Super 8 is the first film by writer-director J.J. Abrams not part of a preexisting franchise -- after rebooting the Mission: Impossible and Star Trek series respectively, it seems the time has come for the TV guru and blockbuster auteur to branch out into more heartfelt territory. With Super 8, he clearly succeeds, although calling the film completely original might be a bit of an overstep. more ›

Fanatical "LOST" fans rejoice! J.J. Abrams, who is responsible for one of the most successful television shows of the last decade and the most confusing show of all time, is announcing exciting new work! Very little has been made public about this new project except that it is a novel, it “will explode the bonds of the novel in ways no book has ever done,” and that Abrams will be collaborating with Austin’s Doug Dorst. more ›

Photograph of the Trump Soho by Riccardo Sinti more ›

French MP goes on hunger strike. "Like a sad clown," he says, "I'm not asking to win. I'm asking for good sense to triumph." Reason for the dramatics? He didn't want a paint factory in his district to close. When they say "Long Live the Queen" they're not kidding. Today Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her 80th birthday with a small get-together. MySpace has been quite the forum for do-no-gooders lately. Some kids were planning... more ›

[The following is an editorial column by contributor Alison Coffey and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Austinist staff. --The Editors] more ›

The grammar is atrocious. The plot is absurd. The chronology is jumpy and confusing. The logic has holes big enough to steer an aircraft carrier through. By all rights, we should have flung Christopher Moore’s latest novel across the room and written a scathing review. more ›