restorations, US premieres, and plenty of the bizarre fun this festival is celebrated for. more ›

Even if you’ve never physically been there, you probably have fond memories of the Days Inn just off I-35 in Hillsboro, TX. Used by Wes Anderson in his debut feature Bottle Rocket, this simple motel provided the perfect hiding spot for three of the most lovable characters ever to be on the run from Johnny Law. more ›

Beginners (Alamo South Lamar, Regal Arbor) This is only the second feature film from Mike Mills, whose 2005 debut was the delightfully oddball Thumbsucker. Chances are, this film took some time to come together because it was an intensely personal story. When Mills' late father was 75, he came out to his son. Mills has said that his dad had "five very intense, brand-new years of being gay and being very free." more ›

Six months ago tonight was the most memorable time I've ever had at the movies. It was Weird Wednesday at the Alamo Drafthouse, and Lars Nilsen was showing Carnival Magic, which I will attempt to summarize: a wise-but-creepy magician and his English-speaking chimpanzee achieve stardom in a small-time circus, only to become the prey of a girlfriend-beating lion tamer and a doctor who specializes in vivisection. more ›