Gore Verbinski's last two Pirates of the Caribbean movies represented a rare gem from Hollywood these days: an original studio big-budget trilogy, and one with more Errol Flynn than Batman at that. Verbinski's original Pirates films told an epic (and unpredictably tragic) sea fable that incorporated ancient mythology and history while managing to pick out the best parts of what blockbusters work. On Stranger Tides doesn't feel like it's part of the same series. more ›

Don't have cable so you can't watch the Ian McShane define cool on the new Deadwood tonight? That's ok, Austinist has a Tivo, so you can come over and watch later on this week. We like company. Instead, we recommend you head on down to the Spider House around 8:30 tonight to catch the Austin Premiere of filmmaker and native Texan Patrick Phillips' new documentary The Cost of War, an outline of the conditions, emotional... more ›