Even if you live to be one hundred, it's likely that you won't be able to sign your name to anything as brilliant and esoteric as Wild At Heart. A road novel as twisted as the pavement it covers, it is perhaps best remembered as having made celluloid magic after David Lynch realized that Barry Gifford's writing was meant to be seen. The vexed story of wayward lovers Sailor and Lula is part of a seven books series, which includes the also-adapted Perdita Durango, and was published as a complete collection, Sailor & Lula, earlier this spring. Appearing in person to present a screening of Lynch's award-winning film at the Alamo Downtown tonight, Mr. Gifford will share his experience with the production and will be available afterward for a Q & A and book signing. more ›

My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done is inspired by the true story of Mark Yavorsky, a San Diego man so fixated upon Orestes, a character in Greek mythology, that he eventually killed his own mother with a sword. Herzog's film only loosely follows the events of Yavorsky’s psychological decline, but it deftly captures the mysteries and frustrations connected to mental illness. In some ways Brad’s behavior in the film is deeply frightening, but there are other emotions swirling around as well. Brad seems to have absorbed the utter craziness that the world is so often capable of, and with that he earns a bit of sympathy. more ›

Production still courtesy of Troma Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead w/ Lloyd Kaufman Live! Friday, December 7thAlamo Drafthouse Lake Creek (17329 Research Blvd)(7:30pm, $10)[info] | [tickets]Over the course of the last thirty-three years, Lloyd Kaufman's Troma Entertainment has produced hundreds of films, attracted legions of devoted fans, and influenced the likes of Peter Jackson, Quentin Tarantino, Trey Parker, Eli Roth and Takashi Miike. In fact, by Kaufman's estimation, the studio now owns more than... more ›

1990s Cookies (Rough Trade/World's Fair) The 1990s "play music like a blond gets out of a car." This, we assume based on listening, means something like, "Our sound is snotty, a little fucked up on we-don't-remember-what, and always f-u-n." While John McKeown (Yummy Fur) won't make any news showing his knickers to paparazzi during a limo exit, he will succeed in promoting the display of everyone else's underthings on the dance floor, as Cookies... more ›

Last month Austinites got a hefty dose of filmmaker David Lynch as he rolled through town promoting his new film Inland Empire and his new book Catching the Big Fish: Meditation, Consciousness, and Creativity. Lynch had a helluva busy schedule, appearing at the Paramount Theatre where he introduced a sold out screening of Inland Empire and participated in a Q&A session, then appearing at Barnes & Noble where he signed copies of his new book,... more ›

Texas is thawing, the Northeast is freezing, and a sort of natural order seems almost restored to the Ist-A-Verse. Almost. Londonist HQ—that is to say, the city of London—was battered by heavy winds, making it a bad time to be a twelve-meter (nearly forty-foot) tall snowman. Still, not everyone decided to keep warmly covered. Meanwhile, back indoors, the Big Brother racism is now causing all kinds of headaches for international diplomats, and Londonist got into... more ›

Next Wednesday, the Austin Film Society is hosting a special Austin premiere of David Lynch's new film, Inland Empire [official film site]. The critically-acclaimed director will be in attendance and will take audience questions after the film. Tickets went on sale to AFS members earlier this month, but tickets are currently on sale to the general public as well. For the true cinephile, this is a can't-miss opportunity to see one of America's premiere... more ›

Tenacious D in 'The Pick of Destiny' Marquee Screenings Screening Info: 7:45pm October 26th at Paramount Regional Premiere. The legend of the fabled "Pick of Destiny" infuses every page of rock history. This is no ordinary pick, my friends, its sheer power could shake the pillars of Algernon. It is a thing of lore . . . a thing of magic. Since the dark ages, this supernatural pick has been passed down through many... more ›

Due to some odd twist of fate—or some serious demographic research—several major/minor art-rock figures are releasing albums today. These artists run the gamut from graceful (Thom Yorke) to chaotic (TV On The Radio) to I’ll-have-whatever-they’re-having (Muse). Let’s take a look: THOM YORKE-THE ERASER Thom Yorke once quipped that, in the United Nations that is Radiohead, he plays America—the joke being that, while he doesn’t have all the ideas (or talent), he sets the aesthetic... more ›

We’re a little morbidly fascinated with JT LeRoy — not because we like overwrought coming-of-age stories, but because we love hoaxes. Similarly, we’re a little fascinated with Asia Argento — not because we like self-important starlets, but because we love the cult of celebrity. So, when the two came together to produce the film version of LeRoy’s second novel, we have to admit, we were intrigued. We didn’t expect The Heart is Deceitful Above... more ›

In his first-feature film Brick, director Rian Johnson set own to make a noir detective film. But he was tired of seeing the same old characters playing out similar storylines. He wanted to bend the genre, so it would still look and feel like a noir pic, but with a different sensibility. Enter, high school. Brendan Frye (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) has just received a disturbing call from his distressed ex-girlfriend Emily (Emilie de Ravin). She's... more ›

It's Wednesday night and you didn't think to buy Franz/Death Cab tickets. What to do? Well, as usual, the Alamo Drafthouse Downtown has something on you'd enjoy. The final showing of "World's Best Commercials" happens at 7pm, and the breadth alone of this compilation makes it look mighty good. Over 140 (!!) commericals from around the world will be shown, and the curators promise amped up sex, violence, and comedy during the foreign bits.... more ›

[The following is an editorial column by contributor Alison Coffey and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Austinist staff. --The Editors] In the tradition of Neal Pollack's Salon.com Grammy's post, I've decided to take us on a live tour of this year's Academy Awards, minute by minute, hour by hour, boring acceptance speech by boring acceptance speech. Well, I hope not, but odds are, the acceptance speeches are going to be boring.... more ›